Thursday, August 18, 2016
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Can the Single-Venue Gallery Survive?
We did our first art fair ten years ago, and have been doing them ever since. As I have vociferously noted many times, an art fair participation scheme must be part of any gallery business plan, if that gallery is to survive as a bricks and mortar place... or as a gallery/art dealer.
Every time that I write this down somewhere, I also offer to meet with any gallery owner, at no cost, and discuss with them my experiences, lessons learned, and suggestions for them to dip their toes into the art fair scene.
In 2016, ten years after we first ventured to New York for our first art fair, we're on track to do both the Spring (done) and the Fall versions of the Affordable Art Fair in New York, the SOFA Art Fair in Chicago, the Texas Contemporary Art Fair in Houston, the Context Art Miami fair in Miami, and possibly the Scope Art Fair, also in Miami.
Judd Tulley, writing for Art + Auction (and highlighted in Blouin Art Info) noted a while back:
And artists who work as partners in the gallery enterprise, rather than just being "represented."
About 4-5 years ago, I was taking a break on the terrace of the Aqua Hotel in Miami Beach, where we were doing the very cool Aqua Art Fair, when I ran into the then owner and director of a small, DC gallery. This gallerist had also done her very first art fair in 2006, and by a coincidence of fate, our first explorations of the then novel model had been at the same NYC fair, where we were almost booth neighbors. The only difference was that at that fair we did really well, while her gallery (overly "curated" if you ask me) did not.
That first lucky strike wet our appetite for art fairs, and we plunged on.
"What are you doing here?", she asked somewhat surprised - I'm not sure why.
"We're doing Aqua," I answered.
"Oh!," she said wrinkling her nose. "I thought only real galleries could do art fairs."
By that she meant brick and mortar spaces, and her comment was based on the one time fact that most art fairs, at their early beginnings, required that a fair participant have a brick and mortar "store" in order to participate in an art fair.
That didn't last very long, as brick and mortar galleries began to close all over the world as art dealers focused their precious sheckels onto the more lucrative art fair scene. Want evidence? Look at the gallery list for the DMV a decade ago, and look at it now... and see how many dealers exclusively focus on art fairs and have closed their doors, or do "pop up" shows, or moved their gallery walls to their private homes.
"No," I responded, ignoring the barb. "That requirement stopped long ago." I continued then with my own barb, knowing that her answer would be "none" ahead of time, and asked: "What fair are you doing? - We're doing great at Aqua!"
Read the Tulley article here.
Every time that I write this down somewhere, I also offer to meet with any gallery owner, at no cost, and discuss with them my experiences, lessons learned, and suggestions for them to dip their toes into the art fair scene.
In 2016, ten years after we first ventured to New York for our first art fair, we're on track to do both the Spring (done) and the Fall versions of the Affordable Art Fair in New York, the SOFA Art Fair in Chicago, the Texas Contemporary Art Fair in Houston, the Context Art Miami fair in Miami, and possibly the Scope Art Fair, also in Miami.
Judd Tulley, writing for Art + Auction (and highlighted in Blouin Art Info) noted a while back:
Given the now-obsolete or about-to-be-Rust-Belted model of the tradition-bound gallery, what do younger galleries turn to in the current environment? “The increase in the importance of art fairs has really hollowed out the midsize and small gallery market,” said Brett Schultz, cofounder with Daniela Elbahara of Mexico City’s Yautepec GalleryWe are empirical evidence of the success that art fairs can give small, independent commercial art galleries - at least those with a vision, the work ethic and the gusto to plow forward into the financially-terrifying waters of an art fair expense marathon.
And artists who work as partners in the gallery enterprise, rather than just being "represented."
About 4-5 years ago, I was taking a break on the terrace of the Aqua Hotel in Miami Beach, where we were doing the very cool Aqua Art Fair, when I ran into the then owner and director of a small, DC gallery. This gallerist had also done her very first art fair in 2006, and by a coincidence of fate, our first explorations of the then novel model had been at the same NYC fair, where we were almost booth neighbors. The only difference was that at that fair we did really well, while her gallery (overly "curated" if you ask me) did not.
That first lucky strike wet our appetite for art fairs, and we plunged on.
"What are you doing here?", she asked somewhat surprised - I'm not sure why.
"We're doing Aqua," I answered.
"Oh!," she said wrinkling her nose. "I thought only real galleries could do art fairs."
By that she meant brick and mortar spaces, and her comment was based on the one time fact that most art fairs, at their early beginnings, required that a fair participant have a brick and mortar "store" in order to participate in an art fair.
That didn't last very long, as brick and mortar galleries began to close all over the world as art dealers focused their precious sheckels onto the more lucrative art fair scene. Want evidence? Look at the gallery list for the DMV a decade ago, and look at it now... and see how many dealers exclusively focus on art fairs and have closed their doors, or do "pop up" shows, or moved their gallery walls to their private homes.
"No," I responded, ignoring the barb. "That requirement stopped long ago." I continued then with my own barb, knowing that her answer would be "none" ahead of time, and asked: "What fair are you doing? - We're doing great at Aqua!"
Read the Tulley article here.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Call for Entries: The Nude Figure
Deadline: September 9, 2016
Apply here.
Apply here.
The Nude Figure will present a survey of contemporary responses to the nude to illuminate resonances between traditions of imagining the figure and the artist’s personal experience. The theme of mirroring is a metaphor for the persistence of the nude as a theme in art and our shared visual understandings of the body. Entries are being accepted in painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, glass and mixed media.Jurors Paul DuSold, instructor at the Woodmere Art Museum and Fleisher Art Memorial, and Scott Noel, professor at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, look to assemble a survey of contemporary responses to the nude to illuminate resonances between traditions of imagining the figure and the artist’s personal experience.
AWARDS
$3,000+ in prizes
KEY DATES
Exhibition dates: October 16 - November 19, 2016
Digital entry deadline: September 9, midnight CST ($45 fee)
Extended digital entry deadline: September 12, midnight EST ($65 fee)
Notification of accepted/declined work: September 19
Artist reception: October 16, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Painting lecture with jurors: October 22, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Workshop with Paul DuSold: October 29 & 30, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Workshop with Scott Noel: November 5 & 6, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
REGISTRATION FEE
$45 for up to two works
Monday, August 15, 2016
Chuck Berry: You Never Can Tell
It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell,
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale,
But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53,
They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary
It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell,
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale,
But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53,
They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary
It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Opportunity for Artists
Maryland Art Place (MAP), in partnership with The CyberWire, has announced a new open ‘Call for Entry’.
To view the full prospectus, visit http://mdartplace.org/opportunities/maportunities
An extension of MAP’s annual IMPRINT project, MAP is working with The CyberWire to offer “CREATING CONNECTIONS”, a commission and print replication project. The image of that artwork will be reproduced in a limited edition and presented to the guests of The CyberWire’s 3rd Annual Women in Cyber Security reception on September 27, 2016. Applications are due Saturday, August 27, 2016
The goal of CyberWire’s reception is to facilitate connections among women working in cyber security. The concept of networks—social networks, computer networks and support networks—may be an important point of departure for creating the commissioned work. This commission is open to submissions from women artists living and working in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area.
We live in a time where cyberspace has become inextricably linked to the lives of individuals and organizations of all kinds. Cyberspace is the medium of global commerce and communication, and it is one of the most important factors in the social, political, and technological changes we see occurring today.
The CyberWire provides concise and relevant daily briefings on the critical news happening across the global cyber security domain. In an industry overloaded with information, The CyberWire helps individuals and organizations rapidly find the news and information that's important to them.
The Women in Cyber Security Reception will bring together women from across the region and all different points on the career spectrum. This event will be an opportunity to meet, greet and share a common goal—empowering women to succeed in the cyber security field. Leaders from industry, academia, and government can reconnect and strengthen existing relationships while building new ones. Those just starting out in their careers have the chance to meet the technical and business professionals who are shaping the future of cyber security.
This invitation-only event will be held at the Columbus Center overlooking Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
Art Maryland 2016
Entry deadline: September 2 at 11:59PM.
The Howard County Arts Council in Ellicott City, Maryland, is seeking entries from artists for Art Maryland 2016, a biennial multi-media juried exhibit. A guest juror (TBA) will select the work for the show and award a minimum of $1,000. The exhibit will be on view from October 28 – December 9, 2016 with a reception and juror remarks on November 4 from 6-8pm.
Entry is open to all artists 18 years or older, residing in Maryland or within a 100-mile radius of Ellicott City, MD. Artists may submit digital images of up to three works completed in the last two years and not exhibited previously in the HCAC galleries. All work must fit through a standard doorway measuring 54” x 80” and fit appropriately in the HCAC’s two galleries, which total over 2000 square feet, with 9 ½ foot high walls, professional track lighting and hardwood floors. There is a $25 Art Maryland entry fee. The fee is waived for current Howard County Arts Council members. Entry forms are available at hocoarts.org/exhibits.php, at the Howard County Arts Council, or by calling 410-313-2787.
Entry is open to all artists 18 years or older, residing in Maryland or within a 100-mile radius of Ellicott City, MD. Artists may submit digital images of up to three works completed in the last two years and not exhibited previously in the HCAC galleries. All work must fit through a standard doorway measuring 54” x 80” and fit appropriately in the HCAC’s two galleries, which total over 2000 square feet, with 9 ½ foot high walls, professional track lighting and hardwood floors. There is a $25 Art Maryland entry fee. The fee is waived for current Howard County Arts Council members. Entry forms are available at hocoarts.org/exhibits.php, at the Howard County Arts Council, or by calling 410-313-2787.
Pam Perna
Community and Web Relations Coordinator
Howard County Arts Council
8510 High Ridge Road
Ellicott City, MD 21043
p: 410.313.ARTS
f: 410.313.2790
Community and Web Relations Coordinator
Howard County Arts Council
8510 High Ridge Road
Ellicott City, MD 21043
p: 410.313.ARTS
f: 410.313.2790
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
