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Expanded Notions On My Work by Virginia T Coleman

My thoughts towards my work and the trajectory I am following have been constantly oscillating from the two-dimensional to three-dimensional. What I have come to recognize is that all these seemingly disparate paths have really been paralleling lines all coming to one pinnacle point. These paralleling lines of knowledge have grown stronger, bolder, and elevated my courage to stem off into my own realm of creativity. My vision is clairvoyant. My physical ability to extract these concepts from the two dimensional into the realm of the third and fourth dimension is now feasible. It is my seminal language, my own line that I am constantly grappling with. Never complacent in my current work I am always refining it into new poignant and provocative tangible art pieces.


Virginia T Coleman on 11.04.10 @ 04:09 PM EST [Read more and comment...] [51 Comments]

Driving by Cassandra Gordon Harris

"It is good to always take life with a grain of salt…. plus a slice of lemon, and a
shot of tequila." anonymous

I did not want to come home after work the other day. I wanted to drive and keep driving until I ran out of gas or time or road or reasons. I wanted……

Get tired these days. That piece of my self, my art, feels so very far away. I am changing, evolving. Forced by circumstance to learn to be part of a societal culture I never wanted to know existed. There are forces beyond my control at work and I can do nothing but allow this assimilation. The real me, the person I once knew, lies dormant in a state of suspended anticipation, in a quiet place inside of my soul….as if it was memory I cannot allow to depart. Feeling at times I am on the right track and then loosing track of what is real and what is contrived illusion to fit the current scenario. Like a bad Stephan King movie without an ending.

Cassandra Gordon Harris on 10.18.10 @ 04:00 PM EST [Read more and comment...] [12 Comments]

Trip to the Netherlands by Denise Buisman Pilger

I just came back from my 10 day trip to the Netherlands. These trips are always loads of fun and exhausting because every single person you know wants to meet up and spend some time, preferably in the evenings because naturally they have to work. So our days and nights were spent driving around the country visiting friends and family and we even managed to have a few hours to ourselves so we took a nice stroll down the beach and did some shopping, we always want to bring a couple of Dutch things home that we just can't get over here. Things like salty licorice, Dutch cheese and speculaas. On Friday we spent the day at a spa with friends, something we try to do every time we visit.

Denise Buisman Pilger on 09.23.10 @ 08:04 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

Mexico Part II by Andrew Wielawski

So much time has passed. Mexico turned out to be less dangerous than New York is, at least for me. I returned to Italy after the trip was all over, and spent a few months digesting the things that I had experienced. Then, in October of 2009, I went to New York to visit my Alzheimer's afflicted mother for her 88th birthday. I was so sleepy after that long flight, and there I was at JFK once again. I threw my bags onto the bus, and headed for Grand Central. I caught a train almost immediately, and tried to stay awake so I wouldn't go past my stop, Bedford Hills.
Suddenly, at the Chappaqua station, one of my in laws walked determinedly into my car. This guy had written me threatening e-mails, and I was surprised to see him getting on a train in Chappaqua, since he worked in Manhattan. Then I realized. He'd waited for me in Grand Central, because he knew I'd be coming at around that time, on that day. He'd sat a few cars away, and at the Chappaqua station, had simply gotten out and walked the distance up to where he'd seen me get in.
He plopped down next to me, and offered me to drive me home if I got off in Mt. Kisco. But the e-mails kept coming back to me, and I thought, well he just wants me alone with him so he can do whatever. I said no, thank you.


Andrew Wielawski on 09.01.10 @ 01:31 PM EST [Read more and comment...] [28 Comments]

Betty Holliday by Ennid Berger

Like many informally trained artists, I've pieced together a pastiche of arts education, culled from extensive readings combined with the educational offerings of the surrounding geographic area. From 1993 through 1998, I studied painting and drawing with Sands Point's Betty Holliday. Holliday, an eccentric Long Island beauty, graduated with her masters in Art History from Harvard and was proud to have worked with American modernist painter, Vaclav Vytlacil, the renowned instructor who taught at the Art Students League in New York City. A successful painter and photographer, Holliday was also an excellent and popular teacher, instructing scores of Long Islanders in the abstraction of the figure and its placement in space.

Betty Holliday, who counted the better-known Louise Nevelson. among her colleagues, reached modest success when an early ink drawing was shown in a 1956 juried exhibition, called "Recent Drawings USA", at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Besides Holliday, the well received show included Ellsworth Kelly, Josef Albers and Larry Rivers. Holliday also gained renown for taking photographs and writing art reviews for Art News magazine. After her marriage to a Long Island surgeon, Betty settled into an eccentric, art focused, life in a rambling ranch house near the water in Sands Point. The marriage didn't last, and long time love affairs sustained her personal life, but the artwork continued until huge canvas portraits and immense figurative drawings took over every room in the house.

Ennid Berger on 08.25.10 @ 03:25 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

Faithful Tender by Janine Kilty

I completed this painting a couple of days ago. I had come upon this old-style (wooden) dinghy on one of my beach walks. This time, a walk along the beach at the end of our street, which follows the Oyster River as it dumps into Stage Harbor. At one point, this beach is directly across another one of my favorite subjects, Stage Harbor light (a private lighthouse owned by our next door neighbors). The dinghy was resting half way between that point and the boathouse at Port Fortune Lane (the small structure visible at the left). I was struck by a few things: first, the fact that it is in fact a wooden boat... most I come across are fiberglass or some other modern material. The other was the way the sun was striking its bright, lovingly painted interior and casting a strong shadow on the beach. So... I pulled out my trusty cell phone and snapped a couple of pictures. (This was before my vow to carry my watercolor kit and sketchbook... :-))
Janine Kilty on 08.06.10 @ 05:56 PM EST [Read more and comment...] [18 Comments]

My Transverse Myelitis by Walter King

I've just spent nearly a month in the hospital dealing with an auto-immune syndrome triggered, they think, by a tetnus shot. Transverse Myelitis occurs when the immune system attacks the sheathing on the nerve axons of the spinal chord. In my case, and as I understand it in many cases, this causes paralysis most often from the rib cage down. I was riding my bicycle to my office prior to classes on Monday May 3rd when my left leg began to loose strength. I just couldn't stand on it to walk. Luckily I could still pedal as the right leg made up for the left. I though I might be having a stroke but decided not to stop at the hospital on my way...it is only about 3/4 miles from my office. I made it to my office, got on the computer and looked up my symptoms...I'd had a little weakness in my right hand and arm earlier in the day. So stroke was out of the question...it is always either one side or the other. Never both sides.

I decided I couldn't teach if I couldn't stand up so I tried to take a couple steps across the room and realized that now my right leg was loosing strength. I called 911 and the squad arrived within 5 minutes.


Walter King on 06.01.10 @ 04:07 PM EST [Read more and comment...] [29 Comments]

Art Chicago 2010

Well, another Art Chicago has come and gone and I'm glad that I attended again this year. I'm tempted to say that Art Chicago is the best art fair that I visit all year, but I won't go that far. However, it's very well executed, the people are nice and of course, the art is great. From the moment you approach the elevators in the Merchandise Mart, security guards guide you on your trip to the 12th floor. Also the gallery layout plan is easy to follow and I never get lost when I'm there, which is way more than I can say for some other top international art fairs. On the downside, Art Chicago tends to be more conservative; less risky. I didn't see anything this year that challenged me. I'm not talking about "shock value." I was looking for something that "pushed the envelope" or pushed art forward. I didn't see it. Believe me ... I combed every aisle and every gallery. I also didn't see it downstairs on the 7th floor at the Next Art Fair for emerging artists. Next tends to be sophomoric and "art school confidential," if you will. Obviously, the work of these up and coming artists isn't as polished as their counterparts upstairs, but the energy and optimism is undeniable. However, I must say that I think Next needs to be tightened up a bit. I love the fact that Next is very approachable and the intimidation factor is indeed five notches lower than the lofty Art Chicago. However, Next needs to remind the students that it's an important venue and presentation and professionalism are just as important as the art itself. Trust me, I attend these fairs every year and I see how they work. Ultimately, I think it's important that people attend. They're trade shows for living art. They give people a chance to see the wide variety of talent and price points out there. Also, a few dealers told me that sales are picking up. That's good news for the economy, but they say this coming summer will be the true test. In short, if you love art, you shouldn't miss Art Chicago. Next!


Michael Corbin on 05.08.10 @ 08:21 AM EST [link] [28 Comments]

The Revolutionary Spirit by Andrew Wielawski

I remember the sixties as if they were yesterday. We voiced our theories about conspiracy, and they were accepted by a unified mass of believers. We believed that together we could change the world, and although all our goals might not have been clear, at least one of them, ending the war in Viet Nam, seemed to have been achieved. We were awed by our own power when we marched on Washington, and everybody could see how many we were right there, on the television.
What about today? If we marched on Washington today, would anyone even come? The phrase, '...what if they gave a war and no one came?...' drifts back to me from the past. I look around me and see that all my fellow revolutionaries have become old and fat, bald and grey. Today, most of them are worse than those we rebelled against once were. Worse because they're so Pavlovian about what they care about, and so indifferent to anything else.


Andrew Wielawski on 04.05.10 @ 07:27 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

MARINA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT by Michael Corbin

If you're in New York City any time soon, do yourself a favor and go see the Marina Abramovic exhibition, "The Artist Is Present" at the Museum of Modern Art. It's basically a retrospective of this daring and provocative artist. Yes, there is nudity and plenty of it. In fact, as you enter one of the exhibition spaces, you must walk between a live, nude man and woman who are standing and facing one another. You have maybe about six inches (sorry) to spare as you pass between them. There's also a nude woman lying on a table with a skeleton on top of her and a live, nude participant literally mounted high on a wall with a spotlight shining right on them. I attended on Day Two of the show and Abramovic herself did a performance piece, sitting at a table with participants from the audience. I was dying to take part, but the line was too long. I cannot say enough about this exhibition. Yes, nudity is a theme here, but it's about SO much more. It's about confrontation, violence, relationships, love, courage, religion and much more. Here's what I love ... the exhibition isn't so much about nudity as it is about OUR REACTION to nudity. Just brilliant. Abramovic totally "goes there" and in the process, shines the light ON US. By the way, Abramovic must be in her sixties now and I think she's still smokin' hot!

MICHAEL CORBIN IS AN AVID ART COLLECTOR AND AUTHOR OF THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING, "THE ART OF EVERYDAY JOE: A COLLECTOR'S JOURNAL." CHECK HIM OUT AT WWW.ARTBOOKGUY.COM



Michael Corbin on 03.17.10 @ 11:51 AM EST [Read more and comment...] [21 Comments]

The Armory Show 2010 by Michael Corbin

Something interesting happened on my way to Armory Show 2010. It has nothing to do with art ... or maybe it does.

I was riding the #6 train on my way to Grand Central where I had to stop at my hotel, 70 Park Avenue. There was a Hispanic homeless man who was confined to a wheelchair a few feet away from where I was sitting. He was heavyset, had graying hair and was wearing a filthy, gray Old Navy sweatshirt with black pants. On either side of his wheelchair arm rests, he had several cups stacked for donations. He also had several junk bags and strings of whatnots tied to the back of his chair. In his right hand, he held a harmonica that looked like he found it on the street. Every thirty seconds or so, the man raised the harmonica to his mouth, blew a stunningly sour note and sang a few bars of a high pitched tune in Spanish. It was one of those tunes that would make any dog tilt its head in wonder ... or perhaps horror.


Michael Corbin on 03.09.10 @ 01:40 PM EST [Read more and comment...] [14 Comments]

Vienna: Enchanted Journey by Ellen Fisch

For many years I had both devoured and savored books and images of Vienna's art: the works of Josef Hoffmann, Otto Wagner, Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser and other aesthetic geniuses. However, I was not prepared for the breathtaking assault the reality brings to the dream. In October I journeyed to Vienna expecting all of the enchantment that I have read about to come alive. My highest expectations were surpassed.

My first night in Vienna I go to the Secession. The visual impact of its filigree golden dome lighting up the cold, black sky is dazzling. The building and Klimt's murals encapsulate a driving force of art and architecture that took hold of Vienna in the early 1900's. Evidences of the Secession Movement and its legacy can be seen all around the Vienna. Ten stories down, the vista outside of my hotel room window affords one of the elaborate train stations designed by Otto Wagner. It is the egress to a fabulous park that is filled with ornate and refined statuary, archways, bridges and a canal. At dawn, the view astounds.


Ellen Fisch on 02.22.10 @ 02:13 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

CAPC, or Life in the Grip of Art by Alice Cavender

This poetic expression (taken from Paul Ardenne's 1993 Capc ou le musée aventureux) is the title of the new exhibition showing the collection of the CAPC contemporary art museum in Bordeaux that opened on the 6th February and will run until the 22ndf August 2010. In keeping with the tradition of the museum, the collection is put forward on a regular basis following a thematic approach. Rather than show the 1000-work collection permanently (which would be virtually impossible), the idea is to give a carte blanche to a curator to present a selection of works from the CAPC, from a specific angle or problematic, shedding new light on the works and offering to the public at large an original approach to major artworks of the last fifty years.


Alice Cavender on 02.09.10 @ 01:01 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

Art vs. Karma, Picasso vs. Van Gogh by findigart

Art and karma are playing a game...

If you care to be recognized and esteemed by the art establishment, I think that the whole idea is to first convince the art community that you know what classic art is, that you know how to be an "academic" artist.
Once you have proved your expertise in the formalities and rituals of classic and academic art, once you have been ordained into the consensus of the art establishment, you can more or less do whatever you want and there will always be at least one art critique that will find some rational and artistic justification for that.
I can only assume that sometimes, even the artist himself will not understand what that critique is talking about.


findigart on 12.21.09 @ 11:24 AM EST [Read more and comment...] [22 Comments]

A Brief History of the Rhythmic Figure by Robert Berry

The history of artistic renderings of the human form goes back as long as we have existed. From the earliest Paleolithic cave paintings at Lascaux from some 30,000 years ago, to the Minoan "Bull-Leaping" fresco from the Great Palace at Knossos, man has deemed depicting himself as central to our artistic enlightenment. These early paintings were mostly depictions of animals and hunters, and the human forms were predominately curvilinear, but showed movement with innovative means, such as superimposing legs or juxtaposing a succession of multiple drawings, evoking the feeling of motion.

The classical period of Greek art, which depicted the human body in its ideal form, with mathematical proportions, and placed an emphasis on true naturalism and balance. Myron's "Discobolus" depicts a figure that is about to release his throw. This work is a prime example of rhythm, harmony and balance. Although the figure shows no signs of muscle strain or emotion, the rhythmic quality is what prevails in the mind of most viewers.

The Renaissance was the age of Michelangelo. His masterpiece "David" is considered one of the most important works ever created by man. The marble statue portrays David in a contrapposto stance, just before the battle against Goliath. David is tense and ready for combat, but his shows movement from positioning himself into stance, as he twists his body swinging the sling over his left shoulder.





Robert Berry on 12.16.09 @ 09:45 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

Art Basel Miami Beach 2009 by Michael Corbin

(Miami Beach) I'm back at Miami International Airport. Boy, this past week sure flew. I was here on vacation for Art Basel Miami Beach 2009. In fact, I spent most of the first day and part of the last day of the enormous fair inside the Miami Beach Convention Center. The great news is that it was pretty crowded, despite economic forecasts that remain gloomy through 2010.

Once again this year, like most art lovers, I came to Basel Miami in search of something. Yes, I wanted to see great art, which I did. I always carry my pad and pen so that I can jot down the names of some great artists and works to tell you about. However, if you're walking through the Miami Beach Convention Center with your eyes truly open, you'll see much more than just art. The human drama that unfolds in that gigantic gathering facility is quite noteworthy. Art is the mere stage setting. Let me sum things up in three quick and simple acts. Ambition … Survival … and Redemption.


Michael Corbin on 12.07.09 @ 08:19 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

THE ART WORLD MOST POWERFUL 50 PEOPLE by John Powell

When you think of 20th Century Art , who first comes to your mind? Picasso, might be the first who comes to your mind? Well, what if i were to list a few names of the greatest figures of 20th-century art, such as: Bonnard, Brancusi, Braque, Dubuffet, Giacometti, Gris, Leger, Matisse and Picasso.Who would you remember first/most? What if i were to further drag your memory for a walk and asked you about a few more instances,like, when restorers attempted to clean, 'THE MONA LISA' and it was 'FEARED' that, if it gets 'DAMAGED',it would be a NATIONAL DISGRACE...;You remember that intent? Or,in (MADRID) in 1997 when Bilbao was to Bid for (Guernica) and it was said that ,'The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao has touched a political and cultural nerve in Spain by announcing that it wants to borrow Pablo Picasso's Guernica from the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid to celebrate its opening'.Did you know it was originally titled 'The Horrors of War (after Goya's famous work)?







Lets touch your nerves,who are they? AS EXPECTED,THE BIENNIAL ASSESSMENT OF POWER IN THE ART WORLD RAISED A BUMPER CROP OF HACKLES: (quote)"Could i suggest that a much more interesting survey would be of "the 50 most knowledgeable people in the art world?" queried venerable British dealer Leslie Waddington. "I wonder how many of those who are listed as 'powerful' would get into that second category."(end quote); (quote), "All 50 of the most powerful people in the art world should be artists, " Opined David Ross,director of the Whitney Museum of American Art. "And quite frankly I'd be very happy with that state of affaire." (end quote);

"This tends to be about money," objected Robert Storr,curator of the department of painting and sculpture at New York's Museum of Modern Art. "The power of ideas is equally the power of economics." "I'll tell you who's powerful," declared New York dealer Andre Emmerich. "The different curators and directors who arrange the exhibitions. The museums have a lot to do with validating the latest fashion." All of these people,in their own way have a point.Which is why putting together a survey like this every two years or so can be both a challege an ordeal-but never a bore.Some in the art world were delighted to be on the list and to talk to us freely about new candidates,said (Ann Landi); While others were reluctant and didn't return calls including artists,who never cared about being in a 'who's who,' "some told ARTnews."But when spy magazine started doing a 'who's no longer whom' a few years back, those who didn't returned calls dreaded being listed."


John Powell on 11.24.09 @ 12:08 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

Five Mistakes by Jason Horejs

Did you know on an average week I may be approached by as many as 20-35 artists looking for gallery representation? Most of them are ineffective. Are you making the same mistakes they are?

Before I explain, let me introduce myself. My name is Jason Horejs. I have owned Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona for more than eight years. Several years ago, I began to wonder why artists were inept talking to galleries. I quickly realized most were unsuccessful because there is very little information explaining the best strategies.

That lack of information often leads to these blunders:

Mistake #1: Presenting an inconsistent body of work.

Artists generally love their freedom. They want to experiment. They love a challenge. They crave variety. All good things, except when you are presenting your work to a gallery.

The work you present to a gallery needs to be unified. It doesn't need to be repetitive or formulaic, but it must present you as a consistent artist with a clear vision.


Jason Horejs on 11.16.09 @ 10:00 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

Harlem: A Photographer's Impression by Ellen Fisch

All of my life I have been studying composition. The way in which forms, space and light relate to each other can create a visual image that tells a story one way or another. The interrelationship of elements may devise a magical picture that causes the viewer to enter the dream. In another juxtaposition of components, the observer may be tempted to extract from the image aspects that may be built on to form another story. Still other possibilities exist within the structure of that which the artist presents to the audience. I have always sought out subject matter that gives viewers of my photographs insight into how I relate to the subjects that I photograph and an idea that the viewer can enhance my images with his or her own perspectives.


Ellen Fisch on 11.09.09 @ 02:00 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

INSIDERS by Alice Cavender

If you're coming to Bordeaux in the next few months, there is a stop you absolutely have to make. If the thought hadn't crossed your mind, plan a trip to Bordeaux anyway, come and taste the local specialities and save a day for a peek at the INSIDERS exhibition showing at the Entrepôt Lainé until the 7th of February 2010. You won't be disappointed.
The latest co-venture between CAPC museum of contemporary art and arc en rêve centre d’architecture is worth the trip. Centred on the uses, practices and know-how that have developed over the past decades, the imposing colonial warehouse is home to a colourful and well-thought-up selection of art and architectural works that bring the true concept of DIY to life.
The exhibition presents a new type of creation, that who has come to life following massive globalisation of our societies. It's a creation that goes beyond this globalisation, looking for new ways of expressing itself, bringing together such things as daily life practices and artistic approaches, handcraft and state-of-the-art technology, human beliefs and rituals and industrial production. It all comes down to the fact that everyone is or can be an artist, that the everyday production that Mankind has found to respond to pragmatic or more utopian ideas can be and is art. This new network of resources and creativity makes up the INSIDERS, those who think up a new way of creating art, architecture - a new way of life.


Alice Cavender on 10.22.09 @ 01:15 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

And maybe it is not even like that! by Alberto Sughi

In an old notebook I recently found this paragraph, which I would like to underline.
"I work until late at night, concentrating on an internal conflict that I find impossible to resolve. I still hope to be able to produce something good; but I need to receive a few "brilliant ideas". If they don't come, I'll have to put the work off for longer. I imagine that this is what's going to happen, because it isn't really a question of a few "brilliant ideas".

The fact is that nothing in our state of mind is ever clear, and our painting suffers from this lack of certainty. Sometimes I feel that the meaning of my work is exclusively connected to the production of a painting; to its continuous references and modifications; to small discoveries, like rafts to which a shipwrecked man clings, and which then sink to the depths, taking with them lines, colours and pseudo-meanings.


Alberto Sughi on 10.15.09 @ 10:19 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

Still life with De Stijl by findigart

Constructivist integration
How is it that art of the De Stijl movement should be "for the people" and not isolated from the people, if all its concern is to depict subjects, essences and "problems" that are not of any interest to the majority of us, hence the people?
"…The art of the De Stijl movement regarded not only the art itself but also the caring for man for whom the art was created, as first priority…" if it is so, than please explain to me how the caring for man is being manifested in works such as Construction within a sphere by Georges Vantongerloo, or Composition II by Theo Van Doesburg? Do these works of art improve your well-being and comfort in front of the torments of life?

Art does not solve anything. If it's worth something at all it simply tells a story and if not then it's simply wasting your time pleasantly. A situation where art is rolling around between people's legs will not encourage integration with those people; just the same as a Shinto Japanese will not feel integrated among a bunch of Israeli prayers in a synagogue in Tel-Aviv. If there is no common language there is no communication; if there is no common interest there is no will to form a common language.


findigart on 10.08.09 @ 08:34 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

NAIA SPEECH 2009 by Michael Corbin

Recently, I was honored to give the keynote address at the National Association of Independent Artists 2009 meeting (www.naia-artists.org). The theme was “Art Stimulus Plan 2009-2010,” which was the focus of my speech which went very well and provoked some pretty cool discussion. Here’s the speech:

“I'm here to talk about art, but I need to say something here first that's weighing heavily on me. You may also feel the same. I'm finding what's happening in this country right now very troubling. The conflict, the fear, the rumors, the meanness, the drama, the political game playing on all sides, the over-arching philosophy of the day that says if I don't agree with you or you don't agree with me, then you must be destroyed. We have got to stop this. We're like a dog chasing its tail. It's like we're children hopelessly trapped in the oral phase of our psychological and social development. We have got to evolve past this.

We have got to do a better job of looking out for one another. We're all we've got. We have to get on the same page ... for the sake of history, if no other reason. I'm convinced that 200 years from now, historians are going to look back and say, "Oh my God! They had everything the needed, they had the knowledge and yes, the resources and they still screwed it up!" I truly want to believe that we live in an enlightened society and the great thing is that ART CAN LEAD THE WAY.


Michael Corbin on 10.05.09 @ 08:57 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

The Jeffrey H. Loria Center for the History of Art. Yale University, New Haven, CT. by Joyce Waddell Bailey

The new art complex at Yale University (2008-9) includes renovations of the Rudolph Building (originally built in 1963), and the Library (Robert B. Haas Family Arts Library) and incorporates an entirely new element--the Jeffrey H. Loria Center for the History of Art. Charles Gwathmey M.Arch. - 62 (Gwathmey, Siegel & Associates, NYC) served as architect for all three projects.

The Loria Center is of special importance because it brings a focus to the entire field of study that had been missing. The recent Alumni Conference (April, 2009) highlighted theoretical considerations from earlier leaders in the visual arts at Yale--Henri Focillon (1881-1943), George Kubler (1912-1996) that could stimulate the entire field beyond the campus. In my view, the Loria Center, by its mere existence, will serve as more than an edifice; it will serve as a catalyst for innovative studies in the Visual Arts. Which is to say that the the History of Art is also the future of art.
Joyce Waddell Bailey on 10.01.09 @ 09:23 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

Welcome to the Wilderness by Barney Davey

It is not just visual artists. In many ways, these days we are all wanderers in the wilderness. That is, if the wilderness can be described as being in a place unfamiliar to us. I am not talking about healthcare, global warming, housing or the economy here. There are plenty of sources for information on those topics. I am specifically discussing how getting your art to market is different and more unfamiliar these days.

Can there be artist reading this post who has not changed up what they are doing in an effort to stimulate sales? This is not completely new. Smart marketing artists have always looked for new ways to create selling opportunities. What is different now is the old ways of doing things have become less reliable than in the past.

Tradeshows such as ArtExpo New York and Decor Expo Atlanta are a shell of their former glorious selves. The sister magazines that serve the same audience of art dealers and galleries, notably Art Business News, Art World News and Decor are slimmed down versions of their peak years.


Barney Davey on 09.24.09 @ 08:07 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

TETRO: The Luxury of Cinema by Michael Corbin

From the instant it began with Vincent Gallo on camera watching a moth flickering about a seemingly bright, hot, lightbulb, I knew it was going to be good.

So, I did what I always do when it looks like it'll be worthwhile. I settled in my cushy seat. No popcorn necessary.

I'm not going to tell you anything about the plot of Francis Ford Coppola's new film, "TETRO." Plots reveal themselves. I'm also not going to go into the many themes, nor will I critique the acting. After all, I'm not a film critic, nor am I aspiring to be. I'm just film fan. Here's where I'm going with this ...

ART.

Yes, art. For me, artistic vision is the difference between a movie and a film. Art separates mere entertainment from true enlightenment. That's what I got while watching, "TETRO." In fact, I wasn't just watching it, I was bathing in it. Right now, I'm thinking back to this afternoon when I was one of only three people in the entire theater experiencing this masterwork. It was the thing film noir dreams are made of. It was that old Hollywood sense of luxuriousness that came with knowing this was a five-star production.


Michael Corbin on 09.10.09 @ 12:28 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

Theory and Criticism by Matilda Anderson

For a long time a battle has been waging amongst art historians and critics. While it may not be apparent to the general public, it has affected the art community greatly, resulting in confusion and disagreement. It centers on the parameters of modernism and postmodernism. When you take an Art History survey class and ask about this dilemma your professor will almost certainly avoid the debate. You’ll probably get an answer that’s vague and insinuates that modernism ended in the 1960s. This type of response is a great disservice to the issue.

I personally began to think about this issue a few days ago when I was confronted about a prior article that I wrote, Graffiti, Abstract Expressionism, & Fabulous Auction Returns. Asserting that the criticism in the post was incomplete, he complained that I overlooked key issues. Specifically focusing on Dash Snow, he said that I failed to note that the artist had given up family fortune and fame (Snow hailed from the de Menil family) and had chosen to live a life on the streets.


Matilda Anderson on 08.31.09 @ 07:51 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

IN AMERICANSTYLE by Michael Corbin

Have you ever had one of those days at work where you just want to scream, "WHY AM I HERE? NO, REALLY! WHY AM I HERE?" Who hasn't?

Of course, you know why you're there. It's your job and you need to get paid to pay the bills. Okay and yes, you want to be productive in the world. Yet, isn't it funny how job frustration is rarely about the work itself? We're all pretty much trained to do what we do, so while the work can be challenging, it's never impossible. It's usually about the people ... the clashing agendas, the egos and the personalities. When others get involved, your quiet corner for creating and carrying out a simple, almost pleasant task becomes the intersection of monumental effort and pain. It's when that proverbial committee is supposed to be creating a horse, but squawks out a camel. That was my day today. When it was time to leave, I bolted. Finally, I had gotten the job done, even though my sanity was shaky.


Michael Corbin on 08.24.09 @ 09:50 AM EST [Read more and comment...]

Is memorizing a form of art? by findigart

Teaser
Does writing the theory of relativity from memory make one a math genius?
Let us distinguish between outstanding memory capabilities and phenomenon of art, as we do between crafting the rook and playing chess...

..."Stephen Wiltshire, ma main man"

Do the innate absolute criteria of fine art judge Stephen Wiltshire's art, or is it only the jealousy of one private subjective ego?
Stephen Wiltshire became famous after appearing in some TV show where he presented his remarkable photographic memory abilities. First, I would like to honestly state, that I am truly empathic and happy for his success and have nothing in person against him. He really seems like a cute guy. What I am more concerned about is the definition of art in regards to Stepen Wiltshire's abilities. I'll break this down to art's three basic components, as I perceive them.


findigart on 07.30.09 @ 03:17 PM EST [Read more and comment...]

HOW TO COLLECT ART-THE MOST EXPENSIVE LIVING ARTIST !!! by John Powell

* INSTINCT AND INTUITION *CONVICTION *PASSION * HAVE AN (ACQUIRING MIND) * PRACTICE AND CULTIVATE PATIENCE * OBSERVE * USE YOUR IMAGINATION

A big part of the pleasure in collecting art has been the educational process and the gradual development of greater self confidence. Lucian Freud is a British Painter type: Contemporary Art, is said to be the "most expensive living artist at auction of the 21st Century "...,with a "Big Sue"painting.The painting called: " Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" sold for $ 33.6 million or �17.2 million at Christies in May 2009.The Sitter is (Sue Tilley ) and she sat for Freud over a four year period.The London based Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich is said the buyer of Lucian Freud's Big Sue and Francis Bacon's triptych which sold for $ 86.3 Million or �43 million. Trust your instinct especially if you want to collect art meaningfully. Meet someone who will take the time to educate you more to have confidence in your tastes and if you are a couple,you both try to get there together;Learn about different artists and have different pieces in a collection,your appreciation grows the more you look at art. Collecting is not just buying art,it is really spiritual which you have to have a 'passion' for. Is esthetics, rather than economics,is the guiding principle when assembling a great collection?However,in the late 90s,new art collectors face a bewildering array of choices. Not only they have to choose a focus -which medium,which period,which artists-in the increasing diversity of fine art but must also make decisions about budget and value in an ever-fluctuating market. I know of a budding art collector ,who saw a painting by a Jamaican master painter and paid down monthly until she finished,so, one doesn't have to have a lot of money to start collect; I say to anyone in terms of collecting an artist,it is important to collect works from different time/period as the artist progresses;


John Powell on 07.27.09 @ 11:13 AM EST [Read more and comment...] [116 Comments]