does any one know if museums look at art for free?

Question

i live in ohio i have lithos and watercolors i need free advice

Answer 1

I live in Indiana and paint in oils, inkwashes, & watercolors. Midwest painters have strong backgrounds, but often feel so isolated.

Once you have a lot of works, you can find out what people like by entering shows or going to art fairs. Then, you will find a painting that wins first place in one show, won't get hung in another. A print of your painting that sells well somewhere, won't get you accepted into another art fair.

I think walking around a really great art museum helps you know the quality of your work and the direction you want to go better than anything. You then are learning from the best of the best. You will also see much that you wouldn't want if given to you, along with stuff that mesmerizes you. To each his own.

The Chicago Art Insitute in downtown Chicago is free one day a week, I think Thursdays, - check their website. You can take the South Shore train to within a block of the museum. Get on it in South Bend or Dunes State Park or at many points west of there. Check the web site for the South Shore. Costs less than $10 - more like 6 or 7 each way. No parking hassles or gas to buy.

I good large museum has so many different styles that appeal to different people, yet are strong and moving artwork. If a museum closer to you doesn't inspire, go farther. A good museum will make you want to get home and really work on your stuff.

I would value learning from the masters and forming your own goals more than anything someone can impose on you. A curator or teacher is coming from their place, and you from yours.

The professors I did have each pulled me in their direction, then I had to get back to myself. I did learn from them, and critics are good, but working and keeping working at it is what it's really all about.

If you do enough, somehow, someway, someone will notice.

Meanwhile, websites get feedback too, like my www.paintingsbydee.com I know I have work to do. Putting it out there helps me see it. Getting better color to really show my work to its best will help too. But we do what we can, and keep at it.

The world needs art. America is slow to learn this. I cannot imagine living with blank walls. My art welcomes me each day and inspires me that there is joy in the world. Good luck to you.

Answer 2

they usually don't have time for that. do some preliminary research first and try and locate a gallery or dealer to help you instead of a museum curator.

For information on artists living or dead, try sites like: "absolutearts.com" or "worldwidearts.com" and type in whatever you have--artist name, type of work, style of work, medium used, size, etc. Is it a print, a painting, a photograph, an original, a print? These things all effect the value, as does the condition. Also type their name in quotes on a search engine like www.dogpile.com "John Doe", and see what comes up.

If the artist is dead, a gallery link might pop up. A gallery dealing with the works or the estate of an artist can give you a lot of useful information, might be able to tell you the value and if there is a market for the work.

Answer 3

Many museums will look at your color slides, when put into a Slide Sheet, and left for curator's staff. Most all art galleries will also look at your Slide Sheets, and give you feedback regarding the quality of your art. If you would like your slides returned, you must include a self addressed stamped envelope , for that purpose.Personally I would go with galleries, they know what is hot at the moment, and they will also have a pretty good idea if they can sell your work, or not.

Answer 4

Everybody wants free advice from professionals, but that is how they make their living. Would you go to a cancer specialist and ask him to render an opinion for free? No different for art specialists, so be ready to spread some dough. If you have something you think may be valuable, decide how much that means to you and make an investment in a reputable appaiser. If it's worth nothing, he will likely be quick to say so and his time spent will be minimal.

Answer 5

Dr. W is one smart cookie. Most old prints and pastels, etc...are probably not worth the time or money spent in evaluatiing them...and to ask someone to do this for free is a huge imposition. If you want to make money off these, pay to have someone appraise them. If you are a mechanic, do you want folks coming up and asking you to appraise their gas guzzler for nothing while paying customers sit in the waiting room????

Answer 6

If you are looking for an appraisal of your work, it is "unethical" for museum professionals to give any kind of valuation on works of art not belonging to their museum.

Contact the American Society of Appraisers (www.appraisers.org) they should be able to direct you to a certified appraiser in your area. But there services are usually not for free.

Hope this helps!