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Secret Garden Door- Mark Reed
Is it a winter or summer exhibition? Maybe your piece called “Girl Sunbathing on a beach” or “The Sombrero” will be fitting for summer - but less so for a winter exhibition.
Which of your pieces is appropriate for a particular venue? The designer will be trying to envisage how each piece of work fits along their trail. I’ve heard comments such as “I can just see this piece among the trees beside the pond” etc. Does your piece lend itself to a particular venue?
Sometimes a piece is rejected one year and accepted the next. Why? It may be because the artist has tried a different finish which has transformed the look of the piece. Is your work looking the best that it can? A traditional bronze finish might make the piece look flat, whereas a verdigris finish can make a piece too noisy. It’s complicated, isn’t it?
Size matters. Some settings are better than others at displaying large pieces. Bear in mind that most designers like a few “statement” pieces but you can’t have too many statements in one show! On the other hand, small pieces can be lost in large gardens. If your sculpture is small, try to design a plinth which will add to the sculpture without dwarfing it. Go and look at the way sculptures are displayed in any of our exhibitions - you will soon understand what I mean and recognise the best practice.
Photography. This is the single most common reason for rejection. We have some good hints on our website re photographing your work. Bear in mind that the venue owners are often selecting as well. They don’t know your work, and their judgement can only come from the photo you submit. Try to declutter your photo, the odd bucket and a few garden tools in the background aren’t going to impress. A line of washing or your dog sitting beside the piece won’t either.
Thistle- Victoria Hunt