Hello Everyone,
My name is Elena. If you cannot tell from my name I am originally from Russia. I have been living in the USA for two years and intend to stay. So, please excuse my English as it is not always the best.
I am an artist - a painter. I work with both oil and acrylic. I concentrate on the human form but also enjoy painting landscapes or whatever else I fancy.
My formal training is from the Moscow State University of Printing Arts. Here I studied graphic design and received my degree. However, I also attended classes at the Moscow State Academy Art Institue in the faculty of painting. Here, I learned the formal techniques of art and studied with several contemporary Russian artists.
I now live in the Boston area and have had some luck at selling my work in local galleries. I saw my first art fair in Newport RI and thought that I too could sell my works this way. So, here I am.
I have read many things here and find it interesting and helpful. I am also surprised too by some of the comments in the forum as to how critical some people are. Perhaps it is a cultural difference but I like to think that critics everywhere are the same - at least among professionals.
Replies
Yes, Elena, thanks for the education in selling Russian Art. I do remember the 1980 Olympics and the famous Boycott. And here we are in 2011 fighting in Afganistan!!
Maybe an indoor Art Show would be the thing to try. You wouldn't need a tent for that so the initial expense would be better for you. The Art Show circuit isn't easy but many people love it. You will have to give it a try to see if you like it or not.
Good luck and let us know if you try a show this winter.
Jacki B
Hello Elana and welcome. We are glad to have you here with us. Do they have Art Shows in Russia like we have hear in the USA? Itt would be interesting to hear the differences between Russia and here. I hope to see you around the forums.
Jacki B
Hi Jacki,
My apologies for not answering sooner. I just started visiting this site again and am still undecided as to whether art fairs are for me. However, I'm happy to talk about the differences between here and in Russia.
In Russia we do indeed have art fairs but they are not quite like the USA. The main type of event is formally called an exhibition in Russia and would normally be held in a building. To enter into an exhibition requires recognition of the various sponsoring organizations. This usually means that you have some artistic credentials (like a degree from an art academy) and also people on the committee that judges the work to sponsor you. Once selected your work is hung as if in a gallery and people come through meet with you and, if interested, can make purchase arrangements for your work. We don't worry about credit cards because nobody uses them in Russia. Roubles, dollars, or euros will be accepted with equal enthusiasm.
There are other venues for selling art. For example, in Moscow, there are quite a few places that are permanent outdoor markets. People have tents erected and sell just about anything you can imagine from shoes to medicines. I'm not sure what is required to get into a market but I have seen artwork in some of these places. Even in the wintertime when it is bitter cold these markets are active.
One of the more well known markets in Moscow is called Izmailova. It is located near a complex of horrible hotel buildings that were built to support the 1980 Olympics (remember, the one you guys boycotted :) because Russia wouldn't withdraw from Afghanistan). However, the park next to the hotel complex is wonderful. I have seen deer and maybe a moose running there in the winter. This is where the market is. It is a huge alleyway of tents selling all sorts of goods, including art, and also delicious but very unhealthy things to eat.
Ah, alas, the thing I miss most is our wonderful museums. How many times I can walk the halls of the Tretyakov gallery and still remain in awe of the most blessed art I could ever imagine...
Hi Elena and welcome to AFI :) I'm in Australia and learning a lot here too!