Woman Made Gallery offers a variety of constructive workshops to assist artists with their professional development. These workshops are led by professionals to serve artists who are at different levels in their careers.

The different workshops include information about quality slides and digital files, tips for a successful resume and artist statement, pricing and presentation of your artwork, packaging and shipping your work, approaching galleries, good website design and valuable resource information. We have also added workshops that teach artists the basics about computers, including digital files and emails. Through these programs WMG has helped participants clarify and reach goals such as obtaining grants and residencies, solo shows and gallery representation.

Exhibiting Professionalism and Career Day workshops are offered two to four times per year. Other workshops are conducted annually and artist demos are usually a one time opportunity.

Women artists who are members of the Gallery may participate in our "Her Group" sessions that take place every fourth Sunday of the month. At various times of the year guest artists are invited to address different topics of interest.

Please click on the workshop headlines and other opportunities listed below for details and how to register. You may direct any questions about Workshops and Exhibitions to: gallery@womanmade.org and about Membership and Links Requests to: admin@womanmade.org

Social Media I with Whitney Stoepel

Exhibiting Professionalism with Janet Bloch

Exhibiting Professionalism Manual

Career Day with Janet Bloch

Portfolio Review with Mary King

Her Group - Women Artists' Group

(image) Foxlight', egg tempera on panel, by Alessandra Kelley.

Social Media I with Whitney Stoepel

Join us for a tutorial exploring popular social media platforms. The workshop will include step-by-step lessons on creating profiles on networking websites like Facebook and Twitter as well as an explanation and discussion of why these networking tools are valuable to artists. Refreshments will be served. It is not necessary to bring your own computer.

The workshop will be taught by Whitney Stoepel, graduate student at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, New Arts Journalism Department.

Saturday, June 12, 2010 / 10am - 1pm / $30.00 / Registration Required

Social Media I - $30.00

Exhibiting Professionalism with Janet Bloch

Exhibiting Professionalism is a workshop for the artist who wants to start exhibiting her art. Even if you have been a working artist for some time and/or have a degree, this is a good beginning workshop to start to get your work shown. Janet Bloch will dispel some of the mysteries of how to approach galleries, what goes into a gallery packet, how to write an artists statement, and strategies for getting into exhibitions. The workshop will cover: resume, image quality, artist statement, professionalism pricing and goal setting. Janet Bloch will also focus on where to find opportunities and how to identify if they are right for you.

Please email us at gallery@womanmade.org or call us at 312-738-0400 during regular Gallery hours if you are interested in this workshop. Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from noon to 7pm / Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4pm.

Testimonials about Workshops with Janet Bloch

I can now be more selective when entering certain shows. I no longer feel the pressure to "Enter Now!" to a show that isn't reflective of the images that I am trying to project with my art. I feel comfortable taking the time to research. I feel more confident in presenting my work in written language. I am now more mindful of letting my artwork speak to the viewer without verbally projecting my notions of what the imagery "should be" saying to viewers. It really frees up the power of the imagery. -John Gray, Merrillville, IN.

Janet's workshop really set me on the road to creating a concise and cohesive artist statement and bio. Additionally, she pointed me in the right directions to how to go about marketing my work in a professional manner. My notes from class are a constant source of referral and I continue to benefit from the invaluable resources she shared with us. This month, after utilizing the skills Janet taught me, I am looking forward to being the featured artist at my first gallery show. -Audry Cramblit, Chicago, IL.

Janet Bloch’s Exhibiting Professionalism workshop was invaluable to me in taking my career to a new level. I now have the knowledge and resources I need to confidently approach new exhibiting prospects in a professional manner. New doors are opening for me all over the place. -Shari Pettis, Lake Station, IN.

Exhibiting Professionalism Manual

Woman Made Gallery’s Exhibiting Professionalism manual is free to WMG members. It is included in the Exhibiting Professionalism workshop, but can be purchased separately by non-members for $10.00 - shipping included. It has been designed to provide artists with some basic knowledge to help them in their artistic endeavors. Practical information includes how to approach galleries, tips for shooting slides, tips for a successful resume and artist statement, pricing artwork, presentation of artwork, and much more. If you are not a WMG member and interested in the Manual, click on the "Buy Now" button to pay securely through Paypal and include your shipping address.

Exhibiting Professionalism Manual - $10.00

Or Pay Using our Online Secure Form or by Mail-In Form

Career Day with Janet Bloch

The next step on the ladder is Career Day with artist and former Gallery Director, Janet Bloch. It is for women artists who have exhibited in group shows and/or have finished art-school and are preparing to seek gallery representation and solo exhibition opportunities.

Janet Bloch is the three-time recipient of the CAAP grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and a recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Visual Artists Fellowship and the Arts Midwest/NEA Regional Fellowship. She has exhibited nationwide. To find out more about the workshops Janet offers, please visit her website www.artistsroadtosuccess.com

The workshop fee is $150 for WMG members; $185 for non-members. It takes place on a Saturday, and space is limited to four participants. Artists may bring up to five slides, or a cd with five images, a current resume, an artistic statement and two to three pieces of work. The workshop will start promptly at 10am and cover portfolio presentation materials, including artwork images, resume and statement. After lunch (included in the workshop fee), a group critique will focus on the presentation of finished works. The workshop will close with tips for finding the right gallery for your art.

Participants in Career Day have reported many successes after taking this workshop, including grant awards, gallery representation and solo shows.

Please email us at gallery@womanmade.org or call us at 312-738-0400 during regular Gallery hours if you are interested in this workshop. Gallery hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from noon to 7pm / Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4pm.

(image) 'Power House', acrylic on panel, 24 x 24 inches, by Janet Bloch.

Portfolio Review with Mary King

Mary King excels at encouraging artists and helping them find their direction. She is especially knowledgeable regarding technical and archival concerns. In addition she is well informed regarding various venues for exhibiting work and has numerous tips for successfully approaching such venues. Please contact her at marykingartist@sbcglobal.net to set up a Portfolio Review at your home or studio.

The fee is $120 for WMG members and $135 for non-members.

Mary King is a practicing artist with a studio in Hyde Park, Chicago. King’s one-person exhibitions include four at Denise Bibro Fine Art in New York and one at both Woman Made Gallery in Chicago and The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her work has been included in group shows at The Butler Art Institute, Albright-Knox Gallery, and Detroit Focus.

Mary King earned a BFA from The University of Chicago and a MA from Western Michigan University. She studied advanced painting at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. King has been awarded grants by The Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo and by Education For The Arts of Kalamazoo County. King’s work has been favorably reviewed by The Kalamazoo Gazette, The Ann Arbor News, Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The New Art Examiner, The Chicago Reader and most recently, The New York Times. King volunteers for Woman Made Gallery by laying out group exhibitions. For more information about Mary King visit her website.

Her Group - Women Artists' Group

"Her Group" is the name for the Gallery’s monthly women’s art group where women artists meet to share their work and exchange tips and give feedback. Initiated by Mary King and continued by Laura Stempel, the sessions are currently co-facilitated by artists Deb Flagel and LuEllen Joy Giera

Throughout the year guest artists bring valuable experiences to the group meetings. Past guests include Sandra Perlow, an accomplished Chicago artist who serves on the WMG Advisory Board, Dayna Block who is an art therapist and co-founder of the Open Studio Project and Maritza Bermudez who does traditional watercolor art and is involved with several Illinois arts organizations. WMG membership is required and a donation is appreciated. Please call 312-738-0400 or email gallery@womanmade.org to register.

2010
Sunday, June 27
Sunday, July 25
Sunday, August 22
Sunday, September 26
Sunday, October 24
Sunday, November 28

(image) Her Group session on February 28, 2010. From left back to right front are Janet Gerske, Michelle-Renee Perkins, Alexandra Zonis (pointing) and Andrea Ginsburg.