How to Use This Blog
Published: April 1, 2023 Updated: January 9, 2024
Quite often, actually very often, I have Prince William Art Society (PWAS) Members ask about various PWAS topics as well as GoWell questions. If you are old enough to remember the Ragu Spaghetti Sauce commercials, when questions come up, I say, "It's in there". Granted, I cannot always answer every question, but I'm usually saying, "It's on the blog."
What is a blog?
A blog is an online journal displaying information in reverse chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first, at the top. The platform can have an individual writer or a group of writers / authors, that share their views, on a subject. The content may be written in a more informal style.
What is the difference between the PWAS website and the PWAS blog?
The PWAS Artistry Spin Blog is regularly updated several times a week if not more often, with new content (articles, images, news, thoughts, interviews, art receptions, the latest art show, the upcoming art show, and so much more). Websites are often more static, more formal, are organized to specific web pages for the viewer to find more or specific info about the Prince William Art Society.
I regularly send an email out to our artist members asking a question that the PWAS members have the choice to answer or not. Their responses help to build a blog post for a time frame based on that question. Because, a blog is ALL about fresh content, as often as possible. A popular blog question I ask the PWAS members is "What's On Your Easel?" - or what the artist is currently working on. These make often viewed content.
Then I add that post to Facebook, Twitter, often to Pinterest and Instagram, and our social media members including Nicole Fisher post them too.
PWAS Artistry Spin Blog, aka "The Spin"
Let me give you a bit on me as my
memory of all things PWAS only goes back to when I joined in March 2021. I began this blog in August of 2021 and my very first
blog post was on the History of Prince William Art Society with an
original PWAS member, Jewel Pratt Burns from when the art group began in 1971.
The Blog Posts are self-contained, individual "articles" and each one can be about anything art, PWAS, our art shows, things going on locally, and our artists. Blog posts can be very short (bloglet) or if there are a lot of images - you'll be scrolling awhile.
The Blog Pages show in the top navigation and are more static. Often, the blog pages area is a consolidation of previous blog posts links going to similar posts on that topic, including the Reference posts. For example, the Volunteering page is a combination of several posts on Volunteering because it is a special subject with art groups.
As of this publishing of this page, there are currently over 300 posts. I number them. It might not be easy to find blog posts as they are buried down in the blog archives - but there are ways to look for and find them. Read on my Blaudience...
Top Navigation Pages
The top navigation on the blog are the pages created that are important topics for PWAS members and other artists.
1. Home - the starting point of the blog with the most recent post always first.
2. PWAS Membership - find out the ins-outs of joining the Prince William Art Society, or go to the website to download the Membership brochure to mail in.
3. Display - how to display/present your art so that it can be hung in an art show, gallery, etc. ALL PWAS members need to be familiar with this page. Actually this is important for any artist.
4. Call for Art - what is a Call for Art and what you need to do when you get a Call for Art that you want to participate in. Important links are included here about the jurying, photographing the art and much more.
5. Local Art Shows - a list of art shows, links, deadline dates in VA, MD and DC. If someone learns of something not on this list, send me the necessary info so I can add it. The plan is to build this list out yearly for our artists. Take note of shows with an * - they have their own calendar list of upcoming shows. I recommend to check this page often.
6. Lessons - Lessons Learned at Indoor and Outdoor Art Shows was built to help all the artists learn what to do and not do, especially in group art shows where so many people may be all working out of the same tent or space.
7. Pricing - Pricing your art is about the most controversial of art topics out there. This may help to get you started.
8. Commissions - Another controversial art topic and previous posts related to this topic.
9. Art Need to Know (NTK) - an ongoing outline of the huge list of things an artist needs to learn about in the "business" of art. I link the corresponding blog post as I get one.
10. Blog Gallery - If a PWAS member has a special blog post, Spotlight Artist or Interview about him or her and their art, they are listed here.
11. Volunteering - a big topic with art groups, including the benefits and to-dos.
12. Art Reception - a suggestion/idea list when an art reception is being planned.
13. How to Art Show - a suggestion/idea list when getting ready for an art show, a checklist.
14. NOVA Art - an ongoing list of Northern Virginia art groups, art studios and galleries.
15. How to Use - How to Use This Blog, what it is, how to navigate it, search and find, and more. Realize that your phone view and your laptop, tablet or PC view could be much different.
16. Comments - How to make a blog comment and the blog guidelines are found here.
17. Schedule - tentative...the blog is about information about PWAS, PWAS members and ART; art shows, art galleries and interesting things about ART. Your help is always needed - contact your Blog Admin if you are a writer, have photos of one of our events, have good info to add. (Realize that the Blog Admin cannot write-it-ALL! Data has to come from the members too.)
18. ART - If a series of art methods, rules, or other topics are on the blog, they may be listed here.
19. GoWell Urgent Care at Stonebridge and also in Warrenton
20. FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions about hot PWAS and GoWell topics.
Blog Post Layout
Body of the Post - whatever that post is about that the blog writer wants to report, show, share or update you about.
Comments - the livelihood of being online and having a blog is sharing it and commenting on the posts. Sure, we get a lot of members that post anonymously but there are ways to post your name and your URL, especially if you have a Gmail account. Comments ARE monitored so you will not see them until the ADMIN approves them to prevent being spammed.
Sharing Links - Sharing blog posts on your Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or even on your own website HELPS the blog grow by helping to promote that post. Search engines like Google want to see how popular posts are.
DO USE Tags when sharing on your social media highlighting your art topics like:
#PWAS #PrinceWilliamArtSociety #art #artinWoodbridgeVA #artinPWC #artgallery #artgalleryPWC #Virginiaartgallery #princewilliamcountyartists #groupartexhibit #originalart #artforsale #supportlocalart #buylocal #supportthearts #artreception #PWCArt #artgroup #artshow #artgroupshow 🖼🖌🎨📷
Most importantly, Sharing blog posts feeds the "if you build it they will come" (Field of Dreams reference).
Right-Side Navigation
Search This Blog
Located on the very top Right-Side Navigation, the very important "Search". There are actually many ways to find past blog posts, as we will see in the aforementioned Right-Side Navigation (found below), but you can start with a simple search. Use a keyword term or phrase to try to narrow down your search results.
If you use your mobile phone for all-things PWAS, you may have an option to switch your view, so I suspect some folks may not know what all is in the right-side navigation, if they are only viewing the posts.
There are images and maps of interest on where to find the gallery, where our meetings are and some of our art shows. Also found are:
PWAS Logo
Our Followers
If you click "Follow" you can be listed there. Especially good if you have a Gmail account. I would LOVE to see more followers (hint, hint).
PWAS Art Shop - GoWell Locations
The link to our PWAS Art Shop is at https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/category/all-products and features the PWAS member art that is on display and FOR SALE at two GoWell Urgent Care locations - at Stonebridge and in Warrenton.
Subscribe to PWAS Artistry Spin
Contact Us - Artistry Spin Blog Admin
pwas.art1 AT gmail DOT com
This email is not an all-inclusive PWAS contact email. It is how to contact the Blog ADMIN only (me), so emails should be exclusive to blog inquiries, requests, etc.. If you need to contact PWAS about an issue, the suggestion would be to go to the PWAS website at https://princewilliamartsociety.com or on the PWAS Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/princewilliamartsociety. On the PWAS website are the emails to contact the Board and or particular persons. See https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/board
Featured Post
The Blog Admin's current selected Featured Blog Post.
NOTE: Officially as of October 1, 2023, the Prince William Art Society will no longer manage the gallery at Open Space Arts at Stonebridge. The gallery will be managed by a new group and all enquiries, questions or remarks should be directed toward that group.
PWAS Upcoming Events, Art Shows, Exhibits, Art Calls and More
Upcoming PWAS art shows and events. As soon as the Blog Admin gets the info from the PWAS Board or appropriate committee member or an update, the list will reflect that change. TBD may indicate that the dates are not official as yet and/or Pending showing that it is a tentative show depending on participation.
PWAS Meetings
The monthly meeting dates.
Artistry Spin Blog Archive
Did you semi-remember a post you read once and want to dig for it? Click by Year or Month to find it.
PWAS Logo Image
If you have a website, you can add this image to your site with a link to the PWAS site! Link to https://princewilliamartsociety.com and link to this blog too!
To Join PWAS
How to join the Prince William Art Society! The link to join online via a credit card is sooo easy! Just go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership and click on the green Join PWAS button.
Artistry Spin Labels, Tags, Keywords (click to find topics)
This
is a fun feature on the blog. The more often used tags or keywords, the
more intensity to that tag. They are listed alphabetically and the more
the tag is used, the larger it shows. Click on one of the Keywords and
it will give you the Blog Posts that were labeled with that tag.
GoWell Urgent Care Links
Maps, Addresses and Images
All-Time Most Popular Posts on Spin
These are the current most popular posts (the most viewed) on the Spin.
PWAS is Social
See the PWAS Social Links
Also See
Other local art groups, art neighbors
PWAS Member Shared Links
A list of PWAS members that sent the Blog Admin their website link.
Blogs to Follow: Most Recent Update
Every once in awhile, I have someone send me an interesting blog post from elsewhere. And as it happens, occasionally the link is from one of these popular art blogs.
Bottom Navigation
Popular Posts in the Last 7 Days - self explanatory
We have the blog set to show from the Home page, the last 6-7 posts, but that depends on how large the posts are. On the last blog post on the page, you can click to older posts.
Other Writers
The Artistry Spin Blog Admin very much appreciates PWAS Member(s) that help write interesting content articles for our blog. We have to remember that the blog IS on the internet, thus available for anyone to read so we don't give away any top secret treasure maps of course.
If you send images to the Blog Admin, send some content about what you want posted. It is not up to the Blog Admin to write all the data nor does the Admin know what you are trying to say about those images or who, what, when - they are.
Reference Posts:
Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA and Artistry Spin Blog Admin, specializing in acrylic
painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects.
Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, her Donna's Etsy site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.
Wow! Exhaustive exploration and explanation of the blog features and content! It's impressive how much time and energy go into making this blog such an information rich resource.
ReplyDeleteAnything worth doing definitely takes time and energy, much like artwork, right?! Many of my posts have a LOT of info in them - I cannot apologize for it as I don't like leaving out anything that might be important...just being me.
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