FAQ from ARTISTS: Answers provided by ArtGraze Founder, Jacqueline Butler, ASID
- How many artists are your accepting? We are accepting a highly diverse range of artwork, expemplifying many styles, mediums, and price points to serve an equally diverse audience of interior designers. We no longer limit the number of artists. Portfolios are reviewed, and if accepted, artists are invited to join ArtGraze as members with three membership levels to select from. Details of the membership level options are listed in the Artist Agreement Schedule A.
- Who juries your artists? Our jury panel consists of professional members of the interior design and fine art communities. They serve as jurors on a volunteer basis. However, there are times when I assume that duty alone.
- Why do you jury artists? Why can't any artist who's interested in signing up for ArtGraze be accepted? There are many websites, some free and others fee based, that will accept anyone who's willing to pay to be included. In order to consistently offer quality artwork to our audience of interior design professionals, we limit the artists we showcase to those who follow professional business practices, have strong resumes, and exhibit mastery of their craft in content, style, and originality. Many are represented by galleries, art consultants, and art agents.
- Will you have more than one ArtGraze website? Our companion website, iArtGraze.com, serves as the landing page for our inbox magazine, iArtGrazeWeekly- Interior Design Issue which debuts on December 28, 2011. There we introduce our panel of experts and others who will be contributing articles containing tips and tools for "art savvy interior designers". There will also be articles and resources on topics of interest to artists and collectors alike.
- What must I provide in order to apply for membership in ArtGraze as an Artist? Request an application form on the Contact page of this website or send an email to me at jsbutler@artgraze.com. Type "Request for Artist Application" in the subject line of your email.
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- Complete and return the Artist Registration form using fax or mail :
- ( see Contact Information at bottom of page )
- Submit your digital portfolio to jsbutler@artgraze.com. The portfolio must include the following items:
- Digital images ( min. of 5 ) of your most current work as TIFFs or JPGs 1200 pixels or larger at a high resolution.
- Updated Resume and/or Bio
- Artist statement and/or a favorite quote.
- Contact information including your address, phone, and email address ( or that of your representing gallery )
- Head Shot. This can be a casual photo that doesn't require a professional photographer.
- Link to your website or your gallery's )
- Contact information for your representing brick and mortar gallery or agent. Indicate a contact person and his/her email address.
- Digital images ( min. of 5 ) of your most current work as TIFFs or JPGs 1200 pixels or larger at a high resolution.
- Complete and return the Artist Registration form using fax or mail :
- How will I know if I've been accepted? You will be notified via email and phone call by a member of the voluntary panel or by me.
- What does it cost to sign up with ArtGraze? New Update: There are three levels of membership to choose from. Details appear in the Artist Agreement: Schedule A: Artist Membership Levels
- What is your sales track record? Buyers are referred directly to the artists or their representing galleries. It's up to our artist, gallery and designer members to report any sales to us since ArtGraze doesn't work on a referral fee basis and does not participate in sales transactions.
- What does ArtGraze actually do for artists? The role of ArtGraze is to act as a conduit by a) promoting interactive business relationships between artists, their representing galleries, and interior design professionals; and b) to showcase design projects in which artwork by member artists is placed.
- How is ArtGraze financially supported ? We are financed through membership fees, advertisers on iArtGraze.com, affiliate programs, and promotional products. We don't ask for commissions or referral fees on the sale of artwork.
- Can you show any quantitative reports on activity to your website? Yes. Of course this information changes on a daily basis. Google Analytics, Alexa, and other sources are available.
- Doesn't this venture seem risky in today's economy? We believe that it's more risky to not promote your work and increase name recognition during down times in the economy. While we can't guarantee sales as a result of your alliance with ArtGraze, we're working toward making ArtGraze a name that's a favorite in the minds of our prospective clients. We also provide you with contacts and educational information that will benefit you now and in the future.
- In the first sentence of the Artist Agreement, your company is identified as Daily Painters of New Mexico, LLC. I thought your company name is ArtGraze. What is your relationship to Daily Painters of New Mexico? Daily Painters of New Mexico,LLC is the parent company of ArtGraze.
- I've recieved the ArtGraze Registration Form and have read the Artist Agreement. There are some legal terms used that I'm not familiar with such as "moral rights". Can you explain the term to me ? The ArtGraze Agreements have be drawn up by Kate Fitz Gibbon, Esq. www.fitzgibbonlaw.com . Here are her answers to a few of your questions:
- Why do I need a contract? A contract is an agreement outlining rights and responsibilities – both yours and ours. It sets a time frame for this mutual relationship, identifies the services we will provide . To summarize: we promise to put your material on the website and to promote your work in all the ways we do. You grant us the right to display images of your work as digital files and you promise to pay for our services. It takes a lot of provisions and legal language to do this because it is important to define the terms of the relationship and to be sure that no interests, to take just one example – your copyright interests, are infringed.
- What does the phrase “create derivate works” mean? We are NOT copying your work to sell it or making prints or giclees or anything of the kind. When we take your digital photo of your work and resize it to make a thumbnail, that act is "creating a derivative work" under the law. If we do a brochure for publicity and display your work, that is creating a derivative work and we need your permission to do so. Obviously, if we can’t create thumbnails and other files for display of your work, we can’t do our job. We need your permission to do so for the purpose of the website and promotion only.
- Am I giving up copyright? NO! The key artist rights in a work are covered by copyright. ArtGraze™ does not want you to waive any of these rights. Copyright deals with reproduction in all forms, but also the right to be credited for the work, display rights, transmission rights, and rights in the integrity of the work. Artists working with ArtGraze retain ALL these rights. Artists also retain these rights after sale of a work unless copyright is specifically included in the sale of the work. That is entirely up to the artist. A buyer can’t purchase an artist’s work and then put it on a Christmas card – at least not without the artist’s permission.
- What are "moral rights"? Moral rights have been primarily a European concept in which (to oversimplify) the artist retains the right not to allow destruction or other modification of the work for the entire lifetime of the artist, that is, after the work has been sold. Moral rights also might be impinged if an artist’s work was displayed in a way that affronted the dignity of the artist. Congress passed the Visual Artists Rights Act in 1990 (VARA). VARA most often covers the use of a public work – for example, a work designed to be site specific may not be moved, or a wall mural may not be painted over. VARA only applies to “work of recognized stature.” Whether a work is of “recognized stature” is determined by expert testimony in a VARA legal case.
- The ArtGraze™ contract asks the artist to agree to waive rights under VARA if requested by the buyer after a work is sold and shipped. This provision in the contract is to keep sales free of excess legal baggage. ArtGraze™ does not want to be in the middle if a purchaser wants to display a work on the ceiling and the artist objects and says it should only be on a wall. If you are not happy with this provision, you can draw a line through it.
- NOTE: If you have a question about any of our Agreements, send us an email and we'll forward it on to Kate.
Contact: Jacqueline S. Butler, ASID
Mailing Address: 7 Avenida Vista Grande #254,Santa Fe, NM 87508
e-Mail Address: jsbutler@artgraze.com
Tel: 505.466.3624
Fax: 505.466.1901
Mobile: 505.577.1021
