04/01/2006: "Museum Workshop Debriefing"

I just got back from presenting at the "How to Exhibit" workshop at our city museum and I feel like it was a big hit. We had a nice mix of newbies and well established local artists...I felt intimidated at first but I realized that I had information about the online environment that was completely new for many people.

I had a lot of positive feedback for my bit as well as for the presentation as a whole. The other two presenters were fantastic and I learned a lot from them as well...the three of us were a good mix. I felt it was a testament to how much need there was for this kind of session that everyone stayed for the entire thing (from 9-2) even though it was gorgeous outside. Any of you with an interest in these kinds of skills should talk to your local arts council about setting up something similar.

Anyway, I got a lot of comments like "when do you sleep" which I took as a compliment but also made me realize how much time I really do spend on this...the blog, the website, in addition to the actual painting etc. It really is my life, and for some reason being envolved in this presentation really drove that home for me...and I realized that I'm OK with it...more than just OK...that I'm very very happy with where I'm at, and what I've had to give up along the way.

Oh, and special thanks to Daniel North for sending me one of his portfolios that he mails out to galleries and museums for getting shows. I passed it around and there was a lot of interest in it, I know several people wrote down his name as well so...do something nice for others and it may end up helping you in some way too!

Replies: 13 Comments

on Saturday, April 1st, Judy Vars said

Hey Elise,
I'm sp glad that your "How to Exhibit" workshop went well you are a whole fountain of inspiration and information. I agree this whole blog self promotion thing is time consuming and I start to take myself too seriously. Thank you for your feedback on my blog. I took your advise and linked to you and An Alaskan Aborad. You are both people that I'd like to get to know better.

on Saturday, April 1st, Elise said

Thanks Judy, that's really sweet of you. You know though, you aren't linking to your blog from your artist webpage, you'll want to do that. And when you comment in other people's blogs, it's good to use the URL of your blog in the homepage link, so when other readers click on your name they can go straight to your blog. You can always link to your artist website from your blog as well!

So...I'm very relieved the workshop is over. I put a lot of work into it and I was worried that I would do a horrible job and at first it looked like that might be the case because I couldn't get my Internet access to work, but, it all worked out in the end.

Anyway, it's great to be able to "get to know" other Alaskan artists, even if we live hundreds of miles apart.
:P

on Sunday, April 2nd, Kasia said

Congratulations on your workshop! If you are happy- I am happy, too.:)

on Sunday, April 2nd, Mark said

Hi Elise,
It was a pleasure working with you on the "How to Exhibit" workshop. There was a lot of information presented in a short time - much to absorb. Hopefully all of the participants were able to take something away that they find useful. Here is my web site address, as promised,

on Sunday, April 2nd, Elise said

Hey Kasia, thanks!

And Mark, WOW, I didn't realize it but I'm very familiar with your work, I've been to your exhibits before but I just didn't make the connection (I'm not good with names) anyway, I've actually been to your site before and it's gorgeous.

You should have said something when I was showing interesting web examples, yours is really impressive!

on Sunday, April 2nd, Judy Vars said

Hi Elise,
When you go to my web site you find the link to the blog on my contact me page. Where do I link to my web site on my blog?
I feel like a pain thank you for helping me.
:rolleyes: :crazy:Judy

on Monday, April 3rd, greg said

:O Oh my, I've never seen you spammed before! Does this happen to you often? (of course you will remove it soon and people will wonder what I'm talking about)

Congrats on a successful presentation! That's one thing I can't do ... I can't control my blush response, and when I talk in front of a group of people I feel my face flush and my ears burn! I hear it's a nice apple red! :blush:

So was it video taped? Here's another marketing angle, girl! "Elises' Video Collection: Vol.1 Creating an Artist's Portfolio, thru Vol. 23 where Elise discusses the wonders of living in Alaska" :laugh:

on Monday, April 3rd, Elise said

Hi Judy, I would link to your blog as one of the main links, rather than hiding it on the contact page. I actually went to your site looking for it before you told me where it was and I couldn't find it.

Oh, and it looks like you're already linking to your website from your blog...it's looking great by the way!

And Greg, the spam comes in bursts. It used to hit my archives pretty hard, I'd go in and delete them one at a time. I know that word press and others are better for this but I'm a greymatter girl!

Anyway, when they start hitting my recent entries it really pisses me off. They have pretty much made my guestbook useless. Ooooh, if I ever get my hands on a spammer....!!!!!
:angry:

on Monday, April 3rd, Elise said

Oh, and Greg, one of the artists that came to the presentation asked me when I was going to write a book!

I thought that was pretty cool!
;)

on Monday, April 3rd, greg said

That *is* cool! ...still a video collection has more cache! :D

I just noticed that in 4 months, Wordpress has now blocked 137 spammies on my blog! :cool:

on Monday, April 3rd, Elise said

I do have plans for a video (when I have the time)...the newspaper did this cool combo of powerpoint slides and audio, for 4 local artists, showing them at work in their studio while they talk about their work.

I thought it would be fun to do something similar, but instead of slides have a time-lapse video of me doing a painting (with only the painting and my arm in frame) and then I can do a regular speed voice over about my work.

Anyway, I used to belong to a video club so I have a lot of resources at my disposal and one guy in particular who always set up the time lapse for our shoots (showing us setting up and breaking down shots etc.) who said he'd help me with it.

I'll be sure to stream it here when I'm finished with it.

Oh, and I have to individually ban IP addresses of spammers. It's a real pain. I'll probably break down (literally) and move to wordpress some day.

on Saturday, April 8th, Pat Kalbaugh said

Hi Elise,

I am one of the people that attended the workshop last Saturday. It was EXCELLENT! I came just to learn how to hang things more professionally but there was SO much more presented. All three presenters were WOW! GREAT! and you all complimented each other so well. I have been talking it up and I hope you offer it again as everyone I've told says they are sorry they missed it.

I applaud you for all the work on your website and blog. (Yours is the first blog I've ever read...I've been resisting for awhile now...) I know how much work is involved. I don't know how you work, paint, have a social life AND keep up with a website. You rock, girl!

Pat

on Saturday, April 8th, Elise said

Hi Pat! Thanks for stopping by and for saying such nice things about the presentation. I felt it went well too but it's always a bit hard to tell.

Anyway, thanks too for spreading the word. I hope you do end up starting a blog. Let me know if you do and I'll be sure to check it out.
;)