Los Angeles Art News, Art Blog

ART BLOG

ARTICLES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2011
Contributing Bloggers: John Harbinger Jr.and David Harbrenig

Results from the L.A. Art Show 2011

When I visit galleries and art shows I often keep a look out for ‘red dots’ as an indicator of whom and what is being sold. The Art Market Monitor has published the following sales figures and numbers of works sold at the Jan 2011 Los Angeles Art Show as given by the organizers– the Fine Art Dealers Association. The opening night, which attracted the most serious collectors saw a crowd of 5000 and, from what I witnessed over the weekend, the show was very well attended during the entire event. These self-reported sales were issued after the weekend. I have not found yet the final figures.

MS Rau Antiques: $350,000+ **** George Stern Fine Arts: $290,000+
Westwood Gallery: $100,000+ **** George Stern Fine Arts: $140,000+
Schiller and Bodo: $42,000+ **** Karges Fine Art: $450,000+
Arcadia Gallery: $200,000+

Denis Bloch: 10 pieces sold **** Modernbook: 15 pieces sold **** Lurie Gallery: 15 pcs sold
Korea Art Center: 8 pieces sold **** Sue Greenwood: 8 pieces sold
Redfern Gallery: 5 paintings sold **** Madison Gallery: 4 paintings and one sculpture!
Proud Gallery of Beijing - nearly sold out!

The National Arts Index

The Dow Jones, The Schiller Housing Index, The GNP Index and now we have The National Arts Index - a compilation of statistics concerning the ups and downs of all things concerning the Arts. As the largest set of data ever assembled about arts and culture in America, it includes information on how we spend our time and money on the Arts and info on how (visual) artists fare in the economy. Like everybody else, not so good at the moment!! (Just, in case you didn’t know.)

The report notes that 57.8 million Americans paint, draw, do photography or play musical instruments. America has Talent.

Art Teachers

Artists often cite the importance of curators, dealers, gallerists, museum directors and art collectors who help them climb the ladder to success. Few artists mention the role of their art teachers.
In today’s world, where art can be anything and is anything, where do teachers fit in? Should 21st century art teachers be teaching the same things to today’s budding artists that past generations of teachers felt compelled to do; or does instruction only shackle the contemporary artist’s mind to technique and rules. Doesn’t the young artist of 2011 need to discard and break all the rules if he/she wishes to succeed?
The task of an art teacher today is more daunting than ever.
If you are thinking of becoming an art teacher, here’s some more advice from the National Art Education Association’s Professional Standards for Visual Arts Educators handbook.
“An art teacher should posses the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high-quality art instruction for students. This combination of skills should allow the teacher to guide and support meaningful art instruction in schools, colleges, museums, and other community settings.”
The handbook goes on to stipulate that “all art teachers must have the ability to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate students, as well as understand the students’ educational and emotional needs. They must be able to recognize and respond to individual and cultural differences in students and respond with the appropriate teaching method that will ensure student success.”
The NAEA handbook continues by stating that an art teacher must be creative, have a passion for art and a drive to share that love of art with others; a passion that will inspire students to use their imagination, ignore traditional boundaries and embrace innovation.”
Wow, what a task to accomplish: “And respond with the appropriate teaching method that will ensure student success.”
I hope for all you art teachers that the remuneration is commensurate with the qualities and qualifications the post demands.

Some inspirational words to set you off into 2011

I cannot help it that my pictures do not sell. Nevertheless the time will come when people will see that they are worth more than the price of the paint and the canvas. (Vincent Van Gogh)

I don't own any of my own paintings because a Picasso original costs several thousand dollars and that's a luxury I cannot afford. (Pablo Picasso)

I choose a block of marble and chop off whatever I don't need. (Auguste Rodin)

The moment that an artist takes notice of what other people want, and tries to supply the demand, he ceases to be an artist, and becomes a dull or an amusing craftsman, an honest or dishonest tradesman.
(Oscar Wilde)

What is an artist? For every thousand there are nine hundred just doing work, ninety doing it well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard who's known as an Artist.
(Tom Stoppard)

You know when you have made a true work of art when you’ve spent less time making it than people spend looking at it. (Banksy)

Will 2011 be a good year?

This morning, while listening to John Cage’s 4’33’’ and drinking the first of my many daily cups of coffee, I wondered “will 2011 be a good year?” Back in the old days, one could go to the Oracle, seek out the soothsayer or put a piece of silver into a gipsy’s palm to know what the future bodes. Today, however, life is so much simpler – one asks the Internet. I can’t say it enough – I love the internet. The answer to almost any question is available 24/7 online.

So, I punched in “will 2011 be a good year?” and sure enough up came 8,660,000 results. You’ll be pleased to know that for rabbits, rats, Libras, the city of San Jose and China, 2011 will definitely be a good year.

However, by page ten of my search results I’d found no mention of what the future holds for me nor any reference to what 2011 has in store for Art & Artists in general. So, I modified my search to “Will 2011 be a good year for Art & Artists” and as I added the words ‘for Art & Artists’ to my previous search phrase, up came a notation “No suggested results available.” It looks as if the Internet is not ‘all-knowing’ after all. What a shame. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

Here’s a juried competition which might interest Artlanow photographers

1650 Gallery (http://www.1650gallery.com) in Los Angeles, CA has a call out to photographers for "That's Weird." They want you to send in images of your oddest, funniest, embarrassing and most offbeat photographic moments. There really are no rules for this event. It can be photos of just about anything providing it fit the theme title “That’s Weird.” There is a $25 entry fee. The Juror will be Billy the Mime, an avid photo collector and professional weirdo (http://www.billythemime.net). Visit the gallery website for details or email questions to 1650gallery@gmail.com. DEADLINE: January 6, 2011.

Thoughts for the New Year

Welcome to 2011. A new year begins. It’s the time to look back and review the past twelve months; to take stock of our successes and failures; to learn and to look forward. No matter how bad or good 2010 was for each of us, when a new year dawns, we all hope the future will be better.

Though the 2010 statistics for the high end art market were remarkably good considering the global continuing recession, the art market on which 99.9% of contemporary artists depend for their livelihood has been sorely hit by the bad economy. The rich may still have the means to buy art to their hearts content but middle income art enthusiasts, who gladly part with a couple thousand dollars when times are good to buy an artwork, have kept their purse strings tightly closed. The fear factor of losing one’s job has stalled any possible economic growth.

So, apart from waiting, what can artists do to make the situation better?

Well, what about making a serious review of your past (and present) work? An honest self critic of what your art has been, is and where you intend to progress with it in 2011. Many of us spend our time reading published reviews of other local artists’ work in nearby galleries, but few artists are prepared to make a review of their own output. I know it sounds like asking a mother to look at her own children ‘objectively’ - an almost impossible task – but it’s not impossible.

If you believe it is impossible for you to ‘objectively’ critic your own work, then ask others with an understanding of art and a good level of exposure to the local contemporary art scene, to do it for you; to give you an honest review. It is important to remember that artists do not work in a vacuum. To get your work into a gallery, to sell your work at an art-fair, to sell your work online you are never alone. There is competition and you all know how fierce it is.

Some might say an inflated ego (which naturally proscribes criticism) is essential to artistic genius. My thoughts, as we go into 2011 are no matter how good each of us is as an artist, or think we are –we can listen and learn from other’s viewpoints about our work and make even better art in the future.

Rockwell’s “The Art Critic.”

Blog January 1 2011

Marketing your Art in 2011

It’s a New Year and one of your New Year’s Resolutions should be to get out there; to market yourself and your art and get the recognition you deserve!

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 need to understand the collector mentality and learn how to nurture it.

This idea may rub against your artistic sensitivity and sound like “abhorrent” capitalist marketing, but you must consider that experienced collectors do not throw money away – they require certain assurances their money is being spent wisely. They want some ‘evidence’ that, when they invest in you, they are getting good value for their money. If not you personally, somebody who represents you, should be able to demonstrate and convince them that your art has ‘monetary’ value as well as artistic value - especially if they're sitting on the fence undecided and not familiar with your work.

Many buyers need these assurances because they often don't know that much about art. They're unsure, insecure, and they want concrete facts they can understand. Surprisingly very few collectors buy art on the spur of the moment according to whatever strikes their fancy.

Conveying the impression you're a serious artist is all important. You must be able to produce tangible evidence of your accomplishments for prospective buyers to see, read, and understand. This includes past sales, gallery representation, exhibitions, events, art-fairs, juried and open shows, associations and any formal art education. It’s all “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. Collectors are impressed by the details of your resume and will cite them as evidence of your credentials as an artist.

Selling art is a competitive venture. Only the most motivated win. In this competitive environment you need self confidence and salesmanship to get ahead – and a bit of gall. Most people agree that ‘padding’, ‘stretching’ or ‘bending’ the truth is not the same as lying; so don’t be timid when preparing your resume for appraisal alongside your artwork.

Make 2011 your year – your breakthrough year or your most successful year to date. Good luck!