Where Do I Go to See Figurative Art?

I sometimes feel that figurative artwork in the DC metro area is under represented. Perhaps this isn’t fair, and should be seen as a larger issue, and not just one of figurative art. All of the creative arts are vying for recognition here in DC. The competition with the museums is fierce. For example: Type in Gallery Guide DC into google right now (June 2020) and see what comes up first? The result is a bucket list from the Washingtonian of the TOP 10 MUSEUMS, not galleries in DC. For my money, the best place to find gallery openings and reviews of select art show in DC is not through the major newspapers or websites. I would go to EastCity Art instead. Check them out!

Do You Know any Figurative Painters in the DMV?

If you know a primarily figurative painter that has a studio in the DC metro area let me know in the comments below and I will consider adding it to this page. I am looking for figurative painters that excel in their artistic craft, play and experiment with the medium, and have a unique vision and personal style or vision. All the artists below are successful in their own right. I applaud them and their good work!

Alex Beck A Birthday Kiss – 24″ x 24″, Oil, wood panel Instagram

Zoe Charlton The Country A Wilderness Unsubdued, Graphite, Collage, Acrylic on Paper, 112″ x 55″, 2018 Artist Website

Gregory Ferrand Who Are We Now? – acrylic on canvas , 20″x 20″,2017 Artist Website

Nicole Ida Fossi “I’m Sorry that my Breakdown Came at an Inconvenient Time for You” Nicole Ida Fossi, oil on canvas, 40×40, 2018 Artist Website

Gavin Glakas Firelight Sonata – Oil on Linen, 30″ x 40″ Artist Website

Kyle Hackett After End, 2016. Oil on canvas, 72 x 50 in Artist Website

Michal Hunter Floating, 38″ x 60″, 2018. Artist Website

Scott Hutchison Armor – 25″ x 29″, Oil on Linen, 2020 Artist Website

David Ibata A Cold Gaze Forged In Fire – Oil on Canvas, 30” x 40”, 2020 Artist Website

Jada Logan “Ali boom bye yae” Oil on wood panel, 18 x 24 Instagram

Robert Liberace 5th Circle – oil on linen, 48″x 36″ Artist Website

BG Muhn Lover, Empress 013, 15.5 ” x  12.5 ” , acrylic and dog hair on DURA-LAR mounted on canvas Instagram

Leslie Nolan Orange Figure – 36″ x 60″ – Acrylic on Canvas Artist Website

Teresa Oaxaca The Sunset Limited, oil on canvas, 42×62″ Artist Website

Judith Peck The Dream it Can Be – 30″ x 24″, Oil on panel Artist Website

Matt Pinney Erinyes – Oil on Linen 84″ x 72″ Artist Website

Erik Sandberg Blossom, 2018 Artist Website

Martin Swift Rory – 48” X 60”, oil on canvas, 2018 Artist Wesbite

Dan Thompson John I, Oil on Linen, 18×24″, 2015 Artist Website

Joel Vincii “ET Bomaye” by Joel Vincii Instagram

Nicholas zimbro God Only Knows What I’d Be Without You, 18″ x 24″ oil on canvas 2020 Artist Website

Whether you use a glazing technique in your paintings, or alla prima, you might want to know if the pigments you use are opaque or not. This is where a list of transparent and opaque pigments can come in handy. I put together this list many years ago for my basic painting course at The Art League and at Georgetown University. Now I’m making it available for you to use. If you don’t see a pigment, let me know in the comments and I will add it to the list!

How did I come up with this list?

This list is based on Winsor Newton’s Artist’s oil paint list (Winton student grade list is here). As such, it relies on their qualifications and standards of what is opaque and what is transparent. With that said, judging whether a pigment is opaque or transparent is relative and will depend on a few factors unique to your own situation.

• Brand of pigments. Some pigments can appear wildly different from one brand to the next. Including their opacity. Professional vs student grade paints for example, have a slightly different chemical makeup, and this may effect the pigment’s coverage. More expensive brands may also have a higher pigment percentage than less expensive alternatives.

• Thickness of the paint applied. Thicker paint will naturally appear more opaque than thinner applications, or pigment mixed with medium.

• The type of brush you use: Some less expensive brushes sweep the paint away instead of softly laying the paint down. Bristle hair bushes for example, tend to brush through the paint film, and softer synthetic brushes and high quality sable will lay the paint down and allow it to cover uniformly, appearing less thin.

• The Support: If your support is rigid and smooth, the paint film sometimes goes on thinner and appears more transparent and scratchy . A rougher and more porous texture may require more paint and therefore appear less transparent. (The glass photo and video illustrates how the rigid surface really shows the mark)

The List of Transparent and Opaque Oil Pigments

This list below is based on Winsor Newton’s Artist’s oil paint list (Winton student grade list is here).

As an artist without a gallery or agent, I am my own advocate. Hence, I have been applying to call for entries for over 20 years now and my resume is filled with a growing group of exhibitions. During that time, I have been fortunate to receive National and International exposure and sales, in part because of my continued efforts of self promotion. (No agent remember?)

With that said, I thought it was time to put a list of some of the websites I use to find some of those shows, grants, art fair calls, etc… Are you an artist looking for a comprehensive list of websites to help you find National (USA) and international call for entries? You are in the right place. The list below is by no means complete, however, I envision this often updated page as a solid list of websites that help me, and perhaps you as well, gain National and/or International exposure through a broader list of call for entry websites.

Why apply to juried Art Shows?

Before you apply, ask yourself what do you hope to get out of the show you are applying to, because most calls are not free. Also, what is the cost burden for showing when you add together the application fee, the cost of framing and shipping to and from the gallery? From one artist to another, the call for entry is primarily an opportunity to network and advertise. The rest is a bonus.

Advertising : Being in a show may get you some recognition in a publication or review. If you are actively promoting your work, then consistently showing your work is a must. Juried shows are one avenue to take.

Networking: Sometimes a show may lead to another show. You never know who will see your work on display. An attending curator or gallery owner might see your work and choose you for another show. This has happened to me on a number of occasions.

Publish or Perish: This may not apply to you, but essentially if you are a professor you may be required to show your work if you want that promotion. Read about it here.

Resume Building: Juried shows are a form of “peer review” and this can help validate your artistic endeavors to a potential collector, gallery owner or academic colleague that you are actively pursuing your craft. It can be an important line on your resume that shows you play an active roll in the community and that you and others believe in your work .

Sales: Though I have sold some artwork through juried shows, I would not recommend applying for a juried show if this is your main reason. Unless you know the exhibit is highly specific to your genre, a high profile gallery or museum, or the gallery has a large collector base.

The Award Money: Some payout awards. Don’t rely on this. I have been lucky a few times over the years, but most shows cost the artist money in application fees, shipping and framing.

The Fame: ?

Increase Your Odds of Being Accepted to a Juried Show!

There are so many art call for entries out there, how do you choose?

1. Apply to shows with a theme or show title relating to your work.
2. Stay away from “All-Media” shows and general themed shows. This is too broad and even if your work is strong, it might not be what the juror is looking for. You will be accepted more often if you laser focus where and what you apply to.
3. Research the juror before you apply. You may get an idea what the juror is looking for with quick internet search.
4. Research the venue. Google is your friend. Find out where the show will be and the caliber of venue. You may even find photos of the space and what their openings look like.

Art Call For Entries:

(updated June 2020)

www.art-3000.com
Artcall.org
Artshow.com
Artanddeadlines.com
artisttrust.org
Asingularcreation.com
Callforentry.org – BEST
Callsforart.com
CollegeArtAssociation
Entrythingy.com 
Theartlist.com (Limited Free version )
Artdeadlineslist.com (Limited Free version)
Submittable.com
withoutabox.com (For Filmmakers and Screenwriters)

Residencies:
Resartis.org

Grants:
CollegeArtAssociation

This list is by no means complete, if you have a site that should be on this list feel free to leave a comment below!

]]> https://scotthutchison.com/how-to/call-for-entries/feed/ 0 243 https://scotthutchison.com/how-to/shipping-art-in-a-box/ https://scotthutchison.com/how-to/shipping-art-in-a-box/#comments Sun, 31 May 2020 17:26:00 +0000 https://scotthutchison.com/art/uncategorized/shipping-art-in-a-box/

Three great boxes to try.

Safely ship your art in a sturdy cardboard box. Three stand out boxes are available if you seek a shipping box to keep your artwork safe while in transit.

For whatever reason, building a custom wooden crate may not be an option and I totally understand. This was the case for me for some time. I ship primarily with custom built wooden crates now, however, when I did not have the means, I still wanted to ship work in a high quality box that had a professional appearance and protected my work at a reasonable price point.

I have looked for art shipping boxes sold through companies such as Fedex, UPS, USPS, Uhaul, Amazon. They all sell shipping boxes, but none compare to the quality and professional appearance of the shipping boxes by Masterpak, Airfloat and Uline.

The “Must Have” Features of a Good Box.

Masterpak, AirFloat and Uline all have these “Must Haves”.

1. Double wall carton construction
2. Heavy duty plastic-lined top and bottom to prevent punctures.
3. Removable foam
4. Perforated foam insert to customize the fit
5. Approved by most major air and ground carriers, including UPS and FedEx^®.
6. Sturdy enough to reuse.

1) Masterpak

I have always been happy with MasterPak’s shipping boxes. Inevitably I purchase through Masterpak because it is consistently the least expensive of the three box manufacturer. You will need to do your own price comparison to get a better idea if that’s your case as well.

I highly recommend their boxes for shipping artwork at a fraction of the cost of building a wooden crate. They are incredibly strong. Especially if you purchase their upgraded and heavier duty cardboard boxes. Masterpak is a New York Based Company – Made in the USA.

Watch the video at the end of this article to see me introduce this Masterpak box I purchased in 2018 to ship work to a show. – http://www.masterpak-usa.com/

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2) AirFloat

I want to be honest here. I have never used Airfloat’s Strongbox, but I do know a few artist’s that have used them. Their prices are in line with MasterPak, and the boxes appear well made and professionally designed. One nice benefit to their boxes is the handle. So if that’s an important thing to you, I would check them out.

I will certainly be giving Airfloat’s StrongBox a try on my next small shipment.

AirFloat boxes are made in the USA.

• AirFloat Website
• First time using a StrongBox? Check out their step-by-step guide and video.

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Uline

I have not had an opportunity to try Uline’s art shipping box yet, due in part to the cost. They are often the most expensive option on this list. Though I have never used their art shipping boxes, I use Uline to ship my limited edition prints and book. I can attest to their trustworthy as a business. They are a large family owned and been around for over 40 years.

Made in the USA.

Uline – Deluxe Artwork Shippers – Website

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Shipping Art In a Box – Video Presentation.

]]> https://scotthutchison.com/how-to/shipping-art-in-a-box/feed/ 2 328 https://scotthutchison.com/resources/painting-drawing-class-supply-list/ https://scotthutchison.com/resources/painting-drawing-class-supply-list/#respond Tue, 02 Jan 2018 17:45:01 +0000 https://scotthutchison.com/art/uncategorized/painting-drawing-class-supply-list/

The Art League Supply Lists:

Painting Oil
Painting Acrylic
Drawing

I teach painting and drawing at Georgetown University in Washington DC and The Art League in Old Town Alexandria Virginia. You can find the supply lists for the classes below

The Art League School is a non-accredited institution, open to all and provides instruction to nearly 7,000 students annually. Courses are offered quarterly in virtually all of the fine arts, and a wide variety of crafts. I have taught at the Art League since graduating with my Masters in 1999. The classes I have taught at the Art League School range from, Beginning Painting, Figure Painting, Basic Drawing, Figure Drawing, Mixed Media & Collage. I am currently teaching drawing and painting. Most classes are 9 weeks long. The files above are the supply lists for those classes.

Georgetown University Supply Lists:

Drawing II – Figure
Painting I