Reminder: New blog on the Recycled Glass Sculpture and Design Book

http://recycledglassanddesign.blogspot.com/

There is a new post for today in the NEW blog link above. 

This old  blog that was used for the artist call is no longer active.

New Blog for the Book

In the near future, I will be switching the book updates from this blog (which is really an artist call for submissions blog) to http://recycledglassanddesign.blogspot.com/

I will send everyone an email when this happens.

Estimated Publication Date

Hi All:

I understand the book is expected to be placed on the Fall 2011 schedule for publication. I think this is great for all of us since that puts us closer to the time people are thinking of holiday shopping and gifts. Again, this could change but this is the most current information. As I mentioned before, for almost any type of book, it is typically 12-18 months from the time the publisher has the book draft to publication.

When the book is 1-2 months from being available for purchase, you should receive an email from the publisher about the book being available for purchase (no obligation to buy of course). Only at that point do we all go into full promotion with specific book details (# photos, topics, # of artists, etc). If you have any questions prior to this time next fall, please continue to contact me and not the publisher.  I am continuing to finalize the book over the next month so please continue to promptly provide any requested verifications of caption information or any other information needed.

I will try to see if I can send out the 100 or so word book press blurb in the Spring. You will receive a copy of the lengthier press announcement from me about 1-2 months prior to the book publication. As with any art opportunity, our role should not end (ideally) when the book is about to be published.  In the meantime, please continue to promote the book and your work in it (see prior suggested guidance on not using more than one photo of your work and suggested citation for your resume). Please do not embellish beyond the information that has been provided at this point in time and please keep the information accurate. As some of you know, I have google alerts and I do find out about any "over zealousness" or inaccuracies on the book very quickly. :)

On a side note, I am in an upcoming book by Schiffer Publishing titled "Art Glass Today."  It was edited by Jeffrey Snyder.  Please take a look at the cover on Amazon.com when you have a chance so you can be familiar with how the Schiffer Books are so beautifully designed. You will also note that no detailed info was released on this book until 2 months or so prior to publication.

Bribes!!!!

I mentioned in an earlier post all the emails I was receiving from artists who missed the book deadline(even with all the extensions)for photo submissions. And a few have been way over the line in their demands and lack of professionalism.

But now comes the "worst" (or best?) example of all! I received a bribe offer! Even when I gently told this artist "no" and said that she was asking me to spend a week or more reorganizing the entire book and captions to accommodate her, she was ok with that fact! She then offered me a bribe of her jewelry in exchange. I was surprised that this artist, who claimed she taught at a university, would not know this was very unethical conduct. As an author of an upcoming book, I can accept no compensation in exchange for an artist's work being in my book. She chose to respond again by saying that she was was not offering me a bribe but "payment for my time" (???) Now what was this time? Time spent working on the book. A bribe is a bribe.

On the plus side, it seems like artists who let the deadlines slip through the cracks, have realized that they missed a potential opportunity to be in a great book!

The key part of my second response to her is below. I will also be doing a post on myartgrant.blogspot.com on art press and gifts and compensation in the very near future.

Hi XXXXX:


In addition, you should know that for me to accept a piece of work or compensation for allowing you into the book would be very unethical and I do not operate in that manner. Offering bribes for something like that is unprofessional and unethical and I am surprised that someone who teaches at an university would engage in such activity.

Again, I am sorry for your loss but this discussion has ended.

Reminder: Photo Submissions are Closed for the Book

I am still receiving a fair amount of photo submissions by artists not in the book saying they missed the deadline, it fell "through the cracks", etc. A number of them asked me to reconsider my deadline. Again, the response is "no". I am not even opening emailed photos.

The deadline for photo submissions expired a long time ago, even with the multiple extensions. I will not be reorganizing and recaptioning photos to allow additional photos. I have a wealth of wonderful photos. This would not be fair to me, the other artists or the book deadline.

I feel a time management lecture coming on..... :)

Captioning of Photos and Verification of Photo Information

I am in the process of captioning the photos for each chapter and will be sending out this information in the next week or two to each artist for verification of their name, title of each work, dimensions, materials, and photo courtesy. In some cases, bio and technique info may be sent for verification as well.

This information will need to be verified as correct or the corrections must be clearly noted and emailed back to me within seven days. It will be the responsibility of each artist to note any corrections to this information in a timely manner. If you will have any difficulty meeting this deadline, I will need to be notified prior to the deadline (not the day of the deadline). If I do not hear back, I will assume all the information is correct and will not be making corrections after 7 days. For corrections sent after 7 days, the photos needing caption corrections may be deleted from the book.

So everyone please take the deadline seriously as I know the majority of the artists in the book have done so. My obligation is to the publisher and to the artists who have supplied all the needed information timely. I have far more wonderful pictures than I am required to have per the book contract and I hope to keep all of them in the book.

Unfortunately, two artists in the introduction section had their single photos removed the other day because they would not sign a photo release despite numerous attempts on my part to obtain this info from them. While this was unfortunate, I feel this may profit these individuals in the long run in terms of their understanding that the inability to meet deadlines (with two long extensions in this case) has to be having a less than positive effect on their art careers. I do not subscribe to the philosophy that because we are all such creative people, we are not bound by standard conventions, deadlines and legal forms. I have noticed the the most successful artists turn any requested information around very quickly and I think this has much to do with their success.

Posting of Personal Contact Info From Acceptance Letter

It has come to my attention that at least one artist posted my home address and phone number from the acceptance letter in a community glass board. This personal information was provided only as a personal convenience for submission of the photo release form. If you have posted such info on any website, blog, forum, community board, etc., it needs to be removed immediately. I reserve the right to remove accepted work from the book if I find other incidents.

While I understand the excitement to be in the upcoming book, a reasonable level of good sense still needs to be exercised. Posting of such personal information is not acceptable in any circumstance.

Thank you.