Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Changes to the Conditions of Entry for the 2008 UKCPS Exhibition

I received my entry form for the Annual Coloured Pencil Society Open International Exhibition 2008 yesterday.

There have been two changes which have caused much discussion amongst prospective entrants.
The first is that the artist must have taken any photographs used for source material. Now obviously copyright laws must be respected, but this means that even if you have permission to use someone else's photograph, your entry would be ineligible. I have no problem with this being a condition of entry, but it has caused some artists serious problems with work already partly completed.


I have used photographs taken by other people, always with permission, but have been working hard at taking my own. Meet my latest film star, Harry Mouse. I'm wanting to paint some cat and mouse pieces and spotted a little mouse living under the waterfall in my garden.So I've been feeding him in orders that I can obtain my own refernece material. Please all keep your fingers crossed that my neighbours cats don't spot him.


The second condition which is more concerning to me, is that, work is excluded which has been displayed as a 'step by step' exercise over the internet, on forums where other artists comment and make suggestions.

This may well stop a lot of artists putting work on art forums, or at the very least asking that no one make suggestions. This will then have a detrimental effect on the usefulness of such posts for people wanting to learn from them. I find this to be hugely different from making work ineligible which has been completed in a learning environment and I cannot see how it can be enforced. Even if it is not displayed on the internet, would a comment from family or friends which is acted on render it ineligible?

I rgreatly espect the UKCPS Executive, but I think they will have to resolve the huge confusion that has been created in some way.

For a much more thorough discussion see Katherine Tyrrell's blog and for a slightly different perspective see the post by Nicole Caulfield.

4 comments:

Making A Mark said...

I love Harry Mouse. I'll cross Cosmo and Polly's toes too!

Gayle Mason said...

And cover their eyes Katherine

Jeanette Jobson said...

That mouse is sweet Gayle. I have a soft spot for mice in some way, even if my barn is constantly over run with them!

I'll make sure Tripod doesn't see him...

And yes, the changes to policy regarding using others references and the online resources for feedback has been quite controversial.

I think there will be more discussion and possibly we'll see this move over to other exhibition bodies in the future. It makes me think twice about posting something that I'd want to exhibit.

Gayle Mason said...

I like mice, but at least mine are in the garden. Please keep Tripod's eyes covered, I don't want to have to have a line up of suspects if it goes missing.

I thinkl I will only post on my blog if it was a possible competition entry.