Dueling Benefactors

Remember when I pointed you to artdc.org for the fascinating thread discussion on Artomatic's "Benefactor?"

The WaPo's Reliable Source picks up the story and wrote a little piece on it here. This apparently stirred up a hornet's nest and now there are two dueling entities who both claim to be the "benefactor."

The first one is allegedly an older lady and she wrote this letter:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wish to convey my regrets for any concern I have caused the artists of Artomatic. I meant no harm. You may well imagine my surprise at seeing my small gesture reported upon in the Washington Post.

Allow me to explain myself. Since the passing of my husband of 43 years I have not been as socially active as I once was. My daughter, Margaret, accompanied me to the Artomatic Fair some weeks ago. I was enchanted by the work I was able to view. I was not able to tour the entire show but the work that I saw touched my heart and brightened my day. My income is limited so Margaret suggested I send a small token of my appreciation to some of the artists who touched me most.

I have asked Margaret to leave this note with the Directors of Artomatic. I do so hope that I have caused no lasting distress to all of the delightful artists in your show.

I wish you well in all of your future endeavors.

With warmest regards,

The Benefactor

Which caused someone else to become an artdc poster and he/she added this on their forum:

I don't have time to make this rhyme:

The letter "Rebecca" received was a fake

my letters are center-justified, the fake was left justified

I sent everything by US mail

the fake was delivered in person

I have sent out about 50 letters and I know to whom

can the impostor give you a list of all the artists that were sent letters? I doubt it

I would have ignored the fake letter, but I decided to clear things up when I heard Tammy V was offering art to the writer of the fake letter.

Please don't expect any response to questions or comments. I am only here to expose the fake.

I prefer the printed word to the internet.

don't worry, be happy

Thanks for the art

The Benefactor

All the details here.

Benefactor Strikes Again

Remember the "Benefactor" and his DC artworld antics? Well... he's back.

Check his latest antic here.

36th Annual Northern National Art Competition

 

As most of you know, recently it was my honor to jury the 36th Annual Northern National  Art Competition, which was staged in the beautiful campus of Nicolet College in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

As all great juried shows are, this was an immensely difficult show to judge, which is a good thing! I have juried and judged and curated a lot of art shows over the last few decades, and when I say that this one was by far one of the top shows with some of the best entries that I have ever had the honor to jury, I mean among the very top!

I was also superbly impressed by the diversity of the subject matter submitted - it covered practically the entire spectrum of the tapestry of the visual arts, and many of the selected entries pushed the envelope of contemporary art. 

Like any art competition, some works stood out almost immediately, but what singularly marked this show as a great competition was the significant number of entries that stood out. There are quite a few entries in this show which allowed some very talented artists to flex some powerful artistic muscles that deliver a powerful message to the solar plexus of the inquisitive mind – be prepared to be stopped in your tracks as you wander through the show. 

Finally, as always, I am honored to be able to judge and comment on the work of my fellow artists. I am humbled, kindled and educated by the talent present in this exhibition.  You can see the exhibition via a virtual tour here.

The Award winners:

Awards of Excellence

$1000

Joshua Newth / Caitlyn, Crown - Oil

James Swanson / Splash Landing - Oil

Emma LaPine / The Kindness of Transformation - Oil

Robert Jinkins / Scarecrow in the Garden - Mixed media

Special Merit Awards

$500

Kyle Surges / Cocktail Party - Oil

Berthold Boone / House Paint - Acrylic

Andrea Kidd / The Mad Hatter and The Doormouse - Charcoal, white pastel

Benefactor Awards

$300

Rebecca Korth / Rufous Martini Splash - Oil

Nate Wilson / Life Drawing - Charcoal on toned paper

Roberta Condon / Blanketed by the Barn Owls - Soft pastel on sanded paper

Sandra Cashman / The Gathering Storm - Oil

Mark Weller / Storm over Mendota - Timestacking photography

Donor Awards

$200

Michael Nichols / Breath - Buon fresco

Sheila Stilin / Tom's Barn - Watercolor

Elizabeth Yarosz-Ash / Bon Vivant - Acrylic

Patron Awards

$125 - $150

Cassandra Smith / Embellished Deer - Taxidermy whitetail deer, embellishments, acrylic

Taylor Mazer / Water Towers - Pen and ink

Craig Blacklock / Light Waves Squared AAP970 - Photography

Audience Choice Award

$250

Cassandra Smith / Embellished Deer - Taxidermy whitetail deer, embellishments, acrylic

Purchase Award

Nicolet College Permanent Collection Purchase

Rachel Catlett / Feeding the Flock, Sunburst - Oil

If you got one...

The last "benefactor claimant asserted that he/she had mailed out 50 letters to AOM artists.

If you got one, either drop me an email or leave a comment.

The Benefactor at AOM


Details here.

AOM Benefactor Letter 2

(Via Tammy Vitale):

New Miami location for these great fairs

Today, Art Miami LLC announces the completion of a concrete slab that will house Art Miami - the city's longest-running contemporary art fair and its sister fair CONTEXT Art Miami, at their new waterfront location at One Herald Plaza in Downtown Miami. The 250,000 square-foot cement floor solidifies the fair's commitment to its new location and its continued investment in their beloved city of Miami.

 

This year, Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami have designed an area with new amenities that improve the guest experience, allowing visitors to spend an entire day at the fairs. To facilitate the experience, there will be six hospitality areas including a waterfront café, an indoor café, outdoor dining space, cocktail lounge, an outside cocktail deck overlooking beautiful Biscayne Bay. Both fairs will feature newly designed VIP lounges. The hospitality areas will accommodate up to 600 people at any given time.

 

Nestled between the Venetian Causeway and MacArthur Causeway and just east of Biscayne Boulevard, the 28th edition of Art Miami and the sixth edition of CONTEXT Art Miami will offer an unprecedented level of convenience and a renewed connectivity to the activities and collectors on Miami Beach with accessible parking, a complimentary shuttle service between fairs and UBER service for VIP ticket holders throughout the week. The waterfront location will also add to the fairs' exceptional ambience as collectors browse through more than 140 international galleries at ART Miami and more than 100 contemporary galleries at CONTEXT Art Miami.

 

Parking and transportation options at the new location provide more options than years past with valet parking being offered opening night, and multiple general parking garages within one city block walking distance with more than 4,000 combined parking spots. A transportation center will be set up at the front of the fair providing access for the drop off and pick up from taxis, shuttle bus service and Uber. 50 feet from the front door of the fair special parking lot will be reserved and designated as a waiting area for private black car services dropping off and picking up collectors on the move.

 

"The completed foundation at our new location marks a milestone for Art Miami and CONTEXT Art Miami as we finally have an infrastructure and long-term location that is reflective of the quality art work on exhibit for acquisition and reinforces our position during Art Week Miami and on the international stage of important art fairs in the world," said Nick Korniloff, Executive Vice President and Partner of Art Miami LLC. "As we continue to grow, we are committed to providing the best experience possible for our international attendees, participating gallerists and community partners, and our new home enables us to do just that.

 

This year's fair will kick off on the evening of Tuesday December 5th, with a VIP Private Preview to benefit the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), sponsored by Christie's International Real Estate. This is the sixth consecutive year that PAMM has been the fair's exclusive VIP Preview benefactor and Art Miami LLC has already donated more than $150,000 to further the museum's collection and mission. The partnership remains an integral part of Art Miami's larger commitment to the city of Miami.

 

As one of the top ranked international art fairs for attendance in the U.S. and second most attended globally, Art Miami attracts more than 85,000 new and established collectors, curators, museum professionals, members of the press and art world luminaries annually. Presenting the finest investment quality paintings, photography, prints, drawings, design, sculpture and video art, with works from the 20th and 21st centuries, the 2017 line-up features galleries from more than 20 different countries. The acclaimed international galleries will showcase important modern masters and blue-chip contemporary artists as well as the most sought after living artists from around the world.

15 for Philip

In the words of co-curators Linda Hesh and Ian Jehle, "Philip Barlow is an unmistakable fixture of the D.C. arts community as a collector, curator, and overall arts benefactor. A quick scan of almost any arts event in Washington will find Philip, at 6'4" - usually head and shoulders above the crowd - somewhere in the room."

True to the last word! Barlow is without a doubt one of the elements that make the DC art scene one of the most vibrant in the nation. He is a key element in the nation's capital art tapestry and an inspiration and goal for others.

15 for Philip: Fifteen Artists Look at Arts Patron Philip Barlow opens at Curator's Office in DC on Saturday, January 12, from 6 - 8 pm and runs through Feb. 16, 2008 and promises to be one of the most interesting looks at one of the District's most towering art scen figures.

Rob Parrish, 252 Works of Art Owned by Philip Barlow
The exhibition includes works in a range of media by this city's emerging and established artists including Colby Caldwell, Kathryn Cornelius, Joseph Dumbacher and John Dumbacher, Nekisha Durrett, Alberto Gaitán, Max Hirshfeld, Linda Hesh, James Huckenpahler, Ian Jehle, Amanda Kleinman, Al Miner, Rob Parrish, Eric Powell, Robin Rose, and Jeff Spaulding.

Anonymous Was A Woman $25,000 Grants

Ten female artists have received $25,000 grants from the Anonymous Was A Woman foundation in its ninth annual round of awards.

This year's recipients are Janet Biggs (video installation, NYC), Moyra Davey (visual artist/photographer, NYC), Liz Deschenes (visual artist/photographer, Brooklyn), Jessica Diamond (visual artist, Bronx), Joy Garnett (painter and media artist, NYC), Elizabeth Lyons (sculptor, Rochester, N.Y.), Sarah McEneaney (visual artist/painter, Philadelphia), J. Morgan Puett (transdisciplinary artist, Beach Lake, Pa.), Alison Saar (visual artist/sculptor, NYC), Carmelita Tropicana (performance artist, NYC).

I wonder how the two Pennsylvania artists sneaked through the New York-only filter? I suggest that this generous foundation change its name to Anonymous Was A New York Woman or spread its generosity outside the Empire State.

Anonymous Was a Woman awards "no strings" grants to women, age 35 and over, at a critical juncture in their lives or careers, to enable them to continue pursuing their work. Anonymous Was a Woman awards operate like the MacArthur Foundation "genius awards" in that artists do not apply for them but rather are nominated, usually without their knowledge.

I don't know who this year's nominators were, but I am pretty sure where they all live.

Lauren Katzowitz Shenfield is executive director of Philanthropy Advisors in New York. And according to this article, "she advises the donor behind the New York-based Anonymous Was a Woman Foundation, which makes unattributed annual $25,000 grants to women artists whose work has been underappreciated by the market. The benefactor, says Katzowitz Shenfield, is an artist herself, and she was concerned about what the gifts might do to her relationship with other artists if they knew she was behind the grants. 'She also finds it enormously thrilling to do this kind of philanthropy,' Katzowitz Shenfield adds."

Bravo Anonymous Donor! Ms. Katzowitz Shenfield: Advise her about the other 48 states and our District.

"Great Expectations" and the need to Create Value in one's artwork.

By (and printed here with the permission of) Malik Lloyd, Publisher of the Find Art Information Bank.

Attending a recent seminar, "Starting Your Own Art Collection" at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Museum and watching the film version of Charles Dickens' classic novel "Great Expectations" served as the impetus for this editorial. They got me thinking how the latest buzzword of "creating value" actually translates to an artist.

Serious collectors are spending inconceivable amounts of money on art. In 2003, the late Jean-Michel Basquiat's painting Profit I sold for a hefty $5 million at auction, placing him in an elite cadre of contemporary artists. While it is commonplace for Impressionist paintings to command tens of millions in today's market, the irony is most people did not think that they were worth the canvas on which they were painted during their day. It begs the larger question, how is value determined? In addition, who determines it? Artists? Collectors? How do art critics and curators fit into the equation?

As artists, we must ask ourselves a series of introspective questions: How does creating value affect me? Will the value of my artwork increase over time? How can I make this a reality? Is adding value to my artwork even something worth considering or will it take care of itself? Is adding value to one's artwork and marketing one's artwork one in the same? Does having wonderful artwork ensures you of having value applied to it?

How does an everyday artist create value, which may translate to how can an artist professionally establish themselves with a view to sell their work in today's marketplace?

In true Hollywood fashion, the movie "Great Expectations" shows Ethan Hawke as, an artist named, Finn, being rescued from his life as a fisherman with the promise of an exhibit in an exclusive New York gallery. Robert DeNiro's character, Luftig, is a criminal and thus, Finn's unlikely benefactor, has arranged an exhibition; rented an apartment to serve as his studio; has provided him with a new image-improving wardrobe; and paid for the show's marketing. To top it off, Luftig then purchases all the artwork in the show. Luftig's actions have led to creating value for Finn for he has raised his artistic profile and created a demand for his work. The concluding scene reveals that Finn has built upon this early success and has become an acclaimed artist.

Since most artists are not actors in a Hollywood movie, this notion of creating value is trickier. During the seminar, the speaker emphasized that an artist creates value by developing what the seminar speaker identified as a "solid " career path. The good news is all artists can do this by doing what comes naturally, e.g. becoming formally educated; receiving awards; participating in juried and museum shows; receiving commissions and making actual sales; and ultimately, having gallery representation.

The latter is key because it aids in documenting sales and many of the aforementioned components. Of course, the more prominent or exclusive the gallery, the better. For most artists, discipline, hard work, and time, lots of time, are the ingredients of creating a solid career path and therefore, value. Unfortunately, the expenditure of time and effort does not guarantee successful results. Some artists have raised the value of the their artwork more expeditiously both through their own direct efforts and being the fortunate object of art collectors' desires.

At the seminar's end, the speaker proposed his own Hollywood scenario of how art collectors can create value for a particular artist regardless of the solidness of his/her career path. He simply stated, "If everyone present [at the seminar] purchased a particular artist's work, the value of his/her work would most likely rise."

This very scenario sheds light on the role of individuals, in particular collectors, no matter how serious, can affect an artist's commercial success. Orson Wells once said "people know the price of everything and the value of nothing." Yet, these same "people" could very well determine the value of our artwork. Far be it for me to "say," but perhaps people, price and value share a more intimate relationship than we ever imagined.

Malik M. Lloyd