Action rewards action, so if you want others to notice you then you need to notice them first. It is show-and-tell which works best if you approach another artist’s work and then respond with your own art story. So how to engage with the art community… the first step is to find a way that best suits you. Where you want your art to go, who should it reach out to, how you want to be received by society, what is the message or story you are telling with your art, and why should others engage with your work – these are all questions that factor into understanding what communal outlets would work best for you. After all, if you look to be seen by the art community, then the best way to do so is to actually become part of it. This generally means putting yourself out there and taking what you created out of the shadows and letting others experience it. You will not be discovered in hiding, unless you are leaving that to future archaeologists.
Getting your art noticed and connecting with others is what the art community is chiefly about – artists coming together to work towards the common goal of learning and growing. In this era, with the power of the internet, barriers between artists and the global audience are easily overcome. Online there are multiple art communities such as Deviantart, Behance, See.Me, A Singular Creation, and others, where you can create a free account and:
Offline is much different in that the search engine optimization is not going to help your target audience find your particular style and medium. Also you are going to have a smaller localized group to take interest in your works. Sometimes a group show works out well if a level of synergy is achieved within which the show attendees are both surrounded by art and artists and entertained by all. It takes drawing a crowd with the right people in the right place at the right time. Such is task best left to experienced event coordinators. If you find a community that is working together in this way, you want to contact whoever is in charge of events and submit your work to see if it meets the criteria for their shows.
One such artist community that is growing on a global platform is RAW natural-born artists. Their organizers bring together a showcase of artists, musicians, hair/make-up and clothing artists, videographers and other creative types for a grand soirée from both word of mouth and crowd-funding. Many other groups form on a local level, usually in a “grassroots” manner calling themselves Artist Collectives or Guerrilla Art Groups. This is another great way to get out and collaborate together -- not only to conceptualize and create, but also for artists to put on synergistic shows that are of varied interests to draw wider audiences.
Whether gathering on an internet platform or coming together live, community is a beneficial experience for artists. Sharing experiences, recommending resources, making new contacts are all part of getting from the table to the masses. When you meet with a group of artists, some may be loners; however, you will also find the more extroverted ones that offer ideas which can help broaden your exposure to even more art communities. There are also many traits that can combine for instance a performance artist can learn from a visual artist, a writer can learn from a musician, a painter can learn from a photographer and all these vice versa… the list goes on and on.
Embracing the uniqueness of the contributions of individual artists and helping each other instead of having a competitive mind-set plays a big role in getting noticed in the art community. If you are one that does not “play well with others” the alternative could be a backlash that will leave you a lonely artist. You have to be prepared for all kinds of different personalities and have a thick skin for unsolicited critiques that occur in the art community.
Advertising your artwork on your own subtracts resources from your creative efforts and in such manner you may not be discovered until long after your demise. That is a scenario of someone else taking ownership of your works and interacting with the art community. Do you see the value, it is a now or never situation for the artist; without establishing an identity within the art community someone else may get your work noticed for you only after you are gone. So find other artists and forge a connection which in the art community is the first step in getting seen or heard. All art is related and small artist communities are often hinged upon or become larger-scale art communities.
© Rebecca H Knight, images used © their respective owners. All rights reserved.
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The Tank, a New York-based independent artists’ creative and collaborative venue.
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Getting your art noticed and connecting with others is what the art community is chiefly about – artists coming together to work towards the common goal of learning and growing. In this era, with the power of the internet, barriers between artists and the global audience are easily overcome. Online there are multiple art communities such as Deviantart, Behance, See.Me, A Singular Creation, and others, where you can create a free account and:
- upload images
- share information on projects you are working on
- write your artist statement
- post news and achievements
- network with other artists
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| Various artists contributing to oil on canvas work for a gallery display |
One such artist community that is growing on a global platform is RAW natural-born artists. Their organizers bring together a showcase of artists, musicians, hair/make-up and clothing artists, videographers and other creative types for a grand soirée from both word of mouth and crowd-funding. Many other groups form on a local level, usually in a “grassroots” manner calling themselves Artist Collectives or Guerrilla Art Groups. This is another great way to get out and collaborate together -- not only to conceptualize and create, but also for artists to put on synergistic shows that are of varied interests to draw wider audiences.
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A group of painters creating works on the spot
hosted by All
City Coffee in Seattle, Washington.
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Whether gathering on an internet platform or coming together live, community is a beneficial experience for artists. Sharing experiences, recommending resources, making new contacts are all part of getting from the table to the masses. When you meet with a group of artists, some may be loners; however, you will also find the more extroverted ones that offer ideas which can help broaden your exposure to even more art communities. There are also many traits that can combine for instance a performance artist can learn from a visual artist, a writer can learn from a musician, a painter can learn from a photographer and all these vice versa… the list goes on and on.
Embracing the uniqueness of the contributions of individual artists and helping each other instead of having a competitive mind-set plays a big role in getting noticed in the art community. If you are one that does not “play well with others” the alternative could be a backlash that will leave you a lonely artist. You have to be prepared for all kinds of different personalities and have a thick skin for unsolicited critiques that occur in the art community.
 |
| Dutch Expressionists Henk Klinkhamer with Johannes Adriaan Smit and Van Vliet in the art group Sybarit |
Advertising your artwork on your own subtracts resources from your creative efforts and in such manner you may not be discovered until long after your demise. That is a scenario of someone else taking ownership of your works and interacting with the art community. Do you see the value, it is a now or never situation for the artist; without establishing an identity within the art community someone else may get your work noticed for you only after you are gone. So find other artists and forge a connection which in the art community is the first step in getting seen or heard. All art is related and small artist communities are often hinged upon or become larger-scale art communities.
© Rebecca H Knight, images used © their respective owners. All rights reserved.
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