A Call for Entries

I am so happy to be able to tell you that my online collaborative project The Pulse has been picked up by F+W Media and will be published as a book by North Light Books. The working title is “The Artist’s Pulse” and the tentative publication date will be in Spring 2012. All four of the online editions of The Pulse have been based on surveys in words and images of the online artist community. The book will have the same basic premise but will also be expanded into additional, new directions as well.

The premise of the book is to “take the pulse” of the online artist community that loosely falls under the category of mixed media. This will be accomplished through a series of projects that include both questions and answers as well as the presentation of artwork created specifically for the book. While the book will include practical, art-related information, it will primarily focus on more personal and provocative issues. In the end, I hope to provide the readers with a window into the creative hearts and minds of the participants and offer a snapshot of the state of our community today.

I am announcing a call for entries for the book. To have your work considered for inclusion, please carefully read and follow the instructions below. Please note that you do not have to complete all the projects described below to be considered for inclusion. Think of the following as a menu for you to choose from.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Please answer the following eleven questions. While I would prefer that you respond to every question, you have the option to answer one, some, or all. Please err on the side of responses that are too long rather than too short. But please be aware that some editing for length may be necessary to maintain a degree of consistency among different artist responses.

1) One thing I have never shared with the art community is…
2) Have you ever lost a friendship over art?
3) What is your secret dream as an artist?
4) Have you ever received artwork from others and reworked it to make it your own?
5) What is one current trend that you wish would go away?
6) In your opinion, is creativity built-in or learned? Or both?
7) How has the Internet changed your artistic practice?
8) Do you think creative types are moodier than those with less artistic inclinations?
9) Do you enjoy working more intuitively or by carefully thinking through your process?
10) Do you create art to work through inner issues or is studio time more of a distraction to keep from facing your problems?
11) What do you think your preferred art medium says about your personality?

Deadline for submission for the Questions & Answers section is November 30, 2010.

ARTWORK: I am asking for submissions of new artwork to be created specifically in response to the three prompts below. Again you have your choice of creating artwork for one, two, or all three statements. Feel free to create without restriction as to medium and/or dimension. For each piece that you submit, please include a title, the dimensions, and the list of materials used. In addition, for each piece you need to include text that explains the artwork and describes your response to the prompt.

1) Share a secret as expressed in an artwork.
2) Create an artwork that expresses your biggest fear.
3) Create an artwork that reflects the innermost part of you.

Deadline for submission for the Artwork section is December 31, 2010.

SUBMISSIONS: Entries are to be completed via email to shap97@gmail.com. Images of your artwork must be high resolution, .jpeg or .eps format, and need to be a minimum of 3” x 3” at 300dpi with no compression. Please label each image with your name and the words "secret", “fear” or “innermost” depending upon the prompt you are answering. Also include with your submission your name as you would like it to appear, your email (which will not be published), your hometown, and one web url.

ANONYMOUS SUBMISSIONS: Because of the personal nature of the themes within both the Questions & Answers and the Artwork sections, I recognize that some artists may not feel fully comfortable responding publically. To that end, you have the option of having your artwork and/or your responses to the eleven questions published anonymously. If you do submit this way, please be aware that your name will not be included in the book at all.

As anonymous contributors, you are still legally required to sign a release form if your artwork is selected for publication. Therefore please note that although the form with your name on it will ultimately be sent to and held by F+W Media, your name will not be published and will remain in the strictest of confidence.

Release forms are not required for text only. So if you are uncomfortable with sending your responses to the Questions & Answers section via email, you may anonymously mail them without attaching your name or return address to:

Seth Apter

PO Box 2036

New York, NY 10021

DEADLINES: Deadlines for this submission as noted above are not flexible. Please know that if the guidelines are not followed correctly, your submission may not be able to be considered. In addition, please be aware that not every submission will be published. There is likely to be a greater number of submissions than space in the book and ultimately the publisher has final approval. If your work is selected you will receive notice prior to February 15th. At that time, you will be provided with a release form for your artwork that will require your signature.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the submission process.

I am very excited about this book. The success of the online version of The Pulse can be credited to the contributions of so many creative artists. I am hoping that with your submissions, “The Artist’s Pulse” the book will be a must-have for every artist and every art lover’s shelf!