The Negotiating Framework for an Exhibition, 2

Beginnings

The opening
The first phase of a collaborative negotiation on an exhibition involves gathering as much information as possible, preferably well in advance of any meeting.

• Artists - research the gallery, how it programmes, what its current interests are, which other galleries 'look to' that one because they are good at picking interesting artists, etc.
• Gallery - research the artist, the context for their work, their peer network, their other projects, etc.

What do you want to achieve?
Before you start a negotiation, set out for yourself on paper what you want to achieve from the exhibition opportunity in terms of:

• Things you must achieve
• Things you intend to achieve
• Things you'd like to achieve

Discuss and explore
The first meeting provides an opportunity for artists and exhibition organiser to explore each other's needs, start to create a relationship and as part of this, for each to make tentative offers. Avoid stating your own preferences and ideas and instead use 'open questions' that create a space in which ideas can be explored, for example:

• What do you think about...?
• Is there something you'd like to suggest?
• From your experience, what do you find works well...?
• What other options could we look at?

Susan Jones (used with permission)

The Negotiating Framework for an Exhibition, 1

Introduction
In the world outside the arts, when someone offers something - a house for sale, a job, work from a trades person, a proposal of marriage even. This is generally the opening gambit in a negotiation process by which what has been offered will be discussed and in the process, either adjusted to create something of mutual benefit, or declined. But in the visual arts there is a tendency for the offer of an exhibition by a gallery to an artist to be taken at face value and either accepted or rejected. This doesn’t need to be so.

The intention here is to set out a mechanism for a collaborative negotiation. Through this the artist and gallery can share their respective aspirations and intentions for a proposed exhibition, and negotiate in order to arrive at a 'win-win' situation. One in which both feel comfortable about what has been agreed because they will both benefit. Importantly, they have also created a working relationship that can be built on in the future.
A collaborative negotiation is preferable to a competitive one where the parties are essentially out to get the best for themselves regardless of the wider implications. An unhappy relationship between artist and gallery tends to ricochet around the art world and does neither any good in the longer term.

Anyone inexperienced in negotiation techniques should get some professional guidance in advance. Artists could do this by contacting a training or professional development organisation. An arts organiser might ask for coaching from a line manager or senior colleague.

Susan Jones (used with permission)

Glass painting tools

The tools needed for glass painting are few and relatively common, although the blender is specialised. The minimum you need are:

Glass palette –
a lightly etched glass sheet on which to grind and mix the paints

Palette knife –
a paint knife with a flexible metal blade used to mix and pile the paint

Tracing brush –
a thin and long-haired brush used to apply paint to glass. Sable is considered superior as it can hold a lot of paint allowing long lines.

Badger blender –
a wide and flat brush made of badger hair used to blend or evenly disperse a layer of paint on the glass, or to stipple a fine layer for a pin-hole effect

Stippler –
a round, thick brush used to apply wet paint and create a stippled matte.

Enamels

In a discussion of art technology, enamel (or vitreous enamel, or porcelain enamel in American English) is the colourful result of fusion of metals carried in powdered glass to a substrate through the process of firing, usually between 750C and 850C. The powder melts and flows to harden as a smooth, durable vitreous coating on metal, glass or ceramic. It is often applied in a paste form and may be transparent or opaque when fired. Vitreous enamel can be applied to most metals.

Vitreous enamel has many excellent properties: it is smooth, hard, chemically resistant, durable, can take on long-lasting, brilliant colours, and cannot burn. Disadvantages are its tendency to crack or shatter when the substrate is stressed or bent.

Low firing enamels formulated for glass are forms of paint designed to fire between 550C and 600C which avoids the distortion of the glass that would occur with enamels designed for metals.

Breaking Pliers

Description
The breaking pliers is a special stained glass tool that has smooth jaws that meet at the tip of the pliers. This enables the tool to reach over the top and bottom of the glass with only the tip coming into contact with the glass exactly against the score line.

Use
The pliers handles are held at a right angle to the score line. The edge of the glass needs to be close enough (within 20mm) to the score line in order to use this tool, as the tip of the jaw needs to be against the score line. It is used in lieu of your hands when the piece being broken off is too narrow to be comfortably grasped by hand. When bending the glass, the top jaw comes down flat against the surface of the glass (that's why we want the smooth jaw) and as more bending pressure is applied, lateral/pulling pressure is applied. This tool can also be used to groze the glass by carefully nibbling away the edge, but grozing pliers work better.

Cartooning for Acute Angles

When you are designing panels, you can prevent some leading difficulties. If you have shapes that join at acute angles, you can alter the design to make the leading simpler.

Say you have two balls touching. You can design the panel so the cut lines intersect or touch each other. This makes for extremely acute angles in the cutting of the cames. Two balls touching in the presentation drawing will not look the same if leaded that way.  So if you make the edges of the balls just a few millimetres separate, the cames will pass each other, just touching, and so have the appearance of the presentation drawing, rather than the appearance of overlapping.

You separate the lines by the thickness of the came you will be using for that area. If you are using 6mm came, the cut lines should be just less than that distance apart. This will allow the cames to go around each shape and the flanges of the came will just overlap. This makes for quick leading and a clean appearance.

Handling Large Sheets

PreparationUse proper glass handling gloves.

Wear closed toe shoes, preferably with steel toe caps. This also allows you to set the glass on your toes prior to changing your grip to place the glass in the rack.

Clear the passage ways of all obstructions, whether on the floor or at the walls and door ways before moving any glass.

Lifting from horizontal
The transition between horizontal and vertical is important because the glass sheet can break if it does not have the proper support. However, there is a tried and true method for laying glass down and turning it over.

Rest the glass on the edge of the bench, half on, half sticking off. Support both sides of the sheet. Then pivot it to the horizontal, still resting the middle of the glass on the edge of the bench as your fulcrum. This provides support at the middle during the transition from vertical to the horizontal of the bench top.

CarryingTo carry large sheets of glass safely (for yourself and the glass), you need to support from below as well as the end. One gloved hand goes under the bottom and the other on the side. The glass is then carried vertically, with the edges at an angle. This is done in a manner so that the glass is on the side of your body with both palms are facing outwards. If there is a trip or other accident, the glass will be tipped away from the body. This sounds awkward, but is safe and easy when you get used to it. It also is the glazing industry standard method of carrying glass.

If the glass is too heavy to lift in this way, use suckers and get others to help.

If the glass breaks while carrying it just let it drop. Trying to catch or save it will lead to a hospital visit.

Always set the glass edges down on a cushioning material. This can be wood, linoleum, carpet, etc.

Transporting

Store, carry and transport glass as near to vertical as possible.  You need to be careful when handling glass. In larger sheets it is very weak in a horizontal plane. It is strongest when it is in a vertical plane. (That’s why glass is always supposed to be shipped upright.)

If you are transporting a number of sheets, place paper between the sheets to avoid scratches and vibration damage or breakage. The glass should be tied tightly together, perferably on a rack. If you do not have a rack you can put into your vehicle, you can put the seat belts around the glass to keep it from flying forward in the event of an emergency stop.

Outside Curves

Outside curves are usually the easiest curve to break out. You do not have to worry about breaking the piece you wan to keep.  The break, if it goes off the score line, will be away from the piece rather than into it. 

Outside curves often have complimentary inside curves. So, on the principle of making the most difficult break first and the easiest last, the outside curve will be broken out last. Unless, of course, there is a straight line on the other side of the curve when the straight line would be the last, as it is the easiest score to break out.

Preparing the Glass Paints

Paint
Measure about one tablespoon of black paint powder onto the center of your palette, With the edge of the palette knife, break up any clumps in the pigments. Grind the paint with the flat side of the palette knife until it feels and sounds smooth. Then mound the prepared powdered paint into a pile. Using the blade of the knife, pat the paint flat to about 1/8" thickness.

Gum Arabic
Then using the end of the palette knife, take some powdered gum arabic and, gently tapping the knife, sprinkle the gum over the surface of the paint. Use only enough to give the impression of a faint dusting of snow or sprinkling of salt. This step is crucial to the end result, as too much gum arabic makes removal of the paint from the glass with brushes and sticks difficult. Too much gum arabic can also cause the paint to bubble and splatter at firing temperatures. The correct amount may require some trial and error, but it is better to have less than more gum arabic.

Mixing
Blend the gum and paint together while dry. When thoroughly mixed, push into a mound, and make a valley in the center. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of water and with your palette knife, blend the pigment with the water. Add water and continue to blend until the paint is silky smooth and the consistency of thin yoghurt. Work the paint with a circular motion across the palette, then repeatedly "pile" the paint to the center of the palette.

Glass painting Media

Mixing agents
These are the carriers that give "tooth" to the paints and are water-based or oil-based.

Common water-based media are:

• water & gum arabic,
• wine,
• sugar water,
• vinegar

Common oil-based media are:

• clove oil,
• lavender oil,
• damar varnish

Binders

Gum arabic
This natural gum (also called gum acacia) is a substance that is taken from two sub-Sharan species of the acacia tree, Acacia senegal and Acacua seyal. It is used primarily in the food industry as a stabiliser, but has had more varied uses in the past, including viscosity control in inks. For artists it is the traditional binder used in watercolour paint. It is sold in powder and liquid forms.

Dammar gum
This is obtained from the Dipterocarpaceae family of trees in India and East Asia, principally those of the genera Shorea, Balanocarpus, or Hopea. Most dammar gum is produced by tapping trees, however some is collected in fossilised form from the ground. The gum varies in colour from clear to pale yellow, while the fossilised form is grey-brown. It is used in foods, as a glazing agent, in the making of incense, varnishing and in other processes. Dammar was first introduced as a picture varnish in 1826 and is commonly referred to as Damar varnish