I received this query from Bonnie Hurst: “What constitutes a show/collection of paintings? I realize that in order to be marketable I do not need to show a random collection -- which currently is all I have. Does a collection need to have more than the artist and style in common? How many pieces are generally in a show?”

Jamie Lindholm, The Swede. Oil on linen, 32 x 24 inches.  (c) The Artist http://www.jamielindholm.com

First, a few definitions just to ensure we’re thinking along the same lines.

A show (or “exhibit”--a term I prefer) is quite literally the work selected to install together in one place at one time. After that, they are dispersed or grouped with other works in new exhibits.

A collection could be a series of works along a similar theme or the artworks one owns (as in a “public collection” or a “private collection”). Craft artists use the term “collection” to refer to a grouping of work that has a similar theme. A jeweler might refer to his “Sterling Collection” or a fiber artist to her “Fall Collection.” This terminology isn’t used so much with painting, sculpture, printmaking, and fine-art photography.

For our purposes, let’s assume you want to know what constitutes a “body of work.” That’s what we’ll call it. It’s not much better defined that those terms above, but I think this is a question many artists ask: What constitutes a body of work?

The emerging artist is most concerned with producing a body of work defined by a recognizable style. Think Jackson Pollock’s drip paintings or Magdalena Abakanowicz’s wrinkled, headless figurative sculptures. This means that the emerging artist is looking for quantity as well as quality. She asks, “How will I know when I have a body of work?” It’s a difficult question to answer because it all depends on whom you ask. It also depends on the artist, her working habits, her track record, and her goals. (Does she want a licensing contract? To sell through galleries? To show at the co-op? Or just enough work to put on a Web site?)

In short, I think you will know when you’ve hit upon that body of work that defines you. You feel confident in the quality, proud of the results, and ready to share it with the world. Until you feel this way, keep creating. You can test the waters by entering juried shows here and there, but keep working toward that solo exhibit. You want enough work that when people enter your one-person show or come across it on your Web site, they know upon sight that the work is yours.
 

Know This . . . A body of work will define you. Think About This . . . Are you proud of and confident in the quality and quantity of work you have created? Do This . . . Create a body of work. As you grow in your career, you will produce more and more and the body of work will become larger. As a mature exhibiting artist, you need to create enough work to have a couple of solo exhibits simultaneously. What does this mean in terms of numbers? Watch me tiptoe around this question on the Art Biz Blog. http://www.artbizblog.com