artPark

On the CBS Evening News

For those of you who missed it last night, you can play your own encore of Charlottesville's CBS news report regarding artPark as one of the top three "Wired-In Businesses." Click here to go to the video. And go here for the web article – make a comment and let people know what you think of artPark.

And here is the transcript of the report:

How do you stay in touch with your customers and colleagues throughout the day? One key to surviving in this economy is staying ahead of the technology curve.

CBS19's Bianca Spinosa profiles a list of three local business leaders who are "wired-in." They use all the high-tech tools to communicate and keep their businesses prospering.

From cyber space to work space, these three local business people know how to make the most of their passions.

Real estate agent Jim Duncan just moved into his new office this summer. Back in May, it was completely empty. Duncan's blog, Real Central VA, is an online mecca for locals wanting expert real estate analysis with a personal touch.

"I am more cognizant of my readership now. Frequently I'll write stories for my readers, whereas in the beginning it was purely for me," explains Duncan of Nest Realty.

Thousands of people read Duncan's blog every day. "I'm passionate about real estate, about my clients, and about learning," says Duncan via a You Tube video on his site.

"One can be passionate about a lot of things they blog about, but when you're passionate about saving lives, I think that comes through so much," says Laura Jones with the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA.

At the CASPCA, saving our four-legged friends is their passion and their business. Laura Jones tells stories of recovery, and shows pictures of every animal on the SPCA blog.

"People don't know the time and work it took to get it there. This enables us to do that," says Susanne Kogut with the CASPCA.

Little Mo is a dog that came to the shelter scared of people. He left with a happy home. Through the blog, Kogut can find out how Mo is doing with his new family, and the thousands of facebook followers can too. Now, Kogut is hoping to adopt out Mo's sister.

Two on our list are married. Laura Jones with the CASPCA is married to Rob Jones, the founder of Charlottesville art blog, artPark. The couple founded an art gallery named Migration, which had to close its doors last January because of the economy. They shifted focus to the blog.

"One of my goals is to demystify the creation of art, the exhibition of art, and the acquisition of art. Pull back the curtain, so to speak," says Rob Jones with Charlottesville artPark.

Jones promotes local artists and critiques local works. What Jones learns traveling the country, he shares here.

They deal in very different fields: real estate, animal rescue, and visual arts, yet each knows how to use the web to enhance their visions.

artPark chosen as Most Wired-In Business

Our local CBS affiliate (WCAV) has chosen artPark as one of this area's three "Most Wired-In Businesses." A feature story will run on tonight's 6 o'clock news. Yes... I'll be on TV tonight!  Tune in.

As part of Sweeps Month, our CBS station (channel 16) is airing a series called "Making a List" which rates the area's top three in various categories. The series is being used to boost viewership. Inclusion is a very nice honor. I thank Bianca Spinosa for selecting artPark.

 
Initially, I was approached and told artPark would be a "Best Blog". This morphed into "Most Wired-In Business." Either way, I'm flattered. About the business: artPark is used as a cyber tool to promote the artists represented by Migration: A Gallery. In my opinion, blogging is essential for virtually every business – and something every artist should consider doing. At artPark, I also spice things up by talk about various other art, artists and events that I see and know about. And, of course, I share my astute opinions and vast experiences (it is a blog after all).

Click here for the CBS write-up. You’ll have to tune in at 6 tonight to see the actual interviews. Tomorrow, I'll post a link to the video (for all you out-of-towners). Oh... There is an interesting twist to the story that was entirely unintentional. See if you can figure it out.

Things I learned from the Internet

There's a reason why we find it easier to "get" modern art than avant-garde music, and it's not just about our natural conservatism and love of Mozart. >>>

Are Liberals smarter than Conservatives? An interesting discussion. >>>

In what is perhaps the first project of its kind, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has put English-language translations of 902 of Vincent van Gogh's personal letters on line. >>>

Damien Hirst, arguably the richest and most powerful artist in history, has received the critical pasting of his life, but there's a sense that our whole perception of what art is, or should be, may have subtly – or not so subtly – shifted. >>> and >>>

The secret behind Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile has been explained by scientists who believe it changes depending on which part of the eye sees it first. >>>

Women are often the cruelest critics of other female writers. Where does this anger come from, and at what expense? >>>

The 40th anniversary DVD of "Sesame Street" contains a warning label about early episodes. >>>

From the art auction front

In September 2008, we posted about the sale of a particularly nice Alan Dehmer photograph ("Low Country", pictured right) that we made to Michael Danoff. Mr. Danoff was the curator and buyer for the famed Neuberger Berman-Lehman Brothers Collection. This story focused on the fact that Lehman Brothers had declared bankruptcy and we were watching what was going to happen to the Company's extensive art collection (which Alan's piece was now a part of). Through contacts and news sources, we were assured the collection would remain intact.

Subsequently, we have seen the Lehman Brothers Collection dismantled and individual pieces sold at auction as part of the liquidation of assets.

On November 1, Freeman's Auctioneers held an auction of Modern & Contemporary Works of Art: Works from the Lehman Brothers Collection. Alan Dehmer's "Low Country" was Lot #261 in Sunday's auction. Of the total 401 lots offered, 397 were sold for a total of $2,557,595. I am happy to report that "Low Country" sold for more than its top estimated price (not many lots did).

Sad to see the Lehman Brothers Collection be sold off, but its nice to see that Alan's work has found a new home... and his prices are appreciating.

Pre-selling Art

Here is an interesting way for an artist to pre-sell his work prior to a major exhibit:

Tim Tate (a Migration favorite artist) is exhibiting again this year at SOFA Chicago (a Migration favorite fair). During the week leading up to the November 5 Preview Opening of SOFA, Tim has taken a piece scheduled to be shown at SOFA and listed it on ebay. The piece, titled "Summer of Love", will be priced at $12,000 in Chicago, but bids on ebay start at $9,500. See the listing here.

Tim is a well known and highly recognized artist. If anyone can make this strategy succeed, it will be him. Potential bidders/buyers can bid on "Summer of Love" with confidence (not always the case for most internet art sales). Tim has traditionally done well at SOFA selling virtually all his work on display. So, odds are, "Summer of Love" will sell in Chicago – for the full retail price. This ebay listing is an excellent opportunity for savvy bidders to get a beautiful Tim Tate piece for an excellent price... and a great story.

Tim is not the first artist to list his work on ebay, but this is a particularly unique preview opportunity to a major exhibition. Will this be a trend in retail art? Will it be a successful trend?

Success in the art world is often dependant on creating a buzz. Tim is a master of buzz. But, above all, he is a master of contemporary glass art.

The fall Art Fairs are upon us

October, November and December mark the height of the art fair year. It all starts in London at the Frieze Art Fair and culminates with December’s art-fair-orgy in Miami, Florida (featuring over 20 art fairs in just one week). Needless to say, every gallery’s bean counter has their eyes focused on Frieze. Last year, galleries exhibiting at Frieze (through clinched teeth smiles and drippy mascara) wept doom and gloom and endless talk of the global recession affect on the art market. This year, the reports have been quite positive. Participating galleries reported clear evidence of renewed confidence in the contemporary art market as well as an enjoyable and positive atmosphere (not sure if this translates into big profits or not, but it is upbeat nonetheless). Below is a video tour of Frieze. If you have never been to a gallery fair before, this pretty much captures what it is like inside [add your own comments below].

Next up is one of my favorites, SOFA Chicago. Opening night preview is November 5. This year, in addition to the exhibition of the finest contemporary sculptural objects in the world, the SOFA organizers have added some very special VIP events, exhibits and lectures. For those of you going to Chicago, keep your eyes on two of my favorites: Michael Janis and Tim Tate at the Maurine Littleton Gallery. Have your checkbook at the ready, because their work promises to go fast.

As usual, Miami in December will be as over-the-top as ever. I never know how any single person can take it all in. Even if you are not shopping for contemporary art, the trip to South Florida is still worth it – an "event" like no other.

Optimism is high – it always is. Hopefully, the reports will continue to be good, and we can all stop wringing our hands over the piss poor art market and get 2009 behind us.

Ruth Duckworth, 1919-2009

I'm sad to report the passing of modernist sculptor Ruth Duckworth at age 90. Ms. Duckworth is best known for her abstract (and not so abstract) ceramic sculptures. Her career spanned over six decades. She worked daily, and her reputation as one of the foremost sculptors in the world never waned.

Laura and I were fortunate to see her retrospective exhibit at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery a few years ago. I can safely say that show changed the way I look at abstract sculpture. Every piece was distinctive, gorgeous and rich.

The art world will miss her.

Here is a nice CBS report on Ms. Duckworth filmed in December 2006.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

There's a new blog in town

Attention art readers: There's a new art blog in town. Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville's 36 year old not-for-profit art space has launched a blog. They call it Second Look.  Read it here. As an art space that is dedicated to bringing contemporary art to the community, I say... It's about time!

Hopefully, SSG will use its blog to consistently give the public some sneak peeks and behind the scene news (even to non-members). More importantly, the blog should provide its featured artists a much wider exposure.

I look forward to reading.

Looking back 25 years

Is a 25 year old observation still relevant? Or is it stale? You decide.

What are the arguments about right now? There are arguments about whether it is still OK to paint, to make painted images. There are arguments about the possibility of feeling. There are arguments about what images mean... There are arguments about what artists do, about what relationship they have to the works they make... Arguing about art – you hear it, read it – it is very of the moment. To decide if certain art is of the moment – or if a certain show is of the moment – decide if it is worth arguing about.

- From "Your Show of Shows,"
Gerald Marzoratti, Sept 1984

UVa Art Museum Renovation

Who can tell me what collection of art the University of Virginia Art Museum is best known for?  What area of art highlights their collections?  You know... The Williams College Museum of Art is best known for it collection of modern American art (Hopper, Homer, Prendergast, Warhol); The Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University is dedicated to reproducible art forms such as prints and photography; The Blanton Museum of Art at the University of Texas at Austin has one of the top collections of modern and contemporary Latin American and American art; University of California, Berkley's Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive is the premier home for multimedia art such as cinema and film; The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University has its crowd pleasing mummies; Harvard's Fogg Museum has more than its fair share of Impressionist masterpieces (Degas, Degas, Degas); and The Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University houses a premier collection of modern and contemporary art (de Kooning, Johns, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Oldenburg).  But what does UVa have that can be considered its signature collection?  And no one can answer "Thomas Jefferson."

 

Did anyone say Aboriginal Art?  I doubt it.  In fact, I bet very few people know UVa's  Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection is one of the largest and highest quality collections of Australian Aboriginal art in the world outside of Australia.  This, of course, might be because the collection is housed in a building approximately 5 miles from the UVa campus.

Well, maybe things will change...  Over the summer, the University of Virginia Art Museum closed its doors and spent the quiet summer months and about $2.5 million on renovating its building.  The Museum reopened to the public this past weekend.  As a past critic of the state of the Museum, I was excited to see firsthand what $2.5 million bought.

 

For starters, all the noticeable renovations are in the inside of the building.  The red brick and white columns are the same (don't expect a new, swishy, glass and steel structure).  Also, much of the money went into updating the climate control systems and lighting (not very sexy, but critical in the care of the art).  Knowing this beforehand, I can't say I expected a huge change, but I had my fingers crossed something would excite me when I opened the front door.

 

First and foremost, the entrance lobby/gallery has improved greatly.  Instead of the former awkwardly boxed-in area which was dark and uncomfortable, walls were removed and the space opened up – much more flexible for the exhibition of art.  With the bigger space, four large aboriginal pieces from the Kluge-Ruhe collection were featured in the lobby.  Finally, we have a clue to what the real focus of the Museum's collections is (writer's note:  I would change the organization of the hanging and make it more cohesive).  Good to see that placed in the forefront.  This is what can put the UVa Museum on the map.

 

But... Beyond the removal of walls and "modernization" of the lobby, I couldn't see too much had changed in the other galleries:  Some of art has been moved around, and the fresh paint spruced things up (long overdue); The collective climate control helps by allowing for the removal of some awkward glass doors – another big help; And, I'm certain the storage and care for the collections is greatly improved (albeit out of public view).  So, in my eyes, not much has been done to truly enhance the visitor's experience.  I'm not sure the casual visitor will notice the kind of difference that will make them want to keep coming back.  The kind of experience the public now expects from a museum visit.

 

Hopefully, time will prove me wrong.  With the improved climate control and more flexible exhibition space, maybe bigger and better exhibits will be coming to Charlottesville.  I'll hold my breath.

Regarding the broader picture, could this be a sign of an increased commitment to the Museum by the University?  Will the casual visitor to the Museum ever be able to say, "What a great space and collection of Aboriginal art."?  Maybe another $2.5 million pumped into the Museum will actually bring the building out of the Jeffersonian era and into the 21st century.

 

[Image: detail from Limpi Putungka Tjapangati, Untitled, 1980]

Art After Dark at the Ackland Art Museum

This Friday, September 11, the Ackland Art Museum - on the campus of the Univesrity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - is hosting a talk by photographer (and Migration favorite) Alan Dehmer as part of its Out of the Studio program - the Ackland's ongoing intiative to make connections between the musuem and the rich tradition of talented artists from the Chapel Hill community.

Alan will talk about his gum bichromate photographic printing process - a process developed in the 19th century.  Leave your digital cameras and computers at home for this one.

This special programing is also part of the Ackland's successful Art After Dark extended hours.  Alan will speak from 6:00 and 7:00 pm.  The museum will be open until 9:00 pm.  And there will be a cash bar, light refreshments and a DJ to spice up the evening.

[Image above: Low Country by Alan Dehmer]

Taking a look back

From "Do One-Night Stands Lead to Permanent Relationships?" by Richard W. Walker (Summer 1984):

Before the museum directors took the podium, Bess Myerson, New York City’s commissioner of cultural affairs, opened the conference with a report on the impact of the arts on the city's economy and a rousing call for greater business support of arts organizations. After 20 years of unprecedented growth in the arts in the United States, she said, "we are at a plateau, entering a generation of consolidation, of reaffirming commitment and reexamining goals." In New York City, said Myerson, "... more must do more" if the city is to maintain its cultural leadership. "Darwinism is abhorrently inappropriate when applied to the arts," she stated. "There is no reason to suppose that the fittest will survive. Indeed, without adequate, nurturing support, it is dangerous to assume that any cultural institution will survive."

It's a 25 year old observation that is as accurate now as it was then.

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My kid could draw that

The Independent reports that forgeries of Russian Avant-Garde paintings and drawings are on the rise. More and more fakes are appearing on the auction blocks, and unsuspecting (i.e. uninformed, nouveau riche) are spending millions on them.

After reading the article, my first reaction was to stick it in the "My kid could draw that" file. But after a little thought, I think it belongs in my "Caveat Emptor" file.

I am a monstrous fan of the Russian Avant-Garde. It was an era (albeit brief) when paintings were created in the crucible of social turmoil. Their sharp blocks of color and abstract geometric forms signified a bold new direction in art and society. Unfortunately, a large amount of the value of their work is in the underlying manifesto. As the interest in these paintings grows, so do the number of forgeries (geometric forms + primary colors = easy to copy).

As reported:

For years, their artists – who believed that art should have a social, rather than purely decorative purpose – have been largely forgotten. Now Russia's new rich have rediscovered the Russian avant-garde, and have turned it into one of the most lucrative art markets in the world.

But William MacDougall, of the specialist London Russian auctioneers MacDougall's, said that more than half of the works submitted to his auction house are fakes. "It's a particular problem with Russian art," he said. "There are wealthy people who have made great mistakes. Your typical Rembrandt collector would have started at a young age with etchings, then moved on to lithographs and would have 25 years' experience before buying an oil painting. A Russian collector has a £100m fortune, aged 35, and starts buying a great deal at once. The prices are huge, big enough to motivate dishonest people."

He added: "There are more fakes around than genuine works. Half of the work we receive we reject on grounds of authenticity. The most difficult period to authenticate is the avant-garde art of the 1920s."

[Image above: Kazimir Malevich, Composition No. 56 (1936)]

Dog gone Charlottesville

Although I live in Charlottesville, Virginia, I have never intended for this blog to be about the Charlottesville art scene. My general goal has been to give exposure – through my eyes - to the art (and art related issues) from around the country. However, I do live in Charlottesville, and I often talk about what is going on in the central Virginia region. The result has been a number of followers (from far and wide) mentioning how they have enjoyed learning about our lovely little hamlet through artPark. With that in mind, I’d like to go ahead dish out a nice resource for everyone to get a full taste of what Charlottesville has to offer.

Each year, the local arts & entertainment weekly newspaper, C-ville, publishes a list of the "Best of C-ville." In short, it’s a list of the readers’ choice for their favorite things like restaurant, music venue, coffee shop, auto mechanic, shoe store, etc. Go here for the online version. In addition to the local art tidbits I write about on this blog, "Best of C-ville" should paint you a pretty good picture of all that Charlottesville has to offer.

Now, I have to admit, this post is a bit self-serving. Yes, I’m happy to share info about my home town, but in this issue of C-ville, the theme was Top Dog. For each "Best of" category (Food & Drink, Retail, Recreation & Fitness, Entertainment, and Services) there was a dog themed photo shoot. Here’s the self-serving part… Laura’s and my newest dog, Blue, was selected to pose for the Food & Drink set. Here he is (on the left) dining with his blind-date Charlotte.

 

Self-serving reason #2: All the dogs selected for the various photo shoots are former shelter dogs. As a supporter of the SPCA (see left sidebar), I thought the dog theme was a great idea. Model dogs don’t all have to be purebred and pedigreed. The infinite variety of mix-breeds found at shelters around the country make some of the very best pets… and top models. Hopefully, the playful pictures will inspire more people to choose their next pet from the SPCA rather than from a breeder. Here are the other pictures:

  

  

To stay up-to-date on what’s going on at the Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA, follow their blog. You’ll get great introductions to some of the dogs and cats available for adoption.

A special shout out goes to Karen Quillen of All Things Pawssible for pulling together this terrific group of dogs. In addition to Blue, the other models were Charlotte, Trina, Poke, Astro, Grady, Dana and Sage. All of them are worthy of their splashy magazine spreads.

And many thanks to photographer Ashley Twiggs for her patience in dealing with these not quite professional models… and for her talents in capturing each of their "good sides".

EXCLUSIVE: Arturo Mallmann’s painting technique

This is a rare treat for all of us... Arturo Mallmann has cracked the door to his studio and given us a glimpse at his mystical painting technique.

Migration has been proud to represent Arturo and his work on the east coast for over three years. His paintings stop people in their tracks and cause them to spend unaccounted for time just staring into their depth. Indeed, they convey his personal beliefs about light and darkness and their part in any journey and the human condition. Meditative, to say the least.

Regardless of what the paintings "say" to the viewer, I can't think of another artist's work we show that gets the question "how does he do that?" more often. Although much attention is on the perfection of his epoxy resin glazing, it's the creation of the actual image that is most fascinating. And, simply saying he builds up the image through layers of paint just doesn't cut it. This video should fill in some of the blanks. (By the way: I can't think of too many artists who have the guts to shoot their paintings with water from a garden hose. Can you?).

Before you ask: Yes, many artists tend to be protective of their technique secrets. Arturo, however knows that his style and technique may be copied, but the results will never be duplicated. And, he tells me, what is on the video is only one of his little "secrets."

Without mixing words, Arturo’s paintings are the most sought after artwork we represent at Migration. Luckily for us, he is a prolific painter. If, after these last few years, you have finally decided to pull the trigger and buy one his pieces, please contact me. I’ll help set you up with a piece perfect for you and your needs.

[Image: Running Against The Wind]

Damien Hirst rolls in Paris

In a beautiful marketing scheme to promote the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s recent art bikes exhibition called STAGES (hosted by Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris), Lance Armstrong pedaled a Damien Hirst decorated bike (one of the exhibit's entries) down the Champs Elysees during the final stage of this year's Tour de France. Pretty cool.

 

But wouldn't it have been even cooler if Lance rode the entry by Dzine – a low rider bike inspired by 1970's Mexican-American vernacular art (pictured below left)? Or maybe Tom Sach's Tequilla Bike (pictured below right)? Maybe in 2010.

 

Confession time

Not that Catholic kind.  Just a little truth telling:

 

Please don't think less of me… but I confess… I enjoy some reality tv.  Not the crappy ones like Survivor, The Bachelorette, Real Housewives, Big Brother, Real World, and Wipeout (although, in small doses, it's hilarious).  I enjoy the artsie fartsie ones like So You Think You Can Dance, American Idol, Project Runway, and IronChef.

 

Bravo has recently announced the latest submission to the reality genre:  Untitled Art Project (tentatively titled) - a competion among aspiring visual artists.  The show will be produced by Sex in the City star Sarah Jessica Parker. 

 

I'm of two minds on this one.  Although there isn't much info about the show, this could really be a disaster and ultimately give the visual arts a black eye.  Or it could give some super exposure to the creative process visual artists go through.  No more "my kid could do that" after seeing just how much work goes into creating a purely expressionist painting.  Here's the the show's press promo:

 

Magical Elves (the firm responsible for Peabody Award-winning Project Runway and Emmy Award-winning Top Chef) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winner) and her production company, Pretty Matches, are teaming up for an hour-long creative competition series among aspiring contemporary artists who will create and compete to conquer the art world!

 

Casting calls have been made in various cities.  Should be an interesting show.  I'll tune in.  My guess is that some individual egos will cause this to more like Wipeout than American Idol.

NY Artist Dash Snow dead from drug overdose

Albeit sad news, thanks goes to Jill Weiskopf (Communications Coordinator for New York magazine), for getting this news out quickly:

Today, hard-living, police-dodging artist, photographer, and graffiti writer Dash Snow has passed away at 27.

In 2007, New York contributing editor Ariel Levy wrote a feature on the downtown legend and the myth around him…

"I guess I get obsessed with people, and I really became fascinated by Dash," says [photographer] McGinley, who shares a Chinatown loft a few blocks away from Snow’s apartment with Dan Colen, whom McGinley has known since they were teenage skateboarders in New Jersey. The apartment used to be a brothel; for a long time, Chinese men would come to the door and be disappointed when McGinley or Colen answered it. McGinley shows me his photos of Snow over the years, dozens and dozens of them. Snow with cornrows, with a shaved head, with a black eye. There is one photo called Dash Bombing [pictured below] that was in the Whitney show: a shadowy shot of Snow out on a ledge, tagging a building in the night sky, Manhattan spread out below him. It’s an image of anarchic freedom, one that seems anachronistic and almost magical in this city of hermetically sealed glass-cocoon condo towers. It’s as if Snow were an animal—prevalent in the seventies, now thought to be extinct—that was spotted high over the city.

Read more about Snow and his short but extraordinary career here.

Art Bikes for the Lance Armstrong Foundation

During these long, hot July nights with slim pickings on tv, I’ve been tuned into the Tour de France. Thanks goodness I like to cycle and have a general appreciation for what these guys are going through. Not to mention the sheer beauty of both the landscape and the peloton. Gorgeous. Plus, the drama of the competition is hard to match. Better than watching crappy sit-com reruns and mindless reality shows.

In that spirit, I am excited to share this collaboration between art and cycling:

Lance Armstrong and Nike® have united to launch the STAGES Project, a global art exhibition to raise funds and awareness for the fight against cancer.

Over twenty renowned artists have donated their time and creativity to express the LIVESTRONG message and raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which is committed to inspiring and empowering people affected by cancer.

The exhibition opens at the Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris on July 17 before traveling to the US this fall (I believe it will go to Miami). All work is available for purchase with proceeds directly benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Pictured below is a preview of what Damien Hirst has compiled for STAGES. The U.K. artist has contributed work that features butterflies on the frame and wheels making for a really interesting addition to what is in store.

   

Also contributing to the project are famed artists (and artPark favs) Yoshimoto Nara, Marc Newson, Andreas Gursky and Aaron Young. Without even seeing it, I know I will covet the Yoshimoto Nara bike. I can only imagine what the reactions would be if I rolled up to the start of my next triathlon on that one.

Diving Into the Jury Pool

Last summer, I had the pleasure of being a member of the ArtInPlace panel of jurors. As a reminder: ArtInPlace is an annual selection of sculptures presented in public spaces (mainly along roadways) throughout the city of Charlottesville.  Read my 2008 review here.  The deadline for submitting applications is upon us – so interested artists should hurry.

Last year's panel was a large (eight members) and diverse group which made the selection process very dynamic. In the end, I thought the pieces selected satisfied the tastes and needs of the panel members and, most importantly, the public who got to view the sculptures on a daily basis.

This year, Laura has been asked to be on the juror panel. She jumped at the opportunity. This is one of the best ways to have a direct impact on what art people get to see and determine how Charlottesville gets to present itself as an art loving community to the gazillions of people who drive through our streets.

Selections won’t be finalized until September, and the work won’t be placed until October. I'll keep you posted on the developments.

Fraud alert!

Richmond based and legally bankrupt electronics merchant, Circuit City, recently announced it found an original Alexander Calder tucked away in one of its corporate office closets. It is now being sold on eBay and is listed as "Famous Artwork found at Circuit City." Go here for the listing.

It's being described as "Alexander Calder's 1970 Hand-Signed Lithograph 'Wave' (This is No.113 of 120 / Size: 44.5"x33.75")". At the current bid of $1,500+ this seems like a steal, right? But, hold on buckaroo. Think about it for a second and read between the lines. Here is the made up story description of the piece:

After Circuit City filed for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy judge appointed Liquid Asset Partners to handle the sale of all assets inside Circuit City's distribution centers and corporate offices. While clearing out the remaining rooms at Circuit City's corporate office in Richmond, VA, liquidators stumbled upon something special. Tucked away in one of the office closets, they found an assortment of paintings; one stood out above the others, an original Calder. The 1970 hand-signed lithograph titled "Wave" can be instantly recognized as a Calder by its abstract flow of bright contrasting colors and bold lines. Featuring his signature "Calder Red" and bright blue with black outlining, one could define Calder's work with this one piece. Liquidators set the "Wave" aside, until further decision could be made about the artwork's fate.

I smell a fake. Is eBay really the best way to sell this piece? My guess is Liquid Asset Partners did try to unload the piece in the traditional way though recognized art dealers but came up short because LAP couldn't provide an inkling of a reasonable provenience for the piece (no mention of when it was purchased, from whom it was purchased, how much it was purchased for, no invoice, no documentation – it was simply "found" in a closet). Without the proper paperwork, this thing is of virtually no value.

For me, the icing on the cake is that the folks at Liquid Asset Partners couldn't even take a half decent photograph of the piece. I believe someone is trying to pull a fast one to make an easy buck. Buyer beware.

Artomatic 2009

 

Artomatic is here! 2009 marks its 10th anniversary and it opens to the public on May 29.

Whoa. Wait. What's that you say? "What the heck is Artomatic?"

In a word (or two), Artomatic is a month-long art festival in DC featuring over 1,000 visual artists and 600 performing artists. And it’s FREE to the general public. This year, Monument Realty and the Capitol Riverfront BID have provided a brand-new 275,000 square foot building to host Artomatic, right next to the Nationals Stadium. The event features NINE floors of visual and installation art, theater performances, dance and comedy, three music stages, street performances such as fire dancing and drum troupes, and a film screening theater. Workshops and seminars are also held all month. You better eat your Wheaties before you go.

With four stages, four bars and a lounge on each floor, the 10th Anniversary Artomatic is bigger than ever. 52,500 people attended Artomatic last year, and 70,000 are expected this year. This is a do-not-miss event. Yes, naturally, you have to wade through a heck of a lot of junk art (repeat: nine floors covering 275,000 square feet), but there are always some serious gems in the crowd. Personal favorites will include the crew from the Washington Glass School (Michael Janis, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, et al), and some great work coming out of Sunderland, England (38 artists are jumping the pond for this event) giving this year’s Artomatic a decidedly international flare.

Stay tuned to the Artomatic blog for live reports and a plethora of personal opinions. Something interesting is always happening at Artomatic.

Employment Opportunity at PCA

Piedmont Council of the Arts, the leading arts agency of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, seeks candidates for the Communications Manager position. PCA offers programs and services for artists and arts organizations, educators, and young people and also serves the community at large by coordinating arts-related initiatives with area partners.

This part-time position (15-20 hours/week) is integral to the realization of PCA's vision to be the nexus for all things arts-related in the Charlottesville-area community. The selected candidate will be directly involved in the local arts community, support a growing nonprofit arts organization, and gain experience in an energetic and professional work environment. Enthusiastic individuals with an interest in serving communities through the arts are encouraged to apply.

For the full posting and additional information, go here.

Opportunities

ArtInfo, the website for all things Art, has launched a new Art Jobs Board for jobs, internships, residencies, and artist calls for entry. There are categories for nonprofits, museums, artist's assistants and arts administration, as well as consulting, editorial, and curatorial. There also are sections specifically for artist submissions and artist's residencies.

Although a majority of the listings are based out of New York, there were plenty of opportunities from the other corners of the country (Texas, Utah, California, Arizona, Florida, DC, etc.) and a notable number from abroad.

I'd say it's worth staying tuned into this site.

Opening tonight

Tonight, Laura and I will be headed to Piedmont Virginia Community College to enjoy the opening of Vessels featuring the pottery Tom Clarkson, Kars Marshall and Kevin Crowe (in the North Gallery). The show will run through April 23.

Tom Clarkson has been a long time friend of ours, and we have been proud to exhibit his pottery at Migration. Tom's work expresses all that is artistic in functional pottery - marrying form and function in vessels whose beauty simply needs no function.

Also opening at PVCC (in the South Gallery) is Automatic Artifacts featuring Tracy Davis, Kathleen Free, Judith Minter, Virginia Rice Thompson, Laurie Thurneck, Christine McDowell Tucker, Brigitte Turquois, Staiger White and Susan von Hemert.

Opening reception starts at 5:00pm. Don't miss it.

Seattle, Washington

Laura and I have returned from a week in Seattle. We covered a lot of ground, saw a lot of beautiful things (landscape and art), ate a lot of food, drank gallons of coffee, and had a terrific time with my brother and his wife – thanks, Ted and Cheri for making the trip happen.

On the art scene, Laura and I made a bee-line to the William Traver Gallery. As Seattle is something of a Mecca for art glass, and Traver is the gallery, we had to stop and see the beautiful things on display. Ben Rosenblatt, the gallery manager, gave us a first class tour, and we had a good time sharing gallery fair war-stories. Laura and I were wowed by the sand cast glass pieces by Bertil Vallien, Ethen Stern's blown and carved minimalist work, and Davide Salvatore's "instruments". It was also nice to reconnect with the work of one of my long-time favorite glass artists, Hiroshi Yamono.

   

[Images include: Left, Moro 1 by Bertil Vallien; Middle, Caotica by Bertil Vallien; Right, Russett Islet by Ethan Stern]

   

[Images include: Left, Springarpa by Davide Salvadore; Middle, Fish Hanger #136 by Hiroshi Yamano; Right, From East to West-Nagare #39 by Hiroshi Yamano]

Laura and I also paid the $15 each for admission to the Seattle Art Museum and spent a half day touring the newly re-designed galleries. I have always considered SAM a particularly excellent and well thought of mid-sized museum. But, after this visit, I have to bump it up to one of my absolute favorite art museums – period. As I said, the size of the museum is modest and the collections, although diverse, will not set the world on fire. But it is the curation and impeccable display of the collections that made me see and appreciate things at a much greater level than I have in any other museum I've visited in the last 20 years.

SAM's mid-century modern work was perfectly displayed – not too much, not too little. Standing in the large gallery populated with both sculpture and paintings was thoroughly fulfilling. It wasn't much, but it covered it all. Strolling through the Australian Aboriginal galleries, however, is where it hit me... Here, displayed side-by-side with the traditional and historic pieces were contemporary pieces. I now have a brand new appreciation for the beauty of this genre. Another touching exhibit was in the African Art galleries – 18th and 19th century work surrounded by a William Kentridge film titled "Shadow Procession" (1999). It was an incredible experience. Oh... and, I'll never look at a porcelain display again without comparing it to the outrageous and dazzling display in SAM's Porcelain Room – it's a must see for every visitor. This is what a museum experience is all about.

[Image above: Inopportune-Stage One by Cai Guo-Qiang]

Another museum that we visited was the Woodland Park Zoo – yes, zoos are museums too. My brother, a Zoo docent par excellence, gave us the grand tour. We were able to see the real thing and learn far more than from your standard National Geographic special or text books. Woodland Park Zoo has made it their mission to save animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act. It was particularly gratifying to have such up-close experiences with the monkeys, apes and the raptors.

Other "flavors" of Seattle we enjoyed were found at Freemont Coffee (our best coffee experience while in Seattle), Nana's Soup House (rocking soup menu), and Capitol Hill artist Jesse Edwards is one to keep an eye on.

[Image: Tyrone Biggums-Dave Chapelle Show by Jesse Edwards]

 

Call for artists (to donate)

This one goes out to artists in the central Virginia area...

Charlottesville's Art in Action (not to be confused with Virginia Artists in Action) is sponsoring an afternoon of art and advocacy on the campus of the University of Virginia here in Charlottesville. They are seeking donations of original art to be auctioned – proceeds will go to seven local charities. Here is their press release:

Charlottesville's Art in Action, An Afternoon of Art and Advocacy on the Lawn, will be held Sunday, April 5, 2009, from 1-4pm on the South Lawn at UVa. The purpose of the event is to celebrate and honor the efforts of Charlottesville organizations by using art to bring the University and Charlottesville communities together.

We are currently requesting donations of original art of any size or form that reflect the efforts of one of these seven organizations: Albemarle Housing Improvement Program, Alliance for Community Choice and Transportation, Charlottesville Community Scholarship Program, Charlottesville Emergency Food Bank, Community Bikes, Shelter for Help and Emergency, or the Music Resource Center. The art will be auctioned off to benefit the organization they represent.

Please submit a paragraph describing the thematic connection to one of these organizations by Friday, March 20, 2009, with a short description of your art piece(s), dimensions of the work(s), and any additional display requirements to Vinu Ilakkuvan at ivinu@virginia.edu.

The art pieces themselves can be turned into 36 East Lawn on the Wednesday prior to the event, April 1st, from 6:15pm to midnight.

The success of this event depends on art submissions, and we would greatly appreciate your contribution!

We're on Facebook

I finally took the plunge and opened a Facebook page. Beyond the advertised "social networking" reasons, I have found that a lot of artists post their most recent work on their Facebook page instead of taking the time (and expense) of updating their website every time something is created. This helps us stay more current on what our artists have been up to.

In addition to my own Facebook page (search Rob Jones Migration or Rob Jones artPark), go to the Migration page (search Migration: A Gallery) and become a fan. Fans will stay current on the Gallery’s doings as well as be able to see our latest promotion of new artists, new artwork, special edition offerings, discussions, and events.

So, if you Facebook, check us out. Become a Friend... or a Fan.

The February Blahs

It would be okay with me if we just carve the month of February off the calendar. Go from January (when we are still giddy after the Holidays and New Year celebrations) straight into March (when the daffodils start to pop and spring is in the air). February just doesn't seem to produce much other than continued cold and nasty weather and a collective blah.

As for the arts, I can’t say I've gotten too excited about much out there this month – another strike against February. Luckily, Laura and I are headed to Baltimore this weekend to attend the American Craft Council Show which is guaranteed to perk us up. Other than that… not much at all.

One good thing about February is that it seems to have become a good time to revamp marketing efforts - for us and for artists. I’ve already reported on the re-design of artPark and the updates to Migration's website (two principal marketing tools for Migration). But I have also seen a few artists take advantage of these ugly days, stay inside, and rework their websites. If you are an artist and it's been a number of months since you last updated your website with new photos, future exhibitions, current resume, fresher artist statement, etc. then now is a great time to do it.

Our good friends Jeremy Newman and Allison Ciancibelli who own and operate Twisp River Glass in Washington did just that. Not only do they create some of the finest and most beautiful glass art made today (pictured at right), they now have one of the slickest and most straightforward websites. Check it out here and take notes. This is a great website.

Only one more week left in February.

[Image: Collective Rise by Jeremy Newman and Allison Ciancibelli – blown glass, and recycled wood and metal.]

Migration attending AAFNYC 2009

Again this year, Migration will be exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City (May 7 -10 at 7 West 34th, NYC). Laura and I had such a wonderful time last year that we are thrilled to repeat again this year. We will be representing seven stellar artists' work: Michael Janis, Arturo Mallmann, Randall Stoltzfus, Brian Mallman, Tim Taunton, Warren Craghead, and introducing Ashley Williams. Samples of their work are pictured below (for more, check out each artist's Photo Album to the right or go here).

 Michael Janis (fused glass)

Let's take a step back for a second... You're probably asking yourself, "Why in the world would they be excited about going through the trouble and expense of exhibiting in NYC? Haven’t the Joneses heard we are in a deep economic recession and the art market is crashing? The risks are huge. Sales could be zero." No, we don’t live under a rock. So, yes, we are well aware of the glum news about how art is not selling. In fact, most recently, the ADAA Art Show just opened at the Armory in NYC. Reports (including this one by Bloomberg's Katya Kazakina) indicate attendance is down and sales are meager.

 Arturo Mallmann (acrylic & resin on board)

Followers of artPark know my feelings about articles like this that scream how a Picasso just sold for $2 million less than expected - oh the horrors; or how only two thirds of Sotheby's latest offerings were bought - heaven forbid. Screw that, I say.

 Randall Stoltzfus (oil on canvas)

Why does anyone measure the global contemporary art market on the below expected purchase price of a Picasso or Matisse? This is complete bunk. Think of the tens of thousands of talented living artists out there creating and selling their work for far less than what is offered at Christie's or Sotheby's. Why are we fixated on what the Picassos, Warhols, Lucian Freuds, Cindy Shermans, Sol LeWitts, and the like are selling for? This is not the art you and I buy!

 Brian Mallman (graphite on board)

This brings us back to why Laura and I are excited about the Affordable Art Fair. As the quirky name alludes to, everything found at AAF is "affordable" - priced between $100 and $10,000 (most is less than $5,000). Fear not, this is not the kind of art you find at your local street craft fair. Rather, this is the kind of fair that museum curators, designers and collectors attend. Virtually all the art is of great quality made by some of the top contemporary artists around the world. The exhibiting galleries are juried and those selected base their reputations on representing high quality work. So, for $2,000-$3,000 you can pick up a fantastic oil painting by a young or emerging artist who has been vetted by a professional in the field. Oh... and there will be plenty of work by established artists with international reputations for sale as well.

 Tim Taunton (oil and glaze on board)

During the last 6+ months, what we have found is, despite the crappy headlines, people are still buying good art. They just aren't buying as much of the multi-million dollar stuff that makes it on the evening news. Instead, buyers are exercising their sharp eye and seeking sweet deals - the kind of savvy purchases that don’t make the headlines.

 Warren Craghead (graphite on paper)

Bottom line: This is an excellent time to shop for and buy high quality art that is meaningful to you. And, as always, Laura and I will do all we can to make a piece of art yours. We believe the purchase of art should be easy, fair and fulfilling, and we are committed to assisting that principle in every possible way.

 Ashley Williams (drawing on paper)

So, look for us at the AAFNYC. We'll be the ones with excited smiles on our faces - not the sour expressions currently found on the faces of gallerists trying to sell million dollar paintings. Like last year, we will have a limited number of passes available for the Preview Party on May 6 (last year's party was a load of fun) and passes for the May 7-10 general admission. Contact me and I'll do what I can to hook you up with a pass.

The 500 Series from Lark Books

Laura and I are getting ourselves ready to attend this year’s American Craft Council Show in Baltimore (Feb 27-Mar 1). There will be over 700 of the country’s best high end craft artists exhibiting again this year. Unfortunately, we will only have one day to take it all in (therefore the early preparations we have to go through like carbo loading and a few extra minutes on the treadmill). Cruising the aisles is always a blast albeit a bit overwhelming. Regardless, we are excited to see old friends and discover some of the new and exciting things going on in the craft world.

As we get ready, I thought of the terrific "500 Series" of books published by Lark Books (you know how I like things in series). These books beautifully and simply present some of the finest contemporary craft art. I had already included a couple in The artPark Market, but now have increased Lark’s offerings. Take a look at the ones listed below. They all retail for $24.95 each, but are currently priced at $16.47. Laura and I are slowly adding to our collection from this series… you should too.

  500 Animals in Clay

  500 Figures in Clay

  500 Glass Objects

  500 Ceramic Sculptures

  500 Wood Bowls

  400 Wood Boxes

  500 Necklaces

  500 Earrings

  500 Baskets

  500 Metal Vessels

The artPark redesign

Regular followers of artPark have probably noticed a few changes here. After a couple of weeks of digging things up and redesigning the site, the dust has settled and I hope you find your visits to be more informative and entertaining. As always, I will be posting articles that cover a variety of art related subjects (mainly the visual arts), and I will continue to promote the work of artists represented by Migration: A Gallery. The biggest change will be in an increased number of reviews and critiques of the art and exhibitions I visit (or encounter). Most will be here in the Virginia area, but I will be out and about with my eyes peeled.

I would also like to highlight some specific items in the sidebars: First and foremost, on the left, is a direct link to the Migration: A Gallery website. Laura and I have also done a little redesign there. We hope you find it a bit more streamlined.

Also prominently displayed on the left is a link to The artPark Market. Here you will find a listing of books, music and movies I highly recommend. This link is sponsored by Amazon.com. Any purchases you make through this link will be greatly appreciated.

Further down on the left are a couple of special causes that mean a great deal to us. First is our local chapter of the SPCA. Many of you know that Piper, our gallery dog (pictured right) came to us via the CASPCA. Laura and I also support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and their efforts to clean up and protect this cherished and environmentally important waterway. Please consider supporting these causes.

Further down on the left is a listing of links to interesting art related reading. These are time tested blogs and websites that I frequent and recommend.

In the right-hand sidebar, I have devoted most of the space to artists Laura and I believe to be among the finest in the country. The Photo Album section is filled with many of the artists represented by Migration. Each individual album is filled with examples of a specific artist's portfolio. If after flipping through the images you have any questions on a particular artist or piece of art, please contact me - I'll be happy to help. As always, the art is for sale, and my primary goal is for you to own any piece of art that you find visually stimulating and/or touches you. During our years of selling art, Laura and I pride ourselves on completing every transaction in a fair and accommodating way. The purchase of art should be easy and fulfilling, and we are committed to assisting that principle in every possible way.

Below the Photo Album section is a listing of artists (and links to their websites) who we believe in strongly. Some are established artists with national and international reputations and some are emerging. Regardless, every artists’ work is outstanding and would compliment any collection. Again, you can contact me directly for additional information.

Thanks for your patience during this redesign. I know the posts have been few and far between recently, but now that I have put away my cyber-shovel and html-hammer, I will get back to sharing my thoughts on what is happening in the art world.

As always, thanks for reading.

Maggie Casey - You saw her here first

This time last year, I reported on a group of artists I saw exhibiting at the American Craft Council's Baltimore exhibition who caught my eye (out of the 700+ artists exhibiting at the convention center). I highlighted a handful of them with a shout out. One included Portland, Oregon fiber artist Maggie Casey. Today, flipping through the newest issue of American Craft Magazine I spotted a two page feature written by Joyce Lovelace on Maggie. Nice. Very few young artists get that kind of spread in a glossy national publication.  She's the real deal.

Here's a little snip from the article (read the whole thing here):

"I just love string," she says. "I guess it's the line and pattern, and the way it moves, the stretching and tension." Her sculptures, made mainly of string (sometimes with wood or metal supports and whatever found objects serve her purpose), are best described as architectural/ mathematical constructions, or 3-D drawings. They range from room installations, such as Staircase in Abandoned Racquetball Court to smaller works like Splitting. All are what Casey calls "frozen moments, celebrating an instant" - ghostly rocking chairs, a gust of wind, silk organza tossed and captured midair. Her approach combines meticulous plotting and craftsmanship (skills she honed as a seamstress and pattern maker), active engagement with a given environment, a fascination with cause and effect, and an affinity for material.

I will continue to keep a close eye on Maggie and the progression of her art. At just 26 years old, she has a very long a bright future ahead of her. Oh... and remember... I gave Maggie props a year ago.

Marketing C'ville as a “Creative Community”

A little while ago, I attended and reported on the Piedmont Council of the Art’s Creative Conversation regarding the Marketing of Charlottesville as a Creative Community. Now, Sean Tubbs of the Charlottesville Podcasting Network has produced and narrated an excellent 45 minute condensed version of the 2 hour roundtable discussion. Go here and listen to the podcast. It’s eye opening (or should I say ear opening). I believe this same conversation between various community arts leaders could be heard in virtually any city in the US. Promoting the arts everywhere across the country faces the same questions and issues - it's not unique to Charlottesville.

UVa Art Museum hires new director

Thirteen months after unceremoniously dismissing its long time director, Jill Hartz, the University of Virginia Art Museum has finally filled the vacant post. Bruce Ambler Boucher left his position as curator of European sculpture at the Art Institute of Chicago and will assume his new job as director of the UVa Art Museum on March 1.

Prior to his time in Chicago, Dr. Boucher taught art history at University College London for 24 years and spent two years as visiting member of the research department of the Victoria and Albert Museum. He earned his bachelor of arts in classics and English (Harvard University), his master’s degrees in English language and literature (Magdalen College, Oxford University), and a doctorate degree with a thesis on the Venetian sculpture of architect Jacopo Sansovino (Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London). Dr. Boucher is widely known as an expert on the 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio, whose work influenced Thomas Jefferson’s designs – i.e. the buildings of UVa.

This should be an interesting fit with the University and the city of Charlottesville.  I'm hoping for progressive exhibition programming, outreach to the community outside of the University, and an aggressive acquisitions program.

Welcome to Charlottesville, Dr. Boucher.

Andrew Wyeth – RIP

Famed American artist Andrew Wyeth passed away in his sleep today. He was 91. Although the art world will sorely miss him, his paintings portraying the hidden melancholy of the people and landscapes of Pennsylvania's Brandywine Valley and coastal Maine will live on.

Wyeth's artwork has been a personal favorite of mine.  I believe the importance of his oeuvre dives deeply into the history of art.

"I think one's art goes only as far and as deep as your love goes." - Andrew Wyeth

PCA’s Creative Conversations

I just got back from attending the second edition of the Piedmont Council of the Arts' quarterly program called "Creative Conversations" – a forum for idea exchange and collaboration. The topic today was "Marketing Charlottesville as a Creative Community." PCA Executive Director Maggie Guggenheimer led the gathering of the 30+ attendees who represented a wide range of arts related organizations and individual artists from the central Virginia area (mainly Charlottesville).

This two hour round-table session covered questions such as 1) How do the arts and creativity shape our community; 2) What are the benefits of marketing Charlottesville as a creative community; 3) How can we maintain or grow arts audiences during the economic downturn; 4) How can we work together to support and promote the arts in Charlottesville; and 5) What marketing methods and strategies should we use?

I’m not generally into participating in group discussions like these. To me, they always seem to veer off track quickly and little gets done – although a lot gets said. For this, however, I bucked up and not only attended but participated (to a degree). And, as I expected, Maggie did a good job of keeping us all on point.

Early on, I spoke up and questioned whether Charlottesville is actually considered an arts and culture destination (if it's not an "arts town" then we can’t market it as one?). I truly believe the city wants to be, and its citizens think it is "artsie." But, from my experiences, when you mention Charlottesville, most outsiders first think of history, red brick, white columns and Thomas Jefferson. History and culture we have... but the arts?  When Laura and I exhibit at various gallery fairs around the country, people look at our marquee and say, "Charlottesville? I didn’t know there was art in Charlottesville."  'Nuf said.

I do have to say that Charlottesville is definitely a place to be when it comes to music, food and drink. But does this make it artsie? Is this the place you would expect to see creative and beautiful contemporary visual arts?  Is this where an artist wants to live and pursue his/her career?

Despite my opinion, the group decidedly pronounced Charlottesville the arts center of Virginia (note: comparable cities included Lynchburg, Roanoke, Staunton and Danville). So, off we went to the break out sessions and continued the round-table discussions.

The results: It was widely accepted that there needs to be a central, authoritative resource for the posting of events and maps to arts destinations. PCA seemed to be the logical choice to be that clearinghouse of information (although increased funding would help that actually happen).

Personally, I think a central listing is terrific, but I believe to advance and promote Charlottesville as an arts destination there needs to be a broader, deeper and more consistent discussion of the specific events, shows and exhibitions in town. Listing them on a calendar does little to promote Charlottesville as a creative town. Thoughtful and authoritative articles and reports will further enlighten people to not only what is going on, but the quality of what is going on. It's not enough to simply say "see Billy Bob play his trombone at the Performing Arts Center"; we need more information why we should see Billy Bob play (because he's the most innovative yet recluse trombone player in the world, and we are lucky to have him perform in Charlottesville – or something like that). I plan to continue my part in that as I look to review the local visual arts and comment on the arts in general.

All in all, Creative Conversations is an excellent program sponsored by the PCA. I was happy to participate and pleased to see that a large number of the heavy weights in this arts community attended. With more events and open discussions like this, Charlottesville may very well end up as a much larger dot on the arts map.

The Art of Moving Well

Laura writes:

It was a good Sunday. Actually got a chance to read more than the bare minimum of the newspaper (Washington Post, to be specific). Usually, between the two of us, Rob and I just hit Arts, Sports and Outlook. Sometimes I read Metro (makes me feel like I live in a big city with none of the actual subway riding), and Rob does the front section. But today was good. I'm not sure why I am bragging, though. The two articles that inspired us to write were in our regular go-to section, Arts, which the Washington Post now calls Style and Arts. Rob will write his opinion of Paul Richard's wonderful and thought provoking article on Walt Disney later, but I wanted to commend Sarah Kaufman's article on Cary Grant. Read it here.

I grew up an only child who spent a lot of time watching old movies. A lot of time. Seriously. Way too much time. It gave me a bit of a warped view of reality. But hey, whose childhood doesn’t warp them a little?  Anyway... I agree with Sarah's assessment of Cary Grant's magical grace wholeheartedly. Who wouldn't? But what makes the article really interesting is her analysis of the importance of physicality in acting. Cary Grant apparently trained as an acrobat. This athleticism allowed him to totally control his body and use it as a tool to convey more than words could about his characters. I am a big fan of the point where athleticism meets art. But, the body is an important tool even when its owner isn't an athlete. Think of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's slubby characters. The CIA slob in Charlie Wilson's War wouldn't have been nearly as powerful in someone else’s hands. So it goes both ways, and it’s not about being fit. (How having a strong and pain free body helps with creativity is another story. As is the link between sports and art. More on that eventually.)

Okay, you may be thinking "duh" about the link between the body and the art when it is the performing arts. But what about visual art, when we never, or rarely, see the artist in the work? With two caveats – I am not an artist and I do not have good proprioception – I will plunge ahead. I think that an artist's relationship with his or her body can and should show up in the work. Think about the obvious – large scale sculpture generally takes a strong back. But there are other subtle ways the body influences creativity.

How you feel has to influence the type of work you want to make, and how you feel is dependent in part on your body. Your own size and ability influence how you see the world. Thank god art isn't only made by one kind of person in one kind of body, but as a sports fan and an athlete and gallery owner and art buyer, I have seen the benefits of strength and grace on art (art you feel as well as see). The body even influences how a work of art is viewed. If you see a tiny collage piece, you may picture the artist as a small woman. A large abstract must be done by a muscular young guy. The more you control or are at least aware of your body as a tool, the more it can work for you, I would think. You don't have to look or act or make art like Cary Grant to learn from him.

(Above image: Cary Grant in "North by Northwest" - Viking Press/MGM Library Of Filmscripts)

Obama portrait by Shepard Fairey

This has been widely reported on over the last couple of days, but it makes me feel so good, I thought I would mention it here too…

The original portrait of Barack Obama by LA graphic design artist Shepard Fairey (also known as a "street artist" out west) will soon hang in the National Portrait Gallery. Super-lobbyists and uber-collectors, Tony and Heather Podesta, purchased the piece and have donated it to the Portrait Gallery. Regarding the donation, Tony says:

It seemed like a historic moment for the country, and a chance to do something for art and Democrats.

Well said, Tony. I especially like the focus on the artistic value of the portrait. We have all seen the realistically painted portraits of the previous presidents all holding a traditional pose. To me Fairey's style marries Obama's message and brings us all forward.

What really cracks me up is that it will initially hang in the "new arrivals" gallery on the first floor of the museum – near the newly unveiled portrait of Laura Bush. That should create quite a contrast, don't you think?

I will try to drop by and see it when Laura and I attend the Inauguration festivities on the 20th.

(Information and quotes for this post were pulled from this Washington Post article by Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts. Above image of Barack Obama by Shepard Fairey)

Art Beat

I just spent some time reading Art Beat – the arts blog of PBS's Online NewsHour. It was my first time to the site. Check it out here.

Art Beat covers news from the world of visual arts, literature, film, music culture and performing arts. Articles are written by senior correspondent Jeffrey Brown. Give it a read. Of course, the first post was a conversation with Andy Goldsworthy so you know I was hooked.