EBSQ Confidential: Who we are & why we're here
In a nutshell:
EBSQ the website is an online artist community and portfolio site. Our easy-to-use tools empower artists to create a web presence for their art within minutes, allowing you to connect with other artists and art lovers world wide. Additionally, there are monthly exhibition opportunities, a really engaged community forum, opportunities to learn (or teach!) new skills from art techniques to marketing via social media. We're artists, too, and we created a site that we not only wanted to use, but do use on a daily basis. We think created someplace pretty special, and we hope you'll think so, too. Whether you want to extend your online network or are just getting online for the first time, we invite you to get out of the vacuum and express yourself!
Who you'll find here:
EBSQ the community is made up of artists, photographers, crafters, and people who simply love art (or hanging out with artists). Pretty much every continent is represented. Pretty much every media is represented, too. Our members come from all walks of life. Some are novice artists, newly embracing their creativity. Some went to art school. (Some even taught art school.) Most did not, but you'd be hard pressed to tell who is who based upon the quality of their art. Many have gallery representation. Some even own their own galleries. (Most do not.) But what all of these diverse artists share in common is a desire to put their work out there and have a direct conversation with the people who love (or even hate) their art.
How we got here:
EBSQ the concept was conceived back in 2000 by California artist and educator, John Seed. Pronounced ee-bee-es-cue, the then-eBay tag was a variation on e-Basquiats, referencing an artist favoured by many of our earliest members. While our artistic sensibilities have greatly diversified since then, the name remains the same, as does John's original mission: support living artists.
EBSQ the business was the brainchild of Pittsburgh artists Bill and Amie Gillingham. Bill does the programming stuff. Amie does the community and marketing stuff. Melissa Morton-Woodall (not from Pittsburgh, but also an artist) joined along the way and does the exhibition and educational stuff. All three of us are grateful to a group of dedicated volunteers who help keep our community forums running like clockwork.
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