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carrolls_art
Posts:45
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| 01/15/2007 5:45 PM |
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I posted this question in "Ask the Experts" but must've stumped 'em. I'll try again here. What do you recommend?
I've been thinking about entering some of the magazine contests and need a clarification about the designations of Student versus Professional. I've been making art off and on most of my life, but, except for a few classes, am pretty much self-taught (using books and magazine articles, etc.). I've sold a few works over the years, but mostly given them away. I'm not in a gallery, I'm not making a living with my art (oh I wish!), but I'm not anyone's student either. How should I enter - in the student category or the professional category? Carroll |
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rpartin
Posts:401
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| 01/15/2007 8:23 PM |
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| Hi Carroll,
I could have written your message myself. I wish I knew the answer. In my opinion, a professional artist makes a living with his/her art. So I guess the real question is "Is everyone else considered a student?"
I know we can always learn something new and hopefully never quit learning. But that's also true with professionals. I feel that I have progressed beyond the student stage. But I surely don't make a living with my art.(oh I wish too!)
I realize that I have been absolutely no help, but at least you know that you're not the only one who is concerned about this. |
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Ron |
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heatherm
Posts:2120
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| 01/15/2007 10:35 PM |
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| Years ago fellow artists told me that if you sold paintings you are a professional, whether you are a full time artist or not. Like the Olympics, if they are paid for even one performance they lose their amateur standing. If I am wrong someone please correct me. |
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Heather
http://www.heatherartist.com |
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Materese
Posts:123
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| 01/17/2007 9:43 PM |
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| I agree with Heather, if you've sold, you're a professional, even if you only sell one. |
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Materese
http://www.ghostwoodstudio.com
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OGE1
Posts:11
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| 01/18/2007 9:06 PM |
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ummm...ok i wont sit on the fence, i would say student.
proffessional would mean its your job..if not full time, then very close to it. |
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lwurster
Posts:90
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| 01/19/2007 12:01 PM |
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I have to agree with the last comment. And I wouldn't compare painting with the Olympics--unless you paint about four hours every day  .
Always check competition guidelines. In our annual competition, for example, we specify that someone entering in the Student/Beginner Division is "age 16 or over who has been painting for 2 years or less." Still confused?
For an art competition, the best way to decide which category your work best fits is to look at finalists from a previous competition. For our last competition's winners, visit the 2006 Competition Page to view each category. (We didn't post the winners from the Student Competition, but they do appear in the Jan/Feb issue).
Hope that helps!
Lisa Wurster![]()
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www.artistsmagazine.com/blog |
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heatherm
Posts:2120
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| 01/19/2007 9:26 PM |
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| Hi, sorry, I wasn't literally comparing painting to the Olympics (two different fields), I only used the Olympics as an example because I knew for sure that when they receive money they are no longer classified as amateurs. A bad choice for comparison I'm afraid. I did not put student into the equation at all, just amateur vs professional. Thank you for clarifying. |
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Heather
http://www.heatherartist.com |
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carrolls_art
Posts:45
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| 01/26/2007 3:40 PM |
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Hey everyone, thanks for the response. I'm still not sure. When I was in high school, a long time ago, I sold works at student art shows. Maybe I'm a professional student! O well, I kind of agree that if you're selling artworks, even sporadically, then you'd probably be better off entering as a professional. Maybe there's no distinction between "full-time" and "part-time".
Thanks again, Carroll |
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Artmagic
Posts:2
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| 02/10/2007 10:10 AM |
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| I've been scanning through all the thoughts on this question. The legal answer for tax reasons is you must make 50 percent or more of you income from the sale of your art to classify yourself as a professional. The opinion of most art associations has more to do with the number of years you have been creating art whether you get to enter in the beginner category or the professional category. The rule of thumb is 3 years. If you have been creating some form of artwork for three years you generally can't enter in the beginners category. It is a sticky web that causes many a behind the scenes sniping because some hobbiest who has painted for 20 years still wants to enter (and often does) in the beginner category. It is suppose to be a means to level the playing field. Granted sometimes someone who just picked up a brush yesterday paints circles around that person who has painted for 20 years, but they have to have some kind of guidelines and that newby could enter in the professional category if they have the confidence. I believe the question you are trying to answer here has more to do with a student being an actual student enrolled in high school or college classes. I could be wrong, but that is how I would take it when entering a competition. A student in my art associations means anyone 18 or younger. |
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vmcguin
Posts:13
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| 08/09/2007 12:33 PM |
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Hi Carroll-
I know this comes more than a few months after the fact, but I wanted to give you my own personal experience, since I started sketching, drawing, again after a 30 year hiatus. I find most of my relatives want sketches of themselves or their kids as gifts. I don't have the heart to tell them no and all I ask is that they purchase the canvases and frames, And finally that they scan a copy for my file.
I by no means feel that I'm good enough for a competition or to call myself a professional. However perhaps we are not the ones who should have that call, after all aren't we our own worst critics?
A few months ago, I was at a restaurant celebrating a friends birthday, and without his knowledge had asked his girlfriend for some pics of him. Don is a horse Fanatic and his favorite Horse was a champion called John Henry, I was able to find a few pictures of that horse online and drew a pic of him with the horse at a Winner's Circle.
The restaurant owner came out and sat a while to celebrate my friends birthday, with a bottle of wine on the house. He saw the sketch and asked if I had an online Gallery or was my work anywhere in the city? I blushingly thanked him and said I didn't think I was ready for a Gallery and I wasn't a professional. He argued "What's a professional" - pointing out that he had never been to culinary school but loved to cook whether or not folks ate at his restaurant or not. His words of "If all you can think of when you get up in the morning, is creating, whether its a lifelike image, or a bunch of lines and circles on paper" - then you are a professional.
Art is my passion, and I know I would continue whether or not I sold anything or not! If others think you're good enough to show your art then you my friend are a professional!
WE ARE OF THE SPIRITUAL ENERGY THAT FLOWS THROUGH ALL
LIVING THIS.........WE DREAM.......WE LOOK AT LIFE WITH THE
WONDER OF A CHILD......................WE ARE ARTISTS!!!!
Blessings to you
Vilma McGuinness
Clarks Summit, Pa |
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LMB
Posts:445
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| 08/11/2007 7:22 AM |
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Hi Carroll,
Amen to what Vilma said. As Artmagic said the 50% rule about income is for tax purposes only and under that ruling Van Gogh would certainly not have qualified, an absurdity (a real absurdity since he wasn’t subject to our tax laws). Everyone wants rules for some obtainable guideline to acceptance or to regulate others to a lesser state. Isn’t a professional one who exhibits skill and that skill, can it not be in the mind of the actor? After all, look at all the artists who took art in a new direction, but were initially criticized for their lack of skill. You are what you believe.
Leon
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Http://www.artabus.com/leonbayless/
http://www.catchlightartgallery.com/leonbayless.htm
quand le coeur est dans un bon endroit tout est possible
when the heart is in a good place all is possible |
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Llarian
Posts:44
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| 10/01/2007 2:58 PM |
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I know that this is really late, but I am going to give my 2 cents worth.
To me, for purposes of competition only, a professional is someone who regularly and currently makes money doing art, or who has entered juried art contests and been accepted, and may or may not have won awards in said contests. This should be the criteria, because as was mentioned, there are many "newbies" who are very talented and already show a lot of maturity, like that young girl who is selling work for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Conversely, there are many people who paint as a hobby who may have been painting for many years, but they just dont have that special spark or drive or whatever it is that takes them over the edge from amateur or student to professional. As far as "number of years painting" criteria goes, I started drawing and painting at age 3 so by 16 I had been actively creating art for 13 years! So by that criteria I was already a pro. I had won contests and various student level prizes throughout grade school. That young girl (can't remember her name) mentioned earlier, started selling work and being exhibited in galleries at about age four, I believe. So, by my criteria she is a pro, but not by the age/student criteria since she is now 12 or 13 I think, and is obviously a student. However she would be a pro if you consider number of years painting. See how convoluted and confusing this gets?
I remember one art contest I entered many years ago at the very beginning of my professional art career. At the time I considered myself a talented amateur, but I was not selling or showing work. Nevertheless I entered the "professional" category because I thought my submisisons were too good to be considered hobbyist or student level. I entered three pieces, won best of show, first place and second place in the pro category and once they discovered that the same artist had done all three pictures, I was invited not to participate any more!  Go figure, right? So I said all that to say this: ultimately, there are always going to be people who disagree with your choice, or are simply jealous, but unless the art show or club has some clearcut guidelines, you need to go with your heart. One thing about it- if you go in as a pro, no one ought to complain if you win. But as my experience shows, they can complain, and probably will. So go with your heart! |
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