TAFE  2009

Module Name: OHS for the artist

Module Name: Exhibition practice I

Module Name: Professional practice presentation

Dr Brereton has over 15 years experience in teaching, examining and supervising postgraduate creative arts students at University of Technology, Sydney; Wollongong University, The University of the Sunshine Coast and Victoria University.

For the last decade Dr Brereton has specialised in supervising international students studying Master of Creative Arts (MCA) and Doctor of Creative Arts (DCA) degrees. He is a frequent visitor to a number of Asian universities teaching lectures, speaking at conferences, conducting workshops and holding exhibitions of his artwork.

Currently Dr Kurt Brereton is supervising Doctoral students
in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. USC is a new and dynamic university that has a growing reputation for focusing on innovative new media and creative arts research. Its beautiful location on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland just north of Brisbane makes it a good choice for students wishing to see the best of Australian life and culture.

For information on applying to USC please go to
http://www.usc.edu.au/Students/Handbook/Postgrad/HDR/ArtsSocSc/DCA/

or

contact Dr Brereton with your research proposal ideas at
kurt@kurtbrereton.com

Subject: 5481P OHS for the Artist
5499C Exhibition Practice 1
7530B Professional Practice Presentation
Teacher: Kurt Brereton (0414568221)

What you have to hand in at the end of course is:

NOTE: You can hand in either hard copy or digital files (on CD) for all parts below.

For OH&S module

An OH&S check list for a case study workplace eg a photo darkroom. List potential chemical, physical, biological, psychological problems and solutions to hazards.

For Exhibition Practice module
Exhibition invite (DL size) mockup to a show

Exhibition Curatorial Plan of hanging

Promotional strategy

For Professional Practice module

Your CV, Biography (500 words max), Artist Statement (500 words max)

A portfolio of work by yourself or another artist (20 images at least)

Business Card mockup for yourself

Oral presentation of your work to class (5 - 10 mins)

TAFE COURSE - links

NAVA
http://www.visualarts.net.au/

NAVA OH&S information
http://www.visualarts.net.au/advicecentre/healthsafety

SAATCHI Online Art Gallery
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/

click on logo below to go to online gallery templates

http://www.art-search.com.au/

ARTIST'S WEBSITE DESIGN COMPANY
http://www.studiowahdesign.com/ecards/artists/

Applying to the DCA  KEY POINTS TO BE ANSWERED BY YOU

I suggest that you do the following steps to help up your application process:

This is an early outline of your research project. It is expected to be brief (up to 5 pages) and to be open to some change. It should, however, demonstrate that you know what you want to research, why, and how.

Producing this Research Outline should enable you and your supervisor to be specific about your research project and convince the Graduate Studies Sub-committee that you have clear and realistic ideas about the project, and that the Faculty has sufficient expertise to provide you with appropriate supervision and adequate resources to support your work.

The following areas must be addressed within your outline of intended research as set out below:

THE TITLE OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT
The working title for the project (up to 50 words)

THE RESEARCH QUESTION(S)
The overall research question and any sub-questions (up to 100 words)

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM / ISSUE / PUZZLE / SUBJECT
The research matter that will be addressed in this project (up to 250 words)

THE REASONS FOR THE RESEARCH
Why the research should / needs to be completed (up to 250 words)

THE SIGNIFICANCE AND INNOVATION OF THE RESEARCH
How the proposed research is new and different from previous research in the area (up to 250 words)

THE AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
The objectives of the research project (up to 200 words)

THE RELEVANT RESEARCH LITERATURE
A short list of key references related to the topic and brief discussion of some of the main ideas in this literature relevant to the proposed research (up to 1,000 words)

THE METHODOLOGIES AND METHODS TO BE USED IN THE RESEARCH
The recognised approach to research (i.e. methodology, such as ethnography, experimental research, grounded theory, action research) and the recognised research techniques or procedures (i.e. methods, such as interviews, case studies, document analysis, statistical analysis) to be used, and how these fit into the overall research design (up to 500 words)

THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE EXPECTED FROM THE RESEARCH
The expected contributions of this research to knowledge, theory and practice in the relevant fields (up to 250 words)

My tips are:

1. Contact your potential supervisor ( if you know one in the faculty) - for example myself - and discuss your research project topic and creative project. Is is very important to be as clear as possible about what you are going to focus your time on. A lot of time can be wasted by picking the wrong topic or research focus.

Choose a very specific focus that will help you in your career eg teaching or industry. Select a topic that will still be relevant in 5 year's time. For example, try not to select a technology (eg computer hard or soft ware) that will be obsolete in a few years.

2. Write a first draft of your research proposal set out as I have shown in the sample PDF file below. This is a guide only but it works well I find.

3. Have someone check your proposal for errors ie proof reading.

4. Send your draft proposal to your supervisor to check that the research topic and focus are acheivable.

5. Complete your final proposal and send off with university application form, CV and portfolio on CD or website.

SAMPLE PROPOSAL TEMPLATE

Title of Research Project: (keep it short and exciting eg Virtual Songs: Karaoke Design in Taiwan)

Scope: (what is size of your research eg Web Design for Karaoke Clubs in Taipei – TIP keep it very specific)

Focus: (what you will look at specifically eg web design strategies for Karaoke advertising. – TIP keep it very narrow in focus.

Aims: (ie what the research will analyse ie targets – eg design features of interfaces)

Objectives: (what the research will produce as outcomes - eg to produce a new design strategy for Taiwanese Karaoke web sites)

Research Methods: How will the research be carried out eg case studies, interviews, content analysis, painting, drawing, web design)

NOTE: I would include a brief literature review with your proposal. That is, a list of key books, web sites and art works and a brief note on their significance for your research project.

Major Creative Project: This is the main part of the thesis

You should outline your creative project concept and include the following:

1. What is the big idea or concept of your project? eg To design animations for KTV that combine movingand graphic images and text in new ways.

2. What is the scope of you project? eg I will focus on animations and hold an exhibition inside a KTV hotel room that people can interact with. I will also construct a website to showcase my animatioins.

3. What is the medium of you project? eg My medium is a mix of Flash animations, 2D and 3D installations and website.

4. Include any special production or exhibition needs eg data projectors, computer setups, exhibition mounting.

In your application please include a portfolio of your past work on CD or web and a CV.

DCA THESIS STRUCTURE (reference only)

Part One - Written exegesis

Introduction: Listing major issues and key terms, definitions, what the thesis covers, scope, focus, aims, objectives.

Chapter 1. Historical background to your project

Chapter 2. Significance of your project using : - Cultural analysis (what does it mean?) ; social analysis (how is it used/) ; political analysis (what is it's role in terms of power?) ; aesthetic analysis (design aspects- how and why is it designed this way?)

Chapter 3. Case studies (at least 3) of other artist/designers work that informs how your creative project grows out of best practice.

Chapter 4. Developing a new creative strategy (major concepts - big ideas) for your project.

Chapter 5. Detailed explanation of your major creative project:
• major aims and objectives
• how you achieved these in your project
• major concepts your project engaged with.

Bibliography and references
(include at least 50 books, articles, web site refs)
Final version will have many more of course.

Part Two - Major Creative Project

This is the main focus of your degree. You will have to show that you can produce a high standard professional quality significant body of work that will be exhibited in either a gallery or in publication ( eg CDRom or Web).

The written exegesis forms the critical and theoretical context and background to yourmajor creative project. Everything in your exegesis should help explain the issues and concerns in your creative project.

Ideally both parts (exegesis and creative project) are submitted together so the examiners can assess both components at the same time.

How to Apply

For the University of the Sunshine Coast please contact:
http://www.usc.edu.au/Students/International/Steps/Applying/

Week 4- Planning your portfolio (links)

http://www.aboutus.org/best-sites/artist_portfolios?site=AllCreativePortfolios.com

http://art-support.com/portfolio.htm

http://www.artforum.com.au/articles/artist-websites.php

http://www.foliotek.com/?gclid=CPqkramggZkCFQatbwodggiQlw

http://www.artistportfolio.net/

http://www.absolutearts.com/portfolio.html

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/portfolio-8.shtml

Art Advice - http://www.artindustri.com/art_advice/list.php

Week 6- Documenting your work - photos, record keeping, storage (links)

Documenting your work and having slides or digital images of your current work for submission to galleries and art prize juries is an important part of your development of as an artists. It is also vital to keep an accurate record of your work for the future – including survey and retrospective shows and for posterity.

Tips for Documenting Your Artwork for Juried Exhibitions and Gallery Submissions
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/382448/tips_for_documenting_your_artwork_for.html?cat=40

Document your artwork by photographing finished work
http://www.artforum.com.au/articles/photographing-artwork.php

Do This: Document your Artwork!
http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtMagazine/za_301.htm

The Importance Of Documenting Your Art Collection
http://artcollecting.co.uk/Documentation.html

Week 7- Developing a curatorial rationale (links)

In the last decade the boundaries between the artist and the curator have become more ambiguous: artists have adopted curatorial roles in staging their work and conversely curators have become increasingly directorial in their approach to the gallery show as a conceptually driven project. At the same time the developing audit culture in the field of research has slowly infiltrated the art and design sector as a whole, putting greater emphasis on the need to articulate the curatorial process as one that is linked to the production of knowledge. (from - Issues in Curating Contemporary Art and Performance - Edited by Judith Rugg, Michèle Sedgwick - see http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/ppbooks.php?isbn=9781841501628 )

Duties of the Curator
http://artcollecting.co.uk/TopCurators.html

Tips for New Curators
http://www.kimritter.com/weblog/?page_id=56

Tips for approaching galleries and curators
http://www.visitingarts.org.uk/info_resources/graphics/visiting_arts_tips_visual_arts.pdf

New Climates for Curatorial Practice: Exhibiting Art Across Distributed Networks
http://shanebrennan.net/climate/curatorial-essay/

On blogging as curating
http://vercodigofonte.blogspot.com/2005/11/on-blogging-as-curating.html

Learning the ropes - Craft Australia notes
http://www.craftaustralia.org.au/library/review.php?id=learning_the_ropes

Week 8- Developing an exhibition plan (links)

It’s one thing being an established and famous artist, where all you have to do is paint the pictures and hand them over to an agent, then show up for the preview evening. It’s another to be at the beginning of your career as an artist.Most of us have to plan our own shows, as I have done over the last few years, and there is a lot of work involved if you want to get the most out of your art exhibition.

Planning an Exhibition of Your Paintings
How to organise an art exhibition and get people to come to it.
http://painting.about.com/cs/careerdevelopment/a/exhibitionplan.htm

How do I plan an exhibition?
http://www.maximusuk.com/Howtodownloads/Howtoplanexpo2.doc.

How to plan the best exhibition ever!
http://www.senokian.com/barking/2007/03/29/how-to-plan-the-best-exhibition-ever/

Setting SMART Objectives
http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net/2006/03/11/setting-smart-objectives/

Exhibition Planning Fact Sheet
http://www.abaf.org.au/files/Artist_Business_factsheets/Exhibition_Planning.pdf.

Week 10 (27th April) Professional Practice - from concept to presentation

A painter paints what he sells; an artist, on the other hand, sells what he paints. - Pablo Picasso

The Theory in Practice Series [TIPS] is a suite of ten professional practice booklets for practicing visual artists, craftspeople, and designers. Each booklet contains in-depth advice, information and extensive listings of resources available.
http://www.visualarts.net.au/shop/navapublications/professionalpracticekitindividualparts

The business of art
http://www.artistsworld.info/archive.htm

Business information and advice for visual art, craft and design practitioners
http://www.artistcareer.com.au/index.php

Selling art- Helpful tips for the professional artist
http://sparkio.blogspot.com/

Tips For Becoming a Professional Artist
http://gomestic.com/home-business/tips-for-becoming-a-professional-artist/

How to Enter Art Shows
http://painting.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_enter_art_shows

Week 11 (4th May) Exhibition Practice - post exhibition issues

For most artists, an exhibition represents years of hard work, an investment in not only time and money, but tremendous emotional commitment. Most importantly, to the educated viewer, it provides a glimpse into who you are as a person. This is a pretty scary concept to most people who spend their lives trying to orchestrate the way they are viewed by the world. Whether you are aware of it or not, you carry with you certain expectations in mounting an exhibition.

Coping with the Post Exhibition Blues
http://painting.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=painting&cdn=hobbies&tm=
98&f=20&tt=14&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.artadvice.com/advice/article13.php

Planning an Art Gallery Exhibition
http://painting.about.com/od/planninganartexhibition/Planning_an_Art_Gallery_Exhibition.htm

Approaching Galleries for Exhibition
http://art.wisc.edu/artcommunity/artisttips/approachinggalleries2.asp

Week 12 (11th May) Mounting your work in a gallery space

Hanging the show: Following the logic of planting the seed of your name with your imagery, I encourage artists to have their name and/or the title of the exhibition on the wall somewhere. Most sign shops will make custom vinyl letters that rub on a wall temporarily and can be easily removed without damaging paint or walls and the end of the show. Installing the work, you should keep in mind the general rule of thumb, the center of your painting should be at eye level of the average person's heightÖconsidering 5'6"-5"9" average, that would place the center of your piece at about a 62" centerline. You will need to adjust for unusual situations; this is just a very rough average. The art should be numbered, starting at the point of entrance going clockwise around the gallery. There should be an accompanying price list (in plastic sleeves) that lists the title, size, medium and price of each piece.(Read Pricing Your Art) If you have a press release, artist's statement or review, you can put it in the back of the sleeve. If you prefer, your resume with list of exhibitions and collectors can go in there. Don't forget to re-adjust lighting, clean the frames and/or glass and put a level on every piece.

Mounting your own Photography Art Exhibition
http://blogs.photopreneur.com/mounting-your-own-photography-art-exhibition

Week 13 (18th May) Writing your Biography and CV

As an artist, there is often a struggle between the making of work and the selling/marketing of product. An artist statement is an essential part of a good portfolio. Gallery owners respect the professionalism of a good statement. A good statement allows people who love your work to find out more about you, offers your audience more ways to connect with you, and increases their appreciation and perceived value of your work. Equally important, an artist statement gives you the opportunity to see what you do through the eyes of language, to validate your creations from a new perspective. However, artists attempting to write their statements are faced with the daunting problem of coherently organizing all those words!

CV writing advice & tips
http://www.alec.co.uk/cvtips/index.htm

Tips for writing an artist statement
http://www.mollygordon.com/resources/marketingresources/artstatemt/

http://www.artistsfoundation.org/art_pages/resources/resources_arts_statement.htm

Tips on Writing Your Artist Biography
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art40839.asp

http://www.artbusiness.com/artstate1.html

Week 14 (25th May) Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising your work

This is the one part of being a professional artist that really troubles most artists. They hate having to sell themselves. Ironically it is the one aspect that often makes the difference between being successful or not. Unless the market knows you are out there no one will come to your shows or think of buying your work. By contrast, those artists who really push they work and themselves often rise to the top even if they work is nothing special. Given that you want to be a professional artist who wants to live off your work in the long run, here are some tips for dealing with the media.

How to Write a Press Release
http://www.infoscavenger.com/prtips.htm

Writing a Press Release
http://advertising.about.com/od/pressreleases/a/pressreleases_2.htm

How to Sell Your Art
http://www.ehow.com/how_107895_sell-art.html

Week 15 (1st June) Oral presentations - how to best "sell" yourself and work

Know the needs of your audience and match your contents to their needs. Know your material thoroughly. Put what you have to say in a logical sequence. Ensure your speech will be captivating to your audience as well as worth their time and attention. Practice and rehearse your speech at home or where you can be at ease and comfortable, in front of a mirror, your family, friends or colleagues.

TIPS FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS

http://ec.hku.hk/epc/presentation/

http://www.eas.slu.edu/People/DJCrossley/scomm/talks.html

http://www.aresearchguide.com/3tips.html

http://www-math.cudenver.edu/~billups/courses/ma5594/tips_oral.html