If you're reading this, there's a good chance you already have or are interested in creating a lens for your art. If that's the case, we invite you to join us here: EBSQ Artists @ Squidoo

Why join EBSQ?

EBSQ Self-Representing Artists is not your typical artists' website. We're passionate about empowering artists, and we hope it shows! To that end, we've combined an online arts community atmosphere with easy-to-use tools that we've developed in-house to give our artists the edge via DIY Marketing. Members can have an online presence within minutes of joining, and have access to resources that come from being part of a community of our size. We think you'll enjoy the difference!

Included as part of your membership:

Your own url: http://yourname.ebsqart.com (which fits nicely on your promotional materials)

Artist Portfolio: Your own portfolio, which is customizable by you. You can include your artist statement, curriculum vitae, commission information, and currently an unlimited number of pieces of artwork. Also, any pieces entered into EBSQ shows are automatically archived as part of your portfolio, showing off your exhibition history within the group, and any awards you may have won.

Also included is image hosting for up to 20 art-related images that you don't necessarily want to include in your portfolio, such as works in progress, logos, etc.

Link where you sell: Have a shop on eBay? Want to make prints available at Imagekind? Do you publicize your art through your personal blog or website? (if not, you should!) EBSQ gives you the tools to make DIY marketing easy; just fill in the blanks to point viewers to your other spaces online.

Unique promotion: Art found in individual member portfolios is in constant rotation on the top corner of every page of the site, and clickable to your portfolio. Additionally, we've developed a very popular Art Concentration Game where your work appears randomly, and is clickable to your portfolio, giving site visitors ongoing access to you and your work. Members can also participate in online shows, in one if our EBSQ galleries, as well as contribute to our monthly online Zine. Your work can be sent as an e-card (great for self-promotion, btw!), or even end up as Art of the Day.

Community: EBSQ's private online community includes special topics on media, online classes, marketing tips, and general discussions on the special issues that confront the self-representing artist. EBSQ also has its own chatroom, and hosts monthly forums on educational topics. (read more)

EBSQ (ee-bee-es-CUE) is derived from the name e-Basquiat and has its roots in early online tagging (like, waaay back when tags were still called "keywords")

The name has two-fold meaning. The early members of the group fancied Basquiat's work (and the innovator of the term actually worked for Basquiat at one point!). They saw themselves (rightly) as rebels outside of the gallery system, taking their art career into their own hands literally and figuratively.

And then there's this little thing that EBSQ'ers have been doing for the past 7 years. Just as Basquiat left the tag "SAMO" all over creation with his art, we leave "EBSQ" wherever we put our art online and off, leaving a trail back to our site and other like-minded souls. (and if you're already an EBSQ artist, we invite you to tag your own lens with EBSQ!)

LIVE! is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC; we encourage all who are interested to attend. Look for us at 9pm Eastern in the EBSQ Chat room on the second Monday of every month.