In the approximately ten years that I have been a member of the Houston Visual Arts Alliance, I have had the opportunity to be included in several of the juried exhibitions. This has offered an invaluable tool for learning to submit work for exhibitions, prepare the work for public display, and discuss my work with people.
Meetings and workshops that offer information on various mediums and techniques are also particularly helpful. It is also valuable to be able to visit the studios of professional artists to observe how they work and organize their work environment.