This is the official Blog for the EBSQ Self-Representing Artists Community, where you'll find news, reviews, site announcements, and of course, a generous helping of art!
Those of you know know me even slightly likely know that I’m a bit of an Anglophile, and Happy British Things are usually excuses for a sale. The birth of Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge is no exception!
A pay-once-and-you’re done permanent account for $299 (click here)
Already member and want one of these better rates/different plans? Feel free to grab one. We’ll then cancel your existing plan and update your account accordingly.
So pip pip, cheerio, and save a few quid in the process!
So. You’ve been reading up on how to market your art, gathering advice and tips from a smathering of friends, colleagues, and online experts. You believe in your art. You’ve got the requisite accounts at EBSQ (obviously), Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. You have a blog. (You even occasionally update your blog.) So, why isn’t it all coming together?
Sometimes it takes an outside eye to see what you’re missing. To that end, we’re looking for up to three artists to review, critique, and case study. Totally on us.
Interested? Leave us a comment with your name, EBSQ Artist url, and let us know why you want our help. If you’re chosen, you’ll get to work with us for 90 days, totally for free, to see if we can help jump start your marketing efforts and find you some greater success. We’ll be profiling our selected artists during the case study via the EBSQ blog. Even if you aren’t one of the lucky artists selected, we hope our case studies will be able to help you as well!
Ready? Let’s get started!
PS Not yet an EBSQ Artist member? Why not join today?
Stop by and see who else won, as well as some thoughts from our juror here.
Our thanks to Robb, our three award winners, and to all of the participating artists!
Still time to vote!
Voting continues for our other three December exhibits. EBSQ Members can log in to vote for Member’s Choice and site patrons and visitors are invited to utilize our social-vote buttons for the Cloud Choice awards. Winners will be announced on 8 January 2013! So vote now!
Our winter sale continues–grab a great deal before they melt away!
We’re gearing up for big changes at EBSQ, including going advertising-free, but we need your help to do it! Unfortunately, we still haven’t met our goal of 150 new members to replace the lost advertising revenue.
To that end, monthly memberships and permanent accounts are still on sale. Each new (and returning) monthly member helps us meet our monthly bills and expenses. Each permanent account purchase goes toward upgrading equipment, software licenses (including a major upgrade to our forum software), and building toward our future so we can compete with the big fish out there.
Please help. Spread the word. Forward this to a friend. Join (or re-join) if you can. Together, we can make 2013 an incredible year for the self-representing artist.
Wishing you peace, prosperity, and an Artful New Year,
-Amie Gillingham on behalf of Team EBSQ http://www.ebsqart.com
Supporting living artists since 2000
Lo and behold, it’s a new year. What the heck happened to 2012? Or that pesky zombie apocalypse we had on our calendar? The whole year just seemed to whiz by. Anyhow. 2013. It’s here. Time to gear up!
Speaking of 2013… Our 2013 Art Exhibit Calendar has been announced! Which shows are you most looking forward to?
Finally–New Beginnings
December was a rough month for Team EBSQ. Everybody was down with the flu (and other ailments) multiple times. I think I can count the number of days I personally wasn’t sick on one hand! As a result, the finishing touches on the newest iteration of the EBSQ website is running behind schedule. We’re looking forward to getting back on track in 2013, bringing you a faster site, e-commerce tools, a significantly improved FAQ (I can hear many of you applauding), and hopefully, a site that will be advertising-free.
To achieve these ends, we can also use your help. We still haven’t met our goal of 150 new members to replace the lost advertising revenue. To that end, monthly memberships and permanent accounts are still on sale. Each new (and returning) monthly member helps us meet our monthly bills and expenses. Each permanent account purchase goes toward upgrading equipment, software licenses, and building toward our future so we can compete with the big fish out there. Together, we can make 2013 an incredible year for the self-representing artist.
Wishing you peace, prosperity, and an Artful New Year, -Amie Gillingham on behalf of Team EBSQ http://www.ebsqart.com Supporting living artists since 2000
We did the online version of sitting down with Zombie Apocalypse juror Robb Padgett to get his take on all-things zombie. Since the world might sort-of possibly end soon, we decided to make things fun–just in case.
What for you epitomizes the pinnacle of High Zombie Art?
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo – If one defines “Zombie Art” as art created by zombies. If you’re talking about “Art in which the subject matter is zombies” then I’d have to say Night of the Living dead by George A Romero. Sure, that would mean the genre peaked early, but when dealing with Zombies as metaphor, what else is there really to say that George didn’t? Of course, he popularized the genre so much that George himself went on to make a bazillion more zombie movies. But I like to think he made those movies ironically in order to illustrate the point of the first film.
What do you think most influenced the our current zombie aesthetic?
I’d have to say George Romero again. Although, 28 Days Later by Danny Boyle seems to have taken the zombie genre in a slightly new direction. If “faster zombies” can be considered a new direction.
Vampire. Zombie. Werewolf. Who wins in a mud wrestling match?
Werewolf. Absolutely. It would be a long battle since zombies have stamina. But werewolves are scrappy and smarter. They say a dog is about as smart as a toddler. They say zombies are about as coordinated as a toddler. Any vampire worth his bejeweled medallion wouldn’t be caught undead wrestling in mud.
What’s your favourite side dish to serve with fresh brains?
Is “more brains” an option? I think if one is committed to eating brains, it’s best to avoid distractions.
What is the one non-essential food you’re going to hoard prior to Friday’s Apocalypse now that Twinkies are off the menu?
Fluffy Stuff. It’s cotton candy in a bag. It’s delicious and filled with preservatives so it will last long enough for it to become “essential” again. I plan to live well past the apocalypse so I’ll need to hoard a lot of Fluffy Stuff. My horticulture skills are abysmal. If you ever need to find me after Armageddon, I’ll be the guy on the permanent sugar high. Also, my skin will have probably turned pink and blue from the colorants.
What is the single most important tip you could give someone facing a horde of zombies?
Acquiesce. I’ve never heard a zombie complain.
~ . ~
About the juror:
Robb Padgett is a new-media potentate living in Los Angeles. His webseries Vampire Zombie Werewolf and Life from the Inside have been viewed millions of times and have been liked by dozens.
Entries for Zombie Apocalypse are being accepted through the end of the month, or the end of the world. Whichever comes first. There is a sliding-scale fee per entry, and you could win a $150 cash prize!
Since it’s my small son’s birthday today, I will indulge in sharing my entry from last month’s Wildflower exhibit. Thank you for awarding it an honorable mention in the Cloud Votes!
The 12 in ’12 Challenge, started back in January, has been a hot topic of conversation lately on the EBSQ Member Forums. So I thought now might be a good time for an official (ish) pulse check. Where are you in your progress. Did you enter the shows you hoped you would back in January? Are you still going strong, or losing steam?
I also took the challenge. So far, I’ve entered entered 6 shows with 9-total entries. Some of it has been new work executed for the show, but I admit I pulled a couple from my archives, too. I was hoping to enter more than just photography and actually get some painting and drawing done, but my Muse has been off holiday, apparently. Maybe I can lure her home with this month’s Pointillism exhibit…
Ready to jump into the fray or get back on track? Here’s what’s left in 2012:
August:
Cats & Dogs
FOTM: Prairie Plants
Plein Air: Water
September:
Wild Birds
FOTM: Berries & Fruit
Autumn
October:
Owls
FOTM: Carnivorous Plants
Think Pink (to Benefit Breast Cancer Research)
December:
Holiday Pets
FOTM: Botanical Wreaths
Zombie Apocalypse (ends 21 December 2012, with no voting since the world will have ended, obviously)
11th Annual Better Late Than Never Show
So–16 more exhibition opportunities. Are you in? Are you IN?
Tom Had to Think Quickly by EBSQ Artist Nancy Denommee
Yes, the rumours are true. We’re retiring the annual and permanent account billing options for EBSQ on 1 August 2012* and moving to monthly-billing only for new members. If you’d like to grandfather in with either type of account, here’s your chance to do it at a discount! For this week only, we are offering both account-types at last year’s Cyber Monday sales price.
*It is important to note that people who have annual billing get to keep their rates for as long as they stay a member. We are firm believers in grandfathered rates. And obviously, permanent accounts are permanent. We’re a small family business and we appreciate your support of our services and community. Without you, we don’t exist.
Both deals are open to new and existing members. So click here to grab what is easily our best deal of the year today!
Of course, we’ll always offer monthly memberships!
Huge cheers,
-Amie on behalf of Team EBSQ
PS Don’t let this chance to grab a grandfathered-rate annual or half-price permanent account pass you by. Upgrade your account today!
The following EBSQ Art Exhibits will only be accepting entries through the end of Tuesday, Eastern Standard Time:
Show us animals that occur naturally with black & white markings: pandas, skunks, cows, tuxedo cats, zebras…you get the idea. As long as it exists in nature, it’s fair game. [read more]
To quote They Might Be Giants:
“Most with cones for seeds, most with needles for leaves. C is for Conifers, my kind of tree” [read more]
In 2012, we’ll be tackling all four seasons. First up is Winter. All entries must pertain to this season in an obvious way. [read more]
To enter any of the above shows, you must be a member of EBSQ. Not yet a member? Consider joining today!
The following EBSQ Art Exhibits are open and accepting entries through the end of this month:
Show us animals that occur naturally with black & white markings: pandas, skunks, cows, tuxedo cats, zebras…you get the idea. As long as it exists in nature, it’s fair game. [read more]
To quote They Might Be Giants:
“Most with cones for seeds, most with needles for leaves. C is for Conifers, my kind of tree” [read more]
In 2012, we’ll be tackling all four seasons. First up is Winter. All entries must pertain to this season in an obvious way. [read more]
To enter any of the above shows, you must be a member of EBSQ. Not yet a member? Consider joining today!
One of the biggest benefits of EBSQ Membership (at least according to our members) is our monthly exhibits. They’re great for extra exposure, stretching your creative muscles, and on many occasions, winning stuff (which is always nice!) This year, we have 37 opportunities to compete with your art. Because January is a month of resolutions, we’re challenging you to commit to participating in 12 exhibits in 2012.
To be part of our 12 in ’12, we ask that you sign your name in the comments below and let us know which 12 shows you want to commit to in 2012. (I’ll be doing the same, because frankly, I need to get off my butt and make more art. )
The Late Great White Rabbit by EBSQ Artist Alma Lee
We normally try to have our new exhibit calendar announced each December, but things got a bit hectic, maybe there was a bit of eggnog involved, and suddenly it was January 2012. Oops! But fear not, we have your art itches covered through the end of this calendar year, or at least, until the Zombie Apocalypse ends the calendar year a week early.
"Tom Had to Act Qucky" by EBSQ Artist Nancy Denommee
If you’ve been around EBSQ for a while, you may know that Cyber Monday typically equals our Annual Half-Price Permanent Account Sale. We’d like to think that’s a pretty sweet deal (pay once and you’re done for this kind of professional portfolio space is pretty unheard of). But we know, in this sour economy, and most especially after Black Friday when everyone and their mother is competing for what’s left in your wallet, that a permanent account isn’t always doable. Heck, for some of you, our regular membership dues almost don’t feel doable. 2011 has flat out been a Very. Hard. Year.
What we propose is something rather radical. We keep offering you the same great service as always,but at the rates that were available a decade ago.That’s right: for 4-days only, we’re rolling back EBSQ memberships to 2002 prices!
And the awesome thing is *everyone* is eligible for this special deal, including current EBSQ members who might be paying higher rates. We welcome you to take this opportunity to roll into our lowest grandfathered rate as our holiday gift to you, and as thanks for sticking with EBSQ.
So consider giving the gift of art this holiday season; either for a worthy artist on your list, or for yourself. Watching the nightly news has become very depressing. We think the world needs more art. And artists.
Happy Holidays,
Amie Gillingham on behalf of Team EBSQ
PS Click here to start saving! But remember, the sale ends on 1 December 2011!
It may seem strange that an online community website is asking for your support today. But I hope you’ll hear me out.
EBSQ Self Representing Artists was established in 2000 by California artist John Seed as a community of artists who sold their work on eBay. The whole mysterious “EBSQ” moniker is derived from e-Basquiats and was created as a way for art buyers to find original artists amid a sea of cheap foreign reproductions and sweat-shop copiests. So our original mission was, and is, to support individual artists who wanted to sell their work directly to art lovers.
In 2001, my husband and I bought the rights to EBSQ from John when poor health made his continuation with the group impossible (no worries, he’s ok now!). As a painter, I was already a member and heavily involved in the group, and my husband Bill, as a computer programmer, saw a ton of potential to take EBSQ from being a club to being a serious portal for both artists and art collectors. 10 years later, yes, we’re still a Mom-and-Pop, dedicated to helping artists get the visibility and online toolset they need to compete in a world where the competition from cheap reproductions and sweat-shop copiests has gotten even worse.
We know there are a lot of choices for art portfolio sites out there in 2011. We know there are a lot of excellent free choices available now, as well as paid services that often offer more bells and whistles than we can. But we do hope you’ll consider us as one of the baskets for your eggs, so to speak. We’re dedicated to service with a personal touch that many of our larger competitors simply cannot match. We answer our own email, we spend a lot of time just generally hanging out with our customers online (and occasionally offline!), and we’re constantly striving to make sure your art gets seen and your voices get heard.
We were so busy getting the site back online and everything working properly after our equipment failure and downtime, we totally forgot to tell you (at least via blog post) that, hey guys, we’re back! It’s been a crazy, but good week. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful it is seeing the sheer quantity of awesome art that was created while we were down.
Some items of note:
Are you an EBSQ artist that has images missing (showing up as broken jpgs) in your portfolio? If so, please get in touch. We’re still trying to match up image files with their proper owners, and your member id would be of great assistance in getting your portfolio restored to its former glory.
In case you missed previous messages about this, due to the downtime, September’s online art exhibits deadlines were extended through the 15th. That date is coming upon us quickly, so if you still have something on your easel, it’s time to get out your hair dryer and your camera!
Art of the Day via email is back! We’re pleased to have moved our newsletters to MailChimp’s awesome care. Now it’s easier than ever to share, forward, or (God forbid) unsubscribe. Let us know what you think of the slightly tweaked look!
Think Pink, our annual Susan G Komen fundraiser. All entries must have a significant amount of pink the the composition. There’s a $10 entry fee per piece, payable to SGK. We’ll get the details on how to pay your entry fee soon.
Our annual Pet Portrait Swap is happening this month. Looking for a partner? Let us know in the comments to this post, or leave a note on our Facebook wall.
This month’s Flower of the Month is members of the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. As you might have guessed based upon the name, cucumbers and zucchini are also welcome.
We’re postponing our juried Norse Mythology exhibit until 2012, likely January. More details will be forthcoming.
And lastly on a personal note, I miss you guys. I can’t wait to have us back up and running again and see all of the art that happened in the past week.
Thanks for your patience. We know this past week has been a major inconvenience.
Looking for an unusual collaboration opportunity that comes with instant inspiration? Boy, have we got your covered! This month we’re hosting our 11th annual Ripped Off show! (Yup, we’re into our second decade! We can’t quite believe it either!)
If you haven’t done a Ripped show in the past, here’s how it works: you pair up with someone, and go through their portfolio and “rip off” a piece of their artwork. It can be one piece or a combination, your interpretation of their work, ideas, medium, technique. We invite you to check out past years’ exhibits to get an idea of the sort of things you can do. You must pair up with someone from EBSQ. Rip-Offs of non-EBSQ art, like redoing the Mona Lisa or ripping off Picasso, are NOT allowable for this show.
We’ve extended the deadline twice now (it’s been a weird summer, folks!) but this time is truly it. All entries must be in by 30 September 2011.
So, go ahead and pair up! If you’re looking for a partner, sign up in the EBSQ Forums, or feel free to contact someone privately and see if they’d like to partner with you, then post it in the sign-up thread to let us know you’re paired. Have at it!
Huge props to our sponsor who is offering the following awesome prize to the winner:
“Balance: How to Make a Better Living Making Art & Still Have a Life” coaching-package for artists from Aletta de Wal of Artist Career Training, valued at $245
Think you have what it takes to be a good curator? Want a chance to find out? EBSQ would love to see our members’ art through your eyes by curating a week of Art of the Day. Here’s how!
Send us an email to aotd@ebsqart.com with the following information:
Your name (this will appear with your curated week if you’re selected)
Your theme’s title
Your seven choices for your theme in the order you wish them to appear (don’t send pictures, use the search tool and copy & paste the url for each item)
All choices must be EBSQ artist members in good standing, and we prefer work that hasn’t been used in the past.
Also, all choices need to be “work/family friendly”
If your week is selected, our staff will get in touch for your curator’s statement, as well as let you know if alternate pieces need to be picked in the event that a member isn’t eligible.
So, put on your curator’s hat (or any hat you might have lying about) and give it your best shot!
Ad space is still available for this coming week’s Art of the Day. Grab your ad (and all the promotional glory that goes with it) before time runs out!
Speaking of ticking clocks, time’s running out to enter March Exhibits
If you haven’t yet, you still have a few days left to enter one (or more!) of our monthly exhibits for March 2011:
Is there anything more preposterous than an artist-made rhinoceros? Show us yours!
Show us your best motion captures. Both digital and traditional film photographs are welcome. Juried by Eric Schmadel with a $150 prize for the winner
This month’s focus is the Art of Bonsai. In art
This month’s word: FAMILIAR
The deadline to enter March exhibits is 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time on 31 March 2011. Voting runs through April 7th. Winners will be announced on April 8th.
Here’s what you can look forward to in April 2011:
Those of you know know me even slightly likely know that I’m a bit of an Anglophile, and Happy British Things are usually excuses for a sale. The birth of Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge is no exception!
Art & News from EBSQ 