On this journey of being a full-time artist, I’ve been lucky to have amazing conversations with many people (artists, curators and others). While the creative practice is important so is the business side of being an artist.
The business steps, I have taken so far are:
Created a new website using Square Space for both my Gallery and Shop.
Updated my class descriptions for Q4 2023 and 2024. I am taking bookings, please let me know your interest.
On Instagram, I have seen a dramatic decrease in engagement, as such I have also started a monthly newsletter. If you are interested in supporting me and getting monthly updates for classes or exhibitions, or interested in purchasing new work you can subscribe to my newsletter in my gallery/shop website.
I feel like I am doing well with both increasing followers on social media and getting my work spotlighted in exhibitions. I have work exhibited in various places since July 2023 through July 2024 (except January and February next year). Next step, I hope to convert this wonderful visibility into sales, so that I can afford to pay for a studio next year.
My goal for Q4 is to get a portfolio review and to send it to some galleries. I’ll keep you updated as things progress.
As part of sharing my journey becoming a full-time artist as an emerging artist, I thought I’d share what I have applied for so far this year and results of the submissions. I’m including Artist in Residence Programs and the exhibitions I’ve submitted to and the quilt names of the images submitted. I thought it might be useful to include dates in which quilts will either be exhibited or when the artist in residence is. The dates are important, as I am careful I don’t overlap submissions, just in case of acceptance.
Artist in Residence Programs
Residency Program
Works Submitted
Result
Cost of Submission
Calendar
Penland Winter Artist in Residence 2023 (2 weeks)
Aroha, One of these things, Isolation, Home
Accepted
$30
7 Jan to 21 Jan
ArtSpace Summer Artist in Residence
Invisible Visible, Rails II, Snowfall, Isolation, One of these things, Aroha, Study No. 3, Cairns, Home, City of Mannheim
Declined
$25
N/A
Durham Art Guild Artist in Residence
Rails II, Snowfall, Isolation, One of these things, Aroha, Study No. 3, Home, Broken Trellis, Ford+Son, Colosseum Wood bock Print
Accepted
$15
Jul to Dec
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park Artist in Residence Program
Rails II, Isolation, One of these things, Aroha, Study No. 3, Home, Altitudinal Ecosystem
Notification expected 17th November
$160 (for group due to family joining)
Exhibitions
Applied for
Works Submitted
Result
Cost of Submission
Calendar
Town of Cary, Solo Exhibition
Tread, Negative Crosswalk, San Francisco Bustle, Altitudinal Ecosystem, Snowfall, Orange Creamsicle, Rotating Spokes, Manicured Gardens, Rails I, Sunday Best
Accepted
$0
7 Jul to 19 Aug
QuiltCon (2023): Minimalism Category
One of these things
Declined
$20
NA
SAQA: Minimalism
One of these things
Accepted
$40
2023 to 2026
Scaffold
Outskirts
Accepted
N/A
3 Apr to 30 Jun
Excellence in Quilts (Fiber Art Now)
Rails II, Ford+Son, Colosseum at Night
Declined
$30
N/A
2023 Exhibition In Print (Surface Design Association)
Ford+Son, Rails II, Snowfall
Declined
$30
N/A
NC Artist Exhibition
Ford+Son
Accepted
$35
24 Sep to 22 Oct
DAG: Breathing New Life
Live Life
Accepted
$0
18 Aug to 22 Sep
Quilts=Art=Quilt
Rails II
Declined
$35
Additionally, I was asked to participate in a 3 person exhibition, Modern Textiles at “The Art Gallery” Fayetteville Technical Community College. It will run 23 October to 14 December and I will have up to 5 pieces hanging.
Future Planned Submissions
I don’t plan on many other submissions this year, but here are a list of possibilities with the exhibit dates:
The good news is, this year, I have work showing in various places from April through December (ArtSpace, Page-Walker, Durham Bottling Company, European Patchwork Meeting (France), Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh, and Fayetteville Technical Community College).
I’ll let you know how the rest of the submissions go. If you have questions, please leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them.
In 2022, one of my goals that I needed to accomplish to quit my job and become a full-time artist was to be successful in getting accepted to do a solo art show (exhibition). I was successful in that task.
Town of Cary (in NC and where I live) has a rolling call for artists that get reviewed twice a year (August 1 and February 1). You will need 10 digital images of your work (that has to reflect what you will exhibit but not the actual quilts), an image list, a resume (including exhibition history….if you are a quilter include quilt shows), and an artist statement for the exhibition. If approved you will be provided a space in one of the below galleries (the selection committee decides on the space and let’s you know).
I maintain an image list of all my quilts to make this process easier. For me, I created a document with the name of quilt, name of file (possibly location on my drive), size of quilt, and year it was made in a table format. For example:
Altitudinal Ecosystem
IMG01_AltitudinalEcosystem_Wilkie
60 x 60″
2015
Tread
IMG02_Tread_Wilkie
60 x 60″
2019
Image list
Town of Cary requests the name, medium used (for me that is textiles) and size.
Artist Statement
Eyes Wide Open Have you ever thought what people miss seeing and experiencing on a daily basis? We all, too often, get stuck in a routine and distracted by our electronic, and social media-based world. What details are we missing by not taking the time to really see and experience those things around us? The artist believes that with practice and intention, we can be inspired by patterns and design elements in objects we see or events we experience, every day.
Eyes Wide Open is a visual journey in seeing design in everyday objects. Capturing everyday objects with photography and then translating those objects into textile art, quilts, for everyone to experience what the artist saw every day.
Resume
Here is a sample of what I submitted in my resume. I also included publications and teaching in the full resume but not shown here.
Collections SAS Art Collection: NY Highline, Rails, Pyramids
Shows | Exhibits 2022 Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival 2022|Quilts: Isolation, One of these things QuiltCon 2022 |Quilts: Aroha, Inside Looking Out, Study no. 3 NC State Fair 2022|Quilts: Aroha (1st Prize), Home (1st Prize), Whitney (4th Prize)
2021 Monster Drawing Rally, NC Museum of Art Modern Quilt Showcase (International Quilt Festival)|Quilt: Study no. 3 Hearth Studio |The Art of Process Exhibition (Quilt: Isolation) QuiltCon 2021(virtual) |Quilts: Study no. 3, Orange Creamsicle, Isolation
2020 and earlier QuiltCon 2020 |Quilts: Correlation, Manicured Gardens QuiltCon 2019 | Quilts: Mt. SohCahToa, Fractions & Snowfall AQS Fall Paducah 2018| Quilt: Fractions QuiltCon 2018 | Quilts: San Francisco Bustle AQS Grand Rapids 2017| Quilts: Sunday Best & Phased Circles QuiltCon 2017 | Quilts: Rails, Sunday Best, Negative Crosswalks, NY High Line AQS Grand Rapids 2016 |Quilt: Altitudinal Ecosystem QuiltCon 2016 | Quilts: Altitudinal Ecosystem, Jungle Ave Tapa QuiltCon 2015 |Quilts: Phased Circles, Neighbourhood
Success
After applying in February 2022, I was notified that my application was downloaded for review. However, they were holding applications until they could rebook all the shows that were canceled at our various facilities over 2020 and half of 2021. They informed me that I should hear back from them in the coming months, as they book shows for 2023.
I was a little bummed with the news but understood. It had been a strange couple of years. In July 2022, low and behold, I received news that I was invited to exhibit my work at Page-Walker Arts & History Center. Install date was July 6 2023, Reception date July 21 2023, Show dates were 07/07 to 08/19 and removal date is August 21.
Next Steps
I accepted, of course. I received a contract that was really clear on several things like
Terms of Loan
My responsibilities vs. Page-Walker for hanging the show
Sale information: Prices could not be included in the show itself but could be provided on a price list at the entrance way.
Care and return of art works
Warranties.
Just to name a few.
I also received install (hanging) instructions for the equipment they used; and the room dimensions so I could plan out the layout.
Close to the end of the year 2022, I had to provide an image of a quilt in the show and an updated show description for the exhibition website.
Lastly, closer to the install date I also provide a price list for insurance purposes. I opted for outside my studio a postcard (in the above image at the top) with a QR code and contact information on the back (includes my IG account, Shop url just in case the QR Code doesn’t work, and my email address).
Let me know if you have any questions. Next post, I’ll show you some of show. In the meantime, take a look at my new website which I set up in time for my show. It includes my gallery and shop.
Factotum of Arts 