Illustration Friday: Open ...[and shut]

Intriguing, this week's Illustration Friday. It's been a very long time since I entered a show, so I hope you'll save a vote for me. I am actually going to enter this one. Scary.

I used to enter art shows all the time. They are an exciting, albeit expensive hobby. First, the artist pays to have the artwork reproduced on a slide [do they still do that? what a pain that is] then the artist pays a hefty sum to have the slide considered, then the artist must pay to ship the artwork if it is accepted, and then the artist must pay to have the artwork return shipped if it doesn't sell, and if it does, then the artist must pay another 50% to the sponsoring gallery, and wait 6 months through numerous whiney phone calls to get paid. I know how galleries can stay in business.

The last gallery I showed in was erl originals in Winston-Salem, NC. Despite whatever signed agreement they had, you were easily 6 months getting paid. No one ever told you when something sold. Finally, in frustration, I called them to say I would be coming in the morning to pick up my work and a check for whatever had sold. It was a 5 hour drive. An assistant had it waiting for me at the door, and the gallery owners wouldn't even come out to see me. They went belly up a few months later, owing hundreds of artists hundreds of thousands of dollars. I was lucky.

So, for me to enter an art show is a big deal. If I don't get in, that will be OK. I did this linoleum cut from an image of a man with a black eye that I had also drawn recently. One eye open, one eye shut; a good metaphor for life. If it gets into the show, you can see it and purchase a cheap original print, 6" x 6". It will also be listed in my eBay store if you live nowhere near the show in question, or should it not make its way into the show, just click the picture or title above. Or you can purchase one directly through me, sending me $10 to nschorr2@cox.net through Paypal for US , $11 for Canada, and $12 anywhere else. Be sure you have a correct mailing address. And thanks. I need the money.