Organization

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Art Inventory Part 2: Let’s Get Comprehensive

February 18, 2013 in Guest Blogging, Kate Renee, Local Artist Interview, Organization | 2 comments

Head on over to Local Artist Interviews to catch the Art Inventory Part 1 blog post. There you will learn the purpose and basic categories to include in your own art inventory. Once you have the basics compiled, walk though this blog post to boost up the content, quality and information your inventory provides.

Now that you have begun your own art inventory or have a basic framework of information to work with here are some ideas to build it into a better inventory.

A basic inventory will typically be one page. A thorough inventory can be a page or more. For my art work pictured above, I have three pages noting all important information. The first page has a more thorough list of information about the piece itself. In addition to date, size, price, location and image (as listed on the basic inventory blog article) I have included additional categories:

 

Series: Is the piece a diptych or triptych, is there a small series of related works?

Condition: Is the work framed, wired, ready to hang, is it signed? Is it in good or bad shape?

Labeled: Is the work labeled on the back with the title, artist and date?

Touchups: Any necessary changes or repairs needed?

Copyright: Is the work copyrighted? If so, what is the registration information and date?

Photographed: How is the work documented? Is it professionally or self-documented?

Permissions: When you submit or agree to certain exhibitions and opportunities, we often agree or allow people to have a limited access or permission to the work whether that is printing the information and image in a catalog, including the image in an online gallery or to release the image to a media or press resource. Log what you have allowed in the permissions section. This is important especially if you copyright your artwork.

Submissions: Use the submissions area to document shows, grants and opportunities you have applied to. This is where I tend to list shows I submitted to but did not participate in or was rejected from. If I am interested in the future to apply to the same show or opportunity, I know what work I used to apply to it.

You can also update the exhibition section as well. In addition to title of the show, venue, dates of the exhibition, commission and if a sale took place and any additional notes, consider adding the following sections below:

Type: Was the show group, juried, invitational, partner or solo?

Venue address: Where was the space or gallery located?

Website: What is the gallery or space web address?

Curator and Juror: Include anyone who you came in contact with during the exhibition process and also their contact information, phone number or email. Note if someone is a gallery director or other title rather than curator or juror so if you need to contact them again in the future, you properly address them.

Exhibition Documents: What documents or information do you have stored in your files in relation to the exhibition? This can also include saved emails in your inbox.

Award: Did you receive an award during the show?

Commission: What was the gallery’s commission percentage? Note if a sale took place and what cut of the sale you made.

I always leave a blank exhibition section so if I submit and show the piece during the year, I can pencil in the information into my inventory and update it later. I will write in changes to my inventory throughout the year, and then every January, I officially update my document on the computer and print off a fresh new copy.

The third page of my inventory includes press, promotions and comments from viewers. I also add installation notes and additional notes. 

View the Suction Cup Blog post next week to get the third and final post on making your own art inventory.

Mission Possible: July Filing

July 16, 2012 in Guest Blogging, Kate Renee, Local Artist Interview, Mission Possible, Organization, Tips | 1 comment

If you already have not made your way over to Local Artist Interviews to read my guest blog, then begin here.

I wrote a guest blog about how to become an organized artist! In the post, I wrote a basic month-to-month list on how an artist can easily work on becoming more organized throughout an entire year. For each month, I am writing a blog post on my blog site, The Suction Cup, to offer more guidance and tips on becoming more organized.

July is filing!

Its time to tackle the growing paper pile monster. I always try to keep as much paperwork and documents possible so I have an accurate paper trail, but that leads to a lot of papers to maintain. One of my favorite organizing books, One Year to an Organized Work Life by Regina Leeds, has a great method for trying to sort the paper pile up: eliminate, categorize, and organize. Begin with eliminating. Throw out the trash and get rid of everything that you no longer need. Ask yourself is it worth holding on too? Can you afford the space, time and money to file it and store it? Will you be needing this in the future or for reference? If you answer no, then toss it! Eliminating it will make you feel good. Once you have the papers that you must keep, sort them into large categories such as finance, exhibitions, goals, resumes, grants and more. Take care when going through materials you wish to keep nice and archive such as newspaper clippings, photos and prints of work.

Organizing is the last step. Some categories of paperwork and information are still extremely large after you have thrown out the unnecessary trash. At this point you need to sub sort these categories. Use envelopes to break grant proposals or exhibition submissions into years or by project. Feel free to stick smaller envelopes and folders inside your files or your containers for each art category you have. I have my “Past Exhibitions” folder in my filing cabinet broken down into numerous folders labeled by year. This helps keep everything neat, organized and easy to find. This also prevents your files and folder from bulging out of control.

Binders or Folders: Three ring binders are great for quick access. If you use the clear plastic sleeves, you can protect important paperwork from tearing or getting damaged. I tend to put materials I need and use frequently in binder and store other papers I may need later or for reference away in my filing cabinet. I keep my binders in my bookcase right next to my desk so I can grab them right away. Above is my inventory, workshop notes and blog archive stored in three ring binders.

Filing Cabinet: If you don’t already have a filing cabinet, consider their benefit to you. They do take up space but will safely house your paperwork. If you have a lot to save and file, its a good investment. If you have a small maintainable stack of papers, stick to something smaller or even buy one of those small plastic filing boxes or use one of those wire holders that will store loose hanging files. I use series of colored folders to help organize my filing cabinet. I have finance paperwork in green folders, exhibitions papers in blue folders and so on. This allows me to have multiple exhibition filing folders for various shows, years or projects I am working on.

Desk: Some desks are built with a drawer that holds hanging files, but consider using each drawer or shelf for different papers. Keep them neat by placing them in large manilla folders, or using a paper tray.

Bookcases: Use a bookcase or cabinet to hold your paperwork as well.

Don’t let lack of storage furniture impede your creative paper filing, I found my filing cabinet next to a dumpster. Completely free! Use old or extra furniture that would store your papers in a dry safe manner if you can. Who wants to spend a couple hundred dollars on a brand new filing cabinet when you can invest that money into your creative work?

Once you dedicate a lot of time and effort into managing your paperwork, keep up with it. Its easy to go back to old habits and begin to throw items, documents, notes and mail back on to your desk. Make sure before you are done in your studio or work space that you leave it clean. Clear off the papers and put them where they go, put it away or put it in the trash.

 

Goals for this month:

1. Locate or invest in some form of office organization method: folder, binders, drawers, boxes, filing cabinets, bookcases or more.

2. Start tackling your paper piles and begin by throwing out the trash, junk mail, and papers that you no longer need to keep or reference.

3. Take your remaining papers and sort them into large categories.

4. Take each individual category and decide how you need to store the information. Do you use and refer to these papers often?

5. Sub sort any large categories.

6. Reward your filing and sorting endeavor.

7. Do not forget to maintain your paperwork, clean up after yourself and keep your desk clear.

 

Mission Possible: April Work Spaces

March 19, 2012 in Accomplishing goals, Guest Blogging, Kate Renee, Local Artist Interview, Mission Possible, Organization, Tips | No comments

If you already have not made your way over to Local Artist Interviews to read my guest blog, then begin here.

I wrote a guest blog about how to become an organized artist! In the post, I wrote a basic month-to-month list on how an artist can easily work on becoming more organized throughout an entire year. For each month, I am going to write a blog post on my blog site, The Suction Cup, to offer more guidance and tips on becoming more organized.

April focuses on your work spaces and designating a creative space and a business space. And since its nearing the end of the month of March, this gives you a head start on the organizing task for April!

Designating work spaces with specific functions offers clarity, focus, and organization. The basic spaces an artist should have is a creative space, to make their art, and a business space, to handle all the arts business aspects including paperwork. Storage and types of furniture in each space is an additional aspect which an artist needs to consider. Having designated areas offers a system for organization as specific materials, supplies, and paperwork goes to one of the two areas. This type of artistic organization should be broad because it is setting up a larger organizational system. Don’t worry about small details, think big picture!

Creative Space

Your creative space should have all of the tools, supplies, and materials needed to create a piece of art work. It may be an actual studio, a room or area in your house, a spot in your garage, or a table in your house. The creative space is where you make art and feel creative.

Creative Space Storage: Make sure you have ample storage for your tools or a space to place them when they are not in use. Put tools and materials that you use often close at hand and store other materials further away. I store my paintbrushes in a brush box which sits at the base of my easel, while my pastel fixative is in the back drawer of an art cart I have. Consider a tool box, plastic drawers, bins, and other containers to hold your supplies when you are not using them. Do this for a variety of reasons. This keeps other people from getting into sharp, dangerous or toxic materials. It provides a home for your supplies so you know where to put them when your done and where to find them when you need them. This also protects your expensive and delicate items and supplies from daily ware they would experience if they were left out. Keep items out and available that you use daily such as pens, pencils, paper towels, or an apron.

Creative Space Furniture: Your creative space should be conducive to creating any and all art work that you produce. It should be comfortable and inviting, and its layout should be placed in a way that supports art making. Do you have the proper furniture to create? A place to sit or stand? What about lighting? Decide what makes you comfortable and productive while working. Don’t be afraid to rearrange your creative space or move the furniture based on your work habits or specific projects.

Office Space

Your office space may or may not be in the same area or room as your creative space. As an artist myself, I have a filing cabinet and desk at my studio/creative space to work on some arts business tasks, but I leave the computer and other electronics out of my studio and at home in a separate office space. This helps designate what I do at the studio and increases my productivity. I can’t focused knowing an email just arrived or if I am expecting a message from someone. Determine the necessary separation you need between your creative and office space.

If you prefer to work with your creative space and office space combined, separate the space in two so your commission contracts, inventory, and archives (aka important paper work) doesn’t get art supplies on them.

Office Space Storage: What do you need in your office space? What are you planning on storing? I began to work from a series of organized binders that held my arts paperwork. Since then I have graduated to a filing cabinet as my needs changed and as the paperwork increased. Tackling paperwork is one of the most daunting organizational tasks, which is why it will be its own organization blog post. It may be in your best interests to go digital too! But it is extremely important to have a ‘paper trail’ so whether or not its a piece of paper or a saved digital file, you need storage for your office. For now, determine the storage you need in your office space and make sure its available to you when its time to organize that ever growing pile of paper! Don’t buy extra office supplies also. This takes up a lot of space! Have a few extra blank envelopes, paperclips around but you don’t need a whole Office Max sitting in your desk drawers.

Office Space Furniture: Regardless of what others say, I always recommend a desk for handling the arts business aspects of the arts profession. Don’t use your dining room table when your not hosting family dinners, get a desk or a table and make it your office. Only put business materials on this desk. Use this space to work, rather than to surf the web or send your friend the latest cat video on Youtube. Invest in good lighting and a comfortable chair, this makes boring arts tasks like inventory and archiving less painful, literally, when your sitting for long periods of time.

Need help taking that next step? Below is a short goal list to get working on tacking your space organization for April.

The goals for this month are:

1. Designate two separate work spaces: creative and office space. Are they located in the same work space or are they completely separate?

2. Move the proper items, tools, materials, furniture, and other items to either the creative space or the office space. What needs to be in each space for you to work? What needs to be removed to prevent distractions?

3. Consider methods of storage for the materials in each space. Purchase, update, and change previous storage methods as needed. Place your items in storage that can be put away.

4. Consider types of furniture in each space and update, rearrange, and purchase as needed to make each space conducive to its purpose.

5. Reward yourself! You just organized your work spaces!

Local Artist Interviews Guest Blog

February 14, 2012 in Guest Blogging, Kate Renee, Local Artist Interview, Organization, Tips | No comments

Michael McGraw, from Local Artist Interviews, asked me to be a guest blogger on his site this week. Check out my article on artistic organization here!