Posted by Pierre Marcel on September 09, 2000.

In Reply to: X-Ray Room Mural  web page from Pierre Marcel, posted by Johnny Fasano

Johnny asks:
How can I get my work in the magazines that will help my career?

My advice in two words: Interior designers.
One thing I have learned in my own experience:  give all your attention to the professional interior designer. They are the ones who get publications for you (and most of all for them!).  Rarely will a magazine publish a mural work just by itself, regardless of how splendid can it be.  A Deco magazine needs a story to tell, a nice surrounding to show, glamour, furniture, light, glitz, charm....  They have a mission -- to be profitable by obtaining advertising support and catering to the rich and famous (as well as those who aspire to be).  They flatter the egos of designers rather than the egos of craftspeople. I would recommend first to keep humble, then patient.  We are on the craft side of this business, not so much the artistic one (albeit we may feel otherwise).
The interior designers must be, for you, the client, the patron of your art.  They have a business to run, with responsibilities.  They are can be capricious, i.e., they are not going to be loyal to you, as they are constantly solicited by new comers.  They love to have absolute control, same for getting a publication too.
Another surprising thing I observed:  it does not help that much to get published, unless you come up with a PILE of great, well known mags, or unless you get a cover, stories with various pictures of a work done in a very nice mansion. The potential client will be much more impressed by the setting, the surrounding glamour where you have your work, rather by the work itself. The client will worry that you might get a big ego, and that you will be difficult to work with, be expensive and so on. Most of the time, if you then get hired, they will relentlessly nag you to also get their house (and the dog too) published.  They will think that is part of your job.
Another thing:  some clients will detect your appetite for "being in magazines” and will use this to manipulate you.  They will give you the impression that they might have some leverage with a publisher, in order to get the most out of you.

You have in New York the opportunity to participate to charitable events organized by some interior designers.  For example:  a house is being decorated by a bunch of them, top to bottom, then the public pays to visit.  Everybody (and the muralists) works for free, and the proceeds go to some good cause.  The press covers this well.  It’s great apple pie stuff.  Offer your service.  Generally these happen around the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays.
Last idea (for the moment): a local deco magazine will appreciate that you be their client (i.e., you pay for advertising).  They might then be more interested to consider a feature story about you, if you have a nice one (it is not enough to have a great mural).
I think that you do have a web site, or have some stuff posted there. Why not post your URL on my Bulletin Board?
You might try to connect with mural-related web sites, and publish your work there. It will give you the feel.  However, it is clear that a mural web site is most frequently visited by other artists, and I havenever once gotten an inquiry from a potential custumer in 5 years.
To conclude, the best effect a publication has, is to give you more wings, more self confidence.  In this sense, it does help anybody’s career

 
Sincerely, and best of luck, Pierre Marcel.

Have a story to tell, and be loyal and humble with interior designers.

• Example of publications