When I do a show, which I do a couple of times a year, it’s an opportunity to meet new people who may have never heard of me or seen my work. It is vitally important that they see my up to date work and my best presentation.  So curating a show starts weeks and maybe months in advance.

1. Create a body of work… Each January I set to work deciding what direction my art will go in the coming year.  I have many customers that come back year after year and they need new and fresh images to look at. So I sit down and map out what I might be painting seasonally.  This year I decided that I would do a Spring Collection that consisted mostly of floral paintings since I hadn’t created any in a few years. Now that summer has arrived I will be doing a series of new monsoon paintings, and as fall approaches I bring in a series of paintings that pop with reds and oranges and yellows.
2. Paint in different sizes… When doing a show I want to have something in several price ranges from the seasoned collector to the new person just starting out  collecting my work.  So I have small painting 8″ X 8″ up to 30″ X 30″ or larger.  I also provide cash and carry items to bring the collector to the display, note cards and small prints are easy ways to start a conversation about my art.
3. Hang paintings in the same color palette together… This year I found that many of my paintings have cerulean blue in them, it is one of my favorite colors, and also blends well with my other favorite colors, purple and teal.  When a person walks up to a display they want a cohesive feel and having a similar color palette will provide this.
4. Have one large painting as the star… I make sure the painting is facing my audience. I need a focal point to draw in the viewer as they approach my space.. It maybe a jumping off place for conversation, or it may become the inspiration for a commission or help the viewer to see themselves with one of my paintings in their home.
5. Make sure your paintings are ready to hang and displayed properly… I choose not to frame my pieces, instead I use 1 1/2″ gallery wrap canvas with sides painted in complimentary colors, and a UV coating to keep them archival.  The are ready to hang with D rings and wire. I also include a “Certificate of Authenticity” giving the copyright and medium and title of each piece. I firmly believe that every inch of your painting, front and back, should shout “I am a professional”

I am currently in the process of doing these exact steps as I get ready for the

Les Femmes des Montage Art Show and Sale July 14th

10am-4pm

At the Hassayampa Inn’s Marina Room