Can't hear the GYST Theme Song? Get Quicktime here
What is GYST?
GYST is short for Getting Your Sh*t Together and the title of this artist run company that provides support services, software and publications for artists.
Our Mission:
GYST Ink is an artist-run company providing information, technology and solutions created by artists for artists. Our mission is to support artists and arts organizations with an integrated mix of software, services and information in order to keep artists working. GYST is dedicated to empowering and educating artists so they can develop sustainable and successful careers on their own terms.
Sign up for the next GYST Workshop
GYST's next 9 week workshop begins in September 2010 in Glendale. Located to be announced. The workshop includes 8 weeks of classes, with a round table curator review of your work. The cost of a workshop is only $250, which includes free software worth $129. To sign up GO HERE.
GYST is the most comprehensive professional
practices software solution available to artists of all types.
Our software (available for MAC and PC) saves you
money and time by keeping you organized and providing the skills and
resources you need to build a successful art career. TRY or BUY
The GYST Artists' Guide
A publication in either paperback or pdf form, is 433 pages of just about everything you wanted to know about the business of art for artists. You can download a free sample that includes the contents and a few chapters to check out for FREE. Click the TRY button at the top of this page. TRY or BUY
The GYST Professional Practices Teaching Manual
A publication in either paperback or pdf form, that includes all the inforamation you need to teach professional practices courses in a university or art school, or non profit organization. It includes handouts, discussion topics, goals, the syllabus and more. You can download a free sample that includes the contents and a few chapters for FREE. Click on the TRY button at the top of this page. TRY or BUY
Check out our professional practices blog and get involved in discussions, notified of upcoming events and opportunities for artists. GO TO BLOG
Artist Statement and Resume Reviews
Send us your artist statement or resume and a professional will read and comment on how to improve it. We will look at the content as well as the structure and spelling.
Great service if you are applying for graduate school or an important grant, or applying for a teaching job. MORE INFO
Archive Services
Do you have a lot of your older work documented in slide form? Can't apply for grants because your images are not digitized? We will scan your slides, photos, film, 4 x 5's or artwork if it fits on our high end scanner bed. We will create a high resolution file as well as a low resolution file for a low as $2 each. Color correction or other custom work is $25 an hour.
If you need images formatted to a specific size for an online grant application and don't have the software? We will do that for you. MORE INFO
FREE Information and Resources
We have over 500 pages of information on the business of art here on our website. Need to know how to get a business license? Need to know about bartering and trading laws? Maybe you want to have a studio visit from a curator and are now sure how to proceed? Whether you are interested in galleries, or more guerilla based projects and DIY strategies, check out our wealth of information. GO TO RESOURCES
Documentation
Do you need a professional photographer to photograph your show or work in your studio? If you live in Los Angeles, we will come and shoot your installation or artwork. We charge by the hour. MORE INFO
Video Editing
Have you recently graduated from art school and don't have your own equipment? Need to create a short presentation of your video project for a grant? We will help you edit your videos. Email us for more information.
Websites
Need help creating your own website? If you want something custom, we do that to. Email us for more information.
Skills Bank (now FREE!!!)
Need a job? Want to hire an artist with specific skills? Want to barter with another artist? We have an online skills database where artists can sign up and list their skills. Then broadcast the link to your friends. All we ask is that if you get a job from this, please consider a donation so we can keep it going. GO TO SKILLS BANK
"Every artist I know who has purchased or even reviewed GYST software has been blown away. Cal Arts and other art schools should add $ to each tuition fee and give GYST software as a gift to each graduating senior. It would be money well spent."- Judith Luther Wilder, Co-Founder, Center for Cultural Innovation
“It is essential that art students be prepared for the realities of life after graduation,” says CalArts President Steven Lavine. “Nationally, no one is doing this better than Karen Atkinson with the professional practice classes that she teaches at CalArts and now with this new version of crucial software for the working artist.” - S. Lavine
“GYST software helped me organize and produce a large and complex project, which brought me greater visibility and support, ultimately making me a stronger candidate for receiving a prominent grant,” said Mann, one of four L.A. emerging artists to receive a $15,000 fellowship from the California Community Foundation last July." - E. M., software
"As a former employee of GYST Ink, the GYST software and class dramatically changed the way I approached the business end of my art practice. It's now a matter of how my business is running, which brings a level of practicality to an arbitrary and often subjective art world. This software is essential for any artists seeking out organization skills and art business knowledge from the often mysterious art world." - Bari Z., Artist
"Over the holiday, I went over the GYST (Getting Your Sh*t Together) software. I found it to be a good s/w application to get yourself organized and to art-business forms and grantsmanship resources, and a lot of special areas to get-business done for artists or galleries. Step by step GYST is worth the money/purchase for serious galleries and artists. Seriously, I think some of us could use GYST when its time to go and hit the art world. At lease artist/gallery business would stick to the wall. So, to speak--try it-" - Network Aztlan, Art Monitors, software
"Thank you very much for your quick and thorough review of my letter of intent. I truly appreciate your detailed feedback. It has helped me tremendously. With your assistance I was better able to clarify and articulate my artistic visions which will increase my chances of getting into graduate school. I have told my previous college professors and my friends who are applying to art graduate school about your website and services.
Emerging and professional artists alike will benifit from your services and expertise! I only wish I had discovered your web-site earlier! I wish you and your company great success!" - A. Grass, artist statement review
"I went to the Gyst artist statement seminar expecting some vague, general advice about the process. Instead, I got the decoder ring for artist statements and immediate, personal and specific editing. Tucker was extremely generous with his time and expertise. It is rare to meet a person so altruistic with their knowledge. Tucker is a natural teacher; he understands his subject well enough to make it extremely accessible to others. I am grateful". - A. Bouse, artist statement workshop
"Thanks for developing this program by the way, I have told my friends about it and encouraged them to get it too. I had an idea to do this as well with filemaker but I am not a computer person, so it stalled. When my friend CW told me about it, I was stunned. This is what I was looking for. I have 46 years of work to archive. Seems daunting right now, but hope the asst. will make it easier. Thanks for your help." - C.A., software
"This class was personally useful for me as a "re-emerging" artist. This class has helped motivate me tremendously to re-claim my career as an artist. I also made a few friends and contacts that i hope to spend time with discussing work and going to shows. I miss that, and realize how crucial it is for practicing artists."- M. Y., workshop
"I really appreciated the frankness of how Karen Atkinson ‘cuts to the chase.’ After listening to my fellow classmates, it was clear that the average artists doesn’t know much about the business side of art. All in all, I’m a smarter artist and now, I’m mentoring my mentor – go figure!" - N. H., workshop
"I was surprised at how many students were people that had been in the art world for quite some time! I was expecting more recent MFA grads like myself. My expectations about Karen were more than fulfilled. She is an incredibly generous (and gregarious) teacher. I was expecting her to be a 'pro,' and boy... is she ever! I can't say enough positive things about this class and all its practical, business knowledge that every artist needs to know. Karen just RULES! She is funny, approachable, immensely
knowledgeable, and a great artist in her own right." - A. C., workshop
"The value is worth WAY MORE than the tuition." - John B., workshop
"My expectations were totally surpassed! Overall, I think GYST really boosted my confidence levels and directed me towards figuring out what is best for me. Glad I did this, because I think I'll be a better artist because of it." - J. F.
"In a relatively short amount of time, Karen presented a wealth of information in an engaging and entertaining manner. Having taken similar classes, I was impressed by the PROFESSIONAL as opposed the COMMERCIAL presentation. Karen's attitude towards the art world was very refreshing and (for me) helpful. She took away a lot of the annoying mystery fostered by many "art people." - T. C.. workshop
"It was a lot of information! I have SO much to do... but I am so incredibly grateful to know what needs to be done. It is no longer a mystery. I have nothing critical to say. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity. I can't think of any way to make it better. Just keep doing it! Get Your SH*T Together rocks!" - A. J.
