ABMB Week: Opening Day

First of all... good morning Atlantic!

We leave Hollywood Beach around 9:30AM (the fair opens to the public at 11AM)... it's a 15 mile drive, which in this area's unpredictable traffic, today takes almost an hour and a half! Last night the drive from Wynwood took over two hours as 95 North was essentially closed - all four lanes closed for miles and one slow row of cars driving on the side of the road - It was because of construction.

The word "construction" is used here ironically, as there was one guy - yep, one dude - with a small painting machine - not the kind that you drive to paint the road stripes, but like a hand held one... and a second dude with a potent flashlight, while the first "worker" was repainting the road's traffic lines.

Miles of closed 95 North for this...

Several DC folks come by (yesterday JT Kirkland and John Adams); today Judy Berman, Gabby from Strathmore Hall, the immensely talented Sharon Moody, as well as other interesting people, such as uber collector Ardis Bartle and blue chip artist Sandra Ramos.

The Lenster with Sandra Ramos

Jodi Walsh's work at Context

Sometime in the late afternoon the horrible news about the terrorist attack in California begin to filter in, casting a shadow on the day.

View of one of the aisles at Context Art Miami

ABMB Week: VIP Opening night

After a dozen hours of so of intensive work... we're ready for opening night: 5-10PM. Photos by J. Jordan Bruns.

The crowds, booze and small food begins to circulate, tightly-dressed women in lethal-looking six inch heels begin their improbable strolls with plastic wine glasses in their manicured hands; third generation Cuban-American girls, four or five inches taller and 25 pounds lighter than their political refugee grandmothers, and slim as rifles, shoot selfies in front of the artwork and languages from all over the world comment on the art.

We almost immediately sell Dulce Pinzon's very last Superman photo. It is followed by a sale of one of DC artist Tim Vermeulen.

Sculpture by Alma Selimovic

Tim Vermeulen at Context

Outside one of the five giant tents that make up Art Miami and Context Art Miami in Wynwood

ABMB Week: Day before the VIP Opening

The key art fairs from the two dozen or so which make up Art Basel week in the Greater Miami area have theor VIP opening tomorrow... so for many galleries, including us, Monday is debarkation time and hanging time.

Thus the dance of the vans and trucks begins as parking space is sought for unloading operations; we get there early and find a Doris Day spot right across from Context Art Miami.

Soon afterwards artist Jodi Walsh shows up and she also finds a good parking spot. Jodi trekked from Texas, and with her husband Ron, will help man the booth.

A few hours later and many sheckels spent in parking fees, the booth looks like this:

Around 4PM exhaustion takes over and we all head our separate ways... during the day we've run into fellow DC area gallerists Adah Rose and Gabriella Rosso.

Back in Hollywood, the piggies get some Jacuzzi love...

ABMB Miami - VIP Opening Night Minus two

Miami's always growing skyline... tomorrow is the van dance of trying to find a parking spot close enough to unload the van... and then installation begins...

Art Basel Week: Big View at ABMB Day minus 3

View from the Hotel Room
(Designed to make the DMV jealous of November)

Airborne today

Heading to Miami for planet's biggest art dance... We will be at Context Art Miami for the third year in a row; this time at booth CTX63.

As usual, daily reports coming... The fairs open a day early, as the VIP receptions are on Tuesday... This will make for a very long week.

Campello heading to Miami

"How Do I Love Thee?"
(Sonnets to the Portuguese)
20x16 inches, Charcoal and Conte on Paper
2015 by F. Lennox Campello

Haze gray and underway...

As we head out to spend Thanksgiving with our families, a salute to all to men and women of our armed forces all over the world, especially those who are away from their families today, with a special shout out to all the American sailors and Marines out to sea... We've got your back.

No more art for Blake Byrne!

A well known Democrat Los Angeles art collector has vowed to stop contributing to Democrats because they joined with Republicans in a bipartisan vote last week.

LA art collector Blake Byrne "sent an email to several Democrats Monday, including California Reps. Julia Brownley (West Lake Village), John Garamendi (Walnut Grove) and Scott Peters (San Diego), saying he is “greatly disappointed” they voted with Republicans and that he will no longer donate in any way to their campaigns."

The LA Times reports that Byrne also sent the letter to the Los Angeles Times,  Echo Lake Entertainment President Andy Spaulding, and others in the entertainment industry.

Cough... Cough...

Here's the thing: no one can dispute Blake's zeal and dogma... And I will defend his right to give his Samolians to whomever he wants to... But this "news release angle" (guaranteed to make the news, especially when the rare bipartisan vote takes place) to what most of the times is a private matter, really smells of a Hollywood dude looking to see his name in Google News... 

Good for you Blake! Next time, keep it to yourself. 

As a result of your Hollywoodesque action, and the way in which it came to my attention... I will no longer sell you any artwork for your collection!

Sorry dude - no more art for you!

Van loaded and headed to Miami

Load van with artwork - Check
Have Audrey Wilson pick up van - Check
Head South - Check

We'll be at CONTEXT Art Miami next week (booth CTX63) for the Art Basel week arts extravaganza as the visual arts world comes to the Greater Miami area.

We'll be showcasing the following DC area artists:

• Judith Peck
• Tim Vermeulen
• Alma Selimovic
• Elissa Farrow-Savos
• Audrey Wilson
• Georgia Nassikas
• Me

Also showing work by:

• Simon Monk (UK)
• Dulce Pinzon (Mexico)
• Jodi Walsh (Texas)

New Foundation Creates 100K Prize for Women Artists

The New Foundation, founded by Shari D. Behnke, has created a prize of $100,000 to be given every two years to "an influential, U.S.-based woman artist in honor of her exemplary artistic achievements and enduring commitment to her practice."

Read the whole article by Jen Graves here.