COSTCO sells Picasso Doodle

(Thanks AJ). COSTCO (yes, yes... COSTCO) has just sold a Picasso doodle done on the back of a bookcover for $40K. Read the story here.

They currently have a Chagall litho (several Chagalls actually) and also a Modigliani litho and a Leger litho for sale.

I am curious as to how these works, and works like this one get into the COSTCO system?

Thinking About Art sends a sarcastic "thank you" to the WaPo for their minimalist coverage of the visual arts in today's Sunday Arts Section.

Sunday Arts has only 237 words about the visual arts within its 12 pages of Sunday Arts.

And this counts as part of the coverage:

ART

ART ABOUT SEX, gender and feminism is everywhere today. Some younger artists even see it as old hat -- they prefer to make work that's closer to good-looking fun. On Tuesday, the Hirshhorn Museum and the art history department at George Washington University are sponsoring a talk by Carolee Schneeman, who was one of the 1960s pioneers of sex-themed art by women. It should remind us of how radically out-there such artmaking once was.

-- Blake Gopnik

At George Washington University's Dorothy Betts Marvin Theater, 800 21st St. NW. Tuesday at 7 p.m. Free. Call 202-633-4674 or visit hirshhorn.si.edu

Actually this seems quite interesting, so I will try to attend; besides, around here sex and art is still quite a radical concept, as Scott Hutchison's tempest in a teapot proved a while back.

Opening Re-scheduled

The opening reception for GMU Prof. Chawky Frenn's (represented by us) solo show at the Washington Theological Union scheduled for today has been cancelled and rescheduled to February 6 from 3 to 5 PM.

I've never been to the Washington Theological Union and I am looking forward to see what their gallery space looks like and how it marries to Frenn's intensely political art.

Snowy days (and it's really coming down now) always put me in a mood for a couple of things: (a) Hot Buttered Rums and (b) Drawing.

So here's the latest creation, a small charcoal on paper drawing:

I call it "Lillith and Eve," depicting a romanticized view of Lillith controlling the Snake as she laughs with Eve. They are both laughing at Adam, who is out of the picture.

Back to the basement... I mean "my studio."

Opportunity for Artists

Deadline: March 21, 2005

Gallery Neptune, an independent art gallery located in downtown Bethesda, announces a Call for Entries for The 6th Annual Bethesda Literary Festival. Artists are asked to submit one of the following: functional book marks, non functional book marks (work that may include 3D elements) or design concepts for theoretical or "unbuilt" book marks. All entries must be original art, suitable for hanging and fit within a 12 inch square.

Details and entry forms are here.

Looking for Models?

Figure Models Guild is a terrific area resource for artists who'd like to draw from the live model. They have open sessions (usually held at MOCA DC).

See their schedules and sessions here.

Yoda

It's snowing here in Potomac, and a little while ago there was a scratching at my front door and when I opened it, there's Yoda (made famous in "Tentacles") with half a tree limb in his mouth and wanting to play.

After I throw it around a few times, I'm going to keep the wood and then will keep sending him out for more and maybe he can get me some good kindling and save me the trouble!