CrabapplesDrawing is a bit like shopping.
When you don't have the money and don't really need anything, items in stores leap out at you saying buy me. When you do have money and have a need for something to wear, there is not a single thing in the whole city.
With drawing I can start out with a simple sketch of an eye for example and the rest of the drawing just falls off the pencil onto the paper. But present me with a deadline or ask me to create a specific 'something' and it will take me several tries before I can get a decent result.
I want to start a new drawing. No, I need to start a new drawing. I need new pieces for upcoming exhibitions. I have pieces in my portfolio and floating around on my drafting table. These are old pieces to me but new to others. I always date my pieces - just the year alongside my signature and then wonder 'Will the viewing public think this is 'stale'?' if its a year old or two years old. Is there a 'best buy' date for drawings and paintings? Do people want very current pieces, done within the year. Or do they buy older pieces or do they even care or notice?
What do you do? Is your exhibition art all brand spanking new or is some still dusting off from two or three or more years ago? Do older pieces smack of 'loser' and mean that you can't sell your art? The buying public are a fickle bunch sometimes and every edge to keep their attention is vital.
How old are pieces that you show?
3 comments:
Interesting topic Jeanette! I'll be reading to see what other people say.
Since I don't complete a lot of new pieces every year, I do show older ones when I do an art fair type venue. I have paintings hung that I did in 2003. In exhibitions where I only have one or two pieces hanging I typically show pieces which I completed in the last year.
Some local artists I know don't date their art at all because the buying public might consider a piece beyond it's "best buy" date.
I guess I have always dated my work with the year and not really thought much about before Stacy.
Nothing has triggered me to think that the public may be put off by 'older' art, but it has me thinking. Maybe the date is better off on the back of the work instead of the front...
Some galleries don't like dated art because it makes them look like they've not got the latest thing.
You can still date work - just date it on the back! Only you and the framer will ever know!
I tend to show work which is recent - but do make an exception for themed shows - simply because I'm not going to produce something new when I have a perfectly good unsold piece that's not had an outing before!
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