Roadtrippin'

On the road for a few days, but will keep up... meanwhile Craftweek in DC was a huge success last week as the collecting craft world big names descended upon the capital.

I've heard about the great talk at WPA on the distinctions of and issues raised by definitions of Craft vs Art - I am told that the moderator, my good friend Jeffrey Cudlin, a terrific artist and curator, and a superb critic who can be a bit of an egghead on art theory in my plebeian opinion, delivered quite a funny and thoughtful panel.

The tug o' war afterwards? The winner of the tug-o-war was craft.

On Thursday one of the events was the Smithsonian Journeys tour through the various artists' studio - bringing a national group of collectors to see our area artists.

Friday's demos of work by the artists in the Mt Rainier studios along the tracks went well and the gala - Venetian Carnivale - went very well - actually was quite a bit of fun I am told. Highlights included the full on, three-act, choreographed fire spinning performance (don't know the name of the local group of fire people) and having the party crashed by Mount Rainier Mayor Malinda Miles (not too often do you get your party crashed by the local Hizzoner).

My sources tell me that members of the James Renwick Alliance said that the event was the most fun they had in the 15 years that they have gone to these annual galas. They loved the interaction with the artist studios - the work, the spaces - it was all fun and fresh.

The heart and soul of a working artist, standing on the shoulders of giants can best be told by the exchange with an ubercollector and a DC area artist. The artist tells me that the collector

"had bought a piece of mine a year or so ago, and was telling me about where it was located in her home. She said that she put it next to the work of a 'famous sculptor' - but could not remember his name. Someone very famous... deceased... but could not remember his name. She was a bit flummoxed and tried to remember other things to jog her memory - he was Asian... but still could not remember. So I tossed out the most unlikely name I could think of - Noguchi?

That was it - Isamu Noguchi.

Talk about being gobsmacked. My work next to a Noguchi. I thought you being a Frida-phile would appreciate the story.

There's something simple and innocent and appreciative in that story that makes me proud to know such artists.

City-rama


Prints & drawings by Sidney Lawrence, opening Thursday, April 30, 5-7 p.m. at Leopold’s Kafe & Konditorei (3318 M St, NW (Cady’s Alley) in Georgetown). Show continues through July 6, 2009.

Party time

"In Washington, you'll never know who you'll meet on the social circuit. We gathered some of the interesting people we'd want to run into at a party, and got them on video talking about what they love about Washington, what makes a good party, and more."

Jessica Sidman
Washingtonian

See the video here.

Artists' Websites: Jessie Lehson

Jessie Lehson is inspired, hard-working, focused, and moving forward fast and she's been in a ton of activities lately.



She will have a focus exhibition opening soon at the Greater Reston Art Center (Exhibition: April 25- June 6, 2009, Reception: May 2, 2009); she is a Sondheim Prize finalist and will be in an exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art (Exhibition: June 20- August 16, 2009); and she was a 2009 recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award.

She also had work featured recently in Once again, again; Rhythm and repetition, at the McLean Project for the Arts, McLean, VA; I Heart Art Auction & the 2008 Under the Bridge Festival, DUMBO Art Center, Brooklyn, NY; A Clean Break, curated by Angela Jerardi at Minima Gallery (off-site), Philadelphia, PA; and Bright Shin , New Paperwork Gallery, Baltimore, MD.

That's what you call an artist that everyone needs to keep an eye on. Visit her website here.

Where are they now?

I started to sell my artwork on a regular basis while I was at art school at the University of Washington in Seattle from 1977-1981. Back then I got myself a spot at the Pike Place Market, and once my school assignments were graded they were up for sale and through those years I sold hundreds, if not thousands, of art school assignments.

Mind you, the prices were good... most pieces went from around $20 and some were as cheap as $5. I think that the most expensive thing that I sold back in those years was probably around a couple of hundred bucks. I used to sell at the market two days during the week in order to qualify for a space on Saturdays, which was the best selling day for everyone.

But the education in dealing with the public, presenting the work, and talking it up, was priceless, and in a good way accounts for where I am today... I think.

Sometimes I wonder where some of those pieces of artwork are... such as the rather large viscosity print below, which I created in some long forgotten printmaking class, using my finger on the plate to create the female pear figure.


I got a pretty good grade on that piece... I kept changing its name... it was once titled "Hot Flashes." And who knows how much I sold it for, but someone in the Pacific Northwest bought it and who knows where it is now.

Pulitzering

The NYT's Holland Cotter won a Pulitzer for art criticism, which is a good (if rare for art criticism) thing... but deep in the weeds of this post about Cotter, in the updates between two clashing bloggers, is the news that for the first time the Pulitzer jury committee took the entry fee from an online visual arts blogger and reviewed the entry.

That's a good thing.

It is easy to predict that sometime in the near future, when the wheel of fortune clicks on art criticism again, that we may see a Pulitzer handed out to a blogging critic/reporter somewhere on the internets.

The power of the web.

Road trip

Starting tomorrow I will be on the road through the end of next week... two cities in six days... more later.

Newspaper bleeds

The Chicago Tribune has laid off a ton of people, including its art critic. Details and list here.

Wanna go to an opening Saturday?

Black and White, the art of three local artists (Tyler Matthew Oyer, Shawn Martinbrough and Anthony Patrick Jones II) opens at Art Whino on Saturday April 25th, from 6pm-Midnight.

More art scam artists

Beware of these email scam artists trying to rip you off:

Calos David
calos.david2504@gmail.com

Message:
Hi how are you doing,i will like to buy your art work (name of work) to my new apartment in Copenhagen,so let me know if we can a have deal on it Thanks
____________________________________
Penn Cage
penncage@dfsservices.us

Message:
Please Let me know your artworks that are still available for sale. Penn Cage.

____________________________________

Steve Adams
steveadams7199@yahoo.com

Message:
Hello to you out there. I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing some creative artworks from you let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give? I will be happy to have these selected artworks hanged in our new home in South Africa. As well, I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives, We are travelling from our Dallas home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Cashier check or Money order from the U.S Bank that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed, Have a wonderful day. Take Care, Mr Steve Adams....

____________________________________

Jane Francis
jan.fran01@yahoo.com

Hi,
Happy New Year. Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creatives works on your web site and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase.
I will appreciate an urgent reply.

Best Regards,
Janet.

12x12

Jesse Cohen and his artdc.org crew will be hanging a show at their new space to coincide with the Hyattsville Arts Festival on May 16 11am-5pm.

They're going to hang a 12x12 show and they're looking for art that can fit 1ft x 1ft spots. All art must have a wire, capable of hanging on a hook, and be less than 10 pounds. Painting, printing, photography, 2-d sculpture, reliefs, and more. Each slot will be sold for $12.00, and all artists must be artdc.org members. They will hang at least 100 works of art, and slots will be first come first serve. All works from paid slots will have 0% commission and 100% of those sales go towards the artist.

Details here.

So far the following artists will be exhibiting work:

Tammy Vittale
Cheryl Edwards
Susan Crane
Sherill Anne Gross
Michael Auger
Jennifer Maben Bishop
Edward Hahn
Andrew Hendricks
Genevieve Lynn
Heather M. Schmaedeke
Paul Farley
Michael Woodward
Mara Odette Guerrero
Kimberly Stark
Matt Sesow
Dana Ellyn
Ric Garcia
Jennifer Verrier
John Grillo Lucien
Lisa Rosenstein
Jessica Hensley
Lynne Venart
Judith Kim
Meghan Taylor
Angela Kleis
Caren Quinn
Sean Welker
Jennifer Beinhacker
Jeannette Gordon
Julianne Fuchs-Musgrave
Liliane Blom
Loretta Thompson
Tara Kocourek
James Landry
Henrik Sundqvist
Laurie Breen
Eric Ginsburg
Steven Dobin
Jason James Cresswell
Davin Tarr
Liliane Blom
Deborah Winram
Roy Utley
Robert Fox
Caroline Dolan
Juan Pineda

Can art prices be negotiated?

That is one of the most common questions that newbie art collectors ask me and one that pops up all the time at the ubiquitous expert panels on collecting art, selling art, making art or whatever art.

My first warning is to always advise everyone to beware of "art galleries" that have "art sales." Although art is a commodity, a reputable art gallery doesn't have "sales" with drastic price reductions. All that would accomplish is to destroy the price base of an artist. Leave the "sales" approach to rug stores.

A collector can always try to negotiate prices, as some dealers are open to it and some aren't. Most dealers automatically give known or returning collectors a "collector's discount," and artists should be aware of this industry policy, and it should certainly be specified in the contract.

Most reputable dealers will try to accommodate a client's requests and will often consult the artist on specific pricing issues, such as the case (in my own experience), where a collector wanted to acquire 40 paintings at once from an artist, but clearly also wanted a major discount.

If you are a collector, beginning or not, and really want that particular piece of art, but because of your financial issues cannot afford the offered price, be honest and say so and see where that leads. Often the dealer can offer you other work by the artist in your price range.

Be weary of price reductions of more than 10% as huge discounts hurt the artist's sales record and most reputable dealers will not do them. It is also perfectly reasonable to ask for a small discount if you are buying several pieces of art at once.

And the most common mistake made by artists themselves: selling their own work directly at vastly reduced prices from the gallery price. This is perhaps the most fatal mistake that any artist can do to destroy his/her work's price base. Prices should be aligned and essentially the same regardless of where they are sold, at the gallery, at the studio or at the art fair.

2009 Top 25 Arts Destinations

New York City, which was the No. 1 Big Cities arts destination in 2008, came in at No. 1 again with almost double the number of votes over second-place winner Chicago, which also held the No. 2 spot last year. And Washington, D.C., which placed third on the Big Cities list in 2008, is third again this year.

Read the American Style Magazine poll here and see how Alexandria, VA beats Miami, FL... okeedokie.

MFAs at MICA this Friday

Friday, April 24, from 5 to 7 PM is the last of the three Maryland Institute College of Art MFA thesis shows.

If you are in the Baltimore area, go see these shows.

The shows take place in the Fox Building, at MICA, 1300. W. Mt. Royal Ave, Baltimore, MD. Guaranteed are great art, good food and fun people! Artists include:

Amita Bhatt
Nina Glaser
Kat Rohrbacher
Katherine Mann
Scott Shanley
Karla Cott
Clarissa Gregory
Judy Stone
Pete Cullen
Alan Callander
Robby Rackleff
Emily Wathen
Sandy Triolo

Wanna go to an art lecture tonite?

An open $250,000 art prize

ArtPrize is a radically new open competition and perhaps the shape of things to come. It is open to any artist in the world who can find space in one of the exhibiting venues in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Open to a vote from anyone who attends.

It does cost $50 to participate. Registration ends July 31, 2009. Details here.

London Overtakes New York

In 2008, New York's auction market produced only $2.9 billion, down approximately 23 percent from a year ago and falling behind London, the new global leader in art auction sales.

Details here.

Meanwhile, some are predicting that as the economic slump continues, art collectors will be turning their attention more and more to the basics of art collecting and looking more closely at emerging artists and more affordable art.

That is the concept behind the international Affordable Art Fair, and the New York version of that fair takes place May 7-10 in New York City.

If you want to score a couple of free tickets to that fair, send me an email and I'll set you up.

A Million Little Pictures

Deadline: July 1st 2009

Art House is looking for 1,000 people from around the world to receive 1000 disposable cameras. They'll mail you the camera for to you to document your life in 24 exposures and then you simply send them back the prints. Not only will they have an exhibition in Atlanta, but they say that they will also travel to the city with the most participants. The exhibition will be home to 24,000 photographs of 1,000 peoples lives all over the world.

For more information on the project go to this website. Postmark Deadline: September 1st 2009.

This Thursday in DC


An art show collaboration with Willco Residential, urbanpace and The Pink Line Project.

Artists: DECOY, Eve Hennessa, Susan Noyes, Mary Ott, Cory Oberndorfer, Andres Tremols, and Colin Winterbottom.

Two tri-plex lofts and a one bedroom filled with artwork in all mediums. Two Washington DC collectors will be placing works from their collection on the secondary market for the first time.

The Providence 11th Street Lofts
Thursday April 23rd 6:30pm-9:00pm
1515 11th Street NW (near P st)

Artists' Websites: Katherine Mann

Katherine Mann is about to have her MFA exhibit at MICA this coming Friday, April 24 from 5-7PM (Details later this week).


She writes about her work that her "paintings depict ever-changing fantasy worlds where blood cells, rainforests and coral reefs collide and intertwine. Each piece functions as a man-sized porthole into a landscape alive with minute details, patterns and interlocking systems. This is achieved through the conglomeration of minutia piled and cobbled together to create larger, overarching systems that define the whole painting. I work with ambiguous shapes that could function as elements in radically different environments in the real world—a scabby circular shape could be a marsh object covered with barnacles, a white blood cell, or a cratered moon."

Visit her website here.