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how many pieces for gallery show

updated thu 20 jul 06

 

Carole Fox on mon 17 jul 06


I have my first solo gallery show coming up in September. (I'm nervous
already!) The room is about 40x15' but there are some doorways. None of my
work is monumental in size, my largest pieces are about 2 feet tall but many
pieces are very small. I am wondering how much I should put into this space.
I plan to use the rectangular pedestals that belong to the gallery as well
as some homemade sonotube pedestals. A few pieces can also be hung on the
wall. The gallery wants everything up against the wall for safety reasons.
I appreciate any suggestions.


Carole Fox
Silver Fox Pottery
Elkton, MD
silverfoxpottery@comcast.net

marianne kuiper milks on mon 17 jul 06


Reply from an ignorant "I have visited/organized exhibits but nerver did one":
I'd pick the ones I love most, am willing to sell. Can't you just bring a bunch and see how they look in that space?
My Dutch family became famous by just putting ONE piece, under a special light, in the gallery.

Why can't you come to an agreement with them about the center, grouping pedestal/tubes whatever in such a way that it becomes a very interesting arrangement even w/o your work added? Should be so much fun! If it is a large arrangement, people would see it clearly and not bump into it any more than ripping a piece off the wall. Just a thought. Neat arrangements in (safer) corners can be made as well.

Thought: I have 2 cats, a lg dog and a puppy. And I am a klutz. The pieces I care for have color-coordinated sticky stuff under them, the stuff used to hang up posters. It doesn't protect them from falling, but you need to knowck it a lot harder. Sticky rubber stuff does not leave marks.

Good luck, just my half-penny's worth. Have a GREAT show!
Marianne

Carole Fox wrote: I have my first solo gallery show coming up in September. (I'm nervous
already!) The room is about 40x15' but there are some doorways. None of my
work is monumental in size, my largest pieces are about 2 feet tall but many
pieces are very small. I am wondering how much I should put into this space.
I plan to use the rectangular pedestals that belong to the gallery as well
as some homemade sonotube pedestals. A few pieces can also be hung on the
wall. The gallery wants everything up against the wall for safety reasons.
I appreciate any suggestions.


Carole Fox
Silver Fox Pottery
Elkton, MD
silverfoxpottery@comcast.net

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William & Susan Schran User on mon 17 jul 06


On 7/17/06 8:55 AM, "Carole Fox" wrote:

> I plan to use the rectangular pedestals that belong to the gallery as well
> as some homemade sonotube pedestals. A few pieces can also be hung on the
> wall. The gallery wants everything up against the wall for safety reasons.
> I appreciate any suggestions.

Carole,

I'd suggest you go look at the space a couple of times, preferably with
shows installed, to get a good sense of the space. Measure and count up the
number of stands you and the gallery has. See (bring one to the gallery) if
your pedestals and the gallery's pedestals will work together or if you'll
need to separate them.

If the gallery has images of previous shows of 3D work, ask if you can see
how the gallery was set-up

To make it more interesting, think about making sets/groups of pedestals, of
different levels against the wall. Lower pedestals for bowls & platters
where the interior of the form is important and taller forms on taller
pedestals. You can place wall pieces in between these groups, leaving plenty
of room between the pedestal groupings for folks to get to the sides near
the wall to see more around the pots.

Hope this helps, Bill


-- William "Bill" Schran
Fredericksburg, Virginia
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu

fran johnson on mon 17 jul 06


Carole, I have been installing shows in 2 galleries
for almost 10 years, and have some advice that might
help.There are a few questions you need to answer
before you can determine the number of pieces you'll
need.
You have about 110 linear feet minus the doorways. Add
about 2 feet on either side of each dorway for safety
and appearance. For example, if a doorway is 4 feet,
add 2+2 feet and you have 8 feet subtracted from the
110 feet. Subtract all the doorways from the total and
you have the available wall space. The arrangement of
the work will determine the number of pedestals and
spacing between. And how many pieces you'll need. It's
a rough guess and you probably should have a couple
more than you think you'll need.
If each piece is shown seperately from the others then
you need 3-4 feet between each pedestal. This will
give a very regular spacing all around the room. Or
you can group 2 or 3 pedestals together so they become
one unit. Corners lend themselves to groupings of 3 or
4 pedestals. If you don't use the corners then start
the arrangement 2-3 feet from the corners.I like
combining the single and group arrangements. Spacing
between groups and single pedestals will vary- larger
spaces balance the larger arrangements. Make sure
there is enough room so people can get between the
pedestals to see the side of the work close to the
wall. I f you can put a shorter/smaller diameter
pedestal in front of and against a taller one it adds
interest. Treat the wall pieces as if they are part of
the pedestal group arrangement. Or hang them together
on the wall in 1 or maybe 2 seperate groups. If it
helps to visualize it, do some rough sketches of the
walls with pedestals arrangedon them.
Fran
--- Carole Fox wrote:

> I have my first solo gallery show coming up in
> September. (I'm nervous
> already!) The room is about 40x15' but there are
> some doorways. None of my
> work is monumental in size, my largest pieces are
> about 2 feet tall but many
> pieces are very small. I am wondering how much I
> should put into this space.
> I plan to use the rectangular pedestals that belong
> to the gallery as well
> as some homemade sonotube pedestals. A few pieces
> can also be hung on the
> wall. The gallery wants everything up against the
> wall for safety reasons.
> I appreciate any suggestions.
>
>
> Carole Fox
> Silver Fox Pottery
> Elkton, MD
> silverfoxpottery@comcast.net
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>

Snail Scott on mon 17 jul 06


At 08:55 AM 7/17/2006 -0400, you wrote:
>I have my first solo gallery show coming up in September...I am wondering
how much I should put into this space.


Hard to say. Some work needs more space than
others, even when sizes are similar. For a
relatively large space like that, consider
clustering or grouping work rather than having
a very even (and monotonous) spacing around
the room. A set or series of very similar work
can be clustered, and will look better that
way than all shown individually, while very
unique pieces will need their own space.
Consider varying the height of the pedestals
in a group.

Bare space tends to convey a sense of
specialness to objects, though it shouldn't
look so sparse as to be visually boring. Too
many objects can seem flea-markety, as though
these things are a dime-a-dozen and easily
replaced by more of the same.

You can ask the gallery to keep a few works
in back, to show to interested buyers. Makes
a buyer feel privileged, to see stuff that's
not on public display. And it's a way to
offer more for sale without crowding the
gallery space. Also, these back-room objects
could be taken home immediately, instead of
getting a red sticker and waiting 'til the
show comes down. Gives the gallery more
flexibility, especially for their regular
or known buyers.

Although I understand why the gallery would
prefer wall-hugging work, it can make a show
much more memorable and eye-catching to have
a few works in the middle, especially if you
have any that really work best in-the-round.
A grouping of several pedestals will be less
vulnerable to accidents, and give visual
weight to what might otherwise seem like a
'stranded' object in the middle. But...

If they want to put the wine and snacks in the
center of the room, leave it to them. Keep
plenty of room between art and food. Work
placed too close to doorways is also at risk
of being overlooked or bumped. When you install,
visualize the space full of people, and imagine
where they will congregate. Ask the gallery if
you're not sure.

And don't have more pieces than they have
lights. Underlit work detracts from the whole
show.

-Snail

Vince Pitelka on tue 18 jul 06


Carole Fox wrote:
> I have my first solo gallery show coming up in September. (I'm nervous
> already!) The room is about 40x15' but there are some doorways. None of=
my
> work is monumental in size, my largest pieces are about 2 feet tall but
> many
> pieces are very small. I am wondering how much I should put into this
> space.
> I plan to use the rectangular pedestals that belong to the gallery as w=
ell
> as some homemade sonotube pedestals. A few pieces can also be hung on t=
he
> wall. The gallery wants everything up against the wall for safety
> reasons.

Carole -
No one can tell you how many pieces are appropriate. For a gallery
exhibition you don't want it to look like a craft fair, and yet you don't
want it look like you didn't do much work. Quality counts over quantity,
but too little and it looks empty. Snail was dead-on when she said that
some pieces compete with each other more than others. Think of each piec=
e
as radiating a field visual energy. Those fields should not overlap.=20
Some very dramatic, dynamic pieces sholdn't have anything else within ten
or fifteen feet, and this decision must be made for each piece.

The idea of putting everything against the wall is completely ridiculous.=
=20
These are three-dimensional art objects, and must be viewed from all
sides. Tell the gallery that this plan simply is not acceptable, and
stick to that conviction. People need to see your pots from all sides.
Good luck -
- Vince

--=20
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Technological University
vpitelka@dtccom.net
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/

Darren Reynolds on tue 18 jul 06


Whenever I've been in a gallery and seen work that interests me I've
asked if they have any more pieces by that artist in the back. When I
bought my Peter Hayes disc I asked and they brought out one of his red
burnished pieces. Very attractive. But the other pieces were all white
Raku so it would have looked out of place. I did buy one of the Raku,
but had been after one for ages. I wouldn't want to miss out on a great
piece that doesn't fit in the show though. I'm not sure if I'm typical
buyer in this respect.

Darren

Marie E.v.B. Gibbons wrote:
> Here is my 2 cents on the subject
> More is not always better, Less can be more. Always be willing to
> "edit down"
> The work should fit the space and the feel comfortable with the
> grouping you present. Too many times I see artists fill a room for the
> sake of taking up the space.
> It ends up looking like a 'sale' not a gallery exhibit.
> Typically I will bring all the work that I think should be shown, set
> the show, and then look to see how it feels. Are there pieces that
> don't really belong?
> Are there pieces that offer no more than just another piece? Adding to
> much and creating clutter and taking away from the power of the series.
>
> take those away
>
> Best of luck with your show!
> marie gibbons
> I am always doing things I can't do, that is how I get to do them.
> --Pablo Picasso
>
> CURRENT AND UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
> (visit www.mariegibbons.com for exact dates)
> APRIL:
> Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore MD - Studio E Gallery, Palm Beach
> Gardens FL
> JUNE:
> Pirate: a contemporary art oasis, Denver CO
> AUGUST:
> Loveland Sculpture in the Park, Loveland CO
> JANUARY:
> The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada, CO
> On Jul 17, 2006, at 8:52 PM, Snail Scott wrote:
>
>> At 08:55 AM 7/17/2006 -0400, you wrote:
>>> I have my first solo gallery show coming up in September...I am
>>> wondering
>> how much I should put into this space.
>>
>>
>> Hard to say. Some work needs more space than
>> others, even when sizes are similar. For a
>> relatively large space like that, consider
>> clustering or grouping work rather than having
>> a very even (and monotonous) spacing around
>> the room. A set or series of very similar work
>> can be clustered, and will look better that
>> way than all shown individually, while very
>> unique pieces will need their own space.
>> Consider varying the height of the pedestals
>> in a group.
>>
>> Bare space tends to convey a sense of
>> specialness to objects, though it shouldn't
>> look so sparse as to be visually boring. Too
>> many objects can seem flea-markety, as though
>> these things are a dime-a-dozen and easily
>> replaced by more of the same.
>>
>> You can ask the gallery to keep a few works
>> in back, to show to interested buyers. Makes
>> a buyer feel privileged, to see stuff that's
>> not on public display. And it's a way to
>> offer more for sale without crowding the
>> gallery space. Also, these back-room objects
>> could be taken home immediately, instead of
>> getting a red sticker and waiting 'til the
>> show comes down. Gives the gallery more
>> flexibility, especially for their regular
>> or known buyers.
>>
>> Although I understand why the gallery would
>> prefer wall-hugging work, it can make a show
>> much more memorable and eye-catching to have
>> a few works in the middle, especially if you
>> have any that really work best in-the-round.
>> A grouping of several pedestals will be less
>> vulnerable to accidents, and give visual
>> weight to what might otherwise seem like a
>> 'stranded' object in the middle. But...
>>
>> If they want to put the wine and snacks in the
>> center of the room, leave it to them. Keep
>> plenty of room between art and food. Work
>> placed too close to doorways is also at risk
>> of being overlooked or bumped. When you install,
>> visualize the space full of people, and imagine
>> where they will congregate. Ask the gallery if
>> you're not sure.
>>
>> And don't have more pieces than they have
>> lights. Underlit work detracts from the whole
>> show.
>>
>> -Snail
>>
>> _______________________________________________________________________
>> _______
>> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>> melpots@pclink.com.
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

marianne kuiper milks on tue 18 jul 06


Would it not be simple to divide (many ways possible) agallery into sections, each section showing similar (to each other) pieces? Just a thought.
Marianne
Darren Reynolds wrote: Whenever I've been in a gallery and seen work that interests me I've
asked if they have any more pieces by that artist in the back. When I
bought my Peter Hayes disc I asked and they brought out one of his red
burnished pieces. Very attractive. But the other pieces were all white
Raku so it would have looked out of place. I did buy one of the Raku,
but had been after one for ages. I wouldn't want to miss out on a great
piece that doesn't fit in the show though. I'm not sure if I'm typical
buyer in this respect.

Darren

Marie E.v.B. Gibbons wrote:
> Here is my 2 cents on the subject
> More is not always better, Less can be more. Always be willing to
> "edit down"
> The work should fit the space and the feel comfortable with the
> grouping you present. Too many times I see artists fill a room for the
> sake of taking up the space.
> It ends up looking like a 'sale' not a gallery exhibit.
> Typically I will bring all the work that I think should be shown, set
> the show, and then look to see how it feels. Are there pieces that
> don't really belong?
> Are there pieces that offer no more than just another piece? Adding to
> much and creating clutter and taking away from the power of the series.
>
> take those away
>
> Best of luck with your show!
> marie gibbons
> I am always doing things I can't do, that is how I get to do them.
> --Pablo Picasso
>
> CURRENT AND UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
> (visit www.mariegibbons.com for exact dates)
> APRIL:
> Baltimore Clayworks, Baltimore MD - Studio E Gallery, Palm Beach
> Gardens FL
> JUNE:
> Pirate: a contemporary art oasis, Denver CO
> AUGUST:
> Loveland Sculpture in the Park, Loveland CO
> JANUARY:
> The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Arvada, CO
> On Jul 17, 2006, at 8:52 PM, Snail Scott wrote:
>
>> At 08:55 AM 7/17/2006 -0400, you wrote:
>>> I have my first solo gallery show coming up in September...I am
>>> wondering
>> how much I should put into this space.
>>
>>
>> Hard to say. Some work needs more space than
>> others, even when sizes are similar. For a
>> relatively large space like that, consider
>> clustering or grouping work rather than having
>> a very even (and monotonous) spacing around
>> the room. A set or series of very similar work
>> can be clustered, and will look better that
>> way than all shown individually, while very
>> unique pieces will need their own space.
>> Consider varying the height of the pedestals
>> in a group.
>>
>> Bare space tends to convey a sense of
>> specialness to objects, though it shouldn't
>> look so sparse as to be visually boring. Too
>> many objects can seem flea-markety, as though
>> these things are a dime-a-dozen and easily
>> replaced by more of the same.
>>
>> You can ask the gallery to keep a few works
>> in back, to show to interested buyers. Makes
>> a buyer feel privileged, to see stuff that's
>> not on public display. And it's a way to
>> offer more for sale without crowding the
>> gallery space. Also, these back-room objects
>> could be taken home immediately, instead of
>> getting a red sticker and waiting 'til the
>> show comes down. Gives the gallery more
>> flexibility, especially for their regular
>> or known buyers.
>>
>> Although I understand why the gallery would
>> prefer wall-hugging work, it can make a show
>> much more memorable and eye-catching to have
>> a few works in the middle, especially if you
>> have any that really work best in-the-round.
>> A grouping of several pedestals will be less
>> vulnerable to accidents, and give visual
>> weight to what might otherwise seem like a
>> 'stranded' object in the middle. But...
>>
>> If they want to put the wine and snacks in the
>> center of the room, leave it to them. Keep
>> plenty of room between art and food. Work
>> placed too close to doorways is also at risk
>> of being overlooked or bumped. When you install,
>> visualize the space full of people, and imagine
>> where they will congregate. Ask the gallery if
>> you're not sure.
>>
>> And don't have more pieces than they have
>> lights. Underlit work detracts from the whole
>> show.
>>
>> -Snail
>>
>> _______________________________________________________________________
>> _______
>> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>>
>> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>>
>> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>> melpots@pclink.com.
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
>
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
>

______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org

You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.



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Carole Fox on wed 19 jul 06


I should have said... This is a gallery operated by a non profit arts
alliance. I don't want to make a stink about having to put stuff up against
the walls. I know they do use the gallery for poetry slams and their wine
tasting fundraisers. It is probably in my best interest to have my work on
the sides of the room. I do appreciate all the suggestions. I am planning
to do several pedestal groupings- even lay a tall pedestal on its side for
my tall pieces. As suggested, I guess I will bring more than I think I need
and figure it out as I go.
Carole Fox
Silver Fox Pottery
Elkton, MD
silverfoxpottery@comcast.net

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