Behind the scenes: The making of a virtual art reception

By Kim McDarison

The Whitewater Arts Alliance is producing a virtual art reception to complement its online and in-gallery “members” art show. The members show, featuring the work of 19 local artists, will be on display until Dec. 19. 

This is the second time the alliance has created a virtual reception for the annual members show, Whitewater Arts Alliance Gallery Manager Nicole Holder said, adding that the first was created last year as a safety response to COVID-19.  

The alliance, like many organizations working within an ongoing COVID landscape, has embraced a hybrid model for its exhibits, offering both an online and in-person approach to viewing art, Holder said, and while the show can be viewed in-person in the gallery, a virtual reception continues to provide a value for the alliance, its member artists, and the broader participating public. 

A new landscape

According to Holder, before COVID-19 protocols were put in place, an art show reception traditionally offered an opportunity for the public to meet and talk with participating artists. In the case of the annual members show, artists were on hand to greet event-goers and share their artistic concepts. The members show reception was also a good place to introduce aspiring artists to the local art community, give area artists an opportunity to network with each other, and grow the alliance’s membership. 

Last year, with COVID-19 safety protocols in place, the alliance was exploring ways to retain the traditional benefits of the art reception, without exacerbating any uncertainties which might have been brought about by gathering artists together in close proximities, Holder said.   

In response to those challenges, she added, the concept of the virtual reception was developed. 

This year, as the alliance continues to embrace COVID safety protocols through online opportunities, the virtual reception remains a good alternative and also has become a beneficial tool to make art more accessible to a broader viewing public, Holder said. 

Benefits of virtual 

“One of the benefits of a virtual show is that traffic on our website is pretty consistent, where in-person attendance is not,” Holder noted.  

She described a “snow bird” aspect to the alliance’s membership and those that frequent public art events in the area. As artists and patrons of the arts seek warmer climates for the winter, fewer visitors arrive in person to shows and receptions.  

“So the website brings a more reliable viewership for our shows,” Holder said, adding, “it also gives alternatives for people who are still uncomfortable with in-person events.”

Additionally, Holder said, the City of Whitewater has offered the alliance feedback, expressing gratitude that the organization has continued through use of alternative approaches to keep art accessible to the community.

“They were glad we were doing the virtual event this year. They appreciated that we were still putting in the effort to pull in artists to our community and that, even with COVID, we did not give up and shut down,” Holder said, adding that it was important to the Whitewater Art Alliance board, membership, and city officials that an avenue was provided to promote art, support local artists and draw visiting artists and art enthusiasts to the community. 

In-person events continue to draw visitors, Holder said. This year, the Whitewater Arts Alliance gallery has been visited by viewers from Whitewater, Fort Atkinson, Elkhorn, Lake Mills, De Pere, Reedsville, and even Atlanta, Ga., and Mexico.  

Patterns and Participation

During the pandemic, some patterns in gallery in-person attendance continued: throughout the summer months, shows drew crowds, Holder said, adding that summer events brought the most event-goers seen by the alliance since the onset of the pandemic, but, she admitted, the number of those participating in events was still lower than what might have been anticipated in previous years. 

Still, she said, she and the alliance members have been happy to receive the visitors that have come, with many member artists noting that event participation was better than they expected in a COVID year. 

Looking at online statistics, Holder said, over the last year, online shows have received about 300 views per show. Those numbers have remained consistent from show to show. 

The gallery runs shows regularly, with each online event viewable for a month. 

Another benefit is that an online show is easier for volunteers to set up. 

“It’s easier to click and drag than it is to set up, hang, level and label each piece,” she said. 

While the presentations are easier to assemble, she noted, when comparing a virtual show to one held in person, some elements are lost. 

“One concern is that online, a viewer cannot tell how big the piece actually is. That’s a huge part of the statement of the piece and it affects the feeling of the art as it affects you as a viewer,” Holder said. 

Curation is also affected, she said, adding, in person, the art speaks for itself, but on a webpage, the composition is uniform. 

“Each piece is presented in a square image box so that the overall layout on the page works well, but a lot of pieces don’t look the best when viewed as a square,” she said. 

This year, Holder said, the alliance had two shows that were held virtually without an in-person option. They were the Whitewater Unified School District’s student art show which was held in April and a show introducing Holder as gallery manager, along with her artwork, which was held in January.

Additionally, since the development of the virtual option, some artists have opted to participate virtually only, she said.  

“Some people are in poor health or are concerned about going into indoor spaces. Some artists have not been keeping up with what would have been a regular show schedule for them so they have pieces that are not printed and ready for an in-person exhibit, but they still can be placed online,” she said.  

More recently, Holder added, alliance members and show participants have expressed a renewed sense of concern about rising COVID case numbers. 

Further, Holder said, she sees continued benefits of virtual formats beyond their use as COVID precautions because artists who might have difficulty participating, like the disabled population or the elderly, or those in poor health, can more easily interact virtually. 

For those reasons, she anticipates that virtual options will continue to have a place at the gallery even after the pandemic, she said.

Featured pieces and artists

The members show that is currently installed in the gallery and which will be featured in the virtual reception has 56 pieces in the gallery and 60 pieces displayed online. 

Holder described the format of the online reception as being more like a tour, with Holder offering her perceptions about the art. 

“I’m like a representative for the public as they view the art,” she said. She anticipates the full online reception video to run about 20 to 25 minutes. 

“The virtual reception is more of a highlight of what is in the gallery. I picked one piece from each artist featured in the show. Work produced by 19 artists is featured virtually, 18 in the gallery. All 19 will be featured in the virtual reception,” Holder added. 

Plans call for the reception to be made available for viewing on the alliance’s website this month. 

Artists whose work will be discussed as part of the virtual reception include: Mary Abbott, Karolyn Alexander, Nik S. Chaphalkar, Craig Ede, M. Virginia Epps, Marilyn Fuerstenberg, Mary Anne Gerlach, Kathy Gibbs, Michael Havice, Dawn Hunter, John D. Koebler, Sylvia Linton, Everett Long, Ken Marsden, Jeff McDonald, Rick Santovec, Roy C. Schmidt, Terry Tutton and Amy Weh. 

For more information about the Whitewater Art Alliance and its programming, visit: www.whitewaterarts.org.