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ARTICLES FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2009

Halloween Decorations? Try some Goya for ambience

A fun-filled, scary and spooky Halloween to all Artlanow members. There have been many artists whose work could give us all nightmares at Halloween. My choice for this year’s horrifying holiday haunt is by Francisco Goya. The great Spanish painter (1746-18280), shocked by near-fatal illness into a morbid constant fear of death and, bitter at the state chaotic state of the world, composed his famous Black Paintings directly onto the walls of his home. As if he didn’t have enough issues to deal with, he thus surrounded himself, 24 hours a day, with terrifying images of evil both natural (wars) and supernatural (witchcraft). The most famous of these paintings can send chills down the spine at any Halloween party - it is Saturn Devouring His Son (see below). The painting is based on a Greek myth where Saturn, afraid of being dethroned, begins to devour all of his children –cannibalism and infanticide rolled into one! The giant god driven crazy by his obsession stands in the darkness, his limbs like tentacles gripping the half-eaten body of his son, his eyes bulge with fury and madness as he prepares to rip off another piece of flesh! Ah, they don’t make paintings like this anymore…..

Goy’s own personal Halloween nightmare

Blog Oct 30 09

A Terrible Art Joke

A guy in Paris breaks into the Louvre and steals several paintings. Fortunately, he was captured only three blocks away when his van ran out of gasoline. When questioned by the police about his bungled attempt to make off with the loot he replied:

"I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh"

It’s never too late for fame and fortune

Sculpture by the Sea is an annual open air art competition in its thirteenth year at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. This very popular sandy beach draws crowds of fun loving Australians all year round and is known worldwide for its great surf. During the two weeks of the largest outdoor public display of art down under more than half a million visitors are expected to stroll along the mile and a half stretch of beach where 115 artworks are on view. This year’s winner of the event is a 91 year old woman who entered a huge granite sculpture called Tide & Tide Granite Monolith II, basically a large rock boulder, described by the jurors as an abstract representation of the undulating movement of the ocean, radiating a sense of peace and tranquility.

The winner, who has been a sculptor for more than 60 years, is ‘quietly elated’ by the recognition and public appreciation towards her art. Good things happen to those who persevere. She has decided to share the first prize of A$60,000 ($US 54,000) with her family. The artist, by the way, had always hoped to sell the work privately for more than the value of the prize money.

The artworks will be on show Oct 28 until Nov 15, 2009 so if you’re on your way to Oz, take a walk along the beach promenade from Bondi to Tamarama.

With all the fabulous beaches we have around us in Los Angeles perhaps somebody in one of the local city halls will take note of the Sydney event and organize our own Sculpture by the Sea Festival.

The Artist and her winning sculpture

Blog Oct 29 09

Celebrating 30 Years of MOCA

Get ready for the 30th Anniversary Gala of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 30th on November 14, 2009. The Artlanow team has not been invited and unless some of our readers have lots of money to spare, I doubt that you have received a gold embossed invitation either. Over dinner, the chosen few will be treated to the first and only performance of flamboyant Italian artist Francesco Vezzoli’s work –Ballet Russe, Italian Style (The Shortest Musical You’ll Never See Again)featuring pop star Lady Gaga and dancers from the Bolshoi Ballet. The event is sponsored by Larry Gagosian (of Larry Gagosian Galleries) and Dasha Zhukova, who was mentioned in yesterday’s Artblog about the Rothko exhibition planned at the Garage Center for Contemporary Art in Moscow. Vezzoli has made a name for himself creating lavish and outlandish projects such as creating a movie trailer for a non-existent movie and casting well known Hollywood actresses in a commercial for a perfume which also didn’t exist. His latest project will almost certainly be as lavish and outlandish –but at least this one will be REAL.

Although we will not be on hand to enjoy the festivities, the evening audience will include many artists whose works are included in the MOCA’s collection such as Ed Moses, Chris Burden, Ed Ruscha, Laura Owens, Mike Kelley and Jeff Koons. During the evening, guests will get to preview “Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years” an exhibition of 500 works that together make up the largest, long term show to date of the museum’s permanent collection. Humbler folk, like us, will be able to get in when the exhibition opens to the public on November 15.

Rothko ‘Ponzi’ Paintings in Russia

One of the many repercussions stemming from the collapse of the Bernie Madoff financial scheme is a garage exhibition (no, not a garage sale) of Mark Rothko’s work in Moscow. A bunch of Rothko’s paintings, sold earlier this year by one of the financiers involved in the Madoff Ponzi Scam will go on show at Moscow’s Garage Center for Contemporary Art in the spring of 2010. The collection was sold in July for a reported $310 million to an ‘undisclosed buyer’ by a New York financier implicated in the Madoff fraud. The receipts from that sale are frozen in the meantime by the N.Y. State Attorney while the investigation into the whole financial debacle continues.

Until the sale of this collection, the possibility of putting together enough Rothko’s for a solo exhibition in the Russian capital was almost zero. Losing the Rothkos to Russia is just one more outcome of the latest financial catastrophe.

The Garage Center for Contemporary Art was founded in 2008 by super rich Russians Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova and the upcoming show will be first solo exhibition of Rothko’s work in Moscow. The news has raised speculation that the buyer of the collection is Russian although the organizers of the show have refused to confirm this. The show will run for three months and then what happens to the Rothko paintings?……nobody knows yet except the ‘undisclosed buyer.’

Our Emotional responses to Art

It is human nature to be moved by ‘beauty’ in all its forms. When our senses are excited, each of us experiences different degrees of emotional responses whether it is to music, poetry, visual beauty or even to ‘beautiful’ aromas and tastes. We can be moved to tears of happiness or despair by melodies; a poem can cause the heart to skip a beat or to stir within; a dance can irresistibly provoke the body to sway in rhythm, a sunrise can cause breathtaking exhilaration, and the aroma of fresh coffee can make one sigh with joyful expectation. Scientists have been studying the brain for many years now, trying to understand how it functions and how we as humans function in relation to the world around us. One aspect that still is relatively untouched by clinical psychologists and neurologists is the study of the human emotional response to the visual arts- and in particular to our responses to paintings and sculptures. In the broader field of research into the psychology of human emotions it is a niche that has remained curiously unexplored apart from a bit of research done in the 1970’s.

The effect of color or music on the mood or on emotions is easy to comprehend. People choose very carefully the colors with which to paint the interior walls of their home, mindful of the effect on their mood. We are easily swayed by soft music to calm and relaxation while rhythmic music stirs us up. Who has not be moved to tears by a romantic melody or driven to dance by the beat of drums? Scientists studying the brain can detect when the brain is stimulated by music, as if response is innate, however, color as a stimulus to brain activity seems to be harder to discern. Why is it that our emotional responses to a painting are less dramatic than to song, to a poem or a scene in a movie?
Isn’t art the process of deliberately arranging colors and shapes in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions? Isn’t the whole philosophy of aesthetics based on our innate ability to respond ‘positively’ or ‘negatively’ to certain visual stimulae?

The nature of art is one of the most elusive aspects of human culture. It has been defined in so many different ways that it is almost impossible make a declaration that is totally acceptable to all. Is it a vehicle for expression or communication of emotions and ideas; a means of representation or a means to explore and appreciate elements for their own sake? Defining and evaluating art as aesthetics is no longer sufficient - Art has become especially more difficult to define since the onset of the 20th century. Even the debate over aesthetics has led to 3 separate schools of thought: For old school Art realists, aesthetic quality is an absolute value independent of any personal experience; for the objectivists it is also an absolute value but dependent on human view; for the relativists, aesthetics is not an absolute value but is defined and varies according to the experience of each one of us.
Jumping into the argument, the ultra modern nihilists in the art world proclaim that aesthetics are irrelevant to art and only ideas can illicit emotional responses as powerful as beauty.

Next time you stand before a painting or sculpture or photograph, and feel the hairs on your arms rise, or feel the tears swelling up from within you’ll know for sure that YOU have found your definition of a work of art.

Artlanow Members should think about this Art competition –next time round.

Though we didn’t see any of our members among this year’s winners, maybe some of you will think about entering the next competition. The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC has announced (Oct 24) the winner of the “Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2009. A photograph entitled “Laura” by Dave Woody of Fort Collins, Colorado was chosen from among 3300 entries submitted from across the country. The winner receives a cash prize of $25,000 and a commission from the museum to portray a “remarkable” living American to become part of its permanent collection. The photograph (shown below), taken in the studio with natural light, captures a woman dressed quite plainly, a single curl of hair framing her profile and deeply engrossed in her thoughts. Second and third prizes went to paintings. In all seven entrants received cash awards. The work of the 49 finalists will be on exhibit and open to the public from October 23 through August 22, 2010. A People Choice Award will be given based on visitors voting –both online and at the gallery. Voting will close on January 18, 2010. The competition exhibition is also accompanied by a publication illustrating each of the 49 finalists’ works. The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition is a triennial event inviting figurative artists to submit entries in all media that “explore” the art of portraiture.

Blog Oct 27 2009

When your work is finished, sign it clearly!

Your latest piece is finished. You step back and take one last look, satisfied as you’ll ever be with what you have created. What’s the next step? The signature. Signing your art is the last part of the creative process; it is your declaration that the art is ready for the world to see, criticize, appreciate and buy. Your signature identifies you as the creator - whenever someone expresses interest in the work your name is there to stake that claim clearly. Clearly? Well, not always. It depends on how you write your signature. Many artists’ signatures are difficult or sometimes impossible to read leading to significant problems of identification and causing problems in the marketplace. Don’t think for a moment that it’s a rare occurrence – there is even a book titled Artists’ Monograms and Indiscernible Signatures; An International Directory 1800-1991 by John Castagno that contains more than 5000 examples. Make sure that in the next volume, (if there is one,) documenting works from 1991 onwards, your signature is not among the indecipherable squiggles.

In many years from now, when you’re famous but no longer around to personally identify and authenticate each piece that you left unsigned or signed illegibly, the world will never know for sure whether it’s yours or not. Take signing your art as seriously as you take your art –sign your name so people can read it. If you don’t want it on the front of the canvas or sculpture sign on the reverse side or underneath as long as it appears clearly somewhere.

Some artists scribble and squiggle their names illegibly for a variety of reasons. Some think that an unreadable signature adds a mystique that only “real art lovers will recognize.” Some think that the signature should be like some kind of artistic logo - a work of art in itself. Some arrogant ones think they'll always be identifiable as the artists whether or not anyone can read their names; Some artists, albeit not too many thankfully, don't even sign their art, believing that it is instantly recognizable as being by them.

When we visit galleries or museums we all glance at the name of the artist whose work intrigues us. It is a reflex movement of the eye. It is almost as if the name is supposed to reveal something about the work, or add something to our understanding or appreciation. So, next time you sign your work, ask yourself if your name and art will be in the future pantheons of the greats or whether your work will be classified as ‘unknown.’

This coming weekend Oct 24 & 25, 2009 –The Brewery Artwalk

The 22 building live and work in artists’ colony at the Brewery 2100 N. Main St near downtown L.A. is having its bi-annual Artwalk this coming weekend. On Friday and Saturday from 11am to 6pm the public is invited to stroll around the complex and view the art of more than 100 participating artists. The studios will be offering works that range from artisanal pieces to the most avant-garde in the Los Angeles art scene. Here’s an opportunity to purchase art directly from the creators without middle man mark-up margins. This event is free and there is complimentary parking available. Past Brewery Artwalks have always been well attended so come on along and enjoy the art and the atmosphere. Food and drinks are available on site when you need to sit a while and relax between studio visits.

What we see - is not what it is…

A professor of psychology at Ritsu-meikan University in Japan specializes in the psychological effects of visual perception. He is a master of optical illusions using geometrical shapes, color and light to develop visual phenomena that ‘deceive’ the mind. In the example below the illusion of motion comes from absolutely static images. Move the entire image up into the center of the screen and see what happens as the circles begin to “rotate.”

Blog Oct 22 2009

Art for Los Angeles finest

Whenever public money is spent on art installations the finished project usually comes under intense scrutiny and criticism. There is no exception to this when it comes to the $500,000 of public money spent on art at the nearly completed Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. Six large black sculptures with two tall thin structures on either side that have been installed on the west side of the building have been sparking the most debate and provoking mixed reactions from passersby. The sculptures, created by artist Peter Shelton, are one of the two projects commissioned for the LAPD building from roughly two dozen entries that were considered. From $1 million that was allotted for public art out of the $400 million or so cost of the entire building project Shelton received half and the second half was awarded to an artist who designed a wall of etchings representing an orange grove in the new auditorium. You have to be inside to see that one! Mr. Shelton costs for his part of the project apparently have been about $400,000 so he is definitely not going to get rich from his sculptures unless the growing publicity eventually catapults him into the national spotlight. The large black sculptures have been described by some as headless torsos of ‘hippos’, ‘pigs’ or ‘bison’ on their sides and, in more blunt terms, they have been called ‘big black blobs’ and ‘cow splat’. Perhaps, however these will turn out to be art installations that initially provoke negative responses only to gain public appreciation with time. The artist intended no relevance to the location at the LAPD and has said that he wanted to create a playful and provocative streetscape. According to a report in the L.A. Times today the local cops working in the complex are a bit baffled by the city public arts division’s choice of art and the current LAPD chief of police, when interviewed was reported as saying “I just don’t get it.”

Los Angeles city requires that 1% of the costs of all major projects be spent on art. According the figures the total cost of the administrative LAPD headquarters is about $400 million so there will be quite a few more art projects in the pipeline for the boys in blue to admire in their front yard.

Choosing the right title

Since the beginnings of modern conceptual art titles have taken on an importance of their own. Viewers rely on the title of abstract works to gain insight into the artist’s meaning or artistic statement. But, for the abstract artist, when it comes to giving a title to a painting what comes first –the chicken or the egg? Does a pre-chosen title define the painting or does the finished painting evoke a title? Moreover, why do some paintings remain perpetually untitled?

Most painters, I think, paint first and title last. Somewhere, about the middle point in the work, a title just pops out of the ether. Very few, according to my experience, get a title in their heads and figure out the work to go with it. In this way, the title has its own influence as to how a work is eventually seen and understood. In effect the title becomes not only a bridge to the viewer, but also part of the art. Given that just about every person looking at a painting in a gallery or museum peeks instinctively at the title before looking at the work –titling a work deserves a lot of thought.

When deciding on a title the artist needs to ask him/herself; “What am I truly saying here? What would be the sub-text to what is visible on the canvas? How will the title add or subtract from my real intentions? The title should serve to confirm what is seen but also to add knowledge, insight into the artist’s mind-set and a guided perspective. The more abstract a piece is, the more challenging the titling becomes since, once chosen, it becomes the starting point for the viewers’ voyage of discovery and imagination. The vogue at the moment seems to be for brevity in titles. Brevity maybe enigmatic but sometimes length can be more evocative and give better guidance to appreciation and understanding.

The important thing about titles is that they should not be pulled out of a hat –or maybe they should? Perhaps in the post modern, post conceptual, post everything art world the next big idea will be to just hang a title on the wall and each viewer will imagine his/her own art work beside it?

Just for your amusement; According to my internet research, the world's longest painting title goes to a painting painted by Mody Thomas containing 38 words- a total of 308 characters:

“The affection, admiration, abundance, compassion, composure, cheerfulness, contentment, courage, delight, excitement, fulfillment, gratefulness, harmony, interest, intimacy, integrity, modesty, relaxation and the togetherness of lovers standing under the bountifully elegant and outstandingly vivacious tree of goodness, richness and enchantment.”

Try to outdo that!

Don't fall for the Scams

Scams are happening all the time everywhere. In fact they seem to be ever-more sophisticated in their ingenuity. Some of the scams specifically target artists so on the assumption that you can't entirely control whether you will become a victim, here are some ways to minimize your risk.
First and foremost be skeptical. All artists dream of being "discovered" by selling several works of art to an admiring collector or a wealthy buyer - don’t let your desire for fame and fortune cloud your judgment. With so much of today’s fraud being perpetrated on the internet look out for some of these tell-tale signs in any email you receive from a prospective buyer; - misspelled words, poor grammar, and a call to urgency- especially from overseas buyers. Typically the ‘buyers’ will want to make the shipping arrangements themselves or have someone pick the work up for them, rather than have you ship it to them. These are ploys that prevent authorities from tracking them down once you discover the fraud. Worse still, these tricks open an opportunity for the crooks to enter your home.

If a buyer proposes to give you a (foreign or out of state) cashier’s check or postal money order do not ship the artwork until they fully clear at the bank. This can take some time but if you cash the checks and they turn out to fraudulent you’ll have to reimburse the bank.
If a ‘buyer’ sends you a check or money order that is for more than the agreed upon price- beware! The ‘buyer’ usually requests you return the overpayment to himself or a third party. Not only do you discover that his payment is worthless but, in addition to shipping of your work, you find yourself out of pocket for the overpayment value.

Con artists use pressure techniques to hurry their victims into making impulsive decisions. Don't deal with persons who insist it is "urgent" or those who claim that they need the item in a rush (perhaps for a birthday gift). Honest buyers should understand that you need to wait until their check has had time to clear until shipping your valuable art to them.

In yesterday’s blog we posted a short article about one of our Artlanow members who has received an email from a company offering to promote his work. Beware of vanity galleries and publishers who charge artists to have their work included in a publication.
Vanity galleries charge (very high) exhibition fees for artists to exhibit their work. However, under this arrangement the galleries have virtually no incentive to effectively promote your work since they make their money from exhibition fees, rather through sales commissions of your art. The same is true for vanity publications - publishers who charge artists to have their work published in magazines that have little distribution or are online only.

Perform due diligence if a gallery wants to exhibit your work, or a company wants to license your art. Nowadays just about every bit of information can be found on the net. Do your homework –“Google” or “Yahoo” or whatever, the name of the gallery or company. If others have already been cheated by them they’ll have posted something about their experience on the internet. You can also check with the local better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce as well as consumer protection agencies to find out if they are a legitimate business and to learn if there have been any complaints lodged against them. Insist on a contract with all of the terms in writing, signed and dated by both parties. Carefully scrutinize the document and read all terms of the agreement before signing.

General precautions to avoid fraud; Safeguard your online transactions to help prevent identity theft or unauthorized credit card charges. Use an online payment service, such as PayPal, which allows you to do business without sharing financial information. Take note: Website pages which request financial information, such as credit card numbers, should always have a website address that begins with "https". The "s" lets you know that your personal information is encrypted when it is sent, preventing unauthorized people from seeing the information that is sent across the Internet. Also, a padlock symbol is displayed by some web browsers (usually in the status bar in the bottom right hand corner) to indicate you are viewing a secure web page. Never send personal or financial information, including credit card numbers, in emails. Emails are not transmitted securely across the pathways of the Internet.

Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive regardless of who sent them. Do not open email attachments with .exe, .pif, or .vbs filename extension or a double extension, like “yourfriend. doc.pif " –these can be fatal computer virus infections or information-grabbing scams. Finally, use pop-up blockers to avoid pop-up advertisements which can harbor dangerous spyware or adware. Don't open spam. Delete it unread. Spam can be used to access computers without authorization and transmit viruses.

Beware of Scams directed to Artists

One of our Artlanow members contacted us on October 16 to enquire about an email received from World Art Media (WAM). The email says that WAM has seen his portfolio online and would like to offer its services to promote him and his work through the organization’s various affiliations, which include real galleries in New York and Beijing, connections to art fairs and by publishing his work in art magazines. The offer sounds very enticing but World Art Media, of course, is not proposing to undertake all of this ‘hard work’ unless the artist pays the necessary fees.

The WAM name was unknown to us so we Googled –“World Art Media” and Google’s fantastic algorithms directed our search immediately to a whole bunch of websites discussing the World Art Media scam.

So, dear Artlanow members, BEWARE! It is so tempting when somebody offers to get your work in the spotlight….. If any of you receive this email, or any other similar emails offering instant stardom and lots of money –DO your homework. Everything can be found on the internet if you look for it.

When the Market Rules

Can contemporary art (or any art) survive independently from corporate/government/academic controlled capitalism where the market rules? Art, like it or not, is a commodity. The moment an artist finishes a creation and puts a ‘for sale’ sign on it he/she is entering the capitalist fray. Why, then shouldn’t an artist wholeheartedly embrace the demands of the market place and concentrate on sale-ability? When an art work is sold it has ‘out done the competition’; it has ‘filled a market niche’; ‘it supplies a demand’ - the artist wittingly or unwittingly becomes part of the capitalist enterprise. On the other hand, must art eschew capitalism to be truly art? Should real art fly in the face of market trends and defy accepted perceptions? Is true art critical of capitalism and can only operate outside it rules? The answer seems to be ‘temporarily’ for the past has shown us that even when artists defy the system, even when they deviate from the mainstream to excess, eventually the ‘chosen’ ones will be swallowed up and marketed (“capitalized’) into a palatable form. Outrageous, non-conformist, shocking, non-sensical art when “capitalized” becomes the new fashion for the masses until it is regurgitated from the PR pages as sanitized passé when the market place moves on!

Can art, or moreover, can an artist, survive outside of the loop? Can art be made that is not made for money? Does ‘employment’ as an artist – getting into the gallery shows, being coveted by the dealers and the museums, in short, commercial success, lead inevitably to acceptance of the modern capitalist system? Can an artist really create a saleable work that is a genuine expression of himself/herself without wishing for the ultimate appreciation of a sale.

If an artist avoids subjugation to the rules of corporate/government/academic capitalism can he/she take a stand for creative inquiry, asking questions that would otherwise be stifled; pointing out defects that go un-noticed and giving the finger to all around? Can only art that is created outside of the system shake the foundations of our established modes of being?

Art is by its very nature since a statement about life and is thus political in one way or another. Art is a part of the continuous spectrum of human creativity. Although part of the whole, we still confer upon it a distinction that separates it from other creative endeavors and perhaps it is this distinction that has caused art in the past to be held in such high regard. The movers and shakers in the contemporary art market have taken it upon themselves to redraw the borders of art. Nowadays Art “is what it is.” There is no other valid definition. Contemporary artists need no longer worry about whether they are making art or not. The only thing that matters is their dedication and compulsion to explore new boundaries and create. The process is more important than the result.

Conceptual Art brought a level of self-introspection to the art world. It was an inquiry into the foundations of the very concept of "art" challenging the role of the material art object as a special commodity and demanding active participation in its creation. Conceptual Art transformed spectators into participants. Over the last one hundred, artists have consistently sought the next idea to blur the distinction between art and “not art.” With each new phase, however, market forces prevail and a select few representatives of the latest concept find themselves on the hot list. They are drawn into the system –no matter how far out they we would have us believe they are. Capitalism, it would appear, really is a love affair that we all want in on.

Big Macs with your Mona Lisa

Next time you are in Paris visiting the Louvre you’ll be able to feel some back-home USA ambience by eating lunch at the McDonald’s restaurant slated to open next month (Nov 2009) in the famed museum’s complex. When you have taken in the Egyptian mommies, the Mona Lisa and the Impressionists stroll along the to the food area for a Big Mac and a sip of McCafe. Who needs French cuisine anyway? The ubiquitous fast food chain, celebrating its 30th year in France, has found its way into the Louvre’s hallowed hallways and the event is causing some outrage among the French people and the museum staff.
According to a news article published a few days ago “there is a lot of discontent among museum personnel, one of whom has declared anonymously that McDonald’s presence at the Louvre is “the epitome of American consumerism, deficient gastronomy and unpleasant kitchen odors.” I wouldn’t be surprised if the person also shouted “Vive la France” at the conclusion of the tirade. An arts advocacy organization and activist group, Le Louvre pour tous, has denounced the decision by the director of the museum to lease the location to McDonalds as an affront to French cuisine.

In 1999 a certain French farmer gained national attention when he used a tractor to bulldoze a McDonald’s restaurant under construction in the town of Millau. He and thousands of other French farmers were protesting the ‘devastating effects’ of corporate globalization on national cultures. Although the French have since become more accepting of American style fast food outlets, the inclusion of McDonalds into the Louvre has engendered another intense debate about the subject. Will the sweet smell of Burgers & French fries wafting its way through this palatial splendor spark another French Revolution? Marie Antoinette would probably have said “If they don’t want hamburgers, let them eat cake!”

This is a show to “see”

The Tate Modern gallery in London has a reputation for putting on bizarre shows. Its latest venture into the ‘cutting edge’ of contemporary installation art has actually caused cuts and bruises to one of the visitors to the exhibition. More than 12,500 people visited the new show on its opening day Tuesday October 14. The installation is a steel box measuring 30 metres long by 13 metres high by 10 metres wide and resembles a giant shipping container. It is accessed by a ramp. The inside of the work is lined with light-absorbing material meaning that visitors can see nothing –absolutely nothing - once the box.

The pitch-black art installation claimed its first victim on opening day (Oct 14) as a man walked straight into a wall causing a cut and bloody nose. The man was treated by first aid staff and apart from a lump on his nose and blood on his city suit seemed to be in good health.

The totally dark box, called “How it Is,” by Polish artist Miroslaw Balka, will be at the Tate Modern until April 5 so there is plenty more time to “see” or in this case “not see” the show. When they dismantle the installation they’ll be able to count the blood spots on the walls.

Different experts look at art in different ways

In the commercial art world there are three “ professional actors” whose opinions are accepted and deemed to be “qualified” opinions; the art curator, the art dealer and the art critic. Though they often find common ground when discussing an artist’s work their judgment stems from totally different professional perspectives. The following anecdote illustrates how each one views a work of art.

A curator, a dealer and an art critic meet up for a drink in a bar. On the back wall a large painting is on view. The curator looks at a painting hanging on the back wall and proffers his opinion, ”I would have hung it on the side wall, where there is much better lighting.” The art dealer says, “I would have hung behind the bar counter where more paying customers can see it.” The art critic says, “I would have hung it in the toilets where it belongs.”
All three ‘experts’ have their respective role to play, their different influences on public opinion, and provide counter balances each other to ensure a healthier more dynamic market.

Here’s a more serious look at the professional work each undertakes and how they delimit themselves from their colleagues.

Curators: The role of an Art Gallery Curator differs from that of a Museum Curator though they both concern themselves principally with organizing displays and managing collections of paintings and objects that are of historical and general interest. They also catalogue art and write articles about the objects they exhibit and the artists who created them. To become a respected Curator, academic studies in Art is essential.
The big difference between the two is that the Art Gallery Curator’s objective is to put together an exhibition of work that will interest buyers; the Art Museum Curator’s goals are often to raise funds and solicit donations for acquisitions. The Art Gallery Curator must be aware of the potential commerciality of what he intends to exhibit, whereas the Art Museum Curator has more scope to consider works that represent trends, ideas and movements.

Art Dealers: Art Dealers have a very focused position in the world of art. Although most dealers have academic qualifications in Art related studies, they are not a pre-requisite for the job. The Art Dealer needs to know more about the clientele than he does about the artwork and the artist. He or she is first and foremost a salesperson. A good salesperson needs to know the product, but more importantly, needs to know how to sell. An art dealer is concerned with price. Once the deal done, the astute art dealer will always be looking for a future buyer for the same work for more. The best Art Dealers are the ones who make money for their clients.

The Art Critics have the best of the art world at their finger tips. They get to review art constantly without the pressures of commercial concerns. They don’t have to sell it; they don’t have to buy it. They get to give their own opinion (honestly-we hope) about something that they enjoy or dislike. An experienced eye gives us perspectives and insights that we might otherwise have missed.

No matter where each of us thinks the painting should hang, we all entitled to our opinions…

Another great L.A. Art Event is planned for 2010

Los Angelinos are used to the two big annual art fests provided by the ‘Los Angeles Art Show’ at the L.A. Convention Center and ‘L.A. Art.’ The latter, which has been usually held at the Santa Monica Barker Center, is moving to a new location, by the way, on South La Brea Avenue. A third great event is to be launched next January at the Pacific Design Center to coincide more or less with the others. The new enterprise which will be called ‘Art Los Angeles Contemporary’ or ‘The International Contemporary Art Fair of L.A.’ (it’s still un-decided) hopes to bring together 50 galleries offering a mix of work by emerging and established artists. The new venture is slated to follow the two established show by an interval of one week and is planned for January 28-31, 2010.

Participants will exhibit their art in booths in a labyrinth of showrooms on the building’s second floor. The Pacific Design Center was built as a showcase for interior designers but contemporary art has a growing presence in the building’s showrooms since 2001 when L.A.’s Museum of Contemporary Art opened a satellite branch at the center. The PDC has suffered during the ongoing economic recession and some showrooms in the structure are currently for lease. The new proposed Art Show will perhaps help to restore the “Blue Whale” (as the building is sometimes called) to better times.

Art prizes that will make some artists very happy

Those of you who follow the Artlanow Artnews and Blog, and especially those who are interested in the monthly art competitions and events that we publish here, will remember that a few months ago we announced an ArtPrize event in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a top prize of $250,000. Well last week a lucky 50 year old guy living Brooklyn, NY walked away with the check in his pocket. His entry “Open Water No. 24” –a 19 foot wide oil painting depicting very realistic-done swelling ocean waves, was voted the winner out of the 1,262 artists from 41 states and 15 countries, whose works have been on display throughout various venues in the city.

A total of $449,000 in prize was awarded to the 10 top finalists ($100,000 to 2nd prize, $50,000 to 3rd and $7,000 to the remaining seven finalists.) The event was organized so that the general public could vote for their preferred works by online voting or by texting from phones.

From Dream to Reality –Not an easy task

The graduate with a science degree asks, ‘Why does it work?’ The graduate with an engineering degree asks, ‘How does it work?’ The graduate with an accounting degree asks, ‘How much does it cost?’ The graduate with a law degree asks ‘Who gave permission for it to work?’ The graduate with an arts degree asks ‘Would you like plastic or paper?

Yes, we all have our dreams, but in the meantime we have to pay the bills and until the MOMA, the MOCA or the LACMA come calling reality for an artist can mean working at Trader Joe’s or at best a graphic designer. We don’t all get to do what we would like to do with our lives. As much as we’d like to show the world what we have to offer; show the world the creativity busting to get out; be appreciated and recognized for it, - realty is no dream world. Lucky are those few who get to realize their dreams? Imagine how great it is to do what you love, AND make a good living from doing it. Happy are the doctors who love treating the sick, and who are handsomely rewarded for it. Happy are the engineers who love building things and get paid well for it. Happy are the accountants who love counting numbers and get paid well to do it. And happy, oh, so happy, are the artists who do what they love and people BUY their work –yes, people buy it and appreciate it –and appreciate them. Art is not a profession that you decide upon lightly. Given the chance of success, only the most dedicated, insane, foolish lunatic could look around the world and say:”Yes! I think I’ll be an Artist. I don’t want to be Jacques (or Jill) - the designer/teacher/advertiser, who paints at the weekend, but Jacques THE sculptor, or Jill THE painter. I am a true Artist!”

Is it a dream or the doorway to a nightmare? Of course only time and success will tell. In the meantime, how does the rent get paid? Where’s the food on the table coming from? What will happen with all those red bills? A starving artist can still paint, but when he actually dies of starvation pursuing his dream, what has he achieved? Given the bleak reality of the art world, why would any young person in his/her right mind study for a fine arts degree, in the first place unless he/she has THE dream? And what does the dream really mean? If one dreams of being an ARTIST what does it mean sub-consciously? Well, I can’t tell you, but on the net you might find the answer. If you are the curious kind and can’t afford psycho-analysis (how many artists can?) go to astrocenter.astrology.msn.com where a Dream Dictionary gives an analysis of the meaning of dreams.

What does it mean if you dream in your sleep that you ARE an Artist? The online Dream Dictionary tells us…

It is a symbol of creativity, of the ability to create your own world the way you want it.
1. If you dream of a famous artist, you need to ask yourself what this particular artist means to you, and how you feel about his or her work. If you're a fan, then you're on the right track, either with regard to a specific matter you're concerned about or your life in general.

2. If you dream of an artist who is an unknown male figure, then your intellect is trying to convey a message about something you're working on. Consider the picture: Is it just begun, half finished, nearly complete? Is it a good painting, or is it a mess?

3. If the artist is an unknown female figure, then the picture concerns matters of the emotions. Again, look at the picture itself, as well as the other symbols in the dream, to judge what the picture is trying to tell you. The same goes if YOU are the artist.
What does it mean if you dream about a painting? The Dream Dictionary also has the answer..
If you dream of a painting, of any kind, it indicates that the dreamer is about to embark on a project very important to him or her. Discerning the circumstances of that project, and the details, are dependent on other symbols in the dream.

1. Dreaming of a house being painted, indicates that information previously kept from you will soon come to light.

2. If you dream of being an artist and painting a picture that is beautiful and happy, then you have the power to create whatever circumstances you want the most in life. A dark, foreboding painting, however, indicates a pessimistic outlook on life, and therapy might be of great assistance.

3. If you dream that you’re watching while someone else paints a picture, you may have the feeling of being on the outside looking in and need to take control of your life - again, depending on the atmosphere, circumstances, and other symbols in the dream.
The Dream Dictionary has spoken.

Don’t pay for media exposure for you and your art

Is any publicity good publicity - especially if you have to pay for it yourself? There are a lot of magazines and journals covering the Los Angeles art scene publishing articles about local galleries, exhibitions and artists who ‘make the news’. Many of the articles are written on the initiative of the journalists to bring public attention to new trends, interesting events and happenings in the local art scene. There are, however, some articles, that despite being presented as journalistic endeavors are glossed over paid-for advertisements by galleries or artists themselves in order to promote their activities.

These pay-your-own-way articles can happen in different ways. The most direct and gung-ho method, of course, is that you contact a local journal and tell them that you have prepared an article about yourself and you wish to pay to publish it. Newspapers and magazines pay their bills from advertising revenue, so they will almost certainly accept, but they’ll also put a disclaimer above the article saying that “this is a paid advertisement.” In a second scenario you contact the journal and suggest that somebody write an article about you and ‘in exchange’ you will buy a full page advertisement separate from the article. Once again the offer of a paid advertisement will probably be incentive enough for them to do the write up. In the third example a magazine might contact you or your gallery representative with a suggestion that the next issue contain an article about you and your work or about your up-coming exhibition in a gallery. You are obviously very interested – but with your enthusiasm nicely ignited, the magazine rep then proposes that you ‘might also like to consider’ purchasing a full page advertisement display. In this case, how do you respond? What should you do? Will their proposal for an article suddenly disappear if you refuse to pay for an ‘optional’ advertisement? The truth is that in all these scenarios you end up paying a lot of money for your name in the paper.

Anytime you effectively pay for any type of media exposure for your art work –be careful. First of all, it is not cheap and secondly publications with editorial policies, linking article content to paid advertisements are not highly regarded within the art community. Magazines which adopt these policies tend to feature artists that are not chosen for the quality of their art but on the basis of their abilities to contribute to advertising revenues. Conduct a quick search through previous issues of any magazine and you’ll be able to see that their pairings of articles with advertisements are a regular occurrence.

Moreover, most readers who are seriously interested in the local art scene have little difficulty figuring out when the buy-an-ad/get-an-article arrangement is in effect and, consequently, don't take the artists very seriously. There is an obvious difference between articles about artists who get media coverage because they deserve it and articles about artists who get media coverage because they pay for it. Your goal should be to get the coverage because YOU deserve it- not because you can afford to buy it.

So, if it’s not a good idea to buy yourself publicity, what can you do to get genuine media interest in your art? Well, the answer is to take the long slow road fueled by persistence and determination. Take every opportunity, no matter how small, to promote yourself and your art by participating in juried shows, by seeking gallery representation, by applying for commissions and grants, and by doing whatever you can to make sure your art is well-represented in communities where you live and work. Get to know experienced artists who are advanced in their careers and who can give you tips on how to attract media attention, and do everything else in your power to consistently keep your work in the public eye. The more exposure you get, the more people will see your art on a regular basis, and the greater the chances that you'll be noticed by the media.

As you build your name and career, they will always be some people trying to extract money from you in exchange for promises of fame, fortune and varying degrees of public recognition. Unless you have money to burn, and are prepared to spend large sums to stroke your ego let the fame and fortune come as you earn it. As most artists already know, there's no quick and easy way to make a name in the art business.

Check out the Beyond Eden Art Fair

There is a great event planned for this coming weekend (October 9,10,11) at the L.A. Municipal Art Gallery, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Barnsdall Park. The Beyond Eden Art Fair is a look at the latest in Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. Several galleries will be exhibiting work and there will be live art demonstrations by more than a dozen artists who will be presenting screen prints, performance art and their own special painting techniques. The overall exhibition includes photographs of artists by two known photographers. The event kicks off on Friday evening for VIP invitations to preview the works, but there will be free public access on Saturday and on Sunday between 12 noon to five p.m. Other special events are planned during the evening for members, special guests and for those who purchase tickets.

This month’s Affaire in the Gardens

The autumn event of the Beverly Hills Art Show, “The Affaire In The Gardens” will be held this year during the weekend of October 17th & 18th 2009. About 250 fine artists from around the country (many from Southern California), will be exhibiting their original art work for sale in the Beverly Gardens Park that runs along Santa Monica Boulevard from Rodeo to Rexford Drive. This twice yearly event has been taking place for the past 36 years and seems to attract very good crowds of 40,000 to 50,000 on every occasion. Judging from our conversations with vendors during the past few years it has provided some of the participating artists will excellent sales results. The show brings together artists working in just about every media –so there is something there for every one’s taste; from huge metal sculptures to miniscule ceramics, from abstract paintings to plein air landscapes. The prices range from the very affordable to the higher end, so don’t hesitate to bring your wallet –there are some great buys to be found every year. In addition, this event is a great opportunity to meet and talk with the artists themselves. At this up-coming event there will be live demonstrations featuring artists who’ll take on the theme of ‘water’. In order to highlight the problems we face in Southern California due to the decreasing water supplies, artists will show their creative ability to represent water in art. As always there will be other attractions such as various art demonstrations and arts and crafts for children. Come and enjoy the art, the free live music and take a bite to eat at one of the locations where a number of local area restaurants provide the food concessions. On the 18th Sunday afternoon the street team of Cirque du Soleil will be strolling through the crowds and entertaining the public, so bring the children along for the fun.

If any of our Artlanow members are participating we wish you success!

Publicity for a painting that will NOT be shown

Next year in July the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington will be holding a special exhibition featuring the work of Norman Rockwell. Among the paintings being lent for the up-coming show are about 50 Rockwell paintings belonging to two of Hollywood’s most famous movie directors, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Mr. Spielberg has offered to loan more than 20 Rockwells for the exhibition but according to reports in the press today one particular Rockwell painting that was his collection will be absent from the show. “Russian Schoolroom” belonged to Spielberg from 1989 until 2007 when it was caught up in a series of events that would make a fascinating film script about theft and intrigue.

In 1973 the painting was stolen from a gallery in Clayton, Missouri. It reappeared in 1988 in an auction house in New Orleans where it was sold to a reputable New York dealer for about $70,000. The dealer, who relied on the background check by the auctioneer, then exhibited the painting publicly, advertised it for sale and she ended up selling it to Steven Spielberg. For the next 8 years the painting hung quietly on Mr. Spielberg’s wall until February 2007 when one of his assistants discovered that “Russian Schoolroom” was listed on a FBI website of stolen artworks. Spielberg immediately contacted the authorities who set up an investigation. In the meantime FBI officials asked him to hold onto the painting for safekeeping until they could determine the rightful and legal owner –which turned out to be quite a task!
Within a short time both Spielberg and the FBI found themselves being sued in a Las Vegas courtroom by the original owner who had loaned the painting to the gallery in Missouri from whence it was stolen. As you can guess -he wanted it back! By the end of 2007, the NY art dealer who had sold the painting to Spielberg offered to compensate him (Spielberg) with another Rockwell painting of comparable value and to take over the legal battle for title with the Las Vegas claimant.

This done the judge in Las Vegas then dismissed Spielberg and the FBI from the case and ordered that “Russian Schoolroom” to be handed over to custody of the court. In the meantime the painting is being kept in a climate-controlled storage room while the contesting parties split the maintenance fees and prepare for a lengthy and costly legal battle.

So, for the time being, the publicity being generated around the Norman Rockwell exhibition at the Smithsonian next July concerns NOT the paintings that will be there, but the One that will not be exhibited.

The absent painting: “Russian Schoolroom” by Norman Rockwell

Blog Oct 7 2009

Protecting your art: Copyrighting

Just how much protection does an artist get from adding the copyright symbol (©) next to his/her art. What are the implications and consequences of the “circled c”? Here are a few words about the copyright protection for your creative production.
As soon as you create anything visual, whether it’s a painting, drawing, photograph or sculpture, you are the only person thereafter who can legally copy it – unless you give your permission to do so (written permission is better although a verbal agreement can be binding). If someone does copy your art without your express agreement, you have the right to take them to court and sue them. At the same time, only you have the right to sell reproductions, prints, posters or giclees of your artwork unless you have specifically given permission to another person or entity to do so.
The copyright laws protecting your creativity are so strong that even your legal heirs will still own the rights to your artwork up to 70 years after your departure to the big Creator the sky.
Affixing the copyright symbol to a work published online, or in a journal, is not necessary – you still own the copyright with or without the symbol- but it can serve as a reminder. If you discover that someone has infringed on your copyright, despite the presence of the symbol, it can add weight to your argument in court that there was willful intent to steal.
Remember, that even when you sell an original piece to a buyer, you still retain the copyrights to it. The buyer cannot make prints or replications of your art unless you give him/her written permission.
It is a good idea to have a statement to the effect on any invoices or sales documents that you provide the buyer (example: “The Artist retains all rights to reproduction to the Artworks included in this sale.”)
Now, even though you own the copyright to your artwork, there are channels through which you can officially register your claims with government institutions. An official registration will help adjudicate any court cases swiftly –but again, it is not imperative to have these registrations to win your suit.
Here are a few reasons, (for the cautious amongst you,) for applying for official registration:
1) There is public record of your copyright
2) Registration can increase the amount you can sue for damages.
3) If you decide to sue someone, the more “ammunition” you have, the better chance you have of succeeding quickly.
4) Perhaps, you have created the next “Mona Lisa” – an artwork that will be reproduced in books, magazines, posters, newspapers etc. etc., and you want to make sure that you get all the royalties for reproduction.
5) Perhaps, you would want to sell the copyrights to someone else. Registration proves your right to sell.
If you are tempted to file for copyrights on your art you can do so at the US Library of Congress by paying the required fee and filing an application. Get more information at www.copyright.gov/register/visual
So, sleep easy at night. If you do discover that somebody is making money from your creativity, (without your permission), the copyright laws are there to protect you.

Fed up with being an obscure artist? Try some of these stunts to get some attention…

About three weeks back there was an article on the web about a 17 year old graffiti artist in England who stole some ordinary pencils from a gallery in London. The theft ended up making national headlines. The reason? The pencils were part of an installation work by super famous and super rich British artist Damien Hirst; an installation, by the way, that the gallery was offering to sell at 10 million pounds and considered the pencils (which can be bought for a few pounds in any office supply or art store) to be worth 500,000 pounds as part of the work. It sounds like the Robin Hood story of the art world: a struggling street artist arrested for stealing the pencils of the world’s richest living artist. However, the details of the plot reveal this theft to be more Machiavellian. The young man has already gained some notoriety in the press after he began selling collages based on Hirst’s famous diamond encrusted skull. Sued for copyright infringement, the young 17 year old was forced to pay 200 pounds - the profit that he had made from his copying work. Was this an act of revenge by a poor, starving artist against a rich man, or just another clever publicity stunt to draw attention?

The pencil story is part of a trend of many, undeniably amusing art stunts, perhaps fuelled by the media’s and especial the internet’s thirsty demand for viral stories. At the beginning of September this year another graffiti artist managed to hang his own work on one of London’s prestigious Tate Modern's gallery walls. He quickly found himself being escorted to the doors with picture, hammer and nail in hand and, of course, cameras on hand to record the event for internet posterity. Nowadays, the best kind of stunt is a ‘performance’, so slick that art and reality become intertwined. We can no longer distinguish between the accidental reality occurrence and the minutely-planned-down-to-the-last-detail event.

I guess the trend in the art world for stunts as promotional tools really took off with Salvador Dali. He once turned up to a lecture in London dressed in an old style deep sea diving suit with a Mercedes Benz emblem attached to the helmet. Accompanied by two huge, white wolfhounds that he held leashed in one hand, and brandishing a billiard cue in the other hand, he made a spectacular entrance. Unfortunately, he soon realized that the diving helmet was airtight and he had forgotten the oxygen supply. Within a very short time he began to asphyxiate. Some members of the attending crowd tried unsuccessfully to release the helmet, but it needed a stage technician with a wrench to do the job – saving Mr. D from certain death. Reality or Planned? Who knows, but the story was a sensation.

If you remember, Andy Warhol, who loved to ‘invent’ situations blurring the line between his real life and his art, had ‘lived through’ so many bizarre incidences and played the role so well, that on the day he got shot, some newspapers speculated that it was part of another of his bizarre shows.

Going to any lengths to promote yourself and your art has some artists doing the weirdest things to be noticed – even pretending to be someone else! Last July, the Chapman brothers, Jake and Dinos, two of the UK’s most recognized contemporary conceptual artists (who have created more than their fair share of scandal over the past years), disguised themselves and past themselves off as two other brothers. In their new identities they obtained a show at a gallery in London, attending the opening as new emerging artists “Konstantin and Yuri.” Of course, at some point the whole charade was revealed creating a whole lot of publicity for the real brothers.

The art world has witnessed some extreme and wacky stunts as the race to recognition and riches becomes even harder. Take, for example, Russian performance artist Oleg Kulik who frequently appears in public naked, on all fours, barking and behaving like a violent, rabid dog. This performance is quite timid in relation to another of his performances, where he inserted his own head into a cow’s rear. Interviewed after this unique performance, Kulik compared the experience to the traumas of his own childhood growing up in Russia.

In early 2009 a Swedish art student faked her own suicide as part of an art performance. The spectators were so convinced that they rushed her to a local hospital. Once at the hospital the young lady continued her performance by attacking nurses and doctors in a fit of anger –all ‘part of the continuing performance’ she tried to explain later. When the hospital personnel refused to play along, she spit in their faces and had to be restrained on a gurney. The whole event made the headlines of course, but very few of the “spectators” she had rolled into her performance appreciated her sense of ‘art.’

Making a name for yourself as an artist; getting recognition and success - it seems that the art, itself, is no longer enough. Scandal, shock, stunts, sensationalism and weird personalities seem to be lynchpins to success in today’s contemporary art. Quiet! Roll the cameras- and ACTION!

Juried Art Competitions and Events: Deadlines October, 2009

Sixth Street Gallery in Vancouver Washington has a call out to all artists working in any 2Dimensional or 3Dimensional media for an exhibition called “Small Spaces, Big creations” to be held from November 3-28, 2009 at the Sixth Street Gallery. Entry fees are $20 and a 35% commission will be taken on sales. Send a SASE to Sixth Street Gallery- Small Spaces, 105 W. Sixth Street, Vancouver WA 98660 or phone 360 693 7340. Visit their website at http://www.sixthstreetgallery.com for more details. DEADLINE OCTOBER 2, 2009

Studio Montclair is sponsoring a national call for submissions for a juried exhibition to be held at Ben Shahn Galleries, William Paterson University, Wayne New jersey. The exhibition is slated for February 1st to march 5, 2010. This is open to all fine artists and all media are accepted including video and installations. The Juror is professional artist and award winner Phong Bui. Entry fees are $25 for 3 jpgs images on one CD or 3 videos on one DVD. There is a 30% on sales. Send as SASE to Studio Montclair, NJ 07042 or phone 973 744 1818. Visit their website at http://www.studiomontclair.org for details and a prospectus. DEADLINE OCTOBER 2, 2009

This call will interest our photographer members: An open international call to all amateur and professional photographers for a juried competition leading to an exhibition at the Dougherty Arts Center, San Antonio, TX. The exhibition of winners’ work will be held at the Center on January 6th 2010 and will tour the state of Texas during the year. The title of the exhibition is “Childhood-An International Photo Competition.” – they’re seeking images that capture what it feels like to be a child; the good or bad; joy, pain, play, boredom, elation etc. Photographers can submit digital files of B/W or Color work. A color catalogue of the exhibition will be printed and sent to all entrants, and to select museum curators and photo magazines. There is an entry fee of $25. Send a SASE to Clarke Evans, 6338 N. Braunfels #174 San Antonio, TX 78209 or phone 210 824 4123. Website at http://www.texasphoto.org for details. DEADLINE OCTOBER 2, 2009

Niza’s Studio 13 Gallery in Denver, Colorado has a call out for a juried competition called “Gone to the Dogs” to be held from October 16 – November 14, 2009 at the gallery. A portion of the proceeds from the show will benefit an animal adoption center. All media accepted; drawings, paintings, collage, sculpture and photography. All art work must be original and created in the last 3 years. Size limit for 2D work 36 horizontally and must be ready to hang. All 3D work must fit through regular door size and not exceed 50 pounds in weight (should be sturdy and able to stand alone. There are some cash awards. Jurors will be Rik Sargent and Rob Gratiot. Enry fees are $10 for one entry, $25 for a maximum of three. A 25% commission will be taken off from sales at the show. Send a SASE to Niza’s Studio 13 Gallery, 910 Santa Fe Drive, Studio 13, Denver,Colorado or phone Niza Knoll at 303 902 4313. Check out the details at http://www.nizastudio13.com DEADLINE OCTOBER 4, 2009

This next one requires some thinking outside the box or inside…. It is an international call for entries for to a juried competition called “Pandora’s Box”where all submitted work must be based on a container form. The maximum dimensions of the container cannot exceed 12 inches in any direction. The work inside the container may stay within or it can explode from the box, peek outside etc. (see limitations in the prospectus on their website.) The winners will be shown in an exhibition from Dec 10 – Jan 10, 2010 at the Target Gallery, Alexandria, Virginia. The sponsor is Torpedo Factory Art Center. There is $500 in awards up for grabs. Juror Landria Shack. Fees $35 for up to 3 entries with $10 for each additional entry. There will be a 40% sales commission. Send a SASE to Target Gallery, 105 North Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314 or telephone Mary Cook at 703-838-4565 (Ext4). Visit their website at http://www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/targetcallforentry.html for details and a prospectus. DEADLINE OCTOBER 5, 2009

Upstream People Gallery (an online gallery) has an international call out to all artists for their “11th Painting, drawing, Photography & Print Juried Online International Art Exhibition.” The exhibition dates are November 1, 2009 to October 31, 2010 when the winners will be featured on their website. They are offering cash awards for Excellence; Special Recognitions; and they will be sending out press releases to artists’ newspapers. The competition will be juried by professional working artists from the region. The fees are $25 for up tp 5 slides, jpgs or tiffs with $5 for each addition. They take a 20% commission if they sell the work (no commission is sold by artist directly.) Send a SASE to Larry Bradshaw at Upstream people gallery, 5607 howard St., Omaha, NE 68106 or phone 402 991 4741. Go http://www.upstreampeoplegallery.com for details and contact info. DEADLINE (discounted) OCTOBER 8 (later) OCTOBER 24, 2009

West Coast- Regional Call for Entries open to all artists living in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington for a juried competition called “On the Cutting Edge: West Coast Collage & Assemblage” to be held from December 11 – February 13, 2010 at Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon. Open to painters, sculptors and printmakers over 18. Artists are invited to submit up to 3 collages or assemblage on any theme. There are awards of 1st prize $500, 2nd -$350 and 3rd -$250. All works must be original and completed in the last two years. Digital Collage is not accepted although collages that incorporate digitally created elements are eligible. Works selected by jurors Kay Cambell, Jon Leach and Beverly Soasey must be ready to hang. Fees: non-refundable of $20 for first entry and $10 for 2nd & 3rd. There will be a 30% commission from sales at the exhibition. Send a SASE to Coos Art Museum, 235 Anderson Ave., Coos Bay, OR 97420 or email to cray@coosart.org Phone enquiries to 541 267 3901. Go to their website at http://www.coosart.org for details and prospectus. DEADLINE OCTOBER 9, 2009

This one is in Santa Cruz, California and is an open call for a National Drawing and Sculpture Exhibit sponsored by the Santa Cruz Art league. The exhibition is planned for December 12 to January 10, 2010 and 2 Jurors, (Ms. Jane Gregorius & Ms. Lynda Watson) will grant 3 equal awards. This is open to all artists residing in the US and is an opportunity to show current trends and media in drawing and sculpture. For the drawings any media on any surface is acceptable; for the sculptures any material –weight limit 50lbs. Fees are $40 for up to 3 entries (jpgs) and a 45% commission will be charged on sales for non-members of the SCAL. Send a SASE to Santa Cruz Art League, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 or phone 831 426 5787 or get the details at http://www.scal.org DEADLINE OCTOBER 16, 2009

The L.A. Center for Digital Art (LACDA) in downtown L.A. has a call out for an un-juried show called “Snap to Grid.” This is an open exhibit –all entries will be shown- scheduled for November 12 – December 5, 2009. All Digital art and photography submissions will be printed (8.5” X 11”) on heavyweight paper and shown in the LACDA arranged in a grid. Entrants must submit jpgs of original works and multiple entries are permitted. The exhibition is limited to space available. All styles of artwork and photography where the digital process (of any kind) is integral to the creation of the image are acceptable. Digital video stills and screen shots of web/new media also acceptable, as are documentation shots of digital installations and digital sculptures. Entry fee $30/multiple entries are permitted. Contact Rex Bruce at LACDA or go to http://www.lacda.com for details and a prospectus. DEADLINE OCTOBER 19, 2009

Here’s an open exhibition “1st Annual Juried Water Media Show” sponsored by Butte County Watercolor Society for a show to be held at Chico Art Center Gallery in Chico, CA. Juror is Ann Pierce and there are $1500 in awards. All water media works are eligible. There is a 30% commission on exhibit sales and entry fees of $15 - $20. To find out more send a SASE to BCWS, P.O.B. 6594, Chico, CA 95927 or send an email to Amber Palmer: buttecws@gmail.com. Telephone No. 530 570 7343 DEADLINE OCTOBER 20, 2009

Climate Gallery in New York City has an open call out to all artists for an exhibition entitled “Paint! New York.” They are offering a best in show award and exposure to N.Y. based arts professional. This exhibition is part of a series planned by the gallery to explore international practices in painting. On their website they say that in general all entries to their exhibition calls are given the chance to show in the gallery. The entry fee is $35 for 2 works and they’ll be charging a 20% commission on sales. Go to http://www.climategallery.com for more details (look at ‘open call’). DEADLINE OCTOBER 29, 2009

This is a National Call for Entries for an exhibition entitled National Art Premiere 2010 scheduled for January 30 – march 3, 2010 at the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild Gallery in the Elmhurst Art Museum. There is $3000 in cash awards. The competition is open to all artists, 18 and over. All media but video and film accepted. Size limits are maximum 48” in any direction or 75lbs weight. The Juror is Lori Waxman. Entry fees are $30 for 3 images and there will be a 40% commission charge on sales. Send a SASE to National Art Premiere, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126 or email: NationalArtPremiere@yahoo.com. Visit their website at http://www.elmhurstartistsguld.org for more details. DEADLINE OCTOBER 31, 2009

The North valley Art league in Redding, California has a call out for its 26th Annual National Show which will take place from January 26 to February 27, 2010 at Carter House Art Gallery in Redding. The Awards are: Best of Show, $1000 - 5 Awards of Excellence, $100 each - 5 Awards of Merit, $50 each and People’s Choice Award. The Juror is Julie Gilbert Pollard.
Eligibility: Open to all artists 18 years and over. All two-dimensional mediums except photography, xerography or computer generated art will be eligible. Maximum Height And Width: 40 x 40 inches including the frame. All entries must be original and independent and not previously shown in a North Valley Art League National Juried Show. The Artwork must be framed and wired for hanging. Entry Fees: NVAL Members $10 per entry or 3 for $25, Non-Members $12 per entry or 3 for $30. There will be a Commission charge on sales: NVAL Members 20%, Non-Members 30%. Go to their website at http://www.NVAL.org for details.
DEADLINE OCTOBER 31, 2009

There’s an International call for entries to “Americas 2010: Paperworks” sponsored by the Northwest Art center in Minot, North Dakota. The exhibition will be held at Hartnett Hall Gallery, Minot State University from January 11 through February 24, 2010. There are cash and purchase awards to be won and the chance of a solo exhibit for Best of Show. They are looking for works on (or of) paper, any medium, traditional or experimental, including photographs. Only original works are eligible and the size maximum is 60” in any direction, and must have been created within the past two years. Entry fees are $25 for 2 entries with $5 for each additional. Max. limit of 5. There’ll be a 30% commission on sales. Send a SASE to Americas 2010: Paperworks, Northwest Art Center, 500 University Ave. W, Minot, ND 58707 or you can phone 701 858 3264. Details http://www.minotstateu.edu/nac DEADLINE NOVEMBER 2, 2009

Don’t Forget the VIVA Gallery in Sherman Oaks has an open call out to local Artists for “Score VIII 2010” - A Southern California Open Regional Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at VIVA from Jan 6 – Jan 29, 2010 at the gallery on Moorpark St. They are offering cash and merchandising awards. Send in submissions by jpgs or CD (no slides). There is an entry fee of $30 for one or two submissions and the gallery will charge a 30% commission on sales. For more details go to http://www.vivagallery.org or email Carolyn Uhri: cuhri@ix.netcom.com Tel: 818 385 0080 DEADLINE NOVEMBER 16, 2009