Today's postings

  1. [Baren 25854] self-portrait exchange article ("Julie C. Sparks")
  2. [Baren 25855] Re: self-portrait exchange article (Barbara Mason)
  3. [Baren 25856] RE: Baren Digest (old) V28 #2769 ("marilynn smih")
  4. [Baren 25857] Re: New Baren Digest (Text) V28 #2768 (Aug 27, 2004) (Sharon Van Ruiswyk)
  5. [Baren 25858] Re: New Baren Digest (Text) V28 #2768 (Aug 27, 2004) (Tariq & Princess Rashid)
Member image

Message 1
From: "Julie C. Sparks"
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 08:49:35 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 25854] self-portrait exchange article
Send Message: To this poster

Greetings everyone,

I had a pleasant surprise this morning when my husband thrust the most
recent copy of American Artist magazine into my lap, open to a short
article about the recent Self-Portrait Exchange coordinated by Barbara
Patera.

Here are the specs: "Quick Sketches: Self-Portrait Print Exchange,"
American Artist, 68:747, October 2004, p. 11.

The article includes photographs of 5 pieces from the exchange: work by
Barbara Mason, Julia Ayres, Julio Rodriguez, Carole Carroll, and Mike
Lyon. I believe Julie Ayres made the arrangements, and provided the
magazine with photos of the entire exchange. It also includes the links to
Baren, PrintAustralia, and Printmaking Links, all of whom had members
participating.

As a participant in this exchange, it was extremely cool to flip through a
magazine and suddenly see artwork you know. :) And good exposure for
printmaking and print fora online. Check it out!

Julie Sparks
Salem, OR
Member image

Message 2
From: Barbara Mason
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 09:04:53 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Baren 25855] Re: self-portrait exchange article
Send Message: To this poster

Wahoo!!!! I am off to buy this magazine!
Barbara Mason
Member image

Message 3
From: "marilynn smih"
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 10:03:18 -0700
Subject: [Baren 25856] RE: Baren Digest (old) V28 #2769
Send Message: To this poster

As far as education for printmaking this list has to be tops. In my area
there are printmaking classes and few places one can actually get a degree
in printmaking, so learning has to come about through discovery and sharing
from others. Dumb me, after all this time I had no idea there was such a
big difference in Brayers, I thought the one at my local art store was about
all that was out there, I never looked at the catalogs or asked???? Sooo in
choosing a new brayer for my oil based woodblocks which is best, soft or
hard?? I have always used soft ones and am pleased , but what actually is
the difference??? Does the soft one tend to fill in the low spots more???

Another thing I have finally come to learn about myself is to value myself
and what I do. Those of us who went to the summit enjoyed Marco Favio and
his work, but also his art ego was a treat. He thinks well of himself and
his work and his attitude was that if you do not believe in yourself then
others will not. After my move here I have not shared my work with very
many and have not choosen to do shows or a gallery. I am just laying back
and waiting to get my studio gallery space up and running. But my community
wanted to see and asked for a donation of a piece of art. (proceeds go to a
local camp for abused girls 13-18 and I am pleased) That donation has led
to sales and even a piece traded for a sturgeon fishing trip for me and my
husband. There will be a future artist profile article in my local newspaper
also. I said to a dear friend that i do not think there is an artist alive
today worth spending into the thousands for work and he said, "Marilynn, it
is in the eye of the beholder". So now I ask a good price for my work and
they value it more. I am amazed at the respect, I am amazed at how many
want to own a piece made by me, especially those I consider personal
friends. Everyone wants to help me , I guess because I have something of
value to them. So in conclusion, value yourself; remember your friends
want to own something from you and they want to give you something for that
privilege.

Dan , best of luck in your quest for a degree and your interest in teaching.
I finished my BA in fine arts at 39 and choose not to pursue the MFA, I
choose instead to take classes I like , workshops and just to look, read
and now correspond with Baren. Whatever you choose that degree does give you
more credibility in the eyes of the world.
Marilynn
Member image

Message 4
From: Sharon Van Ruiswyk
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 18:47:22 -0500
Subject: [Baren 25857] Re: New Baren Digest (Text) V28 #2768 (Aug 27, 2004)
Send Message: To this poster

Hi Le and Dan,
I have been following this discussion closely since you brought up the
topic.
I really wish I had my MFA but I am too busy teaching right now to go back
and finish it or start all over somewhere else.
So I just had a few thoughts to add here:

The bad news: Le speaks the truth- MFA and doctorates from recognized
programs are really the way to get where you want to be- if that is a
full-time permanent sort of teaching position. Teaching jobs are prone to
the same ³ it is not what you know but who you know² issues and those with
good programs are in the position to further your career with great
recommendations and choice job offers. Long distance colleges canıt give you
the same contact as a traditional studio situation where you get to really
know the profs and they know you as a student, artist and as a real person.
Those recommendations are worth more than the BFA or an MFA sheepskins.

I have been there in the same spot as Le. I waited until my son was old
enough to understand and accept sharing me with my commitments.
Unfortunately, things arenıt always what they seem. I ended up quitting
after a year and a half --out of disgust with the University and its
inadequate farce of a grad program. Be sure to check out the school
carefully.
The good news: I also have had some exceptional instructors at that same
school who opened doors for me as a part -time instructor at no less than
four different universities over the last 16 years. Some of these
³temporary jobs² filling in for faculty on sabbatical or retiring are now
going on 8 years ‹not bad for just a BFA.

Think about sharing your skills at non-state university sites. Private
colleges are more open minded about the degrees they consider acceptable ( I
taught at two schools before I had even finished my degrees) and they offer
you the same opportunities to share what you love. Smaller schools and
junior colleges may be in need of a part time instructor from time to time‹
if you know someone at UTSA‹ talk to them, see if you can ³fill in² for
someone for a semester or over the summer. It gives you credibility and
experience for your resume and recommendations when you start looking
around later for a ³ real teaching job².

And Part-time has advantages- though I teach and travel more than my tenured
colleagues- I have more studio time because I donıt waste my time in endless
committee meetings!

Good Luck
Shar
Member image

Message 5
From: Tariq & Princess Rashid
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2004 20:47:26 -0400
Subject: [Baren 25858] Re: New Baren Digest (Text) V28 #2768 (Aug 27, 2004)
Send Message: To this poster


Here's a very interesting MFA program I'm preparing to apply for. Its
at Bard College in upstate New York. THe Program is in the Milton Avery
Graduate School of the Arts. Ok the cool part is that its a 3 yr long
MFA .Your do the summer (8 weeks) on campus and the rest in your
location. Its 8 intense weeks but still only 8! You're expected to
work independently and perform. Every summer you are expected to show
what you did throughout the year in regards to your thesis. Its
designed for working professionals that can't stop working to good back
to school. They don't have at MFA in Printmaking but do have
Printmaking studios and you can work interdisplinary angle.

Has anyone heard about it before?

http://www.bard.edu/mfa/

http://www.bard.edu/graduate/

Princess Rashid