Letters of interest, resume, slide sheets

[sculptor]

I've been workin on/ agonizing over the process of reaching out to diverse venues.
Many years ago, I had been soured by certain political components of the process and abandoned it.

Starting afresh, I have assembled a resume template, which allows for slight changes to focus on the available diverse venues-----my childern knew more about writing a resume than did I.--My first draft was refered to as narative, not a resume.......So, I have a standard 2 page, which starts out formulaic resume, and goes narative during the press coverage part, becomming wholly narative in the artist's statement, and ends with references.
Being basically autodidactic, my res. doesn't resemble a lot i've seen on-line--especially those of part-time sculptors, full-time teachers.


NOW----the "Letter of Interest"
Would someone please to post an example?

Some groups are darned vague in their calls, so I'm left with the dilemma that :

A) too focused a letter, like a rifle shot, only needs to miss by an inch
B) while too wide a shotgun blast says nothing, addresses no particulars, and feels superfluous, weak enough to bounce off a rabbit skin.

AND-----on to the slide sheets--
MY 1st tendency is to lead with the best, then use the rest as filler.
For one project, I led with what I considered the most likely appropriate candidate, and closed with the best(best may mean best slide, not best work)(maybe it's a mood or mode thing?)
Also, I sometimes send less than asked for, with the concept that one unappreciated slide could do harm to the rest.............?.....?....?....

Incidentally, I am seeing more invitations to submit via digital media---so I guess it's time to buy a CD burner and see if this old machine can handle the extra drive.

OK back to slide sheets-----please post your approach

rod(sculptor)

[cote]

(SNIP)

NOW----the "Letter of Interest"
Would someone please to post an example?

Some groups are darned vague in their calls, so I'm left with the dilemma that :Dear Rod,

I admire your ambition, but I wonder if you are taking this "formalizing" a bit too far?:o Or, perhaps I don't understand what it is you are trying to accomplish. What do you really mean by a "Letter of Interest"? Is it going to be the "Cover Letter" to your "resume"? To me, good letter writing is a matter of quality above everything else. So I end up spending an exorbitant amount of time writing. Such is life.:)

Since you did ask for an example, perhaps the following will help to illustrate my point.
----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Pettengill (coteart@bellsouth.net)
To: Anton Hasell (hasell@netcon.net.au) ; Neil McLachlan (neil@ausbell.com)
Cc: Olivian Ciobanu (ociobanu@eng.utoledo.edu)
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 3:56 PM
Subject: Carillon Bells


Dear Anton & Neil,

Recently our colleague, Olivian Ciobanu at the University of Toledo told me of your work and sent me the URLs to your Web pages. Naturally, after looking them over my mind is filled with many questions. I'm sure that your harmonic bells would be of great interest to sculptors all over the world as well and would therefore encourage you to participate in discussion forums of the ISC (International Sculpture Center (http://www.sculpture.org/); publisher of Sculpture Magazine).

One of the projects that Olivian and I are working on is a memorial for musicians of the San Francisco Bay area. Specifically, it would be a Carillon in a Concert Park. Your cooperation in this project would be very welcome and most likely mutually beneficial in many ways. So we would be very eager to discuss this with you in greater detail.

The most comprehensive and affordable way to do this might be for us to have a "conference" via Web Cam. Would either or both of you be willing and able to do this? If not, I will be just as happy to give you a call on the telephone. Or if you wish, please do not hesitate to give me a call anytime.

Best Regards
Greg Pettengill
Cote' Art & Engineering
(321) 269-7587

I am rather pleased with this letter simply because it accomplished what I hoped it would.

[sculptor]

.....I don't understand what it is you are trying to accomplish. What do you really mean by a "Letter of Interest"? Is it going to be the "Cover Letter" to your "resume"? ....

Hi Greg:
The aforementioned "letter of interest" is asked for in the public calls to artists.

Oft-times, it is stated that this is not to be a proposal.

In my artistic career, I've been a bit of a journeyman tumbleweed, drifting aimlessly with the wind from one fence(commission, sale) to the next as the wind(evolution of the art and the desires of the clients) dictated.

For most of my career, I've ignored the opportunities of the public sector due to a perceived overaggressive adherence to Victorian taboos which seemed to preclude the placing of the figurative.
I do figurative, which I define as true to the human form and/or ideal potential---no cloths no drapery, just captured moments of active bodies.
Recently, I've perceived that the daring which opened the doors for modern "art", is moving toward opening those doors to the figurative.
Ergo my quest to assimilate the knowledge for the most effective approach.
Ergo the attempt to understand what is sought via the request for the "letter of interest"
The trick is, that I really do not know what is being requested by that cover phrase--------

I had assumed that someone in here had written such a letter (which had the desired effect----commission) and understood the request.

rod (mandali@mindspring.com)
sculptor (http://www.artists-gallery.de/img/sculptor6.jpg)

[fritchie]

Rod - Let me take a stab at this. I’ll have to admit that no "letter of interest" I have written has resulted in getting past that first point of contact, so my experience might not be the best guide, but it will start your ball moving, even if slowly.

Our local arts agency hosted an informational/educational panel discussion some fifteen or so years ago, more or less on the format and process of “Invitations to Submit”, resumes, and so on for public art. If this sounds bureaucratic, it was, but helpful to a degree.

According to information presented there, a "letter of interest" basically says you have seen some announcement, have an interest in submitting a proposal, and feel you may have appropriate skills and experience. The audience at this presentation, all working artists of one sort or another, was advised to keep such a letter short and to the point, listing your educational and work background (art-related only), and any similar projects in which you might have participated, with a modest bit of detail on such projects.

Of course, read simply this may say, “If you haven’t been commissioned before in a similar project, don’t bother.” Maybe that’s true and maybe it’s not. You just have to try if you think it might be feasible.

[ironman]

Hi, This subject was covered in another thread of the "community help center" in late June and early July. You might look there for some answers and advice. My advice, keep it short and to the point!
Have a nice day,
Jeff