Does anyone else get these emails from Kennedy Publishing?
Dear Julie Chapman,
As you may know from our previous emails we visited your website and are extremely impressed with your body of work. Our new Best Of Books have been a wonderful success featuring some of the most oustanding artists from around the world.Our Best of Worldwide Genre art book competitions are coming up. Figurative / Portrait, Landscape, Still Life, Animal and Abstract. We would be honored to include you in one of them.
If you decide to enter you are guaranteed a Two Page Full Color Layout of your artwork (a total of 2-4 images) along with your contact information and/or gallery Representation, plus more.
The book does require an entry form and the $55 entry fee, which allows you to submit up to 10 images. You will receive two preview proofs of your pages, a jpg followed by a full color paper proof.
…etc.
I think I once did a little poking around on the web to see if these folks were legit, and it didn’t seem like their books were carried in any ‘real’ bookstore (brick’n'mortar, Amazon, anyplace I’d like to buy a book), nor is it clear how many galleries and museums get these. They mention “470 collectors” on their mailing list, which didn’t overwhelm me (based on the number I have on my own mailing list), nor can I recall having seen this book advertised anywhere. Has anyone else seen the books?
I’d also like a little more clarity on what they mean by “our books…have been a wonderful success…”. Call my cynical, but I’ve worked as an engineer and in marketing long enough to question this sort of thing.
Or am I missing out on a cool opportunity by not sending the Kennedy folks $55 and some images? One question I had was whether there were further fees if my images were accepted to whatever book - unclear.
Whatchall think?
Entries (RSS)
June 24th, 2010 at 4:54 am
You sound a lot like me, Julie. I always approach these sort of things with my guard up… especially when they are not clear on the specifics (like additional fees). Though I’ve not recieved an email from the Kennedy people, it sounds like a big ol’ scam to me.
June 24th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
I think I’m with Jim on this one - no one is going to give you a 2 page full color spread in a book for a $55 entry fee just to circulate it to 470 some “collectors”. Consider this - a half page full color ad in the classified section of a hunting magazine will run $1200 to $1600 and reach a LOT more “collectors.” I’d love to see what “rights of distribution” that ad will get THEM! Can you say “ebay”??? ‘nuf said.
June 25th, 2010 at 1:51 am
My guess is that the “collectors” of these books are largely the friends and family of the artists in the book.
I posted a couple poems on a poetry website once and got something from the people operating the site that offered basically the same deal.
They make it sound like they are interested in your stuff but what they are really interested in is your money.
Same as it ever was.
The unfortunate thing is that the people who are most likely to fall for this ’scheme” (I hesitate to call it a ’scam” because technically, it is not. Even the people who buy the book are actually getting something for their dollar, albeit at a high price) are those who want someone to tell them their stuff is good (even if it is not).
June 27th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Kelly Singleton made the cover of the pastel art book last year. I checked them out with her and she said they are legit and were good to work with. Debra Trent made the back cover of Best of America Oil Artists, Vol. 2 L-Z. Craig Kosak is in Vol. 1 A-J.
Don’t know about distribution, but they do appear to have books that you can order from the website. The quality of the included artists looks good.
I sent in some images for the animal art competition. Still waiting to hear from them. I’ll try to remember to post here when I do. I’m considering it as a national juried show that I don’t have to send physical art to. I can list them in my resume and get a book to show people if I want. Publication = legitimacy in a lot of people’s minds.
John Banovich told us at a workshop, when asked about entering juried competitions and picking which ones to try for that he thought we should “pick shows that put out nice color catalogs that stay around forever.” So I evaluated them through this lens after checking them out.
This didn’t strike me as being that different a deal from those wildlife art books that Northlight was putting out some years ago, although I don’t know if the artists had to front any money for those.
In any case, even though there is iffy stuff out there, it makes no sense to me to dismiss something like this out of hand. We all need to be creative in out marketing these days. At least the website’s text is in correct English prose ;0).
I also liked that they only require rights for the book and the internet for the purposes of publicity. Unlike the people who publish Artist’s Magazine and Southwest Art. The fine print for their competitions states that by entering you grant them total, non-exclusive rights to your art entry FOREVER, in whatever media they chose to use the images in. And that isn’t a scam?
June 28th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Hi Julie. I was invited to participate in the Best of America Watermedia Artists. I noticed that Mort Solberg had participated in these books several times so I figured it couldn’t be too much of a scam. I too viewed it as self-promotion and a resume point and submitted my work. Like Susan said, for a lot of folks, publication = legitimacy, whether it is in books or magazines. But with your galleries and collector base, I don’t think this book will get you any more exposure than you already have.
The only additional fee I incurred was $4.00 was for a paper proof, though they said they were planning to include that in future entry fees. As far as “collectors” of these books, I agree that they are the artists and their familys and I have found no other sources for buying this book except direct from the publisher. I guess they are operating more of a “vanity press” than a book for stores and the general public.
Hope this helps! By the way, just wanted to say that I LOVE your scratchboard dogs!
June 30th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I dropped them an email today about my entries, apparently managing to garble the dates due to attempted multi-tasking. I heard back within an hour with a satisfactory response that included the correct dates for things.
July 2nd, 2010 at 10:04 am
Susan, Sandra - thank you for posting your viewpoints and experiences with these folks! Your comments were reassuring. I had to chuckle at Banovich’s comment about entering shows with “nice color catalogs”. But a nice catalog is definitely impressive to show, and there is an air of legitimacy that comes from that.
However, I have a shelf full of such catalogs…don’t need yet more, unless they have a good audience of collectors, museums, and galleries. Undecided.
Sandra, thanks for the kind comment on the scratchboard dogs! I am just enthralled with this new medium. My piece for the sketch portion of the Western Visions show will be a scratchboard.
July 3rd, 2010 at 10:57 am
Did a little sleuthing, folks about this “enterprise”. While you may get your work in their “book”, I think their main income comes from their “internet artists portal”.
Here’s a link to their online explanation:
http://www.usvisualartguide.com/pricing-for-artists/
You may also want to peruse their website and see the artists represented.
July 4th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Yes, the portal seems to be one thing they offer, among others. If that’s their main source of income, I don’t see why that would be a problem. It makes sense, actually, since “real” books are a high overhead item.
See above comments from myself and Sandra for names of artists who have or are patronizing them.
Why do you seem to feel so strongly that they are scammers? What should they be doing instead? I’ve seen no representations about any particular distribution or buyer demographics.
This appears to be a somewhat new and growing endeavor. They seem to be offering quite a few avenues for artists to participate with them and on their site. Some kind of jurying is, I believe, entirely appropriate, as are fees high enough to weed out the less serious.
July 5th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Susan - just being cautious - remember Gervais? Once shot - twice shy! My last post was not meant to be taken as you apparently took it (perhaps I worded it wrong). Actually, I was providing a link to yet another marketing tool they offer - I don’t know if it is related to the books. I looked through the art they have published - it is quality art - and I recognized some of the artists.
“I’ve seen no representations about any particular distribution or buyer demographics.” Frankly, if they provided this, it would answer a lot of questions. So why aren’t they?
As for the artists mentioned above who have participated and those who have posted here - I checked out the “participating artists” and “featured artists” on Gervais’ website too - some very well known and respected artists. We all know how THAT turned out.
July 5th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Too true.
July 6th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
To those of you who need another marketing outlet, may I suggest you add your art to Southwest Art Magazine’s online artist portal, or Western Art and Architecture’s online artist portal or Wildlife Art Journal’s Gallery of the Commons - all FREE.
July 31st, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Hi All,
I have just received an invitation for “The Best Of Worldwide Portrait & Figurative Artists Volume I Book”, with the similar text as posted above. They named few titles of my paintings from my website, and are asking for $50 fee. I google them and this blog came up. It looks as that they have found my name and my web info from http://www.figurativeartist.org/. I’m guessing that all of the artists here received this invitation. I’m an emerging artist from US, the invitation is tempting, but the books are not offered in any legitimate book store,
so …..no for me, I’m not participating.
September 1st, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Well here’s my experience so far…
I was ‘chosen’ to be included in the Watermedia Vol 2 book and was told a proof would coming my direction in Nov 2009. After I contacted them several times, I finally got a proof around January/February 2010. Since then, I have been given 4 different ship dates for the actual printed book. The last one being at the end of July 2010. Last night I have a phone message saying I have been chosen for the back cover and to please call. I haven’t. Today I get an e-mail stating the book can now be previewed online, but clicking on the links only results in a PAGE NOT FOUND message.
While all this has been going on, my art dept. (I work as a graphic designer) has produced four catalogs with more than 1,000 page each, 4 small catalogs and P.O.P., ads, package design and so on…if I missed a deadline as badly as this publishing company has, I’d be out of a job…and I e-mailed them and told them so.
Is feeling like a scam…
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:15 am
Hi Julie,
I’ve had the same experience as Rebecca. I was contacted on the 29th of July 2009 to participate in the Best of Mixed Media and one year later there is still no book! Fortunately it only cost me $40. Today, I recieved an email that the book can be previewed online but the link results in a PAGE NOT FOUND MESSAGE. I’ve also had an email asking me how many copies of the book I wish to purchase but I’m worried about spending more money on a book that may never be published.
Debbie
September 10th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Thanks for those comments, Rebecca and Debbie. They may have started out well, but it’s possible they were hit by the recession and are barely afloat now. Based on your comments I will not deal with them.
November 8th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
I got caught with such a thing about poetry once. Did a bit of research but obviously not enough. It turned out in the end that they had a book of poems and when you paid the fee they put a page in, the first when you opened the book, of your poem. From online reports since lots of people got theirs in the same position too, the first page. People need to get a life and stop tricking money out of others. Its a miserable way to spend your day…being rotten and tricking others, but what goes round comes round.
I am much more careful nowadays.
I entered a photography competition a couple of years back too and now they keep on sending me messages telling me they are going to publish the photo in this or that publication and that I can buy a copy for this amount. I have duly warned them they dont have the right to publish.
It’s a mean world out there.
Best of luck my friend.
December 10th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
I think Kennedy Publishing are Ok. I am a watercolor artist and my work is featured in Best of America Watermedia II. It all depends on what you want. I am also a literary agent in book publishing in New York (as my living) and I know a scam when I see one. These guys aren’t scamming. Believe me, their entry fee hardly pays the bills. It would not be a smart scam if this was what it was all about. I think their intentions are pure. Do they want to make money? Sure. But they are not making a ton of money here, trust me. They’re nice people when you talk to them. The economy sucks…so I am sure it is a struggle. 50 bucks for a full color two page spread is pretty good. I have also seen them turn people down. They go for diversity which some of the other publishers do not do enough of. My work is also going to be featured in a Worldwide Landscape book of theirs. Think of it this way: They have people searching websites for work. Then they have designers who work really hard on these books and they look pretty handsome. I wouldn’t overthink this one. I am proud to be in that watermedia book and, no, I am not on on their payroll. I don’t see the big rip off here.
December 17th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Hello:
There is only good to be found working with them.
I have read thru the comments about Kennedy Publishing and I find them to be honest, hard working people running an art-related business…and I might also add…one that cares about its artists. One of the people running the business is also a very excellent artist, Renee Kennedy. I have always found that I can usually trust a fellow artist/peer.
They do search out and jury artists works, so it would be and is an honor to be included in one of their books. The fee is so low and you get much back.
I was in the “Best of America - Pastel Artists” book last year and it was a very professional & impressive looking book. When my clients saw the book, they wanted them and were willing to pay to have one. They felt the cost was fair.
My work will now be included also in one of their their latest books coming out, “Best of Worldwide -Landscape Artists.” As a matter of fact, just this week, they sent me a review of the soon to be released book.
They are kind caring people.
December 19th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Sandy, I will be in the Best of Worldwide - Landscape Artists” book too. Anyway, I am a member of the Brooklyn Watercolor Society and they only asked a few to submit work. Three, to be exact…out of a group of 45 or so. Anyway, if you are invited…go for it folks.
January 7th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
I happened to stumble upon this. Thought I’d chime in. I am a collector and have been buying the Best Of books from Kennedy Publishing since their first book - the Best of Virginia, 2005. The content was wonderful, the quality was good not great and it was smaller than I hoped. I’ve continued buying their books and everything about what they are doing has improved. I have all of their books from this year - the Worldwide Charcoal, Pastel and Pencil, American Glass and Worldwide Watermedia books are exceptional. Many of them sit on my coffee table in my library.
I have been introduced to wonderful artists that I would not have known about — Gulay Berryman, Ron Powell, Pat Averill, Helena Hugo, Lyn Diefenbach - Yuroz - he’s been invited to paint the image of a Saint Canonized by the Pope and so many others — that is one of the major reasons I love their books. I’m in Barnes and Noble & Books A Million all the time - the art section is shrinking and unless the artists are dead I can’t recall seeing a book that had a lot of outstanding living artists in one book.
I’m not an artist - so I can’t comment on what it takes for artists to get their works noticed and bought, but the quality of the books and quality of the artists featured in them is quite wonderful — Oh by the way why not read what the artists featured in them have to say — http://www.bestofartists.com/artists-quotes/
I’m just one voice but when you have a company that is trying to promote day to day artists shouldn’t that be something that we support and celebrate? Of course they’re trying to make money — aren’t we all? Their books are a tad expensive but they print in the US and present outstanding artists who I would rarely see in books.
Sorry for the rant -
February 1st, 2011 at 12:21 pm
I get dozens of these”great offers and opportunities” Some are in foreign languages offering the “chance” for my work to be seen in their country.
Some might be real but how do you decide without a lot of legwork. I figure if they got my name off my website and like the work that much I am worth a phone call!! it seems that the money is the important thing to them.
I just press delete and block sender.
February 6th, 2011 at 8:56 pm
Dianne — I get a lot of offers too - I have to laugh - if you got a phone call - wouldn’t you just pass it off as a telemarketer? I get tons of those too. If you’re tying to promote your work it is ALWAYS legwork. Nothing is free.
I checked out best of artists - they’re books - the artists in them - I’d like a phone call/email from them. Quite nice. Life is an adventure - check out every opportunity. You never know.
April 11th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
It seems to be difficult to get an answer about the publication of this book or not. What is the answer?
May 17th, 2011 at 1:40 am
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July 13th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
I was included in the scultpture volume I. In January, they emailed me of the link to order the books. After I paid, they told me that the books haven’t been printed until April. And now they don’t return my emails and my phone calls. It’s a scam!
July 14th, 2011 at 10:35 am
These folks will not return emails and phone calls. They were supposed to send me a book I paid for in November 2010 and promised it by early May/June 2011. No book!
August 15th, 2011 at 12:25 pm
I was recruited by them 3 days ago for their Mixed Media book, sent them some questions and have heard nothing back. Two of the links in the query they sent me are dead and their phone number is a “not in service” recording. I think we’ve been scammed!! But why are Blick’s and Jerry’s logos all over their stuff? Confusing.
August 15th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
I just got through to them and actually they sound totally legit. We’ll see.
August 18th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
I’ve been in two of their Best of Glass books: Best of California, and Best of US. with a tied for 2nd place in one of them. I didn’t have any problems with them. They answered all e-mails. I received proofs. They were always responsive. They were a little late on some things. Recently I received an invitation for the Best of Glass World-Wide. I was looking at reviews to see how things stand. A lot of organizations, galleries, co-ops, etc. are having trouble now in this economy. I’m considering doing it, but haven’t decided for sure. I know we all get a lot of promotional e-mails that require payment. Sometimes it’s hard to determine what is worthwhile. Basically, I think their hearts are in the right place.
August 20th, 2011 at 9:40 pm
I’ve been painting for 7 years - in my 20’s - had a few shows - exhibited a little. Submitted my work as an open call in Oil. I wasn’t accepted but a man by the name of Henry Joseph spent almost half an hour talking to me about my work - life. I was dissapointed that I wasn’t included but here was someone willing to talk to me about my work. I thought that was cool. I submitted to artists magazine and I got nothing. So it’s hard to tell.
August 21st, 2011 at 3:37 pm
My work has been selected for several of their books. All but two have come sucessfully and the others will come in due time. Sure, they are a bit slow to respond to emails but I think they are a “mum & dad” operation running on a shoestring. With a family run business, deadlines do tend to slip a little bit, but they are good people. Kennedy himself has rung me a couple of times to sort out small problems. To ring Australia you have to ring near midnight so as to get us in the daytime. Each time he’s done that. Is that service or what! Its no scam.
September 4th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
They are not a scam per se, but the books are only good for gifts to friends and family of the artist. I have been in several “Best of Pastel editions and have chatted amiably with James on the telephone. However, they contacted me to appear in their collectors edition online and asked for $169 from 13 artists. I was scheduled for February and it never happened. I asked them why and they said I was scheduled for May. Nothing has happened yet. More money into the cyberspace of art parasitism. Go for it if you like to see your work printed onglossy paper, but don’t expect it to bring sales.
September 28th, 2011 at 10:55 pm
scam or not, I don’t see anyone saying this helped get a sale or a gallery show. promo is hard enough without these posers feeding off your means.
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