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| "Fallen Angels: Asmodeus, Demon of Lust." (Detail) 19x12 inches, c. 2018. Charcoal, conte and watercolor. Soon at an art fair in the USA. |
A group of loosely affiliated artists working in Washington, DC in the 1960s and 1970s, known as The Washington Color School primarily because of their use of pure color as the subject matter of their paintings, has received heightened attention in the art market, both nationally and internationally.A major characteristic of Color School paintings is the use of unprimed canvas on which diluted pigment was applied, sometimes by pouring, permitting the pigment to do strange and wonderful things as it soaked into the canvas and spread into adjoining colors or the bare canvas. Perhaps one of the most creative applications of this technique was adopted by Sam Gilliam in his early paintings by folding the canvas after pigment had been applied and while it was still wet. By folding and unfolding the pigment stained canvas Gilliam created a group of stunningly beautiful paintings having unexpected forms of deep and shimmering colors.Recently, one of these stained and folded paintings sold at Sotheby's in London for over $1.2 million, setting a world-wide auction record for the artist. Washington, DC art consultant, Jean Efron, who consigned the painting to Sotheby's on behalf of the sellers, said, “We are seeing very strong demand for Sam Gilliam's early work. The stained and folded canvases, in particular, have attracted a lot of attention because they are recognized as representing a singular original development in the history of American art. I think it is very appropriate that a Sam Gilliam painting that achieved a record auction price was owned by a Washington, DC collector.” Jean Efron Art Consultants recently facilitated the private sale of another important early Sam Gilliam artwork that had been in an owner’s collection for more than four decades.Gilliam’s early work (1967 through 1973) is the subject of a major exhibition at the Kunstmuseum in Basel, Switzerland. According to Efron, "Sam has always been recognized as a major creative force in American Art. I have always considered him one of the most creative artists I have known. The Basel exhibition is the most recent demonstration of that recognition. However, only recently, has that recognition migrated into the art market pushing up prices for his work, in some cases dramatically.Efron's firm, Jean Efron Art Consultants, has recently represented a number of clients selling paintings by Sam Gilliam. However, she says, "Sam Gilliam is not the only artist identified with the Washington Color School whose paintings are attracting a lot of attention in the art market. We are seeing strong demand for paintings by Alma Thomas, whose work has dramatically increased in value in the past two or three years as has some of the work of Anne Truitt. And, of course, the work of Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland always have enthusiastic buyers.” Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Thomas Downing and Gene Davis are perhaps most closely associated with the Color School. Sam Gilliam’s early work, and some of the work of Alma Thomas and Paul Reed, as well as the work of Leon Berkowitz, Thomas Mehring and Anne Truitt are also considered by some to be included with The Washington Color School designation. According to Efron, “It is not unusual to see exceptional examples of works by Gilliam, Alma Thomas, Louis, and Noland being offered and sold for seven figure prices.”About Jean Efron Art Consultants LLC: Jean Efron Art Consultants LLC is a Washington, DC, based art advisory firm that provides comprehensive fine art services. Since 1973, the firm has provided collection development and management services to both private and public clients including many of Washington, DC’s most discerning law firms, developers, associations and corporations.
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| "Suddenly, She Wasn't Afraid Any Longer" (The Lilith) 18x12, Charcoal and Watercolor, c. 2018 |
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| "Two American Sailors on Liberty Call, Plage de la Bocca, Cannes." 9x12 inches, charcoal and conte on paper, circa 2018. |
The Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland—a private institution near Washington, D.C. housing the collection of Mitchell and Emily Wei Rales—is being sued for $24 million by the contracting firm that oversaw its recently completed $200 million expansion.Read the whole story here.
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| Low Tide, oil on canvas, 14" x 36" |
There is a well-known Oscar Wilde quote that goes, "When bankers get together for dinner, they discuss art. When artists get together for dinner, they discuss money.”As an artist, you understand the making part of your job like the back of your hand. You could probably paint blindfolded and come up with a decent-looking piece. You have spent thousands upon thousands of hours honing your craft. What we often struggle with is the part that comes after we put that last final touch on an artwork—pricing.Pricing is awkward. Setting a price on something that is so deeply personal and doesn't have a set market value is even more awkward.Especially at the start of your career, or if you don't have a nest egg to fall back on, you want (and need) to make sales, but you also don't want to sell yourself short.So, how do you start setting the prices for your artwork so you can get the salary you deserve? If you don't have a consistent history of selling your art in a particular price range or in a particular market, follow these seven rules to get started.
Read the whole article here.If you want to make a full-time living as an artist or creative, it's not enough to rely solely on online sales or gallery representation. If you have been a professional artist for any number of years, you are probably already familiar with the slow seasons, with flopped shows, and rained out art fairs. It can be difficult to count any single income source.You don't put all your money on one horse, or all your eggs in one basket, so why do you want to get all of your income from one place?The good news is that there are so many different ways for artists to make a living today. The better news is that most of these ideas require some work up front, but minimal ongoing labor. The best news is that as an artist, you already have the creativity to think of unique ways to grow your business.
Gabe Brown:
The abstract landscapes of Gabe Brown are exploding with color and teeming with the lush diversity of nature. They are captivating in their richness of tone and interplay of shades. Gabe employs motifs of delicate lines, leaves, rainbows, rock formations, botanics, erupting forms, and bursts of color. One sees the complexity and wonder of life in her works. There is whimsy, sophistication, elegance, and a sense of the artist’s imagination in her works on canvas and paper. For Gabe, “Art is like magic, an illusion created by the force of humanity.”
Gabe Brown was raised in New York City. She received her BFA degree from The Cooper Union and was awarded a Full Fellowship to attend the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She went on to receive her MFA in Painting from the University of California, Davis. Gabe is a 2018 recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting Award. Gabe has exhibited in many shows including Kenise Barnes Contemporary Art, Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, Matteawan Gallery, The Saratoga Arts Center, Garrison Arts Center, ArtsWestchester, Schweinfurth Arts Center, SUNY Brockport, The Horticultural Society of New York, Sears-Peyton Gallery, and Carrie Haddad Gallery. Gabe exhibited in our Carte Blanche show in 2017.
Akemi Maegawa:
Akemi Maegawa is a conceptual artist working in ceramics and a variety of medium. Her ceramic sculptures in the show include Darumas, Vessels, and Housing Market Miniatures. Akemi’s works are delicately and intimately conceived, reflective of musings on the world around her; Akemi uses her sculpture to “question the human condition, politics, history, and everyday life.” Her works broach serious topics, yet maintain an exquisite delicacy, indicative of her conscientious artistic process. Akemi’s works radiate with a soft tenderness, lovingly imbued with their creator’s personality, humor, and deep thought.
Akemi was born in Tsu, Japan. She came to the United States to study at the Corcoran College of Art and Design and graduated with a BFA in 2005, before acquiring her MFA from the Cranbrook Academy in Michigan. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Anne and Ronald Abramson Award for Excellence in Ceramics at the Corcoran. Akemi has exhibited in numerous shows including the University of Maryland University College, Metro Micro Gallery, Irvine Contemporary Gallery, Area 405, Carrol Square Gallery, the SculptureCenter, the Betty Mae Kramer gallery, and DCAC. Akemi exhibited in our Carte Blanche show in 2017.
A second sphinx—whose existence has been the subject of theories developed by historians and egyptologists for decades—has been discovered in Luxor, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities.Details here.
In keeping with his character, Salvador Dalí’s daily routine featured a healthy dose of self-importance. “Every morning upon awakening,” he wrote in 1953, “I experience a supreme pleasure: that of being Salvador Dalí, and I ask myself, wonderstruck, what prodigious thing will he do today, this Salvador Dalí.”Read the whole article by Abigail Cain here.
VICTOR EKPUKBook Signing of Victor Ekpuk: Connecting Lines Across Space and TimeSaturday, September 1st, 2018 from 2pm-4pmThe artist will be in attendance.LOCATIONMorton Fine Art (MFA)1781 Florida Ave NW (at 18th & U Sts)Washington, DC 20009HOURSTuesday - Saturday 11am - 6pmSunday 12pm-5pmPlease RSVP to mortonfineart@gmail.com
