QR Code

Finally got my own QR code! Woohoo!

Art Fairs Commentary

Lenny Campello recently wrote two great articles about attending Art Fairs such as Art Basel. The first part is here, and the second part is here. Below you can read some highlights I found interesting from both pieces.

The History and Presence

If you are a visual artist or art dealer/gallerist in today’s ever changing visual art world, and you’re not aware or know about the Miami art fairs that take place each year-end and are clustered around Miami and Miami Beach, then you have a problem that needs urgent attention.

Almost a decade ago, the founders and organizers of a European art fair called Art Basel (which of course, takes place in Basel, Switzerland), decided to try an American version of their successful European model and started an art fair in the Miami Beach Convention Center and they called it Art Basel Miami Beach or ABMB for short.

ABMB’s success soon spawned other art fairs, which are called “satellite fairs”, since they all revolve around ABMB’s dates and presence on America’s coolest and most international beach city.

And thus satellite art fairs with names like Scope, Red Dot, Bridge, Pulse, NADA and others began to appear around Miami at the same time as ABMB. Soon, someone came up with the novel idea that these art fairs could also take place in hotel rooms, and the “hotel fair” was born. Many of these also began to appear, none better than the Aqua Art Fair, now called “the best hotel art fair in the world.” Having just done Aqua, I can testify brother, that the Aqua organizers have it down, and in my limited opinion, this is indeed the best hotel art fair in the world.

I am told by Miami journalists from Rumor Control that during that week of the ABMB art fairs, roughly 20% of all the art work sold in the world exchanges hands in Miami.

Furthermore, as the magnitude of the event grew, so did the attendance by both the “need to be seen” crowd and by even more worldwide collectors and, just as importantly, the press.

Thus now the news media not only discusses what’s new or who’s hot in the art world, but also they let us know who Sly Stallone or other Hollywood stars of all magnitude are acquiring. It has become cool for Hollywood stars and wannabes to collect art, which in most Einsteinian dimensions is a good thing.

“I meet more art collectors that week in Miami than the entire year in DC,” related one local art dealer.

“Over the years,” added another, “about 80% of my sales take place at, or because of art fairs in Miami, New York, LA, etc.”

How to get there as an individual artist

If you are a visual artist in 2011 and are not aware of these events, and are not trying to get there (get your artwork there is what I mean), then something really big is missing from your artistic arsenal (unless you’re happy just painting or drawing or photographing or sculpting, etc. and could care less who sees and possibly acquires your work – if that’s the case, then skip the rest of this post and more power to you!).

But, if like some of us, the commodification of your artwork doesn’t bother you, and the fact that when you or your gallery sell one of your pieces, you feel honored and pleased that someone laid out their hard earned cash to simply add one of your creations to their home or collection, then Miami in December should be in your radar.

If you are already represented by a gallery, why not discuss Miami with them? The enormous expenses associated with the art fair scene are the main reason that most art galleries do not consider them. And this is a darn good reason, as most galleries are run by the skin of their teeth and the expense associated with doing an art fair are enormous and could wreck an entire financial plan in less than a week.

But, what does it hurt to bring it up to your gallerist? Who knows where that may lead?

How about if you are a cooperative gallery? Why not consider applying to one of the art fairs and spreading the cost of the booth amongst the exhibiting artists? A word of warning: the better fairs are juried and that means that someone gets always rejected. But the same key that allows cooperatives to survive for decades (spread the expenses) should and must be the key to give them a presence at the art fairs!

And many, many co-ops are routinely showing now at art fairs in Miami, NYC, LA, London, Madrid, etc. The fact that they are returning to the fairs means that they’re having a positive experience there.

There are also hotel fairs. These are fairs that essentially take place in a local hotel, where the room is often emptied out and turned into a temporary gallery by the out of town galleries. The best hotel art fair in the world, according to many, is the Aqua Art Fair, held at the Aqua Hotel in Miami Beach, and having just participated in it, add my name to the list of people who thinks that this is the best hotel art fair on the planet. And at Aqua I saw at least two cooperative galleries…

There are also individual artists-based fairs – after all, with 22-25 art fairs around the area, new models are apt to develop – and they have! The Pool Art Fair is one of these, focusing on unrepresented artists. They had a bit of a drama this year in Miami, as the fair was shut down by Miami police due to "lack of a permit", but this fair has been around for seven years, so I'm sure they'll be back next year with all the right paperwork.

A little Googlin’ of Miami art fairs (or just art fairs in general) will reveal just how many fairs there are and where.

2012 Janet and Walter Sondheim Prize

2012 Janet and Walter Sondheim Prize

VIEW MORE INFO

Fee: $30.00 (2012 Janet and Walter Sondheim Prize Application Fee)

Entry Deadline: 1/9/12

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Inc. (BOPA) is proud to announce the sixith edition of the Janet & Walter Sondheim Prize.

The prize will award a $25,000 fellowship to a visual artist or visual artist collaborators living and working in the Baltimore region. The prize is in conjunction with the annual Artscape juried exhibition and is produced with our partners, The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) and the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

Approximately six finalists will be selected for the final review for the prize. Their work will be exhibited in the Thalheimer Gallery of The Baltimore Museum of Art. Additionally, an exhibition of the semi-finalists’ work will be shown in the Decker and Meyerhoff galleries of the Maryland Institute College of Art during the Artscape weekend (July 20-22, 2012).

Application Process

The Sondheim Prize will be accepting applications through www.callforentry.org. All submitting artists (whether submitting images, video or a combination) should create an Artists’ profile on this website, upload images (please see below for instructions on submitting time based works) and proceed by applying for the 2012 Sondheim Prize (here you will be able to upload an artist resume) and paying the application fee.

You can view the application form HERE.

Altitude Attitude

Altitude Attitude

This is a recent commissioned piece I just finished. The main theme for this piece is the highest mountains and the tallest buildings in the world. You can check out the Handy Dandy reference guide below to see which buildings and mountains are used.

This piece was lots of fun to do, because the client is a big fan of my artwork and has several of my pieces in his house. I incorporated several characteristics of the client into the piece, that if you view it long enough you can find them hidden throughout.

Hamiltonian Artists Fellowship Application Process Now Open

Hamiltonian

Hamiltonian Artists Fellowship Program is Now Accepting Applications for 2012-2014 Term.

Deadline: Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Hamiltonian Artists, a 501(c)3, is excited to announce its fifth annual open call to emerging artists to apply to our two-year Fellowship Program, aimed at aiding in the professional development of contemporary visual artists.

What will you receive as a Hamiltonian Fellow?

- Professional Development

- An Annual Stipend

- Five Exhibitions in the Gallery, as well as Off-sSite Exhibition Opportunities

- Mentorship

- Critiques

- Access to Premier Arts Professionals

- Involvement in the Vibrant DC Arts Community

Please refer to the website for application requirements, restrictions and forms. The application process will close at 6:00 pm on on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, and any applications received after that date will not be considered.

http://www.hamiltonianartists.org/apply/

Please do not hesitate to email or call us at the gallery with any additional questions.

Best of luck!

Hamiltonian Artists is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing professional development opportunities for creative artists early in their careers. We offer a competitive two-year fellowship program to new, innovative visual artists in all media through an annual competition. Artists from around the nation are encouraged to apply.

Hamiltonian Artists

1353 U Street, NW

Suite 101

Washington, DC 20009

202.332.1116

www.hamiltonianartists.org

www.hamiltoniangallery.com

How to apply

To be considered for our fellowship program, all applicants must prepare the following items in electronic format only on no more than two digitial CDs. If 100% of the application requirements are not fulfilled, then the application will not be processed, nor reviewed, so please check your discs prior to submitting:

1. A completed application form (form downloadable in MS doc or in PDF)

2. A CV or resume (in MS doc)

3. Ten (10) medium to high resolution images of your recent work (in JPEG format only). Images beyond the first ten images will not be considered.

4. A correlating list of works which must include title, media, dimension and year executed (in MS doc).

5. An artist statement (in MS doc not PDF format)

6. Although not required, applicants may provide up to three other supporting materials such as press coverage, reviews, and other public write-ups about you and/or your work (in PDF format)

Please send the completed application CD + $25 application fee (do not send cash) to:

Hamiltonian Artists

1353 U Street, NW

Suite 101

Washington DC, 20009

Dweller Within

Dweller Within

My newest piece is part of the recent Spark 14. It is based on an excerpt from Jewel Beth Davis' forthcoming novel Crisis Becomes You. The chapter I read shows the main character Shekhinah feeling burdened by the human race.

The Shekhinah, the “dweller within," is the Divine that resides within the life of the world, dwelling on earth with the Jewish people and going into exile with them when they are exiled.

You can read the excerpt below.

I included lots of little nuances that are in the story in the piece. Though it works as a whole on its own without knowing the story. For those with a keen eye, you should be able to find the little angel, a chorus line performing Rogers & Hammersteins Flower Drum Song, as well as numerous other little tidbits sprinkled throughout.

Holiday Spirit

It's that time of year!

Sorry, if I haven't been as vocal as I normally am. I had to take a little holiday break.

This year I had over 20 shows!! The months of October and Novemeber I had at least one show a week, sometimes two or more! Things are looking up for me and my artwork!

2012 Should be another amazing year!

THANK YOU!

I wish to thank you all for encouraging and supporting me and my artwork.

2011 was an amazing year for me. Through your support and patronage I went further in my career than I thought was possible!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and I look forward to seeing you

next year.

"The Gift of Art" Reception

Arlington Arts Gallery

This will be my last show of the year!

Come to the reception on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 5-8pm

FREE PARKING:

Parking is available in front of the Arlington Arts Gallery building, at Preston's Pharmacy and in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Arlington Arts Gallery

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11am - 7pm

5179 Lee Highway

Arlington VA

MAP

Artist Opportunity for Charity

The Working Proof

I love the concept of this website. They offer limited edition prints where a percentage of the sale goes to a worthy cause.

The Working Proof seeks to promote art and social responsibility. Each print is paired with a charity of the artist's choice, to which we are donating 15% of the sale of each print - creating what we believe to be a product with not just aesthetic, but social value. Besides showcasing emerging artists and great artwork, the intent of the Working Proof is to promote a variety of charities and to expose them to new supporters through the appreciation of art and creativity. We release a new print once a week, on Tuesdays at 1:30 pm, EST.

We seek to give our artists full creative control of their work by having them produce and sign the work themselves. Most of our artists create, print (by whatever method they choose - screenprint, letterpress, linocut, giclee, to name a few), sign and number a limited-edition print run that is exclusive to the Working Proof. The details of each print method are listed on the print's info page. Hand signing and numbering is a long-standing tradition for authorship and authenticity that we believe is an integral part of the process of printmaking, for both the artist and collector.

ARTIST SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

If you are interested in working with us, please upload some samples of your work and your information via the artist submission form. Please send the following information:

Please keep the following in mind when submitting artwork for review:

- In order to be considered for the Working Proof, the works submitted should be relatively new and must not have been sold elsewhere.

- As the artist, you are responsible for the production of your print edition. We are open to any print medium (lithography, giclee, linocut, screenprinting, letterpress, photography, etc). Digital prints of original works are also acceptable. Please indicate the proposed medium for each artwork submitted below.

If we think that your work is a good fit for the Working Proof, we will contact you and supply you with the particulars of how the Working Proof collaborates with artists. Please do not send hard copies to us. Any unsolicited hard copies will not be returned to artists.

Visit the Artist Submission Guidelines page for how to send us samples for review.

Call for Artists: The Gallery at Bloombars

Bloombars

The Gallery at BloomBars seeks visual and performance artists to exhibit and perform their work. Pieces' themes should explore, confront, and interpret personal, social, political, or economic issues. The artwork should also inform, challenge, expose, uplift, and transform the viewer.

If you are interested in an exhibition or performance please email john@bloombars.com and request an exhibition proposal or vendor application form. The Gallery is located at 3222 11th Street, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood.