Featured artist
Shannon O’Dunn
The Green Leaves of Summer by Shannon O’Dunn
Juried Entry Shows: No Fear!
and
How to Approach a Gallery
Not to be missed! Join artist and former gallery owner Shannon O’Dunn as she discusses two important strategies for artists: entering juried shows and approaching art galleries.
JURIED ENTRY SHOWS: No Fear!
Why Apply: A query for PSSC Zoom participants
How to Apply: Third party portals and how they work (and sometimes don’t)
Selecting a Show: Who is the sponsor? Is it live or online? Judges/jurors, and prizes? Plus: the value of Member Shows; and, beware garbage calls.
Record-Keeping: It will keep you out of trouble!
Selecting Your Entry: Size may matter, but age definitely does! (and other considerations).
Photographing Your Work: The problem of pastels; cell phone camera or not?; unframe it or forget it!
Preparing Your Painting for a Gallery Show: Framing, hardware, glass; what info goes on the back?
Transporting/Shipping Your Painting
Helping to Promote the Show: do your part.
HOW TO APPROACH A GALLERY
Do Your Homework: kind of ownership (co-op, private retail, etc.), gallery online presence, geographic location, price range, target clientele, events and programs
Is their target client your kind of buyer?
How do they want to be approached? Hint: check their website!
Your portfolio: website, removables, printed bio with shows/awards (and maybe a painting or two)
About Shannon…
Degrees in Geology fueled Shannon’s 36-year college teaching and administrative career at Grossmont College in El Cajon, but artmaking has always interested her, especially landscape painting. She began taking college and private lessons in art history and studio art in the late 1990s. In 2000, she became Dean of Communication and Fine Arts, and worked with faculty in dance, theatre, photography, art history, ceramics, painting and drawing, digital art, telecommunications, speech, and journalism until her retirement in 2005. She also managed the Grossmont College Hyde Art Gallery, which offered several public shows per year in the visual and plastic arts. This amazing experience as Dean permanently turned her life toward active involvement in the visual and performing arts.
In 2009, Shannon opened O’Dunn Fine Art, a retail gallery in San Diego, featuring collectible 20th century and contemporary original art. Over 6+ years, O’Dunn Fine Art put up 35 shows of various themes: abstract, female nudes, mid-century modern, urban landscapes, artist solo shows and retrospectives, still life, florals, and steam punk. “O’Dunn Fine Art” lives on in Boulder, Colorado as purveyor of Shannon’s own pieces, and some 20th century collectible paintings.
From 2014-2021, Shannon worked for the Borrego Art Institute annual Plein Air Invitational as Exhibits Consultant (2014-16), Juror of Awards (2017), and Curator/Juror of Invitations in 2018-2021. This capstone professional experience enhanced her love for supporting and encouraging working artists, working with gallery staff, and providing help to buyers in building their collections. O’Dunn Fine Art continues to annually support a major cash award for best pastel at the BAI Plein Air, now in its 20th year.
Shannon has been fortunate to be juried into shows in 10 different states, and has won numerous awards. She has ongoing representation with Mary Williams Fine Arts, located in Boulder, Colorado. She is a member of statewide pastel societies in Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. She also belongs to the Pastel Society of America, the American Impressionist Society, Plein Air Artists of Colorado, and the California Art Club.
https://www.odunnfineart.com