Meet Fill In The Blank Gallery

The owners of the North Chicago gallery and studio space Fill In The Blank Gallery were kind enough to answer some questions and offer some helpful insight to emerging Chicago artists. Fill In The Blank explains their dedication to providing an intimate learning environment as well as their approach to crafting some truly stunning visual marketing pieces. We could learn plenty from this dedicated group of Chicago artists.

1.) How was the fill in the blank established?

Three of us got together for coffee one day and discussed the possibility of renting a work space to focus on our own art. We talked about finding a space in 6 months to a year, but curiosity had us looking at craigslist to see if this would even be feasible. The very next day we found a space in Lincoln Square (which just happened to be close to where we all lived) and decided to go for it. Because the space was much nicer than we had expected to get we started talking about other possible uses for it and it morphed into a gallery. It was all very "fly by the seat of our pants" but it has turned out to be one of the best, life changing decisions we've ever made.

2.) Do the curators of the fill in the blank create art themselves?

Between the five of us we create art in several different mediums including printmaking, sculpture, illustration, photography, fiber arts, graphic design, jewelry design, and clothing design.

3a.) The gallery has been represented as female-owned and operated – is this reflected in the exhibitions and does it inform your artist selections?

Over the course of our first year we knew we wanted to support emerging talent but didn't have a framework set up for displaying specific styles of artwork. Our selection process is open to all mediums and more than anything we would like to showcase a variety of styles and artists. Gender is not a factor in this process.

3b.) Is their a specific aesthetic/genre fill in the blank targets?

The gallery is still relatively new and our "look" is slowly taking form as we continue to showcase emerging artists. We don't aim to limit ourselves to a specific aesthetic but instead look to call on our various aesthetics and skill sets to help inform the artists we show. The gallery is essentially our living project, an ever evoloving culmination of our ideas which are formed by the community, past experiences, and artist inspirations.

4.) Your marketing materials are top-notch, are they generated in-house, and how important is the branding of your promotional materials?

Our materials are often a collaborative effort, and designed in-house. Two of us work in the design/marketing field, so we understand how developing a brand is important in helping the public identify who we are and what we do. Well-thought-out design and consistent information has created a lot of recognition for us and is a big part of our success.

5.) What are your opinions on artist marketing/print materials? Hydraulik strongly supports a DIY ethic (we have located some of our artists busking around Chicago neighborhoods), but we don’t undervalue the power of handbills, etc. Do you have any advice for emerging artists regarding their marketing efforts?

We also strongly support a DIY ethic and handbills can be great marketing tools. We believe it is helpful for artists to have their work online and in print. A simple online portfolio site is an easy resource for galleries, potential buyers, and publications to reference. You don't need to learn how to code a website or pay tons of money to a designer in order to have one, there are many resources out there that make it easy to have a clean looking site that showcases your work (we recommend Other People's Pixels and Squarespace, to name a couple). At the very least, having a Flickr, blog, or something that is easy to update is better than nothing. Also think about how your marketing materials tie into one another in content and design (i.e. put your website on your handbills).

Fill in the blank hosts some truly unique classes like Trading Card Workshops and Screen Printing courses. What can students of your classes expect when they enroll?

Because we keep our class sizes small students can expect individual attention and assistance. Our instructors are working artists and can provide students with information and resources beyond the particular medium addressed in the class. They have someone who can talk about the Chicago art scene, how the instructor sets up their own studio practice and assistance in how to help the student set up their own working space. We try and structure our classes so that when someone leaves they will be able to transfer the skills taught into their everyday space. For example, our screen printing class will show students how to build their own screens and set up an exposure unit in their home. We love to offer a variety of affordable classes and workshops, from painting and drawing to knitting, fiber classes and screen printing. Our website is the best way to see whats current and upcoming so be sure to check it often for updated classes and events.

7.) What about the Chicago art community, do you find appealing?

Chicago is a big city with a great neighborhood feel. We feel lucky to live in a community that allows access to a variety of large institutions and resources, like the MCA and the Art Institute, while also maintaining a feeling of being able to carve out your own spot. This can be seen with the huge abundance of alternative spaces, apartment galleries and artist run studios, and is something we have really embraced as an inspiration.

8.) Many of the hydraulik artists are unrepresented. What would you say the biggest mistake you see artists make, when they approach your gallery? This information will be useful to our collective if and when they consider soliciting a gallery.

This is a big one for us because we realize how hard it can be to represent yourself and get your work out there. On the other hand it is also time consuming for us to sift through submissions and decide what artists we want to give shows to. We've listed some dos and don'ts that not only make our job easier, but also make us feel more connected to an artist because we feel like they've taken the time to tailor their submission to us.

• Do find out what a gallery's submission process is and follow that process (most are listed on the gallery's website if they have one).
• Don't ask a gallery if they want to see your work. We don't know if we're interested until you show it to us!
• In general, don't walk into a gallery with your work. It puts everyone in an awkward position. Unless a gallery's submission process states otherwise, submitting via the internet is usually most convenient for the gallery.
• Do your research about a gallery before approaching them. (If you live in the same city as the gallery go to one of their openings)
• Do have business cards (and not the free ones you get from online print shops). Its good to have them on hand in case you are talking to someone who is interested in your work. If the business card has a sample of your work or reflects your work in some way, even better in helping them remember who you are.
• Don't stalk a gallery. If you don't hear back after you've submitted your work that doesn't mean you're forgotten. It usually takes months to go through submissions and even if a gallery doesn't see a good place for you at the moment it doesn't mean that you won't get a show in the future. It doesn't hurt to follow up with a card or visit to the gallery, but don't go into these situations expecting something because they probably won't be able to give you what you're looking for at that very moment. Just remember that creating a relationship with the gallery is often times more important than immediately getting a show.
• Don't add a gallery (or anyone for that matter) to your email list without them opting in.
• Don't assume you have a show because you get a response. Setting up shows is usually a big process and nothing is finalized until you've signed a contract.
• Do be confident! Be positive about your work and know how to verbalize your concept(s) behind it. Your confidence goes a long way in making a gallery confident that you have the ability to pull off a great show.

Fill In The Blank Gallery

cultivating emerging culture
5038 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625

773.878.1750
Visit The Gallery Website
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Weekdays: 4-8pm
Saturday: 12am-4pm
Sunday: CLOSED
or by appointment

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