Submitting art to a gallery can be intimidating.
An artist may believe his art is not worthy to be hung and will be rejected.
However, The Art Studio, Inc. will offer an opportunity for artists to hang their work without rejection at The Alternative Show, opening June 6.
Submissions will be accepted 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., June 2-4, and there is no entry fee. Artists may submit up to three pieces. The show opens with a reception 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., June 6, and runs through June 28.
“You can put in anything — sculpture, painting, whatever you got,” TASI tenant Kailee Viator says. “It could be just something completely, totally out there. That’s kind of the point. And it’s a huge show.”
Viator says The Alternative Show is a way for artists who have not exhibited before to get a start.
“Some people are nervous about showing their work, you know?” she says. “It’s a good way to get yourself out there, especially if you’ve never shown before. What’s the point of making something if you’re not going to show it to people?”
The Alternative Show has been a staple every June. Tenant Gina Garcia says it is one of the best shows of the year because everyone gets to bring in whatever they want.
“Basically, it’s kind of fearless,” she says. “It’s very outlaw art, and that’s what I like about it. We always get a really great turnout. We get so many pieces that we line the walls. There’s art everywhere.
“Anyone can come and enter and we accept all. That’s really good, because it helps people get over the fear. Sometimes it’s intimidating to bring art in.”
TASI administrator Elizabeth French says the Alternative Show offers an opportunity for people who make art but don’t have experience with galleries.
“They just make art because they have to,” she says. “Maybe they didn’t go to Lamar for art school or anywhere, so they don’t know how it all works, but they’re kind of intimidated by that gallery — I think a lot of people are. Everybody has to put their name on it. You have to claim it.”
The Alternative Show traditionally receives a lot of entries, which makes the show unpredictable.
“You can’t really do much for it except get your invitation out and make a call for entries pretty early,” she says. “It’s not just a row of art, it’s everywhere. We had to limit (the number of entries), otherwise we’d have to turn people away.
“It’s really for the community to be able to participate in the gallery process and get their art hung in a gallery for a full month.”
Everyone is allowed to submit art to the Alternative Show, and there is no limit to what kind of art can be submitted.
“We don’t care whether you’ve made art before or not,” French says. “If you have the guts and energy to put it up and put it together, bring it in. It could be something you did 25 years ago — there’s no parameters.”
Though it’s challenging to hang such a large show, French says, the exhibit is always exciting.
“There’s so much, so many different kinds of artists and so many different kinds of art, and it’s fun,” she says. “It’s just like, ‘Alright, this is it. Let’s hang it up.’ Sometimes it just keeps climbing up the walls. It’s nice to have a parent and their child, their artwork hanging in the gallery together.”
With the large number of pieces, The Alternative Show openings are normally a fun party.
“That’s a lot of people, and all of them are friends, and everybody wants to see their work,” French says. “It’s exciting, but it’s unexpected. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
For more information, call 409-838-5393, or visit www.artstudio.org.
By Tim Collins
UP Contributor