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Originally Posted by Unregistered
This web site is confusing and not visually centered. It seems like it was designed by a mechanical engineer and not anyone involved in the visual arts. May I suggest that you research other more friendly web sites.
Also, the concept that this is a web site for "professional" portrait painters is misleading. What does professional mean? If it truly means someone to earns a true living through professional portrait painting, you definitely don't need a website. All three hundred professional portrait painters, if that many, could correspond by email.
May I suggest that you open up your website to portrait painters - in general and not just "professionals" and do away with the idea of having a jury select members. Come on, that is a bit haughty. Further, submitting art work to a juror is demeaning. I have entered art shows and received awards for paintings that did not make it in other art shows. Judging art is not objective even though art teachers and art jurors like to think it is. It is an individual's subjective cogent based upon so many factors that no two people can agree. And thank goodness. That is what art is all about an individual experience. Of course there is trashy art, but even that requires a second or third look, as hard as it may be to do.
Thanks for allowing a forum for gathering information about yourselves.
I guess they may be thousands of artists out there who would not be allowed membership or if they are, what difference does it mean to have a juried entrance requirement.
Since your goal is to be a commercial success (or why the ads?), I think you need to redefine your membership requirements.
Thanks for asking for opinions as to why your membership does not increase.
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It seems you've made the mistake of thinking that the Forum is the web site. It is not. It is simply a contribution to those who want to be involved and is not a money making venture. Ads are there to help offset the costs of hosting, the annual license for the Forum software, the spellchecker and costs to pay someone when the software is upgaded. For some reason, people seem to think there are no costs involved in running this type of thing.
The Forum was always meant to reflect the main site, which is about professional portrait painters. Some seem to think my Forum should be all things to all people. I have no such obligation. Nor do I beg for or crave more membership. I just was curious as to why many lurked and did not join, that's all.
The jury process is there to keep the learning content at a level that would be useful for professionals or those who are well along on that path.
I beg to differ that a professional does not need a web site - or perhaps I should say would benefit from a web site. If nothing else, it saves their valuable time because they can refer people to their site instead of having to do a mailing.
But, perhaps you should ask Michele Rushworth about her web site - which brought her a portrait commission of the governor of her state and from that she moved on to paint the governor of Nevada. And, those artists that I've contacted regarding other possible commissions, I think would differ with your view.
As far as the Forum being confusing and not visually centered, I have no clue what you mean. I have gotten no one else complaining about such issues.
You are missing the sense of community that is created by a Forum such as this and it's obvious this is not for you.