Yes, it was a bit of an ego trip, however, I wanted to see whether my art stood up to serious jury consideration. I chose two organizations, submitted applications to both and hey presto! I got in! So, now what?
Well, let’s step back a minute, actually a few years. Do you remember the book created from a trip by a group of artists to the Great Bear Rainforest? That initiative married art with conservation, and the book “Canada’s Raincoast at Risk: Art for an Oil-free Coast” is sitting on our bookcase. And that seeded a question – how do you get to participate with a group like that?
This year I have been tuning into the different organizations artists belong to. I looked at a few, and then stumbled across Artists for Conservation. With my own art, 5% of my net income is donated to Malaspina Land Conservancy Society. I co-founded MLCS back in 2008 and it serves to help land owners preserve their land. Although our land conservancy is geographically bound to the Powell River area, there are conservancies world wide doing similar work and we are part of a network. So, I “knocked” on the door of Artists for Conservation.
And, I got in! There are about 500 artists from over 30 countries involved with AFC, a registered charity formed in Canada and known as the world’s largest collection of artists working for conservation. Canadian Robert Bateman is Honorary Chair of the AFC Advisory Board and has been involved since 2005.
The organization’s website hosts work by each artist and allows purchases through its online and exhibition presence.
Within a week of applying to AFC, I was reading the latest edition of International Artist Magazine and looked into one of the artists featured. He was a member of the International Guild of Realism. So, naturally, I looked up that organization…and applied!
So, now I am a member of IGOR as well. Phew! When I told my husband, he did a double-take until I explained it was to do with art realism. Although, I like where his mind went.
I continue to be fascinated by how artists can make a hyper-realistic portrayal of a three-dimensional object onto a two-dimensional object. I enjoy the abstract nature of the art once you stand 3 inches away from it – it is such an illusion.
IGOR provides exhibits, online presence, education and a vast membership that attracts attention.
Back to the question, now what? I have joined two large organizations, which in essence means I have increased my number of art colleagues…sure, why not…of well over 1,000. If our local Malaspina Land Conservancy Society holds a fundraising event, I can invite all the Artists for Conservation members to participate. Both websites get so many hits per month that my work is exposed to a much larger audience than this little blog and website can ever hope to engage.
Oh, I don’t know. I know my ego was inflated when I was accepted by both organizations, however, I think this is a good thing and it certainly encourages me to keep going, keep painting, keep capturing those images from today for the eyes of tomorrow.
Are you part of an art organization? If so, or if you are considering applying, please share that in the comments below. Bye for now!
Janet and Janet 