Los Angeles Art News, Art Blog

ART BLOG

ARTICLES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2009

Graffiti Artists in Street Wars?

Los Angeles has its fair share of gang turf wars. We read every day about street gangs fighting over territory, drugs, prostitution and gambling. What about fighting over art? News from London, England might forebode a new type of street fight. Though a lot of graffiti is mere marking of territory some very good street artists have painted some excellent ‘illegal’ murals throughout the neighborhoods of L.A. bringing this ‘art form’ to new levels. Until now street artists have largely respected the works of their colleagues but if they hear about what is going on in the streets of London between the kings of street art they might get other ideas. Britain’s most notorious graffiti artist, Banksy (who has left his mark here and there in Los Angeles also) may be accustomed to art world adulation but his latest work has landed him in an old fashioned street fight.

He stands accused of disrespecting another graffiti artist legend by “modernizing” a work done by “King Robbo” under a bridge in Camden, North London 24 years ago. Last week, on Christmas Day, a few days after Banksy’s spray paint spree, Robbo responded in kind by obliterating one of Banksy’s works with 3ft high silver letters spelling out his name.

Banksy, whose real name is unknown, has become one of Britain’s most popular artists and he has gained a world-wide reputation for his daring feats when painting murals. Around 300,000 people attended a special Banksy exhibition in Bristol, England earlier this year. A compendium of his work, mostly painted on the side of buildings, is the world's bestselling art book. His works have sold for as much as $450,000.

Not everyone appreciated his latest exploit. The internet has been inundated with blogs denouncing the destruction of a piece of street art history and the news of ‘the fight’ has even made the London tabloids and local radio news. According to graffiti folklore this spat is not the first disagreement between Banksy and King Robbo. The 1980s pioneering vandal recounted a story in London Hand Styles, a book on graffiti published in 2009, relating a confrontation he had with the now-famous artist.

Robbo apparently took such umbrage at the recent manipulation of his mural that he came out of retirement four days later and retaliated.

Let us hope that the wars in the UK don’t spill over into the streets of L.A.

Local Photographer in Auction

Fashion photographers can make a good living working for the top magazines however, few of them succeed in establishing reputations as fine art photographers. Los Angeles fashion photographer, Robert Voltaire, is one of the lucky few. A fine art nude photograph taken by him went under the hammer this past week and was sold for $22,000.00 in a Beverly Hills auction.

His black and white photograph, called "Il Delphino" (The Dolphin) depicts Italian fashion model Anna Grigorenko, emerging with a splash from the Mediterranean Sea. The image, which was ultimately developed as a silver gelatin print, was taken in Italy during a fashion shoot and was purchased in the auction by an undisclosed buyer –apparently from Sweden. The unusual high price for the photograph is perhaps testimony that youth and beauty in art are golden –as they are in throughout our glitz-powered culture. Mr. Voltaire, a California native, is an international fashion photographer whose shots of stunning models and fine art body portraits are featured in magazines worldwide such as Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair and Playboy.

In 2008 Mr. Voltaire was named as a master of black and white photography by German Max Magazine.
We wish him continued success and we wish continued success in the future to all Los Angles based artists and especially to our art-LA-now.

A happy, successful and prosperous New Year.

Blog Dec 30 2009

Doing your part to market your Art

Any artist who hopes to develop a ‘career’ as a fine artist has got to make sales to serious collectors - devotees who will keep coming back to ‘invest’ in the artist’s work and future. In order to get art collectors interested in your artwork you, the artist, need to understand the collector mentality and learn how to play to it.

This may be distasteful to your artistic sensitivity and sound like capitalist marketing, but most experienced collectors do require certain assurances that they're spending their money wisely. Nobody likes to waste money and, as a result, every business, including the art business operates in a way so that ‘evidence’ can be presented to buyers that they are getting good value for their money.

Artists know what their art means on a personal level and their own feeling towards it are easily conveyed to others. But when someone asks them about how they arrive at their price levels many are flummoxed by the question. Explaining the monetary value of your art is an essential part of convincing buyers that your art is OK to own, especially when they're sitting on the fence undecided, not that familiar with your work, or are just beginning to buy art. Many buyers need assurances because they often don't know that much about art. They're unsure, insecure, and they want concrete facts that they can understand. Some collectors, of course, buy art on the spur of the moment and according to whatever strikes their fancy, but they're in the minority. Ultimately, you, the artist, should be able to somehow demonstrate that your art has value.

How do you go about doing this? First, you must convey the impression that you're a serious artist. You have to document yourself and your art. You must produce tangible evidence of your accomplishments that anyone can see, read, and understand. Here are some tips and suggestions that will help you accomplish these objectives.

Join local artist organizations and get yourself listed on their membership rosters. Collectors are impressed by these kinds of associations and will cite them as evidence of the artists credentials.

Join serious online artists associations like ours at www.artlanow.com. Avoid the ones who do not have some kind of scrutiny or acceptance standards.

Whenever possible, get listed in exhibit catalogues and bulletins from museums, art associations, corporate art exhibits, juried shows, non-juried shows, local, regional, and statewide shows. Get your artwork reviewed and featured in newspapers and magazines –just about any mention is good.

Be prepared and determined to chase after dealers or galleries until you get someone to represent you.

Apply for a listing in Who's Who in American Art. (The application process is not too complicated.) Doing this will help you organize the material you need that confirms your status as an artist. Get together a dossier of all your work, wards, achievements and participation in events and exhibitions.

It’s all physical proof that confirms you're an artist, moreover it’s proof that you can place into the hands of anyone who is thinking about buying your art. Telling it is not nearly as effective as showing it. A resume looks great, but it's the books, catalogues, and articles published by neutral third parties that really impress. It's proof from the outside world that you are already on the map.

Selling art is a competitive venture and as in any competition only the most motivated win. In addition to exposure seeking out maximum exposure, do everything you can to position yourself as more than just another artist selling out of just another studio. If a collector has $2000 to spend and if that person intends to buy only one piece of art, he/she's either going to buy it from you or he/she's going to buy it from another artist. How do you ensure that you pocket the deal? Many contemporary art collectors regard the experience and adventure of meeting and speaking with artists as an essential part of collecting. Collectors love getting involved in the art community by spending time at galleries, joining museum groups, going to openings, visiting artists at their studios, talking about art, and meeting artists, dealers, and fellow collectors. So when you're called on to act in the capacity of being your own promoter, you should be ready. Even if you only show at galleries and don't sell out of your studio, dealers recognize that artists Remember, given a choice between two equally qualified artists, most dealers go with the one who comes off better in public. Some reputable dealers even require artists to have public speaking abilities before they're accepted for shows.
In this competitive environment most artists have to acquire some level of self confidence and salesmanship in order to close the deal for themselves. In my opinion it is better to follow the tried-and-trusted methods of the used car dealers, who have no qualms about stretching and bending the truth to make a sale. Remember, it is the sale that permits you to make money so that you can continue to create your work. It is that –or put away your easel and paints.
Just remember that there's no right or wrong art, and as long as sellers don't break the law or engage in deliberate misrepresentation, there's no right or wrong way to sell art. Every single time a fledgling new collector buys his or her first piece of art, no matter what type of art it is, subsequent sales to that collector become easier and easier. While that first sale is always the toughest one to make, once achieved it is a total confidence booster and psychological injection of pure elation.

Local Museum to close is looking for donations and supporters.

It is always sad news when galleries or museums close their doors –even sadder when it is a venue where some of our own members have exhibited in the past. This week, days before the end of 2009 the Claremont Museum of Art (CA) Board of Directors voted to discontinue operating the Museum in The Packing House and place the permanent collection in a secure storage facility. After Christmas the Museum will open for two final days on December 26 & 27 from 11am to 5:00 pm and will then close its doors –forever? Let’s hope not. The Board of Directors says that it will seek ways to rejuvenate the Claremont Museum of Art in the future as the economy improves.

The Claremont Museum of Art nearly closed its doors in October but thanks to an injection of funding from the City of Claremont, the Museum remained open through 2009. For the past six weeks a working group of board members and volunteers have been striving to find a way to find a solution to the Museum’s monetary problems. An analysis has determined that in order to operate the Museum for one year on a modest budget, which includes a salary for one employee and help from large group of dedicated volunteers, there is a need for $213,000.

The museum has received over $5,000 been received from supporters following a letter sent out asking the initial letter sent asking for donations. A fund raising project is underway to sell 15 ceramic Torso sculptures cast from Harrison McIntosh's original 1940s mold for $5,000 each. So far four orders have been received and the first castings will be completed at the beginning of the new year. Other recent events to get funds have included an art book signing and an art book sale, which brought in another $3,500 that will be used to pay off remaining debts.

A phone campaign has gathered over 50 pledges totaling $26,255 but unfortunately, this is only enough for six weeks of on-going costs, and without any immediate prospects for additional donations, the decision was taken to end the Museum’s association with The Packing House location. Those pledges will now remain un-collected. To further complicate the Museum’s bleak outlook, it still has outstanding debts and there will be additional costs to move out of the current location. A group of dedicated local supporters and volunteers who have formed a “Working Group” are determined to find ways to continue the Claremont Museum of Art into the future. We, at art-LA-now wish them success.

An Exhibition of…..Frames

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, Modern Art movements have focused more and more on simplifying art, minimizing content to the point that anything can be called ‘art’ –any idea; any form or construction. Until the advent of abstraction a painting was not deemed to be ready to show until an appropriate frame had been selected to further embellish the work itself. The choice of frame was an important decision that rendered the work complete. Just as 20th artists began overturning all the pre-accepted rules for painting, they too began to reject the conception that a work of art needed to be framed in order to be appreciated in its entirety. Most contemporary paintings are now hung for view without frames –many of them left even unfinished on the canvas sides. Raw and unrefined defines the contemporary minimalist look; where framing is superfluous and considered bourgeois, passé and decadent.

Frames might be temporarily out of fashion but they cannot be dismissed for the role they have played. This is demonstrated by an interesting exhibition at the Bayerische Staatgemaldesammlungen in Munich, Germany. Here, an exhibition of frames has been put together to show the public just how much craftsmanship and design expertise was vested into the production of art frames until the demand for them began to dwindle. Ninety two paintings were chosen from the State collection of several thousands, not for their quality of artwork or historical content but for the elaborate and intricate workmanship of the frame that surround them. The exhibition focuses on the artistry and history of frames from the 16th-century case frames to Classicist and Empire style frames -from highly elaborate ones to miniature versions. The Dutch cabinet and Lutma frames, as well as inlaid examples and appliqués from the Rococo period are particularly elaborate and must have taken months of painstaking work to prepare.

In the past many artisans acquired high reputations for their frames and were sought after by the best artists of their time. Though many of the paintings in the Munich exhibition are by well known artists, the biographic information provided by the curators concerns only the lives of the frame makers; names, of course which are generally unknown to the art loving public. The chief curator at this Munich museum came up with this quite original exhibition idea while documenting the holdings of the state art archives. In addition to viewing the incredible variety of frames in the show, the visiting public can watch present day artisans on hand, making and gilding frames using the techniques of old.

Good to know that these beautiful crafts are still being mastered by some contemporary craftsmen. History turns in circles – ten twenty years from now, frames may be back in vogue.

A frame from 1732: - Carved from solid oak and gilded with gold leaf

Blog Dec 22 09

New trustees at MOCA as we close up 2009

A few weeks after the 30th Anniversary Gala event at the Los Angeles MOCA in November which drew more than 1,000 international, national and local celebrities, collectors, patrons and artists and raised more than $4 million for the museum, three new trustees have been named to the Board. This brings the total number of new board members welcomed during 2009 to ten. With the funds raised at the Gala the MOCA has enriched its coffers since the beginning of the year by $64 million. The three newly elected are Steven T. Mnuchin, Peter M. Grant and Victor Pinchuk.

MOCA Board co-chair Mr. D. Johnson spoke warmly of the 3 new members saying the MOCA is “honored and delighted that 3 of the world’s leading art collectors share our vision for the future of the MOCA (MOCA NEW) and will be playing a leading role in continuing to build our collection and exhibitions.”

Victor Pinchuk from the Ukraine, business man extra-ordinaire and former member of the Ukrainian Parliament is probably the most influential collector of art in Eastern Europe. In 2006 he founded the Pinchuk Art Center for Contemporary Art in Kiev. He is a member of the World Economic Forum. Peter Brant is owner and chairman of Brant Publications Inc and White Birch Paper Company and is one of the best known collectors in the USA. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh and a former trustee of the Guggenheim Foundation. Steven Mnuchin, in addition to being chairman & CEO of One West Bank, has a world-wide reputation for his success in the world of finance and is a dedicated supporter of the Arts. He is a trustee of The Whitney Museum of American Art. All of MOCA’s trustees have committed to a minimum of $75,000 in annual dues, with additional contributions their first year.

2009 has been a turn-around year for the MOCA. In addition to the infusion of new talent to MOCA’s Board, total fundraising of more than $64 million, and the most successful gala in the museum’s history, the Board has prepared a balanced budget for the next two years. Operating with virtually no debt and with one of the planets most prestigious permanent collections, MOCA has embarked on an international search for a new director to take the museum into the future. MOCA trustees have interviewed almost a dozen candidates from Europe and the United States and expect to announce a new director early in 2010.

Artists –Don’t give up. Keep creating your Art

How many artists become world famous and make tons of money? Not many –in fact only a miniscule percentage of all the artists trying to make a name for themselves. Of course, more than a few artists do achieve respectable levels of success within their lifetimes and support themselves entirely by making and selling art but the vast majority of artists have to supplement their art incomes somehow. They usually do this by either teaching art or by working full or part time at jobs not related to art in order to make ends meet. If you fall into the 'vast majority' category, I’m sure you’d like to increase your art income to where you can eventually create and sell your art full-time. Ah, every artist’s dream come true! So, while you continue to bring home a livable paycheck today, you can also begin to lay the groundwork for your future career as a self-sufficient Artist.

The most important first step towards becoming a full-time artist is simple: - keep making art. Being an artist is never easy and it has become especially hard during the past year and a half of recession. In times like these the temptation to put your art career on hold and to focus on other interests can be overwhelming. For young single artists the survival factors are simpler, but what if you’re married, have a house and kids? Should you be thinking about giving art up until the kids are grown? About focusing only on your non-art job for a few years, or about closing down the studio for a while because sales are slow? If you believe that you are truly an Artist: Don't do it. Continue creating art no matter how difficult the process becomes. Keep creating even though you're not selling anything. Work on even if you're dissatisfied with what you're producing. With determination and perseverance keep working through the tough times, and one day you'll be glad you did.

Keep in the habit of regularly making art, and look with equal persistence for ways to get it out in front of the art buying public. View your art as your business card and make it work for you 24/7. Don’t keep your work in the studio gathering dust get it out there on display at outside locations. The more locations that show it, the more people see it and the greater your chances are of making sales. Remember also that even if you're not generating sales, by sharing your art with others you’re maintaining a public presence.

Look at the big corporations and how they go about generating sales. They have to constantly advertise their products to consumers over and over again, 'branding' their names into the minds of buyers, so that their products are the easily recognized and thus purchased. Just look at how much mass advertising they do on television, in the newspapers, on billboards, and in magazines. Big businesses are drumming their identities into our heads every day; every way we look. Car? Think: Ford. Thirsty? Think: Coca Cola. Hungry? Think: McDonald's. Art is no different. The more times people see your work, the more inclined they are to believe that you are a well-known artist and that your art is respected or at least acknowledged by the art community. Ask anybody in the street to name three artists and you’ll see that the same brand names (like Picasso and Warhol) keep coming up. So get your art and your name out before the art-buying public on as many occasions as possible. Brand yourself and your unique style. Make your prices available; make contact information available. Sooner or later, you’ll be start selling art again.

Display your art at places that make it look good, places where art buyers tend to congregate - like art galleries, museums, corporate lobbies, and public exhibition spaces. Too many closed doors there? Go for the less-hard-to-get-into places like juried and non-juried shows, local and regional art fairs, local businesses, and other less competitive public spaces. Still no luck? Seek out local restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons, clothing boutiques, bookstores, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and furniture showrooms. Don’t go ‘slumming’ though. Prospect carefully. Some of these places can be good locations for hanging art but many of them are not worthwhile and can make your work ‘look bad.’ Keep an open but selective mind when looking for appropriate locations. Look for places that will be good for name recognition. And try to have some influence over the way your work will be shown so that it draws attention from visitors and so that they know the works are for sale.

There is another way to get exposure for you and your work; it comes from donating your art to charity auctions, from doing volunteer work for non-profit arts organizations, and from donating or lending your art to hang in the offices of arts organizations. These are all great ways to get your name out there before the art-buying public.

The good times will soon return and those who have persevered through the lean times will be the first to reap the benefits when the buyers come back into the market.

Artistic Genius Has No Age Limits

Back in the 60’s Andy Warhol, when asked why people think artists are so special, replied that he had no idea - for him “it was just another job.” Though he reveled in the glory and money his art brought him, Warhol was always amazed by the extraordinary monetary value that the market could confer on the production of his ‘art factory’ -because for him art was a product-a commodity.

The myth that great art is created by artistic geniuses has been perpetuated for centuries. Many people assume that great artists are born with mystical abilities beyond the reach of ordinary folk, however, in many cases artistic innovation (later labeled genius) springs not from their creators’ innate talent, but from their years of accumulated knowledge. Sometimes what appears to be creative genius is just the result of ‘hard work.’

Do only young geniuses come up with great innovations? The answer is no. Archetypal young geniuses like Pablo Picasso, Bob Dylan, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Orson Welles revolutionized their respective artistic disciplines before they turned 30; yet others like Paul Cezanne, Mark Twain, Irving Berlin and Alfred Hitchcock all made their important contributions to their art forms when they were at 50 or older. Looking at the differences between these two groups’ artistic life styles one can see that while precocious young geniuses make bold and dramatic innovations expressing ideas or feelings, the older, ‘wiser’ masters are more likely to be experimental thinkers who proceed by trial and error. The latter’s works are often more realistic representations of what the artists have seen and heard and ‘lived’. Both old and young are equally capable of marking their mark in history.

Why do the young geniuses upstage the old masters? Since the Renaissance philosophers and critics have associated creative genius with youth (“genius” comes from the Greek word for birth). Obviously mature artists are no less important than budding ones, but the gradual innovations they make over a lifetime are less conspicuous than sudden dramatic breakthroughs. The subtle craftsmanship of old age attracts less attention than the pyrotechnic iconoclasm of youth.

Young geniuses do tend to be more conceptual thinkers, often creating iconic individual works. For example, Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon," which he painted when he was 26, appears in more than 90 percent of art history textbooks published in the past 30 years. Georges Seurat's "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of la Grande Jatte," which he finished at 27, appears in more than 70 percent. On the other hand, if we look at some of the mature artists we see greatness evolving over years instead of exploding onto the scene in a single masterpiece. Thus no single painting by Cézanne or his friend Claude Monet appears in even half of art history textbooks.

Looking again at some of our young and older geniuses we can see that young conceptual artists often formulate an idea then plan its presentation. Picasso made more than 500 preparatory drawings for "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon," The older experimentalists on the other hand, value the discoveries that come through the process of creation. In his most sophisticated years, Cézanne never made preparatory drawings for his paintings. In literature we have Virginia Woolf, who working until her death at age 59, acknowledged that she wrote with no plan at all so that each day produced surprises. Mark Twain also struggled to chart plot lines, twice abandoning "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in frustration. Even when he finished the book after nine years of work, he still considered it unresolved.

In the modern world, where the demand for change forces artists to innovate at a frenetic pace, youth is undoubtedly a primary force in all the markets. Flashy visual artists like Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin and Richard Prince attained enormous fame and fortune at a tender age. Yet we can still see that from experience and hard work great works of art can be produced and recognized. The painter Brice Marden, who had a retrospective exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art a couple of years ago, is now in his 70’s, and has produced his greatest work in the past two decades. The sculptor Louise Bourgeois, who has had a retrospective exhibition at London's Tate Modern, is in her 90’s. She did her greatest work after her 80th birthday.

Genius in all its forms is difficult to understand. Most of us can never see it, some can only see with hindsight, and only the rare view can perceive it as it presents itself. But, what we can learn from the past is that genius can evolve at any age –it is never too late for you to create the work of genius. No matter how old you are, there is still time for the world to discover that.

Rambo’s Artwork at Basel Miami

One of the more recognized artists showing at Art Basel Miami Beach last week was none other than Rambo himself – actor, writer and director Sylvester Stallone. The 63 years old Mr. Sly, an avid painter for more than 30 years had 5 of his works up for sale at the Gmurzynska Gallery stand. Two of them were sold at the beginning of the show. Las Vegas casino owner Steve Wynn bought one entitled “Electric Burst of Creativity” for $40,000 and the second went to an un-disclosed buyer for a similar amount. The artist, dressed in a dark suit and wearing dark glasses was on hand to promote his art. While sales this year at the contemporary art event have by no means returned to the level of 2004-2007, confidence seems to have returned to the market. This upswing in mood was reflected also in the New York November auction results.

Visitors to the fair had varied opinions about Stallone’s abstracts that feature bold assaults of color, hectic linear designs and fragmented compositions. One dealer was overheard saying that the only thing worse than the paintings were the unusual choice of frames that went with them (bizarre gilt decorations cut away in some places.) To be fair Sylvester Stallone has garnered quite a few accolades over the years for his eclectic body of work and his paintings have been acquired by many serious collectors. Being a Hollywood celeb doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t be a good painter or sculptor –though, I’m pretty sure the celeb status helps gloss over any artistic shortcomings.

Rambo was quoted as saying how “nervous and awed he was to find his own work exhibited in the same room as celebrated Colombian artist Fernando Botero”, whose art he has been collecting for decades.

An example of Rambo’s work

Blog Dec 12 09

12 L.A. Artists included in the 2010 Whitney Biennial

On December 11 the press announced that twelve Los Angeles-based artists have been chosen to participate in the 2010 Whitney Biennial. The news comes to reinforce what we all know here in L.A. – we’re home to some of the best artists in the world.

The art show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York’s Upper East Side is considered by some to be the most prestigious in the U.S. the exhibition is scheduled to run from Feb. 25 through May 30, 2010. Fifty five artists have been selected for the show, their ages ranging from 23 to 75 years old. The number of honorees (55) represents a decline in number from previous years. There were 81 artists in 2008 and 100 in 2006, according to reports.

Among the L.A. artists who’ll participate are recognizable names such as Martin Kersels, Charles Ray, Pae White and Michael Asher with young, upwardly mobile, relatively new comers such as Jesse Aaron Green, Hannah Greely and Lesley Vance. One of the surprising names (for me) on this year's list is Chatsworth-based artist Robert Williams, who has made a name for himself through his work for Zap Comics and other underground publications.

For the Biennial, Williams will exhibit six new watercolors that are in the cartoonist vein of his past work. You have a chance to see his work at Cal State Northridge in February 2010. Apparently he was surprised to be chosen for the Biennial given the often controversial nature of his work, which includes depictions of violence and naked women.

For the 2010 edition of the Whitney Biennial each artist will be limited to one work or series.
Congratulations to all!

A New International Art Prize has been announced

An announcement in this week’s New York Times about the “Future Generation Art prize” sponsored by Ukrainian billionaire art collector Victor Pinchuk might be of interest to our Artlanow members and readers of this blog. Toasted by a select group of invitees at a reception at the Grammercy Park Hotel, Mr. Pinchuk revealed his organizational plans for the Prize which include assembling a team of advisors of internationally known collectors, influential figures in the art market and well established artists.

According to the mission statement, the “Future Generation Art prize was established as a worldwide contemporary art prize to discover, recognize and provide long-term support to a future generation of artists. The prize is an open competition for all artists up to 35 years old without restriction of gender, nationality, race or artistic medium. The competition can be entered into online starting on January 18, 2010 and applications will be accepted until April 18, 2010.

It will be judged by a jury and 20 short-listed artists will be selected to show their work in an exhibition at the Pinchuk Art Center in Kiev, Ukraine later on in 2010. The works of these finalists will be judged by an international jury who will award one top prize of $100,000 and five other runners up prizes. For more detailed info please go to the website at http://www.futuregenerationartprize.org/ And good luck!

A Photo of the Sponsor Mr. Pinchuk

Blog Dec 10 2009

Overcoming rejection in the Art world

Ever entered a juried art show? We all have, haven’t we? At some time or other we’ve all been tempted to pay our $30, $50 or $100 to get a piece into a “juried show’ with the great expectation that once we’ve coughed up the money the jurors are bound to recognize our talent and jury us in. Acceptance is always nice, but what about rejection – constant, repeated, humiliating rejection? What about that horrible feeling, as you walk back to your car, painting or sculpture in hand with the words “sorry, we didn’t accept your work for the show” ringing in your ears? I’ve been through enough - it is a humiliating and expensive experience!

"Why didn’t they like me? What am I doing wrong?” - I try to figure it out every time while fighting back the emotions that make want to cry, scream, kick the car and give the jurors a piece of my mind.

It is difficult to ‘not’ take it all personally. But what are you supposed to do? Every artist, successful or not, has taken the rejection of their work personally at one time or another. It is hard not to. We are artists and we have egos. I must admit that I have contemplated working on my personal appearance – a better haircut, a better outfit and possibly a face lift! I am an artist, trying to get my work out there in the world of real galleries and even the .com gallery competitions that are endless. I want to be noticed and rewarded even in little ways for what I do. Rejection face to face is hard enough, but I don’t want to find myself continually saying to the anonymous.com world or to Google or Yahoo, "Why are you rejecting me and my work?" I do a lot of research online; I keep informed about online juried competitions that are relevant to my work; I have willingly paid their fees multiple times only to find that my efforts and my money disappear into cyberspace with ne’er a word of recognition. I have begun asking myself hard questions. "Is my work at all appealing to the buyers out there in cyberspace? Is my art marketable, just how good or bad is it?”

Part of the problem, of course, is that we can’t look at our work objectively. Can’t or won’t? When I entered real gallery juried art competitions I used to think that my personality, my like-ability and my talent were all connected. The jurors would not only accept me into the show but would undoubtedly honor me with an award because they would see the passion and dedication that goes into my work. They would see beyond the practical limitations of my painting or sculpture to magically understand my true hope for the end result and accept it ‘as is’. They would ignore all other competitors and choose me because, if they really do ‘understand’ art, they couldn’t NOT perceive the passion that I plough into every work I do. Or maybe I thought I should be accepted because I had volunteered to work on preparing the last show by setting up the tables with flowers and by serving the hors d’oeuvres and wine. Surely the gallery owners have noticed my dedication!

Nowadays I am learning to stand back and really look at my work objectively. That’s why we work on an easel, isn’t it? I am adopting the same approach to juried shows as I do with the .com world online competitions - with a realistic consideration and an acceptance that there will ‘always’ be people who are more fit than me. Because I have accepted my uphill struggle into the art world, I have better upward posture and more confidence (though it still won’t take a tsunami to knock me over.) Simply I now accept my fate – I’m just like everyone else - one in a crowd, a good artist but not a great one. I now enter juried art shows knowing I have done everything that I can to present the best possible work that I am personally capable of before it leaves my studio. Rejection still hurts –but less. I am content to be me.

News from the Huntington in San Marino

A visit to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino is always enjoyable. There are often interesting temporary art exhibitions to see in addition to their permanent collection and at weekends there are often special events and activities centered on the Arts. At the end of a visit to the galleries and beautiful gardens one can enjoy refreshments in the ‘genteel’ atmosphere of the English style tea room and contemplate the fabulous array of colors of the rose garden. The Huntington has something to offer for everyone; art, science and book collections, botanical gardens that are truly amazing and kid’s activities that will keep the young ones engaged for hours. Every time I visit there with my family there is always something new to see. Therefore I was pleased to read this week’s latest news that the Huntington has named its first curator of American decorative arts. It surely indicates some exciting exhibitions in that field for the near future.

Harold Nelson, who has been named to the position, has been a specialist in decorative art and contemporary craft for more than 30 years and has written numerous publications. He previously served as director of the Long Beach Museum and has worked in curatorial positions in New York and the Smithsonian in Washington DC. He has already organized a variety of exhibitions at The Huntington including one in January 2008. He also contributed to the comprehensive reinstallation of their newly expanded Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art, which opened in May. The Director of Art Collections at the Huntington made the announcement about Mr. Nelson a few days ago declaring that his engagement ‘reinforces the commitment of the institute to collecting, exhibiting, documenting and interpreting American decorative arts.’

The Huntington’s collection of American decorative art encompasses a large range of styles and media, with examples from the earliest colonial period through the 20th century. It includes furniture; silver; ceramics; glass; and metalwork, including jewelry, desk implements, and architectural ornaments. The collection has grown significantly in recent years. When The Huntington’s first American art galleries opened in 1984, they held 152 such objects. Twenty-five years later, there are approximately 950 pieces in the collection, many of which are displayed in the newly renovated galleries. In addition to supervising acquisition for the Huntington’s own impressive collection, Nelson will be organizing future temporary exhibitions of works loaned from other national collections.

I personally look forward to see the fruits of his labors and thinking which, I’m sure, will add further pleasure to what are always very enjoyable and memorable visits.

An Idea for an Economic Stimulus for the Arts

Here’s an idea from the UK that could help a lot of emerging and middle level artists in the USA if similar projects are adopted here. A fund, set up in 2004 by the British Arts Council, called “Own Art” enables people to buy a piece of contemporary art and pay for it in 10 monthly interest-free installments, by borrowing anything up to £2,000 (about $3600). So far the scheme has made over 14,500 loans to purchase art valued in excess of £11.6 million (about $19 million). “It’s a simple but very effective idea that works well for artists, buyers and galleries,” says the spokesperson and national development manager for Own Art.
The project is creating a mini revolution in the once rarefied world of art by allowing a new kind of collector to stalk the corridors of galleries. The big city boys with their still-substantial bonuses are still there, but they are being joined by ordinary people - factory workers, police officers, farmers and regular office workers. According to reports published recently in the UK press, folk from all walks of life have taken advantage of the program to acquire original contemporary works of art. How about that - as an Economic Stimulus Package for the Arts?!”

A UK pig farmer, living in a caravan trailer beside his herd, shows his recently purchased artwork.

Blog Dec 1 2009

Showing your Artwork Online: Consider the Exposure, Effectiveness & Cost Efficiency

The economic statistics are still not good but the worst is probably behind us. Recent art auctions have shown encouraging signs that the market is improving at the high end and we all hope that this will filter down through all levels. Consumer purse strings that have been so tightly shut are slowly being loosened and, as the Holiday season begins Art lovers might consider purchasing an Artwork as a gift. Economic analysts have told us repeatedly that the slump will end when investors and the average working Joe simply overcome their fears of spending. Let’s hope that Holiday ‘spirit’ and enthusiasm will put an end to economic fear and despair. When working families need to make cuts, art acquisitions are among the first categories to be cast aside and we, artists have to have a lot of grit and patience until better times return. Better economic times WILL return - so do what you can for the time being to keep working at your art, make the best of the situation and try to get ahead at the same time.
The experts have always said that when the economy is weak, that is the time to advertise more. For Artists, the internet gives endless opportunities to advertise you and your work. There are great sites in cyberspace, like Artlanow.com where you can promote and advertise your artwork, sometimes for free and almost always at reasonable prices. Online Art Galleries like ours give you great exposure, they are effective and are cost efficient compared to other advertising platforms.
There is no doubt that consumers are turning to the internet to make purchases of all kinds and, correspondingly, the number of websites selling art and offering exhibition space is growing yearly. There are literally hundreds of thousands of artworks for sale on the worldwide net.
Choosing the right online gallery for your artwork is very important. Get the best for your buck by researching.
In our opinion, the discerning Artist should look for oversight by collective websites where quality standards of content are maintained. Look, too, for sites combining the good content with guarantees of secure payments and refund policies. Financial aides, such as Pay Pal and other similar channels, have helped the online Art Market to acquire a positive reputation for buyers and sellers.
Almost all websites offering Exhibition Gallery space do so, either for monthly or yearly fees, or on a commission basis, paid when Art works are sold. Most of these sites are open to Artists worldwide on the supposition that we are in a global economy and therefore all ‘consumer products’ (including art) should be in the global store window. While this statement may be true, some of the larger ‘worldwide Art stores’ are very much overstocked and have little quality control.
At Artlanow our concept is to limit our membership to one region, so that Art buyers can, if they wish visit the Artist’s studio to see the work first-hand, and follow the artist’s career more closely by attending exhibitions etc. We also ‘curate’ our website, much in the same way that a real bricks and mortar gallery director examines the works presented for representation.
From the financial aspect, collective Artist’s Websites are a great deal for the Artists. The yearly fees are usually below the price of one (low budget) painting sold by the Artist and the commissions, if applicable are, in general, less than the 35%-40% taken by ‘real’ gallery owners on actual sales.
Real physical galleries still play a very important role in the Art Market, but in these troubled times their role is ever more dominant and more prominent in the high end. Well-heeled buyers, seem to prefer to trust the judgment of a “qualified” art expert than to buy according to their own taste. Galleries and Gallery owners acquire reputations and buying from a reputable Gallery can give added value to a painting once purchased. The Gallery becomes part of the provenance. Due to the place these ‘real’ galleries occupy in the Art Market, competition between Artists for ‘real’ Gallery space is fierce. In a physical Gallery there are tremendous overheads to meet; rent, utilities, city administration charges, employees, property insurances and other costs. Real Galleries are limited in number because in order to sustain themselves owners must continually make sales to meet their costs and the risks are high. This is the all important factor when selecting which Artists they represent. Sales are essential to meet the monthly expenses and overheads which for good locations are very hefty.
Despite the economic setbacks, the internet is still gaining ground in the Art world because, on the web, artists have exposure with very limited costs and virtually no risks. There is no competition for wall space since cyber space is without boundaries. The doors of an online gallery are never closed. Artists are able to bypass the intermediary barrier of scrutiny and criticism of the physical Gallery director and can expose their work directly to the judgment and criticism of the prospective Art Collectors.
Art lovers and Art Collectors, too, have understood the advantages of buying on the internet. Most people have limited budgets for Art purchases; they are prepared to spend time on the net browsing for the right Painting or Sculpture and then negotiate to buy at the right price.
Our advice is to check out all the available websites out there. Find which ones suit your art and which ones attract the buyers you think are looking for your art. Check the fees and commissions (including the fine print) and then put your art out there to been seen, appreciated and sold.

Juried Art Competitions & Events – Deadlines December 2009

Newspace Center for Photography "Carnival" call for entries in Portland, OR is an invitation to photographers to submit images for the Annual Themed Exhibition. This year, with the theme "Carnival", they are seeking work that has been shot at carnivals, fairs, celebrations or other such events with a festive atmosphere. Selected photographs will be shown in the Newspace gallery February 5th - 28th, 2010. The competition is open to photographers using any type of photographic process, color or black & white, traditional or computer generated/manipulated images. There are no restrictions on the date images were created. $5 per image. Juror: Chris Bennett is Executive Director of Newspace Center for Photography. For prospectus, visit http://www.newspacephoto.org/callforentries/ or send a SASE to: 1632 SE 10th Ave. Portland, OR 97214. If you have any questions? Contact info@newspacephoto.org or telephone 503-963-1935. Deadline: Dec 18, 2009

"Four Seasons,” A Themed Fine Art Watercolor Exhibition has a call out for entries. Organized by Gallery 42 Fine Art in Mason, Ohio this themed fine art watercolor exhibition will be held January 9 - March 10, 2010. $650 in cash and prizes. Juror: Bruce Allan Neville. Open to artists working in the watercolor medium and living in the United States who are 18 years of age or older. $20 for first entry, $10 for each additional, up to 4 total entries. Visit http://www.gallery42fineart.com to download an entry form. Questions? Please email Ben Neal or Francis Michaels at gallery42fineart@gmail.com Deadline: December 19, 2009

The Center for Fine Art Photography has a call out for the “Portfolio Showcase, Volume 4 Book & Online Exhibition" to photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought. Traditional, contemporary, avant-garde, creative and experimental works that include old and new processes, mixed techniques, and challenging personal, emotional or political statements are welcome. The exhibition is open worldwide to all professional and amateur photographers working with digital or traditional photography or combination of both. Juror: Katherine Ware. $85.00 for Non-Members for the first body of work (12 images). Download Prospectus (PDF format). Any questions? Please contact Bill Guy at cfe@c4fap.org or call 970-224-1010. Deadline: December 29, 2009

The “Mission Federal ArtWalk” is a fine arts festival in the Little Italy district in San Diego, California, April 24 & 25, 2010. Original artwork in all types of media. Artist must be present in booth-no imports. All fine artists may apply. The festival attracts more than 100,000 attendees each year, and 2010 will be the 26th anniversary of this celebration of art of all kinds. $425 per 10 x 10 booth, including 10' by 10' by 10' tall white tent. To register, visit http://www.missionfederalartwalk.org/register.htm. Questions? Please email Paula Kwast at info@missionfederalartwalk.org or call 619.615.1090. Deadline: December 31, 2009

"27th Annual Sculpture in the Park" Sculpture in the Park is reputed to be one of the finest outdoor juried exhibitions of three-dimensional artwork in the United States, will be held August 6-8, 2010 in Loveland, Colorado's prestigious Benson Sculpture Garden. Sponsored by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council, the 27th Annual Show will host over 170 of the finest sculptors from around the world. Each year, this outstanding exhibit attracts thousands of art lovers and collectors from across the country. Sales at previous shows have exceeded $1,000,000, with approximately three-fourths of the artists selling their work. Application fee is $35. Acceptance Fee is $100. Download the prospectus at www.sculptureinthepark.org or call (970) 663-2940. Deadline: January 8, 2010