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Without an introduction, artists find it nearly impossible to get directors of influential galleries to look at their work. A few fortunate artists are discovered while they are still in graduate school, and a few more have friends who can make those all- important introductions. But the vast majority have to scramble to get noticed.
Struggling artists are divided on the value of entering juried shows. Most juried shows and some competitions charge entry fees that add up fast, so sending out slides or digital images scattershot gets expensive. Entrance fees are only the beginning; artists must pay shipping, and many venues want work to arrive in reusable crates -- a major expense for artists who are not good enough carpenters to build their own reusable shipping containers. Many juried shows are on college campuses, in small galleries that carry little clout, or in tiny regional museums. Major collectors, gallery directors, or museum curators are unlikely to visit such shows.
New American Paintings: Juried Exhibitions in Print, is a juried show in magazine form. The Open Studios Press, a Boston-based publisher, began the exhibition in print in 1993. Each year since, Open Studios has published six "shows"; each is focused on a different region of the United States. With little advertising and editorial content, the magazines resemble exhibition catalogs. Three paintings by each artist are reproduced full-page, accompanied by a resume and artist's statement. The entry fee is $35. Each issue is juried by a museum curator, and accepted artists pay no other fees.
The recent issue, featuring artists from Western states includes three New Mexico artists: John Andolsek and Dennis Flynn both from Santa Fe and Aaron Karp of Albuquerque. The issue was juried by Nick Capasso, curator at the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
"I think this will be the fourth time I had work in that publication," Karp...