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ARTICLES FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2010
Contributing Bloggers: John Harbinger Jr.and David Harbrenig
The Two Same ‘Originals’ for Sale at the Same Time
Art fakes crop up all the time in the market place. In 2000 an amazing co-incidence brought to light the existence of a fake Gauguin that had fooled even the best experts. While preparing their catalogues for their May 2000 auction, both Christie’s and Sotheby’s discovered they were offering the same work for sale –“Vase de Fleurs”, a painting from 1885 by Paul Gauguin. Obviously, there was something amiss as each house thought it had the original. To settle the matter, a Gauguin super expert was brought in from Paris, who after much scrutiny, determined that the Christie’s version was “not quite right.” The fake was, however, deemed to be the “best fake ever.” Poor Christie’s had to reprint entire catalogue and lucky Sotheby’s went on get their commission on the sale of the genuine painting for $310,000.
If anybody is in the market for the best Gauguin fake ever, Christie’s can probably put you onto a seller.
Vase de Fleurs (1885)
Opportunities for your Kids
“Saatchi Gallery & Sunday Telegraph Art Prize for Schools 2010” opens for entries worldwide. Tell your kids and let all the local schools know. The competition is open to primary, secondary and high school students up to the age of 18. The 2009 event received over 22,000 entries from more than 3000 schools. The Prize is part of the Saatchi Gallery's education program which is committed to introducing contemporary art to younger audiences.
This year’s sponsor is Deutsche Bank: A first prize of £10,000 (about $16,000) will be awarded to the winning school's art department, with a further £2,000 given to the winning pupil to be spent on art and computer equipment. Two further runner-up prizes of £5,000 each will be awarded to the second and third placed schools, with a further £1,000 to each of the winning pupils.
The deadline for entries is Friday 6 August and there will be an exhibition of the 20 shortlisted entries at the Saatchi Gallery in London in the autumn.
Details of how to enter and to see a selection of last year's entries can be found at:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/portfolio/
The 2009 winning entry was a photo
Art that was bequeathed forever- or until circumstances intervene.
For sometime a controversy has erupted around the proposal to move the Barnes collection from his present home to a central location in Philadelphia. Albert Barnes made a fortune in pharmaceuticals, and spent it acquiring a massive art collection. In his will he specified that his collection — which includes dozens of works by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse — should stay forever in Lower Merion, just outside Philadelphia.
A film documentary, just released, called “The Art of the Steal” explores the controversial plan to move the Barnes Foundation's $25 billion collection of modernist and post-impressionist art from its longtime home in the Philadelphia suburbs to a new downtown gallery — against the express wishes of its founder.
According to the movie, a plot was hatched in the mid-'90s by local politicians and power brokers to break the terms of Barnes’ trust and relocate his collection to downtown Philadelphia, where it would become be a major tourist draw and of course –generate revenue. The narrative is told as if through the perspective of Albert Barnes, in an attempt to understand his motives back when, and what he would think now of the recent proposals.
Many Barnes Foundation officials and their backers have questions of their own about the film's objectivity and its retelling of what the film presents as "THE scandal of the art world." One factor that motivated the board’s decision to relocate was that, by the end of the 20th century, the Barnes Foundation was nearly broke.
The filmmakers use archival footage, tapes of interviews and news clips to tell the development of the story. But they got no help from the Barnes Foundation itself, who suggest that the very title which includes the word “Steal” speaks volumes about the non-objectivity of the ‘documentary’.
In Philadelphia everybody seems to have their own viewpoint about what’s going on -ranging from ‘conspiracy’, to ‘hostile takeover’, to ‘piracy’, ‘theft’ or to ‘just plain good business sense’.
When the movie reaches the screens in Philadelphia today, Friday 26th the public debate will surely become even more impassioned.
Founder & Benefactor Albert Barnes
Art gallery by day - Sex club by night
Ah, those Europeans and their ideas. An art gallery in Vienna has opened a nightly swingers club as part of a two-month project whose goal is to provoke debate about scandal in art.
Every evening when the main exhibits have shut, curious visitors (over 18 years of age) can visit the club which is housed in the basement of The Secession art gallery in central Vienna and act out their sexual fantasies in leather and latex. The club also has a dance floor, available artists to do erotic body painting and even a chamber for S&M fans. The less bold (and more inhibited) can walk through the empty scarlet and black satin decorated rooms during the day –and imagine what takes place there at night.
The “project’ has created quite stir a among Vienna’s political leaders and social elite. The city mayor has said that although he does not approve of the club, he believes the reaction by the press and civic leaders was playing into the artist's hands. He stated in a news conference that “If an artist's goal is to provoke, and you are all playing along with it."
The project was conceived by Swiss artist Christoph Buechel, who wanted to draw a parallel with the controversy over Gustav Klimt's "Beethoven Frieze,” a painting of nude women that provoked uproar when it first shown 100 years ago, at the beginning of the 20th century. The Klimt painting hangs on a wall very near the swingers’ exhibit.
Inside the exhibit –at night
Art Antics
There are many strange and weird events happening in the art world but few can compete with the antics of Santiago Sierra, a Spanish/Mexican artist whose most famous work involved offering Spanish prostitutes the price of a dose of smack for permission to tattoo their backs and then displaying them (the prostitutes) as art. Another time he proposed a show at the Kunsthalle in Vienna, involving a line of museum staff, stripped to the waist, lined up in order of size of salary –to demonstrate the progression of skin tones from lighter at the executive end to darker for museum guards and janitors. Many gallery owners are wary of offering him shows since his “piece de resistance” from 1997. Given freedom by a gallery to mount an installation, he set up a work - and then set fire to the gallery to ‘demonstrate his artistic hostility towards commercialization of art’. On another occasion a prestigious gallery in London offered him a show. Everything was put in place; then on opening night the artist barricaded the entrances to the gallery to prevent those invited from attending the show…..
The Metropolitan’s “Actor” by Picasso will soon be on view again
About a month ago (Jan24) a woman, taking an adult education class at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, accidentally fell into “The Actor,” (a Picasso painting from his rose period 1904-5) - causing the tear in the canvas. The accident recalled another human-canvas run-in involving a Picasso. In 2006 the Las Vegas casino owner Stephen Wynn put his elbow through “Le Rêve” (“The Dream”), a 1932 Picasso of the artist’s mistress: Marie-Thérèse Walter. The gaffe left a sizable hole that has been so artfully repaired that the untutored eye would never know such a fate had befallen it.
Over the past few weeks restorers have been diligently working on the damaged piece at the Metropolitan, and it will soon be returned to viewing. Given that the early Picasso canvasses are more delicate, and the oil paint thinner than the enamel based paint the master used later on in his career, the restoration work requires exceptional expertise.
“The Actor” was painted when Picasso was only 23 and quite poor so he was using the less expensive materials –a factor that is adding to the difficulties of restoration. There are few major paintings from this period and, at 4 feet by 6 feet, it is one of the biggest surviving works. It’s an image of a tall, gaunt actor, dressed in a Commedia dell’Arte costume, leaning out across the footlights. It has often been thought that Picasso painted “The Actor” over an earlier discarded work of a landscape.
Like a gifted plastic surgeon, a seasoned restorer has many options these days and a host of materials and instruments at his disposal, even minute acupuncture-type needles that are used to sew a canvas, or keep a tear flat. We look forward to seeing “The Actor” back on display.
A study shows that contextual information does not help in art appreciation.
Writing in the journal of Empirical Studies of the Arts, a psychologist working at Indiana University-Purdue University has recently published the results of a study in which undergraduates evaluated artworks representing various styles. The findings will surely evoke consternation and concern among museum curators since the study suggests that contextual information alonside a work of modern art maybe counterproductive in terms of enjoymant and appreciation.
The 172 students who participated in the study had little or no knowledge about art. The point was to assess if contextual information increased the ability of the viewer to extract more meaning from the artwork and therefore make the encounter more pleasurable. The hypothesize was that the more abstract a work, the more the textual info would be significant.
In the study students looked at photos of two paintings and two sculptures in one of four styles: ranging from realism to abstract expressionism. All were given a general definition of art, and a label stating the style the works represented, but only half the participants were also provided with a definition of that style, a brief history of its origins and information on the goals of the artists who worked in that style.
They were then asked to rate, on a scale of 1 to 7, not only how much they liked the work in question, but how closely it matched their personal conception of a work of art. This approach reflects the claim that we all possess an “internal prototype of what constitutes art.” That is to say; works that conform to this prototype tend to be judged positively, while those that stray far from it are considered less pleasing.
The findings in the study seem to support this assertion. More abstract works were rated as matching less well with internal concepts of art, and were liked less than realistic works of Impressionism and Renaissance art.”
In other words, to generalize, the more likely we feel a piece conforms to our own personal ideas of art, the more likely we are to enjoy or appreciate it when it is presented without interpretation.
Very complicated!!!!!
New LACMA Pavilion getting ready to open
Over the weekend the LACMA announced three exhibitions scheduled for the new Resnik Pavilion that will open in October 2010. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion, is being constructed following a $45 million donation by the couple to the museum. It will have 45,000 square feet of space and is part of an ongoing project to update and unify the LACMA campus.
One of the three inaugural exhibitions will be "Eye of the Sensual" which will include about 125 European paintings, sculptures and decorative arts from the Resnick’s personal art collection.
The new pavilion is located just north of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum on the LACMA campus.
Art censorship in Temecula
At opening night of the “Visual Expressions 2010” Art Exhibition at the city-owned Merc Gallery in Temecula, one local artist was surprised to find that the nude he entered into the show was not hanging on the gallery wall. It had been removed and stored in an attic. Apparently some city officials had decided the portrait of a woman was “not family friendly” and had taken the decision to censure it from the show. An anti-censorship advocacy group has sent a letter to city hall protesting the removal of the painting and has begun a campaign to have it reinstated in the show. One can only wonder at the narrow-mindedness of city officials who believe that in the 21st century a nude can be offensive in an art gallery.
New Agreement between the Getty & Sicily
A collaboration agreement between the J. Paul Getty in L.A. and the Sicilian Ministry of Culture was announced jointly this week in Palermo and Los Angeles. The two parties have agreed to work together to conserve art objects, to organize exhibitions and carry out research programs.
Two exhibits proposed by the Getty; One will examine the Greek colonies that founded Sicily as one of the wealthiest and most powerful metropolises in the Mediterranean world and another will focus on the Greek influence on an ancient settlement called Selinunte.
Under the arrangement, Sicilian museums will lend the Getty some marble sculptures and paintings that will be put on display at the hilltop museum in Los Angeles. The Getty will organize a conference in Sicily lecturing on its own expertise protecting museum collections from earthquakes.
Portrait exhibition & lectures at Norton Simon Museum
The Norton Simon Museum on Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA has an impressive permanent collection of art. This coming weekend check out the temporary exhibition of Rembrandt Portraiture Prints, featuring 15 etchings of personalities who posed for the artists and some self portraits of the man, himself. This exhibition runs until March 22, 2010.
While you’re there, sign up for two interesting events happening Saturday afternoon. The first is a spotlight talk given by staff educators called “Gaze: Portraiture after Ingres” and the second is a lecture “Matisse, Picasso and Beyond: How Portraiture Survived Modernism” given by an associate professor of modern and contemporary art from Washington University in St Louis. More details at http://www.nortonsimon.org If portraiture is your thing –you have, here, a great way to spend your day.
Jen’s Art Collection
So we’re a Los Angeles based website about art in Los Angeles. We know how anything that relates to Brad, Jen and Angie creates buzz, so here is a story about Jennifer Aniston that fits our formula. It’s not about the intrigues of the dynamic threesome -will Brad and Angelina stay together, will he return to Jen; does she want him back-yes or no? This is about Jennifer Aniston the art collector. She appears on the cover of the latest edition of Architectural Digest showing off part of her collection. On the wall behind her we can see Robert Motherwell’s “Throw of Dice No 17” from 1963 which she apparently bought at Christies, New York two years ago for $1.18 million according to published results from that auction.
Below Jen is comfortably seated in her new home featured in the Digest. Behind her is the oil on canvas painting –a composition of strips of black, red, and light blue layered on to a rich, orange background.
Shaq O’Neal the Art Curator
For NBA super star center Shaquille O’Neal size is important. Shaq is more than seven feet tall and weighs –well- a lot so when he was asked last fall to help curate an art show called “Size DOES matter” he jumped in to his curator shoes with enthusiasm. The show will open at FLAG Art Foundation in New York on February 19 and will include more than 60 works by 43 artists. The story of Shaq the art curator began last fall, during a dinner in the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. His team, the Cavaliers, had just played a pre-season game against the Charlotte Bobcats. The founder and director of FLAG had both flown in from New York to watch the game and also to present O'Neal with proposal that he assist in choosing material for a show related to the theme of size.
Viewing images of works they’d brought with them to show him, O'Neal was immediately drawn to Untitled (Big Man), 2000, by Ron Mueck, a nearly seven–foot sculpture of a naked man sitting with his elbows resting on his knees. Now included in the show, it will be lent by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. The FLAG Art Foundation is not selling the works in the show which runs through May 27.
Some artists, who have been invited to participate, have created new works following the theme of the show. These include a table and six chairs sculpture that is so high visitors will be able to walk under it and ten–foot–tall painting based on a photograph of a popular model in the '60s. On the other end of the measurement scale, the smallest work in the show will be a sculpture of O'Neal that requires a microscope to view created by Willard Wigan who is renowned for his nano-sized sculptures.
The person who suggested O’Neal as curator to the FLAG foundation based her interest in him on his history of multitasking. During his basketball career, Shaq O’Neal has acted, made rap albums, served in law enforcement, finished his college degree (at Louisiana State University), and earned an M.B.A., from the University of Phoenix. He is studying for a Ph.D. at Barry University. Though he has acquired quite a collection of art in his home (including works by his 5 children) Shaq admits to having a limited experience when it comes to visiting art museums. He promises to be become more of a regular after his show at FLAG.
Untitled-Big Man
Giving your art for free, so that you can sell it
Here’s a novel way to get people interested in your art. For the past year, once a month, a young (32 year old) artist in the Chicago area posts a tweet on Twitter with clues as to where people can come and pick up one of his paintings for free.
After managing a landscaping business for a decade the young man gave it up to paint full time. Now he drives to the heart of Chicago for a few hours and leaves hundreds of dollars worth of his art in random spots, hinting about the locations via Twitter and texts. Then he just drives home leaving the abandoned canvas to its fate. One some occasions he has left 3-4 paintings at different locations and they have all been retrieved and taken. At other times the artist has had no idea what has happened to his work.
Since the idea came to him, he has continued painting specifically for the purpose of leaving the work in a public place to be found by whoever deciphers his clues.
When the artist began to leave his artwork around Chicago for others to take home, it was as a statement against the way his artwork (and the artwork of so many others) was being ignored. Trying to sell paintings for modest sums got him nowhere. Since giving them away for free he has obtained more publicity and recognition than he ever expected.
He figures 700 people — via Twitter, Facebook and texts (keywords -"Skoff and Sam") were following his exploits, receiving digital hints about where and when he would leave new artwork. From the beginning, on the back of each work, the artist left his e-mail address. He got a few replies, informing him that his painting was found. (This is how he met girlfriend “Sam”, who found two of his works, and now paints with him.) After a few months of this, the number of claimed paintings went from a small fraction to half. He kept the replies. Some of the people, who found his work, liked the piece so much they asked him to paint another on commission. He then started to sell his art on Craigslist. But more importantly, he had created a market for himself and built a network of followers, many of whom wanted to know when he would leave some new art.
Although by now, the artist views his novel way of distributing his art as a game, some local art dealers and curators have pondered upon the philosophical questions raised by this method.”What does this say about self-promotion and what does it say about the importance of venue when exhibiting art. Is the context of the gallery important for appreciating art?” Since getting public attention for his give-away art work, the artist is now selling three or pieces a week. Good for him!
A Renoir Exhibition opens next weekend at LACMA
There is a quote attributed to Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) that eloquently sums up the sensuous and voluptuous nature of women in his paintings.
"When I've painted a woman's bottom so that I want to touch it, then [the painting] is finished."
If you want to experience the rich sensuality in his work, go see “Renoir in the 20th Century” at the LACMA which runs from February 14 to may 9, 2010 focuses on the last three decades of Renoir’s career, when, after breaking away from impressionism, he turned to an art that was more decorative, classical, and mirrored his own personal interpretation of the Great Tradition. This exhibition is the first monographic study dedicated to Renoir since the 1985 comprehensive retrospective set up at the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais in Paris. It is the first one ever mounted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The work of Renoir is examined through the lens of modernism, in a show that bridges the divide existing in many people’s minds between Art of the 19th and the 20th century.
2010: Four hundred years since the death of Caravaggio
Numerous exhibitions and events are scheduled this year across the world to celebrate the 4th century of the death of Italian master Caravaggio, who died in 1610. Two outstanding German scholars have seized this occasion to produce and publish two excellent books on Caravaggio’s painting: the first is titled – “Caravaggio. Seeing and Believing; The Artist and His Work” and the second, “Caravaggio: the Complete Works.”
For admirers of Caravaggio’s work these two books will make an excellent addition to the library. Both works are elegantly written and full of new information, presenting Caravaggio’s deeds and misdeeds, artistic career and production chronologically from his origins and training in Lombardy through his difficult beginnings and success in late 16th-century and early 1600’s Rome through the last years spent in exile between Naples, Malta and Sicily.
Given Caravaggio’s extravagant life, both authors take great pleasure in recounting the master’s misadventures. The artist’s legendary brawls and brothel escapades, the murder and nocturnal escape from prison obviously provide the authors with thrilling material to capture the reader’s attention but they also proceed to trace through his life matter-of-factly and cautiously, never indulging in gossipy innuendo.
Both volumes drastically reexamine and re-catalogue the body of Caravaggio’s painting. Although the two authors worked independently both arrive to similar results and reject as inauthentic or dubious many paintings that have acquired the prestigious support of many distinguished Caravaggio scholars, discarding them as not living up to the portentous craftsmanship nor conforming to his style.
Archeological News from South of the Border
Here’s some interesting news from the Pacific coastal region of Chiapas, Mexico – (A region that many Californians enjoy visiting for its enormous amount of archeological sites.) In the Tonina Archeological Zone, a wall with a rich glyphic text, including the complete name of one of the most powerful Maya military overlords has been discovered. Archeologists point out that the finding will likely yield new light on ancient Mayan grammar, since it shows linguistic features, yet to be deciphered.
This latest find adds to the spectacular sarcophagus recently uncovered by specialists of the National Institute of Anthropology & History working close by. Along with the wall, which is dated to708 AD, the diggers also discovered a stucco portrait of K’inich B’aaknal Chaahk, the 6th and most powerful of the14 rulers of the ancient Mayan city –Tonina.
This wall will lead to a much greater understanding of Tonina’s history between 680 and 715 AD, when the 6th seignior appeared in the dynastic sequence of the site. It is known that K’inich B’aaknal Chaahk was the ruler with the greatest political power at the time. Back then the city was known by the name Po, which is ‘white’ in Mie-Zoque language.
The head archeologist who is coordinating the site has remarked on the extraordinary good conservation state of the wall which, besides the fine-modeled stucco hieroglyphs, maintains most of its blue and reddish pigments. It is thought that the ruler, who had divine status in the eyes of his subjects, sat on his throne to receive visitors by this wall.
The new discovery will bring in valuable information for different fields, since it contains historical data, as well as mythological and linguistic information.
Record Breaking Giacometti
A Giacometti statue was sold in a London auction, on Wednesday for $104.3 million, smashing the previous record for sculpture. Many art experts are predicting even higher numbers to come now that the economic slump has started to climb back up.
The founder of the Fine Art Group, an art investment fund that has more than a dozen billionaire clients declared after the sale that he is “confident we will break $104 million in the next couple of years.
While the broader economy has tanked over the past 18 months, super-wealthy individuals who look at the art world either as passionate collectors or shrewd investors, or both have managed to protect their vast fortunes. While the Russian Oligarchs have been less active in the art market recently, China and India have provided their own buyers, and some state backed institutions have bought up rare works to fill museums and galleries.
This latest record breaking sale demonstrates that great works of art can achieve huge prices. The success of the sale on Wednesday will probably loosen up the supply of fresh work to the market place. Confidence has returned to the art arena!!!
“Walking Man”
Los Angeles City’s elected officials have heard the message -the arts are essential.
After listening to some impassioned arguments on Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously threw out a proposal Wednesday to eliminate guaranteed city funding for the arts.
Six council members prepared a written motion last week to repeal the funding but the motion never came to a vote because the council unanimously decided it should be "received and filed." (In city hall, that means “put it aside and forget about it’). During the public hearing about reducing government services and jobs in the face of a municipal budget crisis, the council showed little enthusiasm for a recommendation by the City Administrative officer that would have wiped out the annual arts grants program of $4million.
At the meeting the executive director of the Department of Cultural Affairs offered to look for ways to save $500,000 in her current budget in order to help reduce something in the city’s financial problems and a council decision was made to continue pursuing a plan to shift operations at several community arts centers from the city to private, nonprofit groups. Though the city will still own the buildings these privately run centers will pay for monthly costs, utilities and upkeep.
The plan to do away with the arts agency's reliable funding was a major concern for many who are involved in the visual arts. Since 1989, the city has earmarked $1 in taxes per $100 of hotel room charges for the Department of Cultural Affairs. This money has virtually provided its entire $9.6-million budget.
More than 30 speakers, who decried the proposed arts cuts, made themselves heard before the council while many other advocates for the arts looked on the proceeding in the council chamber. The Arts for L.A. advocacy group, which has mounted an email campaign to oppose the cuts in funding, handed them red sticker badges to wear.
Most speakers spoke about the economic and cultural benefits of the arts to the community as a whole and warned that, as the world’s capital of entertainment and culture, L.A. would court widespread ridicule by eliminating arts grants.
Doodle 4 Google Art Contest 2010 –tell your kids!!!
Internet giant Google has kicked off this year's Doodle for Google art contest which means your kids will have a chance to get a drawing on Google's homepage –viewed by hundreds of millions of visitors. The competition invites kids grades K through 12 to draw a Google logo for the Google homepage inspired by the theme, 'If I Could Do Anything, I Would ...'
The deadline to register for this event is 11:59:59 PM on March 17, 2010 and participants can submit entries no later than 11:59:59 PM March 31, 2010. The winning doodle will be featured on Google.com on May 27, 2010.
The official Doodle for Google site explains that the entries will be judged by 'well-known illustrators, cartoonists and animators from organizations such as The Sesame Street Workshop, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, The Charles Shultz/Peanuts Museum and Pixar Animation Studios.'
The 'National Winner' as the 1st prize is called, not only gets his/her drawing on the homepage of Google, but also a $15,000 college scholarship, a trip to the Google New York office, a laptop computer, a Wacom digital design tablet, and a T-shirt with a picture of his/her winning Google Doodle. The winner's school will also receive a $25,000 grant. Kids and school administrators get your pencils, crayons, pastels out and get to work!!!
Here's the drawing that won the 2009 Google Art Contest
Perseverance, determination and some good luck
Success in the art world is due to perseverance, determination and –good luck. No matter how difficult things get, a serious artist must make it clear to everyone involved that he/she is here to stay. You’ll need a thick skin to protect your ego from the hundreds of closed doors and the “no thank-you’s.” After every setback, the serious artist must redouble efforts to prove the critics and detractors wrong and prove his/her own self belief. Persist, push and cajole. Artists must demonstrate the value of their art regardless of the circumstances, replacing complacency with resourcefulness, ingenuity and innovation. As a word of encouragement to our Artlanow members, I might add that L.A. is still the place to live if you're into creativity and freedom of expression. So while you wait for ‘le coup de chance’ here are some things you should be doing to promote you and your art.
Establish yourself in an organized way. First locally, before you go regional, before you go international. Although most galleries publish announcements on their websites that they’re not accepting submissions, gallery owners and operators are always on the lookout for ‘extraordinary’ innovative work. Target prospective local galleries individually, send in your CD or portfolio –whatever- and ask for a meeting. Send in a brief note explaining how and why your art fits in with their agenda. Your pitch has to be about them, not about you. If you demonstrate a good solid understanding of a gallery, their artists, the types of art they exhibit, and their history, and where you belong in all of this, then at least you stand a chance of getting noticed and invited to an interview. Be ready for repeated rejection but be persistent. Lady luck can smile at any time. Once you have that meeting set up, then it’s up to you to “sell yourself” and get your work on their walls.
Your purpose when interviewing at a gallery is twofold-- to demonstrate your talent as an artist, but even more so, to convince the gallery of the intensity of your mission, your goals, and what you are trying to communicate through your art. These elements are as important as the quality of your art when it comes to opening doors. Galleries respect a good story line, and they like artists who know where they're going.
It’s important to get your art out there before the public in as many ways and in as many places as possible. The more people who see your art, and the more often they see it, the quicker you establish a "name" for yourself. Regularly and consistently showing your art is your way to advertise your product; the greater the number of times someone is exposed to a product the more familiar they become with it, the more likely they are to want to know more about it, and buy it.
Let’s add another important factor to our list of: persistence, determination and good luck – networking. Get out into the world. Go to gallery openings, art events and join local art associations. Most art associations organize for their members annual or bi-annual art shows. These are great ways to get your art to the public.
Once you have participated in a few local exhibitions and your resume has solid content you can begin to venture out and contact regional galleries.
Tips to avoid being scammed
First and foremost, scammers are like any con artists –they use flattery to gain their victims confidence. Even though you know your art work is good, in this economy any normal buyer is going to discuss terms and conditions if he/she is seriously interested in purchasing your work. Any ‘buyer’ who doesn’t even question the price is suspicious. Their emails and calls are often in a flattering vein because they are banking on your ego to get you to fall into the trap. Their insistence on urgency is another red light warning that something is amiss. If you have been contacted by them, just stop all communication with them. Once they realize they have been discovered they’ll move on to contacting new potential victims.
In general the emails they send contain variations of the same text and they use multiple aliases. This past month we have witnessed the efforts of Henry McDaniels, Stan Thomas and David Campbell, however, they surely use dozens of other names.
Don’t provide any more personal information than they have already obtained about you.
Never, give out your Bank Account Number, Social Security Number, Pin Number or Paypal Account info to anyone you do not know personally or trust implicitly.
The scammers commonly send FAKE Cashier Checks & FAKE Money Orders usually for more than the amount of the purchase and request you mail them the difference. DON’T CASH THESE CHECKS. When the banks discover that they are fake they’ll hold you responsible for banking fees.
The vast majority of scammers state they’re currently overseas, but provide inconsistent information about their location and try to involve a third party in the shipping of the goods. These are all red light indicators that should make you suspicious.
If you are contacted by email by prospective buyers, ask for a telephone number and ask to speak to them personally about the work they propose to purchase. The scammers send out so many emails they won’t even remember what the piece they contacted you about, looks like.
If you would like to help put a stop to these scams you can contact your local police, the federal trade commission at www.ftc.gov (phone 1-877-FTC-HELP), or contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (http://www.ic3.gov Unfortunately there is little they can do to prevent it from continuing since the scammers set up new internet email accounts constantly and remain virtually untraceable in cyberspace.
One of our objectives in establishing a regional online network for Artists at www.artlanow.com was to encourage easy communication between sellers and buyers. If Artists and Art buyers are able to physically meet, a mutually trusting relationship can be developed. Unfortunately, the unscrupulous designs of these internet scammers cause us all to be more and more wary of others intentions. Beware and be careful!!!!!
Juried Art Competitions and Events: Deadlines February 2010
The Artists Association of Northern Colorado announces a call to 2D & 3D artists for their 19th Annual National Show, April 5-May 7, 2010 at The Lincoln Center, 417 W Magnolia, Fort Collins, Colorado. They are offering more than $5000 in Cash and Merchandise. Juror is Frank Francese. Digital image submissions only. Members: $35/3, Non-members: $40/3. $40 by check, $42.50 if using Paypal through the website. Entry forms at http://www.artistsassoc.com or send a SASE to: AANC, PO Box 1039, Ft. Collins, CO 80522. Questions to H. Cook at info@artistsassoc.com DEADLINE: February 4, 2010. |
Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, Oregon announces a call to artists for a painting exhibition, “Expressions West 2010” from April 23 – July 3, 2010. 1st: $1000 Award, 2nd: $750 Award, 3rd: $250 Award, 4 honorable mention ribbons. Juror: Kevin Kadar. Painters residing in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are invited to submit up to 3 entries depicting paintings in one or more of four media: oil, acrylic, pastel, or watercolor. All themes of expression within the parameters are acceptable entries. Previous winners of cash purchase awards from Expressions West 2007 through Expressions West 2009 are eligible to enter, but will not be eligible to win a cash award. Submissions can be either digital files or slides. $20 for the first entry and $10 each for the 2nd & 3rd. Prospectus at http://coosart.org/call2art.html or send a SASE to: Coos Art Museum, 235 Anderson Ave., Coos Bay, OR 97420. Questions to info@coosart.org or tel: 541-267-3901. DEADLINE: February 6, 2010 |
Upstream People Gallery has a call out to artists for an online exhibition, March 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011. Cash Awards; Special Recognitions; Press Releases to artists' newspaper(s). Open to all artists worldwide - the subject matter is faces of all kinds. Original 2D and 3D works including ceramics, sculpture, paintings, drawings, photography, prints and mixed media in all creative processes and forms are accepted. $25 Fee for up to 5 images; $5 each additional. Prospectus at http://www.upstreampeoplegallery.com/ or send a SASE to: Upstream People Gallery, 5607 Howard St., Omaha, NE 68106-1257, USA. Questions? Contact Larry Bradshaw at shows@upstreampeoplegallery.com or tel: 402-991-4741 Discounted DEADLINE Feb 8: Later DEADLINE February 24, 2010 |
The FSU Museum of Fine Arts in Tallahassee, Florida announces a call to artists for "The 25th Annual Tallahassee International Juried Competition", August 23-September 26, 2010. Awards: 1st-$1,000; 2nd-$500; Color Catalog will be produced. Juried by a panel of FSU College of Visual Arts faculty. Open to artists 18+ worldwide with all media eligible for consideration. $20 for 2 images. Visit http://www.mofa.fsu.edu/pages/participate/tallahasseeinternational.shtml for prospectus, or send a SASE to: Tallahassee International, 530 W Call St., Room 250 Fine Arts Bldg., Tallahassee, FL 32306-1140. Inquiries? Please contact Jean Young at jdyoung@fsu.edu or call 850-644-3906. DEADLINE: February 14, 2010 |
The National Portrait Gallery in London, UK announces a call to artists for the "BP Portrait Award 2010", June 24 - September 19, 2010 in London, United Kingdom. First Prize: £25,000; Second Prize £8,000; Third Prize: £6,000. Judging panel chaired by Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery. The competition is open to everyone aged 18 and over. The work entered should be a painting based on a sitting or study from life and the human figure must predominate. The work must be predominantly painted in oil, tempera or acrylic and must be on a stretcher or board, preferably framed and unglazed. No watercolors. Works on paper or pastels will be considered. The competition is limited to one entry per artist. The work must have been completed after January 1, 2009. Visit www.npg.org.uk/bp for more information and to enter online. £30 entry fee. Email questions to bpaward@npg.org.uk or call (+44)20 7321 6600. DEADLINE: February 14, 2010 |
Dean Galleries in Wilton Manors, Florida seeks entries for a photography exhibition to be held March 19, 2010 to April 20, 2010. $500 cash award + gallery Show and representation. Open to all photographers/artists 18 years and over. To make the competition more interesting, there are 10 categories. Photographers can enter all the categories. Complete details and entry form on the website at http://www.dennisdean.com There is a $25 fee for the first image, $10 each additional image, no limit. Questions? Emails to ddgartistcall@me.com DEADLINE: February 15, 2010 |
The Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation in Watkinsville, Georgia announces a call to artists for "Southworks 2010", April 2 - May 8, 2010. $10,000 in merit and purchase awards. Juror: Catherine Fox. Open to all U.S. residents/artists 18 years or older. Work must be original and completed within the past three years. Work previously exhibited at “Southworks” or any OCAF exhibit within the last three years is not eligible. Entries will be juried from computer images. Merit Awards will be awarded from the original artwork. 2-Dimensional works, excluding mat & frame, should not exceed 96" in any direction. Sculpture may have one side exceeding 96" inches in length, but weight should not exceed 150 lbs. $35 for 3 pieces; $25 for OCAF members. http://www.myocaf.com/ Email inquiries to info@ocaf.com or call 706-769-4565.DEADLINE: February 16, 2010 |
Red, A Main Gallery Photography Show is sponsored by the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado. They invite all photographers to participate in an upcoming exhibit, April 23 – May 22, 2010. Awards: $700. Juror: Amber Terranova – Photo Editor for Photo District News. The exhibition is open to photographers worldwide, both amateur and professional. $35 for the first 3 images, $10 for each image after that. All submissions must be done online at the website. Download prospectus at http://www.c4fap.org/cfe/2009Red/Redcfepart2.pdf Questions? Email cfe@c4fap.org Tel: 970-224-1010. DEADLINE: February 16, 2010 |
The City of Beverly Hills Beverly Hills Affaire In The Gardens Art Show is seeking fine artists for the Spring 2010 event held May 15 & 16, 2010 at Beverly Gardens Park along Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. $7,750 in awards. This event is in its 3rd decade along four blocks in the heart of Beverly Hills. 40,000 visitors attend throughout the weekend, including many Southern California art dealers. Application is $30, Acceptance is $330. There is no commission. Call Karen at 310.285.6836 for more info. Applications at http://www.beverlyhills.org/attractions/affaire/brochure_and_aplication.asp or send a SASE to: Greystone Park, 501 Doheny Road, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. DEADLINE: February 18, 2010 |
Still Point Art Gallery announces a call to artists for their online “Painting Exhibition”, March 10 - May 4. Three cash awards will be given. First Place: Best in Show ($300), Second Place: Director’s Award ($200), Third Place: Gallery Award ($100). Juror: Christine Brooks Cote, Director of Still Point Art Gallery. Open to artists 18 years of age or older from around the world. Artists must submit pieces that have been painted, but there are many choices for the substance - oils, acrylics, watercolors, etc. – and many choices for the surface – canvas, linen, wood, etc. Submissions must be the original creation of the artist. Reproductions of original artwork are not accepted. Take a look and download the prospectus at http://www.stillpointgallery.com/index.php?action=prospects Non-refundable fee of $25 for up to 3 images. Additional images $5. Questions or further info contact: Christine Cote at info@stillpointartgallery.com or call 207 837-5760. DEADLINE: February 22, 2010
Jersey Central Art Studios announces a call to artists for the "Cranford Plein-Air Event and Sale", June 9-13, 2010 in Cranford, New Jersey. Juror: Allison Malafronte, Senior Editor of American Artist, Workshop, Drawing and Watercolor magazines. Open to all artists. Applicants must be over 18 to enter. All award winners will be published in American Artist Magazine. Cash and purchase awards. $35.00 entry fee. Prospectus at http://www.jcas.org or send a SASE to: JCAS, c/o D.Leber, 221 Orchard Street, Cranford, NJ 07016. Questions? Please contact Deb Leber at dleber@comcast.net or telephone 908-272-3743. DEADLINE: February 22, 2010 |
Gallery 42 Fine Art in Mason, Ohio announces a call to artists for an exhibition entitled “The Good, The Bad, The Money” to be held March 13 - May 5, 2010. Best of Show: $700, 2nd Place: $200, Artist Choice Award. Juror: Matthew Litteken. The exhibition is open to artists 18 years or older living in the United States. All work must be original in concept and design. All mediums welcome. $25 for first entry, $13 for each additional, up to 4 total entries. Visit http://www.gallery42fineart.com to download an entry form. Please contact Ben Neal or Francis Michaels at gallery42fineart@gmail.com or call 513-234-7874 if you have questions. DEADLINE: February 27, 2010 |
"Ambience Art Contest 2010" sponsored by Ambience Productions is dedicated to promoting creative talent on a global scale. They showcase new and emerging artists on their website at http://www.ambienceproductions.com This event is open to all mediums of art: painting, oils, acrylics, watercolors, graphic art, sculpting, drawing, sketching and the like. Entrants worldwide are welcome. Winners will receive great prize money, as well as a downloadable certificate. Winning entries and artist's profiles will be published on our site. Single Entry $25, Triple Entry $40.Download a prospectus on the website. Questions? Contact Darren at artcontest@ambienceproductions.com.au DEADLINE: February 28, 2010
The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards seeks photographers working in all mediums, styles and schools of thought for the Jacob Riis Award 2010 competition. The competition is open to all professional and amateur photographers working with digital or traditional photography or combinations of both. There is no theme; the images will be evaluated as a cohesive body of work, rather than individual images. Each portfolio should be composed of a minimum of 8 images and a maximum of 12. Awarded Portfolio will be published in Eyemazing magazine + $3,000 cash prize - Book publishing - Exhibition in Europe. Jurors: Susan Zadeh (Netherland), Per Valentin (Denmark), Paul Cava (US), Alexander Scholtz (Germany). Fees are $80 for the first portfolio; $30 each additional. Info at www.thegalaawards.com Questions to Victoria Hardy Werbin: press@thegalaawards.com. DEADLINE: February 28, 2010. |
The Julia Margaret Cameron Award is given to women photographers. The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards seeks professional and non professional women photographers worldwide for an open juried photography competition and exhibit in Berlin, Germany during the month of September, 2010. Winners images will be featured in ZOOM + $3000 cash prize. There is a $35 entry fee per 3 images + $10 each additional image. Details at http://www.thegalaawards.com/entryfees.html Questions? Contact Victoria Hardy-Werbin at press@thegalaawards.com DEADLINE: February 28, 2010 |
"The Human Landscape" is a thematic exhibition of figurative art based on interpretations of the theme. The exhibition will be held at the Limner Gallery in Hudson, New York from May 1-29, 2010. It will be juried by the director of the gallery. This show is open for entry to all artists working in any media. All interpretations of the theme from the realist to the abstract and conceptual will be reviewed and considered. $2600 in magazine publication awards. Online entry form at www.slowart.com/prospectus/human.html or e-mail slowart@aol.com DEADLINE: March 1, 2010
"Emerald Spring Exhibition 2010" at the Emerald Art Center in Springfield, Oregon announces a call to artists for an exhibition to be held April 27 - May 28, 2010. Over $6,000 in prizes. Juror: Ned Mueller. Paintings only, no photos, no collages. Only original, unsupervised work that has been completed in the last three years. $30 entry fee for 1 or 2 images, $10 for each additional. Go to http://www.emeraldartcenter.org for details or send a SASE to: Attn: Emerald Spring Exhibition 2010, Emerald Art Center, 500 Main St, Springfield, OR 97477. Contact Gladys Bacon-Rust at director@emeraldartcenter.net or 541-935-9504. DEADLINE: March 1, 2010
Sculptors Dominion International, Inc. has a call out to all sculptors for an annual exhibit, April 3-25, 2010 at the Villa del Carmen Sculpture Conservatory in San Antonio, Texas. Juror: Gilbert E Barrera - Sculptor. Submit your website and registration for jury. Big outdoor sculpture only will be considered, limit 1 Install by appointment. Requires work stay March and April only. Year-around gallery available for 3 years. Artists’ presence not required to exhibit or sell. Transportation, insurance is the sculptors’ responsibility. You will exhibit with some 70 other professional sculptors. The venue is in 6 landscaped acres, oak trees, grass all secured and gated in a residential setting and inside the city limits. The outdoor sculptures will be presented in aesthetically, in a spacious setting and with integrity. Classical figurative to abstract allowed. Bronze to marble. No entry fee. Visit http://www.sculptorsdominioin.com/2008-1stCallForEntry.aspx for more info. Inquiries? Please contact Gilbert E Barrera at gilbertebarrera@gmail.com or call 210 413-0498. DEADLINE: March 1, 2010 |
The portrait Society of America is hosting its 12th Annual International Competition & Exhibition showcasing today's finest portraiture and figurative works. The top 15 finalists must bring their original work to the annual conference, April 22-25, 2010, just outside Washington, DC for final judging. With over $55,000 in cash and prizes, the Grand Prize winner will receive over $5000. $40 Entry fee for 3 submissions. All mediums accepted, except photography and digitally altered media. Visit www.portraitsociety.org/conference/competition.html for details or send SASE to: P.O. Box 11272, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Inquiries? Contact Amanda Oliver at info@portraitsociety.org or telephone 1-877-772-4321. DEADLINE: March 1, 2010
"NJEAA Art of the Horse" is an open call to all artists 18 years and over for an exhibit to be held May 20-June 19, 2010 at the Somerset Art Association in Bedminster, New Jersey. Awards for First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention. $25 for up to 3 submissions. Info & questions: Sheila Barnes at xochitlb@comcast.net or call 908-284-9751. DEADLINE: March 1, 2010 |
The Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs has a call out for entries to "Art on the Streets." It’s an outdoor art show and year-long exhibition (June 2010 - May 2011) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. $25,000 to the top 3 places, plus $400 honoraria to each selected artist. Juror: Jan Schall, Ph.D., Sanders Sosland Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO. All types of public art suitable for outdoor display are highly encouraged. It is important that the works be durable and conform to public safety regulations. $25 entry fee. Visit http://www.artonthestreets.com or send a SASE to: Community Ventures, Inc., 111 S. Tejon St., Ste. 309, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Any questions? Contact Denise Schall at deniseschall@downtowncs.com or Tel: 719-886-0088. DEADLINE: March 1, 2010 |