Changes

As some of you know, I've had some significant changes, both professional and personal, since I sort of moved from the DC area... sort of.

Because of the move and other things, I no longer own a gallery, and for the first time in ten years, I have a little more time in my hands to do other things.

Like... looking for a gallery space in Philadelphia!

Now that I finally sold my house in Potomac, which was costing me around $5,000 a month in mortgage and utilities for an empty house, I've been slowly but surely exploring the city little by little, although the recent tundra like weather has certainly put an end to that. Nonetheless I will continue to look at areas of the city where art galleries have already establish a presence, and continue to chat with gallery owners and local art bloggers so as to learn more and more about Philly's art scene and locations, etc.

So far I am leaning towards the area around North Second Street where Pentimenti Gallery and others are located. In fact there's a really nice space almost next to Pentimenti that's looking real good.

Another interesting development that has happened to me professionally since I moved, is the fact that I have been retained (initially by one and now by a second) ubercollector to "acquire" work for their collections.

This sounds like a lot of fun, having a five figure budget a month to acquire artwork for others, and in a way it is. However, as I settle down to the nuts and bolts of doing this properly, I'm finding out that I am being a helluva lot more careful with other people's money than I would be with my own.

I think that as I settle down and do this more and more, it may be easier, and certainly all of my acquitisions for them have so far been met with great enthusiasm and acceptance, but nonetheless I am still "involving" them a lot in the decision(s), which I think that (in at least one case) is the rigth thing to do, but in the other case, the collector may really want me to go solo in the decision process, which is a lot more pressurized for me.

Then there's the whole issue of "my artists," as I intend to soon re-surface as a private dealer (website coming soon!) while I continue to search for a gallery space. There's a fine ethical line there, as one of my predecessors was in fact "fired" for pushing too many of the artists that the dealer represented. The trick is to balance ethics and business, which a reputable art dealer needs to do anyway.

Enough for now; heading to the Poconos this weekend for a little fun in the snow.

Around the Mid-A Reviewsphere

DC

Jeffry Cudlin in the WCP reviews "Seen" at Transformer Gallery.

Also in the WCP, Anne Marston has an interesting profile of photographer Susie J. Horgan and her show at Govinda Gallery.

And lastly for the WCP, Kriston Capps does Jenna McCracken’s carving up cuts of preserved pottery at Dupont Circle’s Meat Market Gallery.

In the WaPo, Michael O'Sullivan also reviews "Punk Love" at Govinda Gallery. Susie J. Horgan, the photographer, was also online yesterday at the WaPo answering questions - read the transcripts here and has a nice photo gallery of her photographs here; score one for the WaPo... more please!

Baltimore

Deborah McLeod in the Baltimore City Paper checks in with an intelligent review of Winter: Jarrett Min Davis / Courtney Jordan at the Creative Alliance.

The Sun's Glenn McNatt (himself a photographer) reviews the DC area's Amy Lamb's exhibition at the Steven Scott Gallery in Owings Mills.

DC's Thiking About Art visits Baltimore and reviews "Between the Lines" at Maryland Art Place.

Philadelphia

In the Philadelphia City Paper, Mary Wilson reviews "Emerging Artists Series: Christopher Hartshorne and Hiro Sakaguchi," at the Woodmere Art Museum.

In the Philadelphia Inquirer, Edward J. Sozanski reviews Daniel Garber at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Also in the Inquirer, Edith Newhall reviews "Rocks-n-Glocks" by Ron Ribant and Veleta Vancza at Bambi, and she also reviews the photographs of Serge J-F Levy at at Gallery 339.

In the Philadelphia Weekly, uberblogger Roberta Fallon reviews "Locally Localized Gravity" at the ICA.

In artblog, Libby Rosof reviews Amy S. Kauffman's installation at the Painted Bride.

Who Knew?

Grandma's painting was expected to fetch a few thousand bucks at auction. Instead it sold for $600,000 dollhairs. Read the story here.