Etching Requests Find a Home
As we continue to improve ETChster and make it even easier to help people find out about interesting objects, we've received great feedback that the Etching Request tool is very easy to use, but...
Getting responses to Etching Requests is harder AND there are so many great artists who are not getting credit for their work.
With that in mind, all open Etching requests now have a home that's open to the public (you don't have to have an ETChster account) to access them.
If you come across something great like a mural, statue, hieroglyphics, or other public art just snap a picture and add the address if available. If not, the city and country will help clue in experts to respond or even send your request over to the creator.
To create an Etching Request, simply open the app on your smartphone or computer and click the pencil icon in the footer (2nd from right).
Go ahead and submit your Etching Request, so the public can see what you're curious about. It's anonymous to make a request but you'll get notified when someone answers your request.
New Feature: Tell the Story of a Work with YouTube and Vimeo Video
New Feature: Tell an Object's Story Using YouTube or Vimeo Video
Adding video to Etchings is a great way to tell visitors more about a work.
Sometimes text and photos are just what you need to tell an object’s story. Other times, video comes in really handy or might even be the creation itself, like Nathan Sharratt’s tempory exhibit at the Zuckerman Musuem of Art, where the process was the work.
That’s why ETChster added video embed capabilities with two of internet’s largest video hosting services: YouTube and Vimeo.
If you don’t already have an account, both offer free and paid plans.
How Do I Add Video to My Etchings?
Adding video to your Etchings is easy…as in…really easy!
Follow these steps:
1. Capture the video and finish any editing needed to get it ready to show your fans.
2. Upload it to your platform of choice and be sure it’s set to public.
3. Find it’s unique page in that platform and grab its ID from the URL.
4. Head over to your Etching and open the “Edit” screen.
5. Find the input for the appropriate video platform.
6. Input the ID.
7. Save.
That’s it!
How Do I Turn This Feature On?
YouTube and Vimeo videos are included on all paid ETChster plans.
Are Videos Required?
No. Videos are not required. If you don’t set a video ID, the video player will not appear on your Etching.
Can I Change Videos?
Yes. If you decide there is a better video out there, simply edit the Etching by changing to the new video ID. Don’t forget to Save.
The GA Public Art Finder Launches, Combining Utility & Activism
Introducing the GA Public Art Finder
Combining advocacy and a free compendium of all the amazing public art and artists in Georgia.
Show your support by taking the advocacy action today.
The app is 100% free. Artists, curators and collectors can include up to 100 pieces for free. No payment information collected.
What’s this all about?
If you are in Georgia (ETChster’s home), you may have seen the buzz around the internet about the GA Public Art Finder, an app for finding public art in your surroundings and learning more about each piece and its creator.
The project is a collaboration between ArtsGeorgia, an advocacy group, and ETChster, who provided the tools. In addition to providing a real-time map of public art in Georgia, the app will always contain an activity that the general public can complete to support the arts in Georgia.
The current activity is emailing Governor Kemp to request an increase in the state arts budget, which historically hovers among the lowest in the country, sometimes ranking the state as low as 49th overall.
The hashtag for this initiative is #gapublicartfinder
Likes, shares, & mentions are greatly appreciated! The logo and infographic are free to use.
Who can include work in the app?
The app is available to all artists, collectors and curators for the inclusion of public work. Work may be on display in any public location including murals, parks, galleries, museums, coffee shops, restaurants and more. Arts-oriented entities may also wish to include their building/facility.
To include artwork, simply follow these steps:
- Create a free account at app.etchster.com (or log in if you already have one).
- Fill out your profile including a name, description and photo.
- Etch each piece you want to include. Be sure to include at least one photo, a name, a description and an address or geo-coordinates. You’ll know you properly tagged the address once you save the etching.
- Once you have all of the pieces you wish to include, simply send an email to admin@etchster.com, and let us know which pieces to include. You’ll typically see them appear in the app within 24 hours.
Add Work to the GA Public Art Finder
100% free to include up 100 pieces. No payment info required.
How can I support this initiative?
- Suggest that artists in your network include their work.
- Suggest downloading the app in your newsletters and website.
- Write a blog article about the initiative or request a guest blog from ArtsGeorgia.
- Include the map in your website. It’s free and takes less than a minute to embed.
It will look like this:
If you have a suggestion for a future initiative, we would love to hear from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, use of the GA Public Art Finder logo is permitted if linked on the image or by hyperlinked text in the vicinity to this page.
You may also use the infographics related to GA’s national position for funding of the arts.
ArtsGeorgia and ETChster are very open to feedback regarding possible future initiatives in support of the arts in Georgia.
Keep in mind that initiatives will be packaged in the landing page of the iOS and Android apps, so they should be simple to explain and execute.
Please make suggestions via the main ETChster contact form.
If you are using Wordpress or similar, you’ll want to switch the page editor on the page where you want the map to live from “Visual” to “Text.”
Then paste this block:
<p align=”center”><iframe style=”border: 0px #ffffff none;” src=”https://app.etchster.com/georgia_public_art_embed” name=”myiFrame” width=”800px” height=”700px” frameborder=”1″ marginwidth=”0px” marginheight=”0px” scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”></iframe></p>
Don’t forget to save.
It’s that easy!
Adding public art to the app is simple. The steps are:
- Create an ETChster profile. The free version allows you to manage up to 100 objects and no payment info is required.
- You’ll want to sign up with an email address that can receive contact form submissions on the items you submit. Your email address will not be publicly visible.
- If you are a brand, entity, etc, consider using a logo or photo of your location as your profile photo and making your “Commercial Name” your brand name. See ETChster.com/Augusta-Arts
- Etch each object you wish to include. At a minimum, you should include:
- A photo
- A description
- An address that Google recognizes
- Submit the ETC #s of works to be included to admin (at) etchster.com
You’ll typically see your etchings appear within the app within 24 hours.
You can find these instructions within the apps. There is also a feature to invite friends to include works.
The GA Public Art Finder is free to download in both the iOS and Android app stores.
You may also embed the GA Public Art Finder in your own site for free.
You may include work that you either created or currently curate for free as well.
If you would like to sponsor the GA Public Art Finder, please use the main ETChster contact form.
If You Support This Initiative, Consider Sharing
ETChster Introduces Flexible Currency Options
A new feature went live in the ETChster platform this week that will be a big help to our users globally. In the past, all items for sale were listed in US dollars. Now users can choose their own currency.
New users will be prompted to enter the symbol for the currency they prefer to use when they create a new profile.
Existing users may edit their currency under “User Settings.” Be sure to click save.
Once you set your currency, it will appear on your public profile, shop, views of your etchings for sale and more.
If you need help finding the correct symbol, you’ll find it here and you can copy-paste the symbol from the results.
You may use any currency including Dollars, Euros, Yen, Wan, Pounds Sterling, Rupees as well as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and other crypto. If your buyer is from another country, they may ask you to let them know the price in their home currency.
Be sure to check back regularly for new feature updates and if you haven’t already filled out your 2019 feature development survey, we would love to hear from you!
Kennesaw State University Students Put Their User Interface Skills to Work
ETChster had the pleasure of working with a group of rockstar students at Kennesaw State University (outside Atlanta, Georgia) who are putting their user interface studies to work in the real world. The students are part of Shehal Shirke’s TCOM 2010 class and were kind enough to lend their skills to the ETChster team.
The students were tasked with designing a series of tests related to the various core features of ETChster: creating a user profile, adding unique items to the database, requesting stories, transferring ownership of an item to someone else and other tasks.
Their goal was to use statistical evidence to identify areas of the platform that could be more intuitive and to make recommendations on updates to improve the user experience, and more specifically with a view to visual design that can be understood cross-culturally.
The results were fantastic. The students set up detailed test programs and ran their experiments with fantastic documentation. As their final presentation, they created a report with screenshots and detailed recommendations. Their recommendations have already been implemented and well-received by ETChster’s global community.
Thanks so much, KSU! Neil Patel, Chris Valentin, Oscar Velasco, and Austin Hester.
Thanks to Nicholas Kratz of Tulane University as well!
Thinking About Creating a Non-Profit? Some Tips for Success
We sat down with Nina Jean Elsas, Curator of The Patch Works Art & History Center, to gather some tips on creating a non-profit. Enjoy!
1. What inspired you to apply to be a non-profit?
The reason we wanted to start a nonprofit is because we wanted people to think about the past and excite them in learning about the rich history in which we live, specifically in our community of Cabbagetown, Atlanta. We want to create a flagship and a movement across Atlanta where communities can open their very own art and history center to preserve their past and share their stories to new and existing audiences. Our mission fits best into charitable support, educational, and a community building tier rather then a for-profit tier, like retailing or selling.
2. From idea to being legally established, how long did it take?
We were legally established in 2016 by the State of GA, but applying for our 501(c)3 took a couple of years because we had issues with sustaining our board and other personal hurdles. Obtaining our 501(c)3 was rather quick once we applied, about a month.
3. What do you wish you had done differently in the process?
We did do some things backwards. We started our business before creating our board, writing and submitting our Bylaws, and applying for our state EIN and Federal tax ID. We would suggest establishing a solid board first and submitting the necessary paperwork. While all of that is in the process, find the space in which to open the nonprofit. For our situation, we felt that if we didn’t open as soon as possible, our mission would not have worked. We had to get in front of the gentrification wave since our goal is to preserve, sustain, and maintain the historical relevance of our community. We also had the rare opportunity of finding a space for our organization that we could not refuse.
4. What were a couple things you learned that you didn’t expect during the process?
We learned that boards fall apart. It is really important to find people that will support the mission, share the same type of values, be creative, and market the cause. The board needs to be as active as the nonprofit. We also learned that there are great people out there who are willing to help. For us these people were neighbors, relatives, and business partners – someone always knows someone else who can be a resource. You will be surprised that once you start actively introducing yourself, attending neighborhood meetings and functions, going to meet-ups, etc, that you are already marketing and branding yourself. People will hear your company’s name over and over again. Never stop talking, never go silent.
5. For someone else looking to create a non-profit entity, what resources would you recommend?
RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH. The bones of creating a nonprofit are the same, but your mission may differ. So research different Bylaws, lawyers to review your Bylaws, learn about fiscal agents and if you need one. Listen to nonprofit podcasts. Attend grant writing webinars. Visit the IRS website. There is so much on the internet, so articles like this one are good places to start:
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/form-nonprofit-eight-steps-29484.html
https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/how-start-nonprofit
https://nonprofitally.com/podcast/
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/tax-exempt-organization-search
Arts Advocacy is Paramount in Georgia - Repost of Doug DeLoach
The following is re-posted with permission from ArtsGeorgia, an adviser of ETChster. Head over to their website and help spread the word!
State comparison images produced by ETChster are available for re-use.
In terms of legislative support for the arts, Georgia consistently ranks at or near the bottom of the list of all 50 states. For fiscal year 2019, according to data compiled by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), the Georgia legislature allocated 12 cents per capita funding to the Georgia Council for the Arts, which includes everything from individual project and organizational grants to education and events presentation.
By comparison, Alabama will spend $1.12, Tennessee $1.06 and South Carolina $.84 per capita. The entire budget for arts support in Georgia in 2019 is slightly more than $1.3 million, which includes $659,400 from the National Endowment for the Arts.
In contrast, the Atlanta City Council recently unanimously voted to increase the annual budget for the Office of Cultural Affairs from $995,000 to $2 million, while the Fulton County Arts Council fiscal year budget for 2018 is $5,313,226.
Making this doleful situation especially frustrating is the fact that the case for the intrinsic value of the arts as a powerful economic development engine has been proven time and again. Arts & Economic Prosperity 5, a recently published study by Americans for the Arts, examined the impact of the arts on economies in Columbia County, City of Savannah, Macon-Bibb County, Richmond County, City of Atlanta, Fulton County, Greater Augusta Area, Metro Atlanta and the Greater Atlanta Region. The study found that spending on the arts in the Greater Atlanta region alone was $730.5 million, which generated local and state revenues of $65.5 million.
“This study puts to rest a misconception that communities support arts and culture at the expense of local economic development,” said ArtsGeorgia President Bill Gignilliat. “Communities are investing in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is the cornerstone of tourism. Locally as well as nationally, the arts mean business.”
More broadly, the arts and cultural sector contributed more than $763.6 billion to the national economy in 2015 (the most recent year for which comprehensive data is available), according to a newly released study by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). That figure represents an economic impact greater than the agriculture, transportation or warehousing sectors. Furthermore, the arts accounted for 4.2% of the overall U.S. Gross Domestic Product, with approximately 4.9 million Americans working in the sector and earning more than $370 billion.
“The data confirm that the arts play a meaningful role in our daily lives including through the jobs we have, the products we purchase and the experiences we share,” said NEA chairman Jane Chu in a press release accompanying the report.
In Georgia, as in many other states, the arts are a major factor when it comes to expanding tourism, attracting businesses and creating jobs. Public engagement at arts exhibits and performances energizes and revitalizes communities by forging bonds that lead to mutually beneficial relationships. Arts education nurtures creative thinking and promotes imaginative problem-solving. In both tangible and intangible ways the impact of art on communities large and small represents an indisputably positive return on investment.
ArtsGeorgia = Arts Advocacy
Since the organization’s founding in 2010, ArtsGeorgia has been a highly visible, forceful and authoritative advocate for increasing funding, developing favorable public policy and providing tools and resources for the arts community. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit statewide arts service corporation, ArtsGeorgia delivers a consistently direct message to elected and appointed officials, agency administrators, business executives, civic leaders and influential members of the community at large that the arts benefit all Georgians.
ArtsGeorgia’s approach to advocacy is based on providing the community with resources and tools. Recently, ArtsGeorgia updated its website with more robust tools and resources all of which are freely accessible by artists, arts organizations and arts councils, as well as researchers, journalists and anyone seeking information and connection points within the arts community. The goal is to expand the chorus of advocacy for constructive policy-making and increased funding, which will drag Georgia out of the national cellar and in the process transform the perception of the arts as an extraneous activity into its role as a vitally productive sector of the state economy.
• Communication
o Access to State of the Arts, the ArtsGeorgia eNewsletter.
o An archive of State of the Arts print newsletters.
o Access to the ArtsEd ListServe.
• Business Resources
o Arts Council Development Handbook — authored by the Georgia Council for the Arts and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, the handbook describes how to start a community arts agency.
o Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for Non Profits– operating principles and standards developed by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits.
o ArtsGeorgia Community Arts Agency Administrator’s Policy Handbook – Guidelines for governance and administration.
o ArtsGeorgia Community Arts Agency Administrator’s Facility Management Handbook – Guidelines for renting facilities for arts events.
o Resources for artists and local arts councils (e.g., sample business forms pertaining to sales, consignment or licensing to protect artist’s economic rights and copyrights, Articles of Incorporation and related nonprofit materials.
o Directory listings for local, regional and national funding, arts agencies and public art.
• ArtsGeorgia Projects
o SpaceFinder Georgia.
o Directory of the Arts in Georgia.
– Doug DeLoach is an Atlanta-based arts writer and journalist whose work regularly appears in publications such as ArtsATL, Creative Loafing and Songlines (UK).
The Patch Works Preserves Cabbagetown History
An Atlanta neighbor, The Patch Works Art & History Center seeks to preserve the rich history of Cabbagetown through its artifacts and educational opportunities.
Curators Jacob "Jake" and Nina Elsas have created something special at 593 Gaskill Street. ETChster had the pleasure of helping the organization create Etchings for their collection of local history and getting to know the curators, whose story is intimately intertwined with the area itself.
As we imported their collection, we learned more about the history of Cabbagetown, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Despite this positive recognition, the area saw drastic changes when its largest employer, The Fulton Bag & Cotton Mills, closed their doors three years later.
The ensuing waves of demographic shifts within and major developments nearby have given life-long residents a growing sense of uncertainty about the future of their neighborhood.
For Jake and Nina, whose roots in Cabbagetown span generations, these concerns are poignant. As we were importing their collection into ETChster, the name Elsas appeared over and over, with item after item.
It was Jake's Great-Great-Grandfather, Jacob Elsas, who built the original mill back in 1881. Fast forward to the 1970s-80s, Jake's father worked in a non-profit called The Patch, Inc. that supported the residents while they transitioned to other types of work as the mills shut down.
When Jake returned to Atlanta in 2013 from his travels far and wide, Nina had already been living at the mill's converted condominiums since 2011.
The two met at the mill and--with its rich history and uncertain future--realized something had to be done to preserve this little patch in the heart of Atlanta.
Luckily, Nina's training in Art History gave them a framework for growing a beautiful collection of history: The Patch Works, which you can now go visit next time you are in the area.
You can visit The Patch Works at:
593 Gaskill St. SE
Atlanta, GA 30316
Their schedule is:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 12:00pm-6:00pm
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 12:00pm-6:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 1:00pm-7:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am-3:00pm
You can support The Patch Works by:
Making a donation next time you visit.
Donating at their Go Fund Me
Making a donation next time you eat at Agave Restaurant, where $1 per margarita goes to the center.
Why Did ETChster Change Its Motto to "The Encyclopedia of Objects?"
Early users of ETChster will have noted the platform initially used "The Story of Your Stuff" as its motto but replaced that with "The Encyclopedia of Objects" in early 2018. As there were a number of reasons steering in the same direction, this decision came naturally.
"Stuff" doesn't do justice to these incredible items
ETChster was designed to give you the ability to create a permanent record of objects of significance. Be it for decades or centuries, these records are intended to last as long as the physical items they represent. "Stuff" sounded too disposable, too Ikea. Collecting stories, placing objects on a public map, and transferring ownership are actions to showcase unique objects, items that are more than the mundane. Early adopters of the platform include artists, collectors, and museums using Etchings to organize their treasured possessions.
An encyclopedia puts information in context
ETChster doesn't capture information about an object as if it were an isolated island; it captures the entire ecosystem connected to the island. Like islands are connected by oceans, objects are connected by people:
- Objects connect to their creator's public profile, which includes other creations in context, links to websites and social media, and a map of their public items. If you come across an object, its creator is a click away.
- Objects connect to their owner's public profile, which includes their collection. Depending on the owner's setup, collections may contain objects from similar periods or locations and their context. Collections may also link to the owner's website, social media, and their items on public display.
An encyclopedia makes it easy to find information
Traditional encyclopedias are arranged alphabetically. Wikipedia and its curators have done a phenomenal job of creating an easily searchable digital database. ETChster uses ETC numbers to identify physical objects and link them to a cloud-based database. Searching by the ETC number reveals the object's public record and context instantly.
The Encyclopedia of Objects needed to be created
You can instantly find ample information on even the most obscure cast member of Game of Thrones, but what about members of their special effects team? Indeed the level of public recognition is similarly unbalanced between actors/athletes and other artists who arguably possess far more talent and creativity. Some creators now have Wikipedia articles that showcase one or two of their notable works. But those rarely tell the readers about the story of the artist and the full breadth of their work. Moreover, the articles providing the most complete information tend to be reserved for artists that are either in the limelight or deceased.
All of that said, the team is proud to display a motto that more accurately speaks to what you'll find in the ETChster community: incredible objects with context and their connections.
The Inspiration
Along with a very personal desire to capture the stories of various special possessions, some of which have been in my family for generations, a number of people inspired the questions that got the ETChster platform underway.
The Photographers
If you visit my house in Ormewood Park, Atlanta, you'll find the work of my wife and professional photographer, Erin Jones Davis, known professionally by her initials prior to our wedding: EMJ. You can see a sampling of her work on Instagram.
In addition to her keen eye, she excels at organizing her digital work using a combination of meta data and Apple's tools so that even though she owns terabytes of external drives, she can easily locate photos of our trip around Lake Arenal, Costa Rica in 2013, as an example. What if I could have that level of context attached to my favorite material objects?
At both my house and my parents' home, we also have original photos from famous Atlantans from my father's days as an attorney based in what is now known as Poncey-Highland. One in particular that sticks in my mind is called "Woman on Ponce de Leon" by George Mitchell, who would later teach me dark room-based photography in high school. The piece was taken long before I was born, but the building is extremely familiar. My dad's law practice has been in that location (across from Fellini's and La Fonda) since 1985. I saw my family's framed version of the the piece literally hundreds of times while it was on display in that office, so that particular piece has its own stories related to my experience being a kid around a criminal defense firm in 1980's Atlanta. What if I could create a record of this piece and send both my father and George himself a story request?
Another piece that comes to mind is a photograph in my family's Oraien Catledge collection taken during his documentation of Cabbage Town after the Cotton Mill closed. Keep in mind that as a teenager, most of my friends did not come from houses that had original artwork around the house. When they would ask who was depicted in the photo on the wall, I had trained my parents to respond that it was a picture of my grandparents. What if I could attach the stories of my childhood antics to these pieces?
The Painters
My paternal line contains a number of painters; none of them famous (yet).
My father paints under the moniker Marcus (and occasionally Marcello). My aunt Caryn paints and creates complex collages using found materials.
I have pieces in my man attic from both of my grandparents. My grandmother painted acrylics and watercolors in the 70s. My grandfather painted acrylics and watercolors from the 70s through the 2000s.
A nude watercolor of my grandmother has a place of honor in the gallery wall behind our dinner table. What if I could have collected the stories of these pieces before my grandparents passed?
While we don't have any Dutch Masters in our collection, my wife and I do have a small but growing collection of contemporary work.
We are also lucky enough to be surrounded by murals. Though we could take the connector or Moreland when we head to Midtown or places north, we often wind through Estoria, Wylie and the Krog St. Tunnel so we can see the recent works. When we want to go for a walk, we'll often bring one of my wife's cameras along and capture the murals of East Atlanta Village or Old 4th Ward. What if those murals were linked to the artist and on to their other works?
The Sculptors
Unlike my family members, I'm not much of painter but I do have a number of sculptures from my childhood, one of which is completely absurd and also my favorite. One day, when she's old enough to not find it terrifying, I hope to give it to my daughter, who is on the way. What if I could attach a story to this piece now and only share it with my daughter when she's old enough?
I also fondly remember a local treasure that we lost too soon. Christine Sibley was a family friend whose penchant for man swapping found her in frequent need of legal services (6 divorces), much of which she paid for in barter with her unique ceramics. As a child I had the opportunity to visit her headquarters at the corner of Waddell and DeKalb Avenue: Urban Nirvana. Chris's pieces can still be found around Atlanta (such as the fountain at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens) but I'm afraid her story is quickly disappearing. What if the Botanical Gardens could somehow tie that fountain to her story and other pieces on public display in a way that wouldn't disappear?
The Future
Etchster is still very much a work in progress. We're extremely grateful to the eclectic group of individuals answering similar questions and recording interesting stories. With their candid feedback along the way, the platform is getting better all the time. The community already has a number of pieces from Christine, Marcus, Michelle Everett and other local artists on display.
Users can already build profiles, track personal and commercial items, and start recording the history of the objects that matter to them.
We plan to announce a collaboration shortly that we hope will help contemporary creators better connect with their fans in a more permanent way.
Stay tuned!