The post How to Write an Artist CV in 10 Steps is the most popular in the history of The Practical Art World. Some of the most frequently asked questions people have after reading it are “What if I don’t have an exhibition history?” or “What if I didn’t go to school?”

For new and emerging artists, creating an artist’s CV can be a bit of a Catch 22. You don’t have much or any experience to put on your CV, but to apply for “experience” in the form of exhibitions, grants, and schooling, you are asked to provide a CV.

Fortunately, there are ways to tailor what relevant experience you have into an artist’s CV format. Just remember: don’t lie, and don’t make up anything that doesn’t exist. Just tell the truth, shaping it a little (creatively– it’s what you do best, right?) into the established CV format. If you haven’t already read How to Create an Artist’s CV in 10 Steps, start there. Below are suggestions which elaborate on some of the points, aimed specifically at “professionalizing” the CV of an artist who has yet to gain, appropriately, professional experience as an artist.

Refer to point 1 in the original article. As I mentioned, many established artists keep this section quite short. However, if you don’t have a lot of other material and experiences to add to the rest of the CV, this is a good opportunity to tell your reader about yourself. Adding a very brief bio / artist statement can be good if you would like to talk about experiences which don’t fit into the rest of the CV. If you are going to do this, just remember to keep it brief and concise.

DO have a website set up, and include the address

DO add where you live and work (and when you were born, if you want to)

DO add professional contact details where someone can actually contact you

DO add a short bio or artist statement, concisely and professionally describing your practice

DON’T use a non-professional or obscure email like metallicalover@saucy.com

DON’T use your office phone number or your Mom’s phone number

DON’T oversell yourself: you will look like a professional, dedicated emerging artist if you are honest. You will look desperate if you pretend to be something you are not.

Example of bad contact details:

Vincent van Gogh

~Sometimes called the world’s most famous artist~!!!

Check out my work here http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/gogh/

Email me! fancypants@yahoo.com<

Example of good contact details

Vincent van Gogh

Born March 30, 1853

Currently lives and works in Paris, France

vincent@vangogh.com | www.vangoghgallery.com

Vincent van Gogh is an emerging artist, working primarily in oils. He often employs bold colours and emotive tableaux in a post-impressionistic manner.

EDUCATION
Refer to point 2 in the original article. Many emerging as well as professional artists are self-taught, and yet for some reason the education section of a CV tends to be intimidating for all but those who have a Masters degree. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Despite what you may think looks professional or not, you can use the education section of your CV to highlight any casual mentorships, art classes, workshops, and schooling that you have had. If you feel that the institutions or situations of your art schooling are less than professional, the best way to present them is to highlight the teachers you have studied under, instead of the specific classes or institutions.

DO include any teacher or artist you’ve studied under

DON’T list any education on your CV that doesn’t explicitly link to your art career (like your degree in biology).

Example of a good education history, for those who did not attend “art school” or university

Education
Studied under:
Lynne McLaughlin
Tom Backlund
Geoff Parker

Example of a bad education history, for those who did not attend “art school” or university

Education
One hour workshop with Lynne McLaughlin
Informal classes with Tom Backlund
Has received feedback from Geoff Parker
Bachelor of Science, Biology major

EXHIBITIONS
Refer to point 3 from the original article.

One way to add exhibitions to your CV is to list any which are forthcoming. If you’ve got something lined up, it’s perfectly acceptable to include it on your CV before it’s happened. Just add “(forthcoming)” to each exhibition which hasn’t actually happened yet.

Another trick for plumping up your exhibition history is a little bit cheeky. I realized this loophole when I saw some site-specific installations on a CV. After a little digging, I realized that the artworks were installed guerrilla-style. In other words, someone made art and put it somewhere without invitation or the formal facets of a traditional exhibition. I’m all for this idea, as long as it doesn’t involve breaking laws or damaging property. It’s a great idea to show your artwork (though, you might not be able to get it back), and certainly an artistic project that can be added to your CV under your exhibition history. Just make sure you classify it properly, as to not mislead anyone!

DO list all of your exhibitions, even if they aren’t in a gallery

DO list all of your forthcoming exhibitions and projects

DON’T make anything up.

Example of a good exhibition list

2014  Group exhibition, Vancouver Art Gallery (forthcoming)
2012  Site-specific installation, “Alleyway”, Vancouver, BC

2010  Solo exhibition, Moon Cafe, Vancouver BC

Example of a bad exhibition list

2016  Planned gallery exhibition (forthcoming) <– if you don’t have any solid details, don’t include it

2012  Solo exhibition, Museum of Modern Art, NY <– you made that up!

COLLECTIONS
Refer to point 5 from the original article. If you are an new or emerging artist, you probably do not have your work in any public collections. Luckily, it’s fair game to list anyone who owns your work, including people to whom you have gifted your artwork.

Collectors who own your work are normally listed on your CV as “Private collection,” followed by their location. You should not actually name someone unless they have explicitly agreed to be listed as a collector of your work, and / or if you have some other reason to do so (for example, they are a very well-known collector).

DO make a list of people who own your work, even if they didn’t actually purchase it; most of these you can convert to “Private collection,” followed by location
DON’T put your Mom’s name on the list, or anyone with the same last name as you
DON’T list a city more than once if more than one person owns your work there

Example of a good collection list

Collections:

Private collection, Vancouver BC

Private collection, Winnipeg MB

Private collection, New York NY

Example of a bad collection list

Collections:

Anna van Gogh

Theodorus van Gogh

Elisabeth van Gogh

Theo van Gogh

Private collection, Paris France

Private collection, Paris France

Private collection, Paris France

FINALLY, IF YOU HAVE AN ESPECIALLY SHORT CV AND THINGS ARE LOOKING DESPERATE
You can think of some creative ways to visually enhance your CV:

1. Include an image of your artwork (not usually recommended, but between that and the blank page, one image is better).
2. Center your text with large margins. Yes, this is cheating when you’re writing an essay. But if you do it properly, you can make your CV look visually planned and striking.
3. Include an artist statement and CV on one single page. Often these are asked for separately, but if you are able to combine them, it’s a great way to make your presentation look great.

Images:

Leszek Soltys

Vincent van Gogh

When the outside world begins to warm up, it’s a great time to open your windows and get some serious cleaning done! Although avoiding creative work by focusing on housework is a cliché, sometimes, you really do need to get some serious cleaning done. Also, having a well-organized and harmonious space can be great for your creative mind.  Below are some suggestions for cleaning up your workspace to improve efficiency and happiness in your studio.

De-clutter by creating four piles: keep, throw away, donate, sell.

Keep: See “Reorganize” below

Throw Away: Superfluous clutter can easily grow if you let it! Reassess the items you don’t use and which aren’t worth selling or donating. Have you thought about using them in the last year? If not, it’s probably time to throw them away. If throwing away any paints, solvents, or other materials that are hazardous or not accepted with your local trash collection, visit websites like Earth911 to find recycling options near you.

Donate: Donating your unused or gently used art supplies is a wonderful way to help out other artists who are unable to purchase their own materials. Search online in your area for schools, community centers, or groups who accept donations of art and craft supplies. In Vancouver, we have the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.

Sell: The cost of art supplies can add up quickly. You can sell your gently used unwanted items and recoup some cash by listing them for free on websites like Craigslist, Kijiji (in Canada), or your local free online marketplace website. If you have a bunch of random assorted items, you could even sell them as one lot instead of individual items. This saves you a lot of administrative time: one buyer, and you’re done!

Reorganize

Having an unorganized studio can be bad for several reasons: you can’t find things you need and re-buy them, you can’t find things you need and slow down your creative process, and in general, you can’t find things you need! Organizing your materials is an excellent way to improve your working environment—it also often leads to finding items you forgot you had. With all your supplies readily available, your have your studio working for you. If you are looking for inspiration, there are tons of ideas and photos of organized and beautiful art studios on Pinterest and Apartment Therapy.

Reassess the artwork you forgot about

So do you have some extra room now? Pull out all those works you tucked away and forgot about. It can be helpful and clarifying to reassess your artwork after a nice break from it; a little distance can give you great objective perspective.

Image of Georgia O’Keefe’s studio from Flavorwire’s 10 Famous Artists’ Stunning Studios

2. I will set aside time each day to make art or think about art. The amount of time is not important.

3. I will set concrete goals for myself, and then take the steps to reach them, even though it will be difficult and scary.

4. I will write down a list of things I have avoided doing (example: showing artwork in public, calling a gallery to see if they are accepting submissions.) I will do these things.

5. I will not be self-deprecating when speaking about my art. While I can recognize a need for improvement, I will also honor the labor and vision of my art.

Image: Igor Novosel

In honour of the first 200,000 visitors to The Practical Art World, we’ve compiled a list:  ”The Best of The Practical Art World.” For those of you have been with us since the beginning, consider it a trip down memory lane. For new friends, enjoy a look back at some of our most popular articles.

10. Which Gallery Should I Submit To?

9. Overcoming Artist’s Block

8. How to Build a Contract for Commissioned Artworks

7. Editioned Prints and Photographs: How Many, What Value?

6. Choosing Hardware to Hang Artwork

5. Wrapping Artwork for Shipping: Paintings on Canvas or Panel

4. Art Gallery Submissions: How to Prepare and What to Send

3. How to Create a Press Release for your Art Exhibition

2. How to Write an Artists CV in 10 Steps

1. How to Label Artworks in an Exhibition

Image credit

It can be daunting to choose a certain number of your artworks to include in a portfolio submission. Do you pick your favourites? Do you pick other people’s favourites? Do you only pick new works? Read the tips below to help chose your absolute best selection of art works for any submission.

Pay attention to what they want

This is the #1 golden rule of submissions! Sending a submission that does not comply to guidelines given is a quick way to make yourself look unprofessional, and could get you ignored. If guidelines state they want 5 images only, do not send 10 thinking they should see more. Choose your best 5 works and present them in a professional manner.

Avoid redundancies

In the interest of keeping your submission interesting and fresh, avoid sending in multiple images which are very similar to each other. Your portfolio will end up looking much more engaging if you avoid this.

Quality over quantity: only send your best work

If you are asked to include 10-20 works in a submission, remember that quality is more impressive than quantity. If you have works you are no longer interested in showing, don’t like anymore, or don’t represent where you are as an artist, don’t include them. It’s much better to send 10 outstanding works, than 10 outstanding works and 10 mediocre ones.

Ask other people what they think

You may have an idea of what works you want to include, but it never hurts to get a second (or third, or fourth!) opinion. Borrowing some fresh eyes can give you a different perspective on your selection of images, and which ones might work best for your submission.

Compose a selection that represents your practice well

Chose your images carefully to make sure your portfolio makes sense as a whole. This doesn’t mean everything needs to be from the same body of work, in the same medium, from any particular time period, or any other cohesive grouping; it just means that each piece should represent an element of your artistic practice which is relevant.

Do you have any strategies for choosing images for a portfolio submission? What works and what doesn’t work for you? 

Image credit: Rainer Topf

1. Art Supply Manufacturers 

Many artist-grade product manufacturers offer loads of free information about how to use their products. Much of this information can be applied to your studio practice in general, even if you don’t end up purchasing their product. The highest quality artist materials manufacturers tend to have the most in-depth and thorough material; their commitment to artists is obvious.

Winsor & Newton
Winsor & Newton makes a large assortment of artist-quality paints and painting accessories. Visit their Resource Centre for instructional videos, health and safety info, colour charts, techniques, FAQ, and more.

Gamblin Artists Colours
Gamblin focuses on artist quality oil paints, mediums, and grounds. Their website contains a wealth of information on the medium, including historical techniques, colour palettes, colour mixing, and more. There is even a video to further explain colour mixing techniques called Navigating Colour Space.

Liquitex
The Liquitex website offers resources for their acrylic products, including how-to videos on varnishing, spray paint, and even inspiration. They also offer a number of literature hand-outs which include step-by-step how-tos for their product.

Golden Artist Colours
Golden specializes in artist-grade acrylic paints. Their website offers free information on application techniques, including paints, mediums, and grounds. They also have a large library of innovative decorative techniques in their Decorative Library.

2. The Library

In the age of the internet, it helps to remember that there are a plethora of artist books at your local library, the information from which is not found online. Books on techniques, how-to, art business, inspiration, theory, and more are beneficial for the artist who is open to learning new things.  Additionally, be sure to check with your local art school or college to see if they allow non-students to use their library.

3. The Internet!

For the business side of being an artist, visit the Art Biz Blog, browse the “business of art” posts on Artsy Shark, or the articles for artists on ArtBusiness.com.

The art supply store Opus has many resources online including how-to videos and information hand outs. If you live in Vancouver, they also offer free live demos at their stores. A schedule is posted here.

For art inspiration and drawing tips, visit the Artist’s Help tumblr
For general artist advice, visit the Artist Advice tumblr

Tessa McSorley offers the free e-course “how to draw.”

For some good old-fashioned inspiration, visit these websites:
Artists Inspire Artists
Booooooom
The Jealous Curator
I Love That Photo
The Art Cake

4. Local free talks and lectures from artists

Many galleries both public and private offer free artist talks and lectures to coincide with the opening of a new exhibition. You can learn a lot of surprising information from hearing an artist speak about their own work; it might even give you some inspiration for your own practice. Check your local listings to find an event you are interested in. In Canada, you can sign up for Instant Coffee.

5. 10 Weeks to Improve your Artistic Career (from The Practical Art World)

The Practical Art World posted a series of 10 “prompts” for artists to invigorate their practice. You can do one per week, one per day, or just the ones which inspire you!

Week 1: Contact Artists you Admire
Week 2: View Art in Person
Week 3: Create a Structured Project
Week 4: Take Advantage of your Resources
Week 5: Fine-tune an Artistic Target
Week 6: Get your Paperwork in Order
Week 7: Seek out and Learn from Critical Feedback
Week 8: Take a Class
Week 9: Exhibit Your Work
Week 10: Connect with Your Community

What is the most helpful free resource you’ve used as an artist? 

Image credit: Antony Ruggiero

Week 10:

One of the greatest assets we have as working artists is each other. Sharing experiences, asking questions, and learning from what we see and enjoy are all ways to greatly improve artistic practices and careers.

I hope that the 10 week project has sparked some ideas for you, or motivated you to do something that you love. While I was planning these 10 posts, I wondered, which would be most useful? Which made the most sense?

In the spirit of this week’s project, I reached out on Twitter and asked, “What is the single most important thing that has improved your artistic career?” The replies I received were inspiring and insightful, and I’m happy to say a lot of us agree on the best ways to improve as an artist. Many thanks to those who took the time to tweet a reply. A simple example of “ask and you will receive.”

Here is some wonderful advice from your peers:

@CanningMichael choosing to improve. And making plans and sticking to them.

Michael is an artist working out of Ireland who has shown in numerous venues all over Europe. Check out his work here.

@cherryrae for me definitely working with other like-minded artists regularly. I would never be where I am without that.

Cherry Rae is a prolific artist in multiple disciplines. You can check out her Facebook fanpage here.

@bluefuze drive to constantly learn & improve in one’s own. To take charge of your own path. These have been invaluable to me.

Doug is a professional designer, illustrator and artist running his own successful business out of Stony Plain, Alberta. You can check out his work here.

@Enlifestudio having my professor challenge me to do something different, I would never be doing what I do now without that push.

Alex Stewart is a BC painter drawing inspiration from anthropological aspects of graffiti and the world around him. You can check out his work here.

@memorycollector getting my BFA

Lindsey Kemp is a Toronto-based artist and photographer and is the editor of Eye Am Alive. You can check out her work here.

@VTurnerArt Learning 2 talk about & share my work

Vanessa Turner is a Bermuda-based artist adept at charcoal and pastel pieces. You can check out her work here.

@sonnyassu never being afraid to experiment, switch it up and not do what is expected.

Sonny Assu is a well-known Canadian contemporary artist. His work has been shown at the Vancouver Art Gallery, the National Gallery of Canada, and numerous other venues. You can check out his work here.

@erinbgray an 11 month residency at @Arrowmont a year after receiving my BFA.

Erin Gray is an artist, registar, and curator based out of North Carolina. You can check out her Twitter feed here.

@DEpleinair I won a scholarship for my senior yr in undergrad school. Having someone believe in my work made a big difference.

Jan Crooker is a well-known painter who has had multiple exhibitions all over the USA. You can view her work here.

@ErikParra hands down, the @creativecap Professional Development Program

Erik is an art educator as well as a highly successful artist. He has exhibited across the USA and internationally. You can check out his work here.

Week 10 project: Connect with your community, reach out, engage, explore, interact, and create!

Week 9:

Exhibiting your artwork has endless benefits for your artistic career. You could say it is the most important things in building a solid practice! When you exhibit your artwork:

• it is viewed by peers, clients, potential clients, fans of art, writers, curators, friends, etc
• usually an exhibition involves working with other artists, and / or galleries, curators, or professionals in the artistic field and can give you excellent experience
• you learn from your mistakes
• you engage in dialogue about your work
• it adds credibility to your CV. With exhibitions on your CV, you stand a better chance for receiving grants, scholarships, exhibition opportunities, residencies, and more.

Strangely enough, exhibiting their own artwork is one thing that a large number of artists do not do. There are many excuses why not to pursue exhibition opportunities for yourself, such as:

• the work is not “good enough” to show
• you don’t have time to put together a body of work
• you’re not a “professional” artist
• you don’t know how to go about exhibiting your work

Sound familiar? Most of these excuses are rooted in fears that your artwork will not be accepted by peers, clients, curators, the public, etc. It is difficult to be objective about our work, and so we worry that it isn’t good enough. The simplest and most effective advice I can give you is: just do it! You’ll be glad you did.

Week 9 Project: Seek exhibition opportunities and / or exhibit your artwork.

Since I wrote this post to challenge you to exhibit your artwork, I’ll offer some suggestions to get you started:

• Check calls for artists here.
• Check out my list of galleries (soon to be growing!) with links to submission procedures where applicable here.
• Seek out venues (shops, restaurants) that exhibit artwork and inquire.
• Skip the institutional approach and go guerrilla!

Enjoy!

If you need to catch up:
Week 8: Take a Class
Week 7: Seek out and Learn from Critical Feedback
Week 6: Get your Paperwork in Order
Week 5: Fine-tune an Artistic Target
Week 4: Take Advantage of your Resources
Week 3: Create a Structured Project
Week 2: View Art in Person
Week 1: Contact Artists you Admire 

Image source: SsJ Toma

Whether you are a self-taught artist or have earned a degree in the field, there are countless benefits to enrolling yourself in an art class. There is obviously the distinct possibility that you will learn new skills or methods of working, but there are other benefits to being in a classroom setting, such as:

1. It forces you to work. Expectations and deadlines are great motivators, and taking a class is an excellent way to make your art practice a regular part of your day.

2. You meet other artists. Art can be a solitary endeavor. When you enroll in a class, you will have the opportunity to meet like-minded people and perhaps even collaborate with them. Taking a class also usually gives you an intimate view of how other artists work, which is invaluable information to you as a practicing artist.

3. You discuss your work. If you are lucky, you have lots of people in your life who are regularly willing to discuss your work with you. If not, an art class is an excellent way to engage in discussions about your work. Answering questions about your ideas, working methods, and philosophies can help you solidify your own artistic practice and fine-tune your approach to art.

Week 8 project: Enroll in a class that works for you! In most places, there are numerous options for art classes from private studio workshops to university programs. I have listed below a few options in and around Vancouver, including options for single drop in classes (Basic Inquiry).

Emily Carr University of Art & Design (Vancouver)

The Federation of Canadian Artists (Vancouver)

Nicole Sleeth Fine Art (Vancouver)

Basic Inquiry Life Drawing Society (Vancouver)

The Art Way (Vancouver)

Place des arts (Coquitlam)

If you need to catch up:
Week 7: Seek out and Learn from Critical Feedback
Week 6: Get your Paperwork in Order
Week 5: Fine-tune an Artistic Target
Week 4: Take Advantage of your Resources
Week 3: Create a Structured Project
Week 2: View Art in Person
Week 1: Contact Artists you Admire 

–
Image credit 

May 31, 2012

The Art Rental and Sales Program at the Vancouver Art Gallery is currently accepting submissions of artwork from Canadian artists. Work accepted into the program is consigned for rental or sale, with partial proceeds going to the artist and partial proceeds benefitting the non-profit Vancouver Art Gallery.

The Art Rental and Sales Program is an excellent opportunity for exposure as well as possible sales. To request an application package, they ask that you email artrentalandsales.submission@gmail.com. General inquiries can be directed to manager@artrentalandsales.com.

Full information on submissions can be found here.

www.artrentalandsales.com

Image credit: Geoff Richardson, http://www.loose-marbles.com