Mission Statement

Our Mission is to promote art and art education in the community and among its members. To encourage and promote a public interest and understanding of art; to create and develop a closer relationship between art and the community and further the education and artistic development of its members.


Thursday, September 29, 2011

Final Days for 3 Media, 3 States Show

Watercolor
Pati Payne
It seems we were just gearing up for this welcoming show, but now it is down to the last 6 gallery days of 3 Media, 3 States show. It has been a wonderful show, but now it is getting time to move onto our 11th Annual National Minaiture show.

Another look at the show is provided by a local On-line Newspaper, the Putnam Live site.

You can read the really nice article they posted here:

PutnamLive

Pati, Linda and Laura did a super job of putting this show together. It is a great mix of ideas and representations. Comments from visitors have been very positive, with people really enjoying the different media.

There is still time to see all the wonderful works by these three artists. 3 Media, 3 State will hang until Oct 16th.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Packing Artwork

Packing Paintings




For 10 years The Renaissance Art Gallery has been hosting shows of one sort or another. Our 11th Miniature Exhibition is coming up in November. During October, we will be accepting shipped work for this National Exhibition. Over the years we have seen many a box of art!




Since this is an open entry show, and we ask artists to pack it up and ship it out, we get both experienced artists and those new to showing their work. So we get questions! How do I ship my work and make sure it gets there safely?



These are some of the more successful shipping packages.



First, consult the experts. This means going to the company or service you plan to use and make sure they can make the delivery and ask for suggestions on packaging.



Many people double box their work. This means they supply an inner box with the return label and shipping already on it. This works. But it also works to make sure the shipping box/crate is strong enough to make the round trip. There are many ways to do this, and here are two suggestions.



One is to make a shallow tray for the artwork, then put the artwork in a bubble wrap envelop. The art is then placed in the box, with paperwork, and a top piece of soft foam is placed on top of it.





When you are shipping to a show, you will be expected to ship work fully mounted and ready to hang, and this would include glazing. Please avoid shipping even framed work under glass. Glass is fragile and can break, even if the package is not dropped. Sever temperate swings can cause cracking. So there is always a danger when shipping work under glass of it breaking. Not only is it dangerous to the person unpacking the artwork, it can also damage the artwork itself. Nothing would be more disheartening to have your artwork unavailable for the show because a piece of glass punctured it. Instead, when mounting work that needs to be protected by glazing opt for acrylic glazing. It is not only safer; it weights less and so will save you money in the shipping. Most of the good professional framers offer an affordable range of acrylic glazing for this. Many prospectuses now specify acrylic glazing for all submitted artwork instead of glass.



Of course, acrylic glazing is more prone to glare when photographed, but that is the show’s problem, not yours. In any case, you probably have previously submitted a slide or digital file for juroring, which would cover any problem.



For open entry shows, such as our Miniature Exhibition, we do ask for the artwork to be shipped instead of files, but again, photographing the work is our problem not yours, but if you wanted to send a digital file along, well I would not object!



Back to Packing



Paintings that do not require glazing, such as acrylic and oil paintings can also be safely shipped. We suggest that you always use protective cardboard corners for this, similar to those you see on ready-made frames. These are simple to make, using one of these corners for a template. They can be made from any cardboard, even cereal boxes, although I prefer a thicker cardboard than tag board. I like to make mine from the flaps of boxes. While they are bendable enough, they offer real protection to the corners of canvases and frames. You just have to remember to make them wide enough for the canvas and frame, if any.



Shipping framed work is a little simpler than shipping unmounted canvas panels. The frame itself offers some protection. The corners should be protected with cardboard corners. These can be recycled from frame purchases, or home made. But sturdy cardboard corners are a must. They also provide a platform from which to protect the rest of the artwork. You can tape pieces of cardboard to cover both the front and the back to these corners, not touching the actual artwork, creating an air pocket around it. Then en envelope of bubble wrap will protect the artwork when it is slipped into the shipping crate. Use several layers of bubble wrap instead of packing peanuts when shipping to a show. Most shows have outlawed packing peanuts anyway, as they create a mess, are actually hard to keep track of, and make return shipping difficult. So no packing peanuts to exhibitions.



When shipping more than one painting/artwork, you will want to put them all in the same box. Try getting panels of protective foam board for this. How thick will depend on the size of the artwork, but for most pieces, between 1 and 2 inches will be enough. Check with your shipper for this.



We see a lot of boxes at The Renaissance Art Gallery. The best one was last year. This box had a lot of thought put into it and was very well designed. It offered great protection for the artwork, was easy to use and made the return shipping easy. The box was lined with foam sheeting. This foam comes in sheets, and the kind used was similar to the oasis used in floral arrangements. It is easy to cut to size and shape. A piece was cut to the size of the bottom. Then sides were cut, with notches to hold dividing panels for each piece of art. These panels slide securely into the sides. Then the artwork was tucked into bubble wrap envelops, and slipped into slots. Paperwork also fit into a lot, then a top piece slipped securely on top. Box could be closed and everything was secure.



Before you seal that box, make sure all the needed paper work is there. Entry fees, entry registration, return label, etc. Also include a packing list, listing what art is in the box, etc. Yes your artwork is labeled, but a second list helps. Also, double check, no triple check the shipping address. Do not assume it is the same as the organization sponsoring the show, it often is not. All shows go to great lengths to make sure the shipping location is a secure location and that someone will be available to receive it. So read the prospectus and make sure you have the right address.



Mark your Calendar



Ship early enough to make sure the work will arrive is there is some delay. Nothing is more disheartening than to receive work the day after judging, and this has happened. Allow a reasonable amount of time for any unsold work to be returned after the show ends before calling to check up on it. Keep a duplicate of any paperwork and the packing list just in case and include the show dates so you will know when to expect it.



Insurance



Insurance is typically the reasonability of the artist both coming and going. This should be included in the shipping costs, and noted on the return label.



Conformation


If you wish conformation that your work has arrived safely, be sure to include a self-addressed postcard to this effect in with the paperwork. Note this on your packing list, so whomever unpacks the box will be aware that there is a post card included and that you expect it to be sent to you.



Then relax. If the venue or group has a website or is on a social network check for updates and other postings. Chances are they will have posts about the show, photos of receptions, links to publicity, etc.



Keep in touch!

Hopefully this will help you in preparing for entering the 11th Annual National Miniature Exhibtion this fall. If you are shipping it, please make sure you do so by the 12th to make sure we get it on time. Please tell all your friends about the Miniature show and how important it is to enter .

PROS : All work will hang ; this is an international show; people come looking for affordable minis to give for gifts ;you can use your participation on your resume' (being included in an important international exhibit); i'ts a lot of fun and you do not want to miss any of the fun !! Thanks , and start painting !












Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Miniature show coming up




The 11th Annual National Miniature Exhibition is coming up fast. Submission dates for local artist is October 14-16, 2011. The show itself will run for the month of November into the first 2 weeks of December 2011 at The Renaissance Art Gallery in Huntington, WV. This show is an open entry show, open to all adult artists 18 and up. Works shipped to The Renaissance Art Gallery should be postmarked by October 12, 2011, to insure they arrive on time.





Traditional forms
Miniatures are the original portable art. While any work at 1/6th scale is technically a miniature, The Renaissance Art Gallery show, like most miniature shows does place size restrictions on entered work. This is the challenge. But it is also the tradition. While royalty and great nobles could commission huge paintings, real people created work in scale with their lives.



The first miniatures were often done on the backs of playing cards, easily hand held! And don’t forget small portraits in lockets! Jewelry is a natural outlet for those working in miniature.



Miniatures at sea



Miniature art is portable art. People from all walks of life have practiced it for centuries. Sailors at sea would fill long hours with scrimshaw carvings of available materials, often the teeth and ivory of marine mammals like whale teeth and walrus tusks. Woodsman in Appalachia simply used the natural material around them to whittle both practical items and small fun figurines.



Size matters

For miniature competition, size does matters. All shows have their own restrictions, but The Renaissance Art Gallery has adopted the same standards used in the major American miniature associations of 25 sq inches, or 5x5, but any configuration that gives you up to 25 sq inches is accepted. Last year we had one artist who works on 1 inch x 8 inch pieces. This is the maximum size, but not the required size. The most traditional size is still the size of a playing card, 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches (or the size of a baseball card) We have had much smaller pieces and enjoy them! Don’t forget that miniatures can also be sculpture! Three-dimensional pieces cannot exceed 8 inches in any one direction. Again, any art format is welcome, ceramics, stone, pottery or metal.


National show



The Renaissance Art Gallery’s Annual Miniature exhibition is a nationally recognized art show. This is why we strictly enforce the size requirements. It is also why photography and other mechanically reduced formats are not acceptable in this show. Our show draws the best from across our nation, and for many of us this is the only opportunity we will have of entering a national art competition. And it is fun.



There is still time



Now is the time to create wonderful small works of perfection and time to enter the 11th Annual National Miniature Exhibition. If you have never tried to work in miniature, now is the time! Help is available at The Renaissance Art Gallery on Wednesdays. Studio hours are from 12:00 until 7:00 pm. Artists are available to answer your questions and to help you work small!



The Renaissance Art Gallery

900 8th Street, Suite #20

Huntington, WV 25701



Gallery (304) 525-3235

Appointments: (304) 453-3187

gallerywv@yahoo.com

www.orgsites.com/wv/renaissance



http://twitter.com/wvgallery

http://renaissancegalleryart.blogspot.com/



Gallery hours are:



Friday & Saturday 12-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm

Studio hours Monday 10-Noon, Wednesday 1:00-7:30 pm and Saturday 10-Noon