Warwickshire Open Studios
In 2014 I applied online to take part in Warwickshire Open Studios and one of the organisers, Jo, invited me to share her studios near Bedworth. I started a visitors’ book and asked people to leave their details if they were interested in taking part in a workshop and I held a workshop the following autumn and did not need to advertise it as I filled all the spaces from my book.
In 2014 I applied online to take part in Warwickshire Open Studios and one of the organisers, Jo, invited me to share her studios near Bedworth. I started a visitors’ book and asked people to leave their details if they were interested in taking part in a workshop and I held a workshop the following autumn and did not need to advertise it as I filled all the spaces from my book.
It was quite a blow not to be invited back the following year, but as I learned, most artists like new faces to show their work with. Jo introduced me to Dawn, who at that time ran Ragley Studios. I was shocked to experience some hostility from the full-time professional artists there. However once they realised that I was paying the same weekly rent as they were (for much less space!) there was a definite warming of the atmosphere and we got on extremely well after that!
In following years I have teamed up with contacts nearer to home and shown my work in their homes.
In following years I have teamed up with contacts nearer to home and shown my work in their homes.
Positives:
* meeting other artists and widening my circle of contacts
* being accepted by “proper” artists
* learning to discuss my work with visitors
* my visitors’ book - looking back at all the positive comments cheers me up
* having fun!
Negatives:
* there are always people who say, “oh no, it’s textiles”, and veer away in horror.
* other artists can be unfriendly at first - take cake and offer to make the tea.
* it is quite an expensive process - there is a fee to join WOS, a fee to appear in the glossy brochure and often more printing expenses charged by the individual venue. I have sold work but never made a profit - yet!
* I had taken unfinished pieces of work as a conversation starter or to illustrate ideas and ended up selling most of them, against my better judgement. I still regret this and would strongly advise against doing this.
* meeting other artists and widening my circle of contacts
* being accepted by “proper” artists
* learning to discuss my work with visitors
* my visitors’ book - looking back at all the positive comments cheers me up
* having fun!
Negatives:
* there are always people who say, “oh no, it’s textiles”, and veer away in horror.
* other artists can be unfriendly at first - take cake and offer to make the tea.
* it is quite an expensive process - there is a fee to join WOS, a fee to appear in the glossy brochure and often more printing expenses charged by the individual venue. I have sold work but never made a profit - yet!
* I had taken unfinished pieces of work as a conversation starter or to illustrate ideas and ended up selling most of them, against my better judgement. I still regret this and would strongly advise against doing this.
RSS Feed
