Leni Wiener

It never ceases to amaze me how many people are out there looking to scam us in order to steal our money or into giving up our personal information (in order to steal our money).  I had two just this morning.

First was the email from Caroline Moore.  When I opened my email this morning, the first one I saw was an email asking about the availability of two of my pieces.  Of course, we all want to think that someone found and fell in love with our art and wants to buy it.  But the suspicion here was the broken English (this is one of my pet peeves–if you are going to try and make it in the cutthroat business of email scams, it behooves you to learn to speak the language at least well enough to know what letters to capitalize and where the punctuation belongs.  Geez, at least have someone else check the wording for you before you send it out!!)  My suspicion was confirmed when I saw that the next several emails were all posts to the SAQA Yahoo group by other artist members of SAQA who had received the same email from the same person.  And in all cases, good old Caroline had inquired about the two pieces each of us had pictured on the SAQA site.  What a lazy scammer she is!

How does one handle these emails?  Probably the best way is to just delete it and ignore it.  Sometimes, the abundance of evidence does not make it so very clear from the beginning.  I have never sold a piece from an online inquiry, but I suppose there is always a first time.  So if in doubt, I politely answer that I only accept payment through paypal and do not ship outside the country (another clue that you are being scammed is the request that the sale be handled quickly because the buyer is leaving the country–which is usually followed by a request that the artist accept a larger than needed third party check and refund the balance to the buyer).  But I have found that sending the paypal email means I never hear from these scammers again.

The other scam happened while I was opening and reading all these emails.  (I guess this was just my day!)  It was a phone call from American Express asking me if I had made any large charges yesterday.  My suspicion was raised by two things; first the caller ID said private caller, and secondly, the woman told me the charges were made in Los Angeles and she sees that I live in New Rochelle.  That didn’t sit right with me, so I gave her my husband’s phone number and called him on his other line.  Sure enough, when she called him she said we really had to cancel the card right away, and when he asked her for more identifying information, she hung up.  A call to customer service at American Express confirmed she was a scammer.  I am sure she would have asked my husband to confirm the account being canceled and the security code, and then she would have been off and running with our card number in hand.

I truly believe that most people in the world are good and honest people who are just going about their lives in the best way they know how.  Unfortunately, there are those few who give the rest of humanity a bad name.  As with everything else in life, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  A request to purchase your work could in fact be legitimate, but proceed with caution.  Better not to sell a piece than to be taken.  Don’t click on any links that look suspicious ( I get lots of spam saying it comes from customer service at, for example, paypal.  I never click the link.  Instead, I go to the paypal site and get to customer service that way to confirm or deny the problem).  And NEVER give out either on the phone or in an email, any identifying information like your social security number, credit card numbers, even your birth date.  Better to be cautious than sorry.

It is wonderful to think that someone finds our work online and wants to own it.  In some cases, this can be true.  But I find that in today’s world, it is better to keep your eyes opened and be suspicious of all inquiries until you can confirm their legitimacy.  Be careful out there!

Many people find it helpful at a certain stage of their career to join a professional organization to assist in their development as working artists.  There are several that are geared towards art quilters, or fiber artists, or whatever you want to call yourself (there is a lot of debate even about what we “are” as artists).  Other organizations are more oriented to traditional quilters.

These professional groups are different from guilds.  A guild is a local group of quilters (usually traditional quilters, but that seems to be changing) that holds regular meetings, brings in speakers or workshop teachers, and generally the members support and teach each other.  A guild is great for learning new skills and developing a network of people nearby who share your interest.  But a professional group is different.

One such organization is Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) a group of over 2400 international members including artists, teachers, collectors, gallery owners, museum curators and corporate sponsors.  Although the mission is to gain acceptance for art quilts in the broader art world, the benefits to members can be more personal.

I have been a member of SAQA since 2004, and one of the co-reps of the NY region (along with Jane Davila, author of “Art Quilt Workbook” and “Art Quilts at Play”) since 2007. Artist members fall into two categories: Active and Professional (PAM)–PAMs must be juried in for the PAM designation, but anyone interested in being a member can join as an Active.  PAMs have the added benefit of a presence on the SAQA site, and inclusion in the “Portfolio” which is produced yearly and sent to galleries and collectors.

There are probably as many reasons to join a group like SAQA as there are members, so I can only speak for what it does for me.  When I was just getting started as an art quilter I found it invaluable as a way to get the “lay of the land”.  I had no idea what exhibitions there were to enter, who else was doing what I was attempting to do, what other resources there were out there.  One of the most valuable tools for me are the posts to the Yahoo chat group, which I read every day.  In the beginning,  just drinking in the different topics and absorbing the information provided was a big help to me.  Announcements about who got into what show and who didn’t gave me a list of shows worth entering; other information I found valuable dealt with everything from professional development (like marketing, etc) to technique.

For the most part, being a member of SAQA has given me access to many extraordinary artists who have been generous of their time and willingness to share information.  Perhaps if I had emailed some of these people cold they would have been just as giving.  But the common thread of being members of SAQA gives me the confidence to contact someone else in the “group.”  I have developed “friendships” with many other SAQAs around the world with whom I communicate regularly, but some of whom I have never met.  Volunteering for different committees within the organization has also allowed me the opportunity to get to know other artists whose work I admire and respect.

SAQA also has its own exhibitions, some that appear in the quilt venues in Houston, Chicago and Long Beach; others that travel extensively.  This added exposure and opportunity to show work is great in building both confidence and a professional resume.

Not everyone will benefit from membership in a professional organization–if you are doing what you do strictly for yourself, then you probably don’t need it.  If you want to be more serious about your art; show and sell your work, teach or publish, you may find it useful.

You can check out the SAQA site at

http://www.saqa.com/

If you live in the NYC area, I will be having SAQAs at my house in March for what Jane and I call “parlor meetings” just to meet and talk and share our work.  If you would like to join us and see what SAQA is all about, email me at Leni@leniwiener.com for more information.  If you would like a brochure with information about SAQA membership, email me your address and I will mail it to you.

Pictures coming (I hate blog posts without pictures!) as I am working on a new piece but it isn’t far enough along to share it yet.

A nasty stomach bug has kept me from updating my blog, but I am back at the computer, ready to share my thoughts.  This week brought more snow (more than was predicted) which was particularly beautiful.  This snow clung to the trees most of the day and into the evening, not great for power lines, I am sure, but gorgeous to look at.

My favorite tree (again).  I take as many  pictures of this tree as I do of my children!

these will make great thread paintings some day…

The color of the sky at dusk in winter is so magnificent that I painted our family room (which is mostly windows) this very color.  For about seven minutes each day, it is the most glorious sight.

So that is it for winter.  It was beautiful, got some nice pictures, had some nice walks, I am now ready for spring.  Enough is enough.

Moving on to the real reason for this post.  Today I want to talk about entering juried shows.

One of the biggest questions art quilters starting out ask is “how do I know when I am ready to enter juried shows?” and the answer is simple.  When you feel that you want to try, when just creating the work isn’t enough for you anymore, then you are ready to give it a shot.  You will never know until you do.  Here is a list of pointers I wish I had when I started applying to shows back in 2004.

Ten things to know about entering juried shows:

1.  Start simple.  Begin with guild shows and other local venues that may not be as competitive (or expensive to enter) as the big national shows.  You have a better chance of succeeding and building both your confidence and preparing for heavier competition on the national (and international) level.  Contact your local library to see if they will show your work.

2.  Submit the maximum number of pieces allowed, and make sure they are consistent in style.  This was the biggest mistake I made in the first year I tried to get into juried shows.  I was still finding my voice, and working in three somewhat distinct styles.  I made the mistake of sending one of each style to each show, hoping to show them my “range”.  I didn’t get in anywhere, and I am sure now it is because in trying to show them my range of styles, what I really showed them was that I hadn’t found out who I was as an artist yet.  By sending two or three pieces (whatever is allowed) shows them that you are working in a consistent style.  It also always surprises me that the piece I am sure will get in does not, and an “also ran” is the one they will take.

3.  Know what the show is that you are entering, and obey the rules.  It is impossible to second guess what the judges will be looking for in any given year, but by looking at the shows in prior years (most of the major shows have websites that will show you highlights from previous shows) you can get a sense if your work is really off the mark.  If the show is looking for updated traditional and you are doing abstracts (or vice versa) don’t bother.  And read the call for entry to be sure you understand the parameters.  If the call for entry asks for pieces that are no smaller than 36″ on any given side, don’t send them your favorite piece that measures 24″ x 18″.  You are just wasting your money.  And however they tell you they want the images labeled, whatever additional information they ask for–do it the way they want it.

4.  Take decent photographs.  This is so important.  I hear over an over from judges that they don’t want to see photos of quilts hanging on the garage door, hands and feet showing, or the cat in the corner of the shot.  You want to send the most clear and simple (and in focus!) representation of what the quilt looks like, with no other distractions.  The good news is that digital cameras allow you to take dozens of photos, see them instantly on your computer, and make changes until you get it right.  (In the old slide days, you would have to shoot a roll, pay $20 to get the film developed and hold your breath.)  I could do a whole post on photographing your work (and maybe I will), but keep it simple–just the quilt, and nothing but the quilt.  No fancy lights?  Pin your quilt to a sheet of foam core and take it outside in sunlight (not strong sunlight that will create shadows) and shoot it there.  Try to make sure you are shooting straight on so that the edges don’t get distorted.  Remember that the judges will want to see the edges of the quilt, and that your detail shots should show them something unique and special about your quilt.  More on this in another post.

5.  Get it in on time. Make a list of the shows you want to enter and keep a calendar.  Mark the due date as a week before the actual date, so that you don’t find yourself scrambling at the last minute to get it done.  Some shows now allow email submissions, some still want that image on a CD.  A little advance planning avoids the extra overnight charges that procrastination insures.

6.  Don’t overlap submissions.  There is nothing more unprofessional than having a piece accepted to a show and then realizing it is not available because it also got in somewhere else.  Nice for the ego, but having to contact the show and tell them you can’t send it will not score you any points.  In the beginning before you have a large body of work, it is tough to have three pieces ready for every show you want to enter (I found myself frantically finishing pieces for every deadline in the first year I entered shows) but you have to make certain you understand the dates they will want your work, and don’t commit to more than one show in any time frame.  If the quilts don’t get in somewhere, they will be available for the next round of submissions.

7. Keep good records.  Keep a list somewhere of the shows you want to enter, the relevant dates (submission deadline, announcement date, exhibition dates, expected return date) so that you know what has been submitted and what is out.  It is easy to get confused about where your quilt is and when it is coming home, so write it all down.  I also find that keeping a spread sheet of the quilt titles, sizes, dates completed, shows they have been in, where they are now, prices, etc. makes it easy to keep track of what I have, and to find the information I need when I need it.  I photograph each quilt as it is completed and keep them in a computer file, so that entering shows means pulling and image and some information from the computer and I can be done in a few minutes.  I also keep an artist statement and short description of materials and techniques for the same purpose.  No drama.  And once the quilt is accepted somewhere, I add it to my resume immediately so that nothing falls through the cracks.  Why get into shows if you don’t remember to put it on your resume!?!

8.  Finding the calls for entry. Magazines like Quilting Arts always have a calls for entry section that will list upcoming deadlines for different shows.  Professional organizations like SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates, www.saqa.com) also make this information available to their members.  If you hear about certain shows over and over again, google the names and get the information about the next call.  The good news is that once you get into a show, they will send you a reminder for subsequent years and you don’t have to do as much leg work.

9.  Getting in and not getting in.  Nothing feels as good as getting into a show, but if you get a rejection letter, don’t beat yourself up.  I know lots of stories about a quilt that was rejected from one show only to go on to win first place in another.  But be honest about your work–is it not quite there yet?  Are your photos holding you back?  Or maybe it was just the wrong piece for the assortment the judges were putting together.  The rejections hurt, but it only makes the acceptances feel that much better.

10.  What you learn from seeing your work in a show. If you live close enough to go see your quilt in person–do. It is not only an ego boost, but it will also provide valuable information about your work that you won’t get anywhere else.  For example, to my horror, I found out at one show that I needed to do much denser quilting so that my pieces would hang flat and neat once they arrive.  The shows won’t press before they hang, so if your piece looks wrinkled and messy, you only have yourself to blame.  Important lesson learned.