IS: I think that critics--the role they play, the training they have--are one of the more mysterious aspects of the art world for emerging artists. Could you tell me a bit about how you came to write art criticism?

DH: I began writing about art because I was interested in the gap between what we see and what we say. Also I wanted to write about things in the world that stayed in the world after I had written about them, so whatever I wrote would remain in a live relationship with its subject. If you write about a concert or a play or a public event, that event is gone and nothing remains but the writing. Works of art, however, survive as an ongoing critique of the critique you have written. I like that.

What is the role of the art critic within the art world? How much of an effect do you think critics have on what is being produced and sold, and is this positive or negative?

ABOUT:  Sponsored by local arts organizations, museums, libraries, and public art agencies.  Curated and made available to the public, curators, collectors, critics and historians for exhibition opportunities, articles, and research.

EXPECTATIONS: Some slide libraries are curated, or open only to members.  Others are open to anyone who submits.  Registries will also collect other information such as résumés, catalogs, exhibition announcements, laser prints etc. in a file folder to be viewed upon request.

PROS:  Another opportunity to get your work seen.  Some registries have an online database that can be accessed worldwide.  A good registry will ask for periodic updates.

A slide registry is a place where you send your slides-neatly labeled and photographed, of course-and then curators come and look at them and then you get a commission or sell your work or are asked to produce a work for your region's City Hall. At least, that's how it works in an ideal world. You should seriously consider sending your slides to a few good slide registries, however, not all slide registries are equal. How do you distinguish among the hundreds of slide registries out there?

Ultimately, the most daunting thing about seeking out organizations is the fact that there’s no predefined path to follow. It’s important to go with your gut and let the work you create reverberate with people. A lot of that is self-promotion but a good amount is simply will. It’s important to listen to what your work is saying not only to yourself, but to other people as well. When people identify with pieces strongly, its clear that you’ve made some sort of connection with them. That connection can replicate itself if you let yourself be open to the resources at your disposal. I think the Internet is the single most important backbone of connecting the artist to his or her own kind.