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Al Nash's Comments

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At 9:10pm on April 5, 2009, Victoria Lewelling said…: Al, Hi, I was loosely following your conversation with Christian Perkins about whether to have copies made of your work to sell. A couple of things I have learned about that. First, if you do make some, expect to give alot of them away for free, so try to do it cheaply, say at home on your printer with just matt or semi-glossly paper. Free, because, if you have a show and leave them there, even if you are selling them for just $15.00 each, you some how never get paid for them, just expect it and know that your work is getting out there for different people to see. Have recently had business cards made at Office Depot, 1000, I think for like less than a $100. semi-gloss, and they look cool. Finally got an image on the front side of my work and just my name, numbers etc. on the back. Took less than a week. A great way to get your work out with your number. Depot keeps it on file for 6 mo. Bring a flash drive with work and they will let you see how it looks before you leave. Your work looks good by the way. Hope you shows are doing well.

At 1:56pm on March 28, 2009, BERT L. LONG JR. said…: Dear Al , I remember you and your good work. I always fine time to communicate with the young, They are our future, we must always pass on the information we posses so that they can hopefully go forth into the future as knowledgeable as possible. Pleasure tell the teacher to contact me to make arrangements. emails are best blongartworld@yahoo.com. all the best Bert

At 5:29pm on March 14, 2009, ChristianPerkins said…: Hey Al,

Haven't been on the computer lately...Actually, I don't do prints myself. There have been pieces that I wish I had copies of to sell again, but I've never truly looked into getting them done. Regardless of notoriety, there's always an advantage to having duplicates of a work that you poured your soul into....

At 3:04pm on February 28, 2009, Antonio Briones III said…: orale mr Nash, los vemos at elders....

At 8:45pm on February 27, 2009, Antonio Briones III said…: howzit mr Nash? just dropping you a line to see if you are going to be at the closing reception tomorrow? i will probably be there but i cant stay there for too long...hope to see you out there...

At 11:17am on February 23, 2009, T. Smith said…: Hi Al, It was really nice meeting you and hanging out Sat. night. Congrats on selling some work! See you soon~

At 11:34am on February 22, 2009, Antonio Briones III said…: orale mr Nash, it was good to meet you out there too....let me know when and where your next show will be so i can go and check it out...hasta la proxima....

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At 9:48pm on October 7, 2008, heather davis said…: That's too bad about the Jimmy drawing, it is really well as well as your other portraits. I draw some too but not as much as I use to, the photos are mainly for myself, but lately I have been trying my hand at it. Well if you ever make another James Dean let me know i would def like to see it, me and my husband have a small collection going.

At 9:04am on August 1, 2008, Victoria Lewelling said…: No problem. Vic

At 10:25pm on July 31, 2008, Victoria Lewelling said…: Nice work Al. I suppose in a nutshell. I'm too stupid/hard headed/shameless to give up . And truthfully that is the way to go about it. When I go into any place I'm interested in showing, in the beginning I would bring my meager portfolio already opened so they would be tempted to look and then that got my foot in the door. I try to go search physically once every 2 weeks and check every list I know of to find a show. (Glasstire, Artshound.com) I add myself to as many free websites as I can so my name gets out there (artpickle, artvalet, artreview) I'd also carry a homemade business card/resume of places I've shown, even if it just had 3 places on it. Sometimes, most times, even bring a piece so they can actually see the work, a medium size. Be nice and smile even if they declined to show my work, because just like artists, people talk and you are building a reputation. If they say, well, we're booked for a year, you say, Great, I'll have alot more great new stuff to show and sometimes that will get you a show and then if they put me off I come back (if I really want to show there) until they just have to flat out tell me no. Few do. They will sometimes ask for a 20-30 or even 40% commission which is acceptable. But I don't pay to show my work, like a submission fee or a monthly fee. (once a year I do allow myself a fee charged event, but not really juried shows as they are usually prepicked) Once you get into a show, introduce your self to everyone, waitresses, bus boy, security guards; these people talk too, they talk to customers who ask about you, they talk among their family/friends and they have connections. So someone will say, hey, have you ever tried at so and so? Tell them I sent you. I follow up every lead, Immediately. People have who bust it get the gig, because there are so many other artists who are too busy, waiting to be discovered, waiting for the big onem etc to pursue the everday leads. One steps builds upon another. I think I've had 67 shows and most of them in the last 5 1/2 since I moved to Houston. And by the way, don't explain to them why you haven't painted/done art in so long. They just need to know you are working as an artist and are serious about it. So in your area of town, first-- Make a resume with shows/schooling, get a business card, make a portfolio with just regular photos, get a piece of two to carry with you (I've had lots of shows where I went in with a piece to query them and they ask me to put it up now if I had more so I carry at least 5 or so with me for a show, rigged, and ready) Have 20 or so in stock to have more than one show and keep making new stuff so you constantly grow as an artist and have stuff on hand for the next one. Don't sell yourself too cheap but it makes you look cheap and puts people off. Don't call them when the work is hanging to ask if you've sold anything, but if it is a coffee shop/restarant go there sometimes and eat something, and watch for someone to look at your work and then smile and tell them you are the artist. It makes an impact on them to be singled out and the waiter will sometimes point you out to someone dining, just like we like to see celebrities they want to see what you look like. When you put up a show, leave resumes/business cards and try to print a photo of you on the resume so they can put a face with the painting and it humanizes it. And make connections with a few key people, they know people, they talk and it gets you in to shows.I think it looks prestigious to have a gallery on your resume, but I don't try for them as I think the average joe ( rich or not) probably doesn't go to the gallery on a whim, but they will eat out. But do go to gallery opens and connect and get ideas of where to show. Bet you wished you hadn't asked me for info! Hope you do succeed. Victoria