I’m sitting in a bookstore leafing through an art magazine when I see a ‘call for art’ due tomorrow. And the art they want is just like mine.
I copy the information and race home to send in my work.

Don’t miss another opportunity

This is a chance to show your work. Here’s the problem. You can’t find the images on your computer. you have them, you know they’re on the list …somewhere. They’re edited and ready to go. You’re just not sure what folder they’re in.
It’s frustrating.

You’ll be ready for every Art Call

There is a way to never feel that lost. To feel like you are in control.
To solve this problem, one step is to develop what I call a “Contact_(Folder)”.
Do this when you create a New Folder on your computer. This will give you access to your downloaded camera images (jpegs). You change the name (Folder) to give you better control.  Folders give you access to the right images. After all, sharing your work is part of why you create art.

Never miss a breakthrough opportunity

Let’s look at the most common mistakes made when saving images to folders. We think saving to a folder with a date is smart. It is, as long as you can remember when you finished the artwork.

But what art did you save in which folder?

Create a process that’s easy to follow

You need to have a process or a naming protocol for saving your work. This is the heart of success for delivering the right work to the right gallery. And it should be separate from your other art folders.

Let’s say you’re a Landscape painter. The knee jerk response is to name your folder Landscapes. Great at first but what happens when you create abstract landscapes and then get interested in realism or meadows or just skies or trees. See where we’re going.

Create a Contact_Folder that is separate from the others. Make it reflect the most important element that you see in the work. Remember these edited jpegs (images) should be the best example of individual artwork. Without being too nerdy, remember not to put them in a subfolder. Don’t create a folder inside one of those above folders

Keep folders where you can see them

After I edit my camera images, and I’ll talk about this in a future post, I go to my computer and create a folder that reflects what’s important.

 In this example I create Contact_Landscape replacing the (Folder) name with Landscape

When I open file explorer on my computer this will be at the top level of my list. It tells me without any fanfare that it is my contact folder for galleries, and that it is my landscape paintings.

A Folder is a box with good stuff inside

The contact folder is like a box. Inside, I find my 10 best landscape paintings without frames. Each one has a title. The jpeg folder is ready to be emailed but don’t forget the rest. The art call also asks for a list of the images with sizes, mediums used and prices. Most galleries also ask for a CV and an art statement. These are word documents that can also be saved to this folder. If this is new to you, don’t worry. The coming post will have information to help you with these.

There you have it. A file that you can send to those most important Art Calls. A no fuss way to be ready. What you put in this box will change as you grow and evolve. You might even need multiple boxes, Contact_(Folders) for all your growing art projects.

This blog is devoted to open dialogue, interviews and exhibition of emerging and established artists. It provides up to date information about the my current projects, discoveries, book reviews and art information from around the web. You are welcome to join the conversation by contacting me at Don@DonaldKolberg.com  and please share this post with your friends.

Imagination is never still. The marks we make are Verbs!