Visitors' poll

[Cynthia Daniel]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I'm not sure that I agree with the entry criteria of seriously pursuing a career in portraiture, surely the gift you share is for helping those of sufficient interest to progress their ambitions in portraiture if simply to achieve a high quality even as a semi-pro or indeed amateur. Whilst that sounds a little negative I can assure you that I have a great deal of pleasure and value from this site regardless of the policies and I can only thank the membership for sharing as they do and spending the time that they do doing that.

Interesting point - though it would seem that those who are pursuing pro would usually be the most dedicated and thus the most developed, but there are no 100%'s.

I have read your forum off and on for several years. I've wanted to join but honestly, I have been intimidated by your statement on the first page not to register if you don't intend to post because the jury is all professional working artists who don't want to waste their time. I don't know if that is exactly how it is worded, but it's what I understood it to say. I work full time as an architectural designer (B.Arch) and also run a pump manufacturing business my late husband left me. I was born an artist, and I paint as I can. Although I paint more than I ever did, I still don't paint enough to jump into doing portrait commissions, although I would love to do that. Therefore, I have very few portraits to show for the jury application process or posting. This is such a good forum filled with so much helpful information and encouragement. I will continue reading as long as allowed, and some day when I have enough inventory to show, I will apply for membership.

Vernita Bridges Hoyt
Texas

[Steven Sweeney]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have been intimidated by your statement on the first page not to register if you don't intend to post because the jury is all professional working artists who don't want to waste their time.

I don't speak for the administrators, but I do know that there's no reference anywhere to their wasting their time. Wasting time isn't the issue. I think it's just disappointing to go through the process with an applicant and then never hear from him or her again. This is especially discouraging when the new member's work is very good, and his or her participation would be extremely valuable.

The application process is a lot more involved than is the case with the typical online Forum (where you provide your email address), and in fact each application calls for input from quite a number of people, all professional artists and all very gladly volunteering time to this Forum, some for many years, as well to many other causes and concerns. Most of them also lead workshops and head up demonstrations and, perhaps, get to Mexico once in while when it's cold up here on this end of the continent.

Goodness, the worst that can happen is that some very kind-hearted people will tell you that they don't believe that you're quite ready. Believe me, that's a gift, not a put-down.

Steven,
Thanks for your reply. Perhaps in a couple or three months, I will feel ready to go for the application. It would be an honor to be accepted into this forum. One can always hope.
Vernita

[Cynthia Daniel]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have been intimidated by your statement on the first page not to register if you don't intend to post because the jury is all professional working artists who don't want to waste their time. I don't know if that is exactly how it is worded, but it's what I understood it to say.

Vernita,

Thanks for your comments. Perhaps some real statistics and data will help.

Total Juried Members - 278

Posted 0 times - 82
Posted 1 time - 99
Posted 2 times - 16
Posted 3 times - 7

I think it's pretty astounding that out of 278 juried members, 82 have never posted. There are a few of the low posters that are understandable - an art school, for example, that only joined to post workshops, which is fine.

Of the 82 who never posted, a great number of them join and never visit again or visit for a day or two and never return.

No one expects a member to become an addict (some do ), or even a devotee - simply to participate at least once in a while. But, I find it puzzling that so many are juried, yet never or almost never post - even with explaining away a percent whose lives suddenly changed due to sudden success or unhappy diaster or tragedy, the percent is still high.

Nothing is automatic about the jury process. Once a person submits into a private area on the Forum, these are the steps:

1. I access the web page and click on their post.
2. I move their post to the Board private viewing area.
3. I post "new" so the Board knows there is someone new to view.
4. I wait and read each response as the Board members post their response.
5. I sign into the administrative area of the Forum with a password.
6. I select "yes" or "no" for approval or not.

Cynthia,
Thanks for the info. That does explain it better. I've belonged to a couple of other forums, and unfortunately those were about the statistics for posters vs. members there also. Maybe it's the old 80/20 rule. I lean more toward the "addict" side. Yikes! I will be back.
Vernita

Originally Posted by Cynthia Daniel

Vernita,

Thanks for your comments. Perhaps some real statistics and data will help.

Total Juried Members - 278

Posted 0 times - 82
Posted 1 time - 99
Posted 2 times - 16
Posted 3 times - 7

I think it's pretty astounding that out of 278 juried members, 82 have never posted. There are a few of the low posters that are understandable - an art school, for example, that only joined to post workshops, which is fine.

Of the 82 who never posted, a great number of them join and never visit again or visit for a day or two and never return.

No one expects a member to become an addict (some do ), or even a devotee - simply to participate at least once in a while. But, I find it puzzling that so many are juried, yet never or almost never post - even with explaining away a percent whose lives suddenly changed due to sudden success or unhappy diaster or tragedy, the percent is still high.

Nothing is automatic about the jury process. Once a person submits into a private area on the Forum, these are the steps:

1. I access the web page and click on their post.
2. I move their post to the Board private viewing area.
3. I post "new" so the Board knows there is someone new to view.
4. I wait and read each response as the Board members post their response.
5. I sign into the administrative area of the Forum with a password.
6. I select "yes" or "no" for approval or not.

Dear Cynthia,

Thanks so very much for explaining the process! I, for one, am a big fan of this forum and hope to participate at some later point. It's a bit strange that some juried members have never posted, as you note. May we add an additional observation? It seems to us that some sections on the forum have very active (or proactive) moderators, who post a lot or start discussions, while other sections seem to have very little activity. Is this something that could be improved on, while keeping in mind, of course, that everyon'e time is always at a premium and that people are very busy?

This forum is full of information that I could use. I think I don't participate because I have been doing commissioned portraits since 1964 and have grown to hate them. I simply don't accept commissions anymore. My main focus at this time is figurative work and my approach is more creative , less restrictive. But still I need the basic information that I can find on this forum, figurative paintings being a close relative to portraits.

My interest right now is getting a good photographic reference. For 30 years I used my 35mm SLR. Now I'm using a digital camera and have decided to buy a digital SLR. I was told that Garth Herrick posted some info here about his recent camera purchase. I have always been a fan of his and wanted to read it, but don't want to jump through the hoops required to post.
Sincerely,
Linda Ciallelo

[Cynthia Daniel]

Linda,

I suppose your post above shows as "guest" because you are not logged on - but you are a Juried Member here. I remember your work because I really like it. In fact, there are times when I've gone back and reviewed some threads and missed that you no longer participate. Perhaps you would have words from time to time that would help others though.

For those who are not familiar with Linda's work:

http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=2184
http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=1457
http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=1058
http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=839

[Sharon Knettell]

Linda,

I rarely do portraits either and prefer to do my own work. I haven't had the time to post much recently because I had knee surgery, followed by my husband's hip surgery.

There are a lot of non-portrait artists posting and I think the range has broadened in the last few years. Good figurative painting is still good painting whether or not it is commissioned.

There is no perfect forum. I have tried a few here and there and some as you know are run by some very, how shall I say it, negative and chauvinistic people. Impoliteness and crudity are allowed to run amok in the guise of freedom of speech.

I have bitched and moaned, complained to my husband about this one and that one, then he asked me one day, "Why don't you start your own? I replied " I just don't have the time." There you have it. A forum is a collective. It is managed and mismanaged by us all and kept relatively sane by some tireless moderators. This takes many generous artists a lot personal time.