artPark

Chesapeake Bay Swim – 2008

The following is some news of a different sort – but it’s a big part of how Laura and I spend our free time...

On June 8, Laura and I completed our annual swim across the Chesapeake Bay. It was my 7^th and Laura’s 4^th consecutive time. Whew!

For a little info and background:  The Chesapeake Bay Swim is (in my mind) the premier open water swim race on the east coast. Over 600 people show up for it annually. The race is 4.4 miles long starting on the shores of Sandy Point State Park, crossing the Bay between the twin bridges, and finishing on the shores of Kent Island by Hemingway’s Marina. Swimming that kind of distance is one thing, but for this race, contending with the turbulent and unpredictable conditions is the real challenge. This year was no different.  The main culprit was a flood current that we all had to work against primarily during the second mile of the race.

The uniqueness of this event is unparalleled. Organizers work with local, state and federal officials to pull it off. It is the only time the shipping channel under the bridges is completely closed to boat traffic (and it requires an act of Congress to have it happen). The Coast Guard has the final say whether the event goes off or not. Risk of tragedy is extremely high. Although most people who start get themselves across, there have been a couple of years when 80% have been pulled from the waters before finishing. Safety is paramount and it takes the efforts of hundreds of organizers and volunteers to make it happen. Bottom line: It is an extreme privilege to compete in this race. Laura and I love it.

For the record, I finished in 4^th place overall, and Laura finished in 364^th out of the total 623 men and women who started. Just getting across is always a worthy goal (this year 602 actually made it all the way across). We are both pleased with our final results. Of special note… Laura was one of the very few who competed without a wetsuit – just to make things a little tougher.

Finally, the race is a fundraiser for the March of Dimes and for the preservation of the Bay’s health through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Since the event was started, over $1,000,000 has been raised.

Here are a few pictures to give you a very small idea of what this event is all about.

 

 

The Greatest of All Time

Laura and I had a very special honor today… We were able to spend a few moments with the single greatest living icon in American history – Muhammad Ali. No one alive today has elevated sport, politics and religion like Muhammad Ali.

   

Despite his age and ailments, he remains The Greatest. And, I can tell you that the strength in his arms, hands and mind proves it.

For a little refresher course, here is a bit pulled from his website (sorry about the length, but being The Greatest means you have done a lot of noteworthy things in your life):

He's still the most recognizable man on earth. And over forty years after he burst onto the scene as a gold-medal winner at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Muhammad Ali remains a magical figure, known and loved throughout the world.

Dubbed "Athlete of the Century" by GQ magazine, Muhammad continues to receive accolades for his contribution to sports. He has been named Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Century," the BBC's "Sports Personality of the Century," the World Sports Award's "World Sportsman of the Century," and the State of Kentucky's "Kentuckian of the Century." In 2005, he received the United States of America's highest civil award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

As a boxer, Muhammad brought unprecedented speed and grace to his sport, while his charm and wit changed forever what the public expected a champion to be. His accomplishments in the ring are the stuff of legend – two fights with Sonny Liston, where he proclaimed himself "The Greatest" and proved he was; three epic wars with Joe Frazier; the stunning victory over George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle; and dethroning Leon Spinks to become heavyweight champion for an unprecedented third time. But there was always far more to Muhammad than what took place in a boxing ring.

Muhammad's life and career have been played out as much on the front pages of newspapers as on the inside sports pages. His early embrace of the Nation of Islam and his insistence on being called Muhammad Ali instead of his "slave name," Cassius Clay, heralded a new era in black pride. His refusal to be inducted into the United States Army anticipated the growing antiwar movement of the 1960's. His willingness to stage his much-promoted and publicized fights in such far-flung locales as Kinshasa, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur signaled a shift from superpower dominance toward a growing awareness of the developing world.

Daring to go against political policy to help people in need, Muhammad has made goodwill missions to Afghanistan and North Korea; delivered sorely-needed medical supplies to an embargoed Cuba; traveled to Iraq and secured the release of 15 United States hostages during the first Gulf War; and journeyed to South Africa to meet Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison.

Today, championing the causes of the developing world has become a major focus of Muhammad's life. He has been instrumental in providing over 232 million meals to the world's hungry. Traveling across continents, he has hand-delivered food and medical supplies to children in Cote D'Ivoire, Indonesia, Mexico, and Morocco among other countries.

In addition to his international efforts, Muhammad is equally devoted to helping charities at home. He has visited countless numbers of soup kitchens and hospitals, and helped such organizations as the Make-A-Wish-Foundation and the Special Olympics. He annually participates in "Fight Night," which generates funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Research Center at Barrow Neurological Institute, in Phoenix, Arizona. At the State Capitol in Michigan, he advocated new laws for protecting children. He is also the namesake of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (sponsored by Senator John McCain), a law that regulates professional boxing to protect boxers from unscrupulous promoters and poor health and bout conditions. In recent year, Muhammad has testified before the United States Senate several times regarding boxing reform.

For his humanitarian efforts, Muhammad has been the recipient of countless awards. In addition to being honored by Amnesty International with their Lifetime Achievement Award, the Secretary-General of the United Nations bestowed upon him the citation of United Nations Messenger of Peace. In Germany, he was honored with the 2005 Otto Hahn Peace Medal for his involvement in the U.S. civil rights movement and the United Nations. He was also named the International Ambassador of Jubilee 2000, a global organization dedicated to relieving debt in developing nations. Other honors include an Essence Award, an XNBA Human Spirit Award and recognition from the National Urban League; 100 Black Men; Givat Haviva; the Oleander Foundation; The National Conference of Christians and Jews; Time magazine; and former President Jimmy Carter, who cited Muhammad as "Mr. International Friendship."

Muhammad recently published a memoir entitled, The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey, in which he discusses the meaning of religion, forgiveness, and some of the defining moments in his life and career. He is also the co-author of Healing: A Journal of Tolerance and Understanding and The Greatest: My Own Story.

In 2005, Muhammad opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to displaying a selection of his memorabilia, the Center's exhibits focus on themes of peace, social responsibility, respect and personal growth. In 2006, he partnered with CKX, Inc. to form Muhammad Ali Enterprises, for the licensing of his name, image and likeness and to continue promoting his cultural and philosophical legacy throughout the world.

Whether promoting tolerance and understanding, feeding the hungry, studying his religion, or reaching out to children in need, Muhammad Ali is devoted to making the world a better place for all people. No athlete has ever contributed more to the life of his country, or the world, than Muhammad Ali.

"Endurance and Aggression"

Last Friday the Wall Street Journal ran an article by Kevin Helliker on open water swimming, which will be an Olympic sport for the first time in ages. Hooray! It's a great piece; here's the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120847591898524775.html

Kevin's first sentence is: "Open water swimming requires endurance as well as agression." I would submit, only half jokingly, that survival in the art world requries these two traits as well. I may see parallels when others don't, given Rob's and my passion for open water swimming. But one of our artists, who is a disciplined athlete himself, made the comment to us as we headed into our first art fair, which was artDC last year: "It's a good thing you both are endurance athletes." A fair is definitely like a long race with few pit stops.

So, to parpahrase Bill Murray, we got that going for us. But is the aggression there? Not sure. Something to ponder as we head into AAF NYC. I promise no bared teeth, though.

- Laura

How much should an artist earn?

Recently, I had separate conversations with a couple of artist friends. I respect both artists and their art a great deal, and I would put the quality of their work (although very different in style) on the same plane. During the course of the conversation with Artist 1, he mentioned he had a very good 2007. It begged the question, "How good?" He obliged and told me he grossed a little over $70,000 in sales. I didn’t have to ask Artist 2 because I already know he has struggled the last couple of years to make ends meet. My guestimate is that he grossed $20,000 which barely covers his cost of materials. It also should be mentioned that both artists have gallery representation(s) and sell out of their respective studios. I was happy for Artist 1 and his fiscal success, and I was sympathetic to Artist 2 and hope he receives the fortunes he deserves in the very near future.

This got me thinking… There are many occupations that tend to have a fixed annual salary ranges associated with them. A teacher probably knows what they will be earning, the same for police officers, nurses, attorneys and accountants. This is supported by "salary calculators" like this one and this one. While playing around on one of these sites, I found out that the median wage for an "artist" in Charlottesville is $44,000. Really??? A little digging revealed the definition of "artist" to be:

Develops, sketches, and/or prints creative ideas for a variety of mediums. Provides support for company advertising and/or promotional efforts. No formal training required, although may require 2-4 years of experience in the field or in a related area. Familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within a particular field. Relies on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Performs a variety of tasks. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a supervisor or manager. A great deal of creativity and latitude is expected.

Of course, this isn’t exactly the type of "artist" I was thinking of – the one who toils in their studio creating one-of-a-kind pieces (in whatever medium) for commercial sale through a gallery, art fair, or through their studio. For my questions, I was not considering graphic designers, advertisers or anyone who works under supervision (i.e. an office). Regardless, I was surprised to see the $44K associated with a Charlottesville "artist."

However, should we think Artist 1 is making far more than the norm? Is Artist 2 making far less than the norm? Or vice versa?

Throughout my life’s experiences in the arts, I’ve witnessed the general image or perception of the proverbial "starving artist." Should the poor soul who pursues a career in the arts be destined to starve? Is an artist required to starve before/during/after the blossoming of their career? Is it their hunger that drives their creative energies? Keeps them edgy? Attuned to the human condition? Or, can an artist earn a healthy wage from their work and still be able to be creative and prolific?

Back to my initial thought… What is the public’s perception of what an artist should earn annually? I think we all agree that the average office secretary (administrative assistant) probably is earning less than $75,000 and more than $25,000 – I remind you, I am still in Virginia. Or a 3^rd year associate attorney in a mid-sized firm is likely to be earning $100,000.

So what do you believe? Is it preposterous to believe that someone who chooses to be a full-time artist could think that $100,000 is a reasonable wage (such as a young attorney), or should the artist be happy with earning $20,000 and believe he has topped out in his field?

I have created a Poll on this blog’s sidebar to dig into this question further. What do you think an artist should consider a reasonable annual wage to be? Vote today. Or share your thoughts with a Comment.

Sarah McLachlan Asks You to Help the ASPCA

While mindlessly watching tv last night, Laura and I were both driven to tears by the ASPCA’s commercial featuring singer/song-writer Sarah McLachlan. Watch it here… but grab a tissue and your checkbook first.

Happy Holidays from Migration

Laura and I would like to wish all our clients and readers a very joyful holiday season.

And a reminder... Migration will be closed from December 24 through January 3.  We will be taking a little break as well as hanging our new show Strata by Steve Griffin.  We hope you will join us for the opening and reception with the artist on Friday, January 4.

Peace.

And now for something completely different...

For a much needed break from art gallery owning and managing and thinking about art, Rob and I competed in the Great Chesapeake Bay swim on Sunday, June 10. It's a 4.4. mile choppy open water swim across the Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis to Kent Island. It's one of those things that is great to finish but when you are in the middle of it, you wonder why you started! Back to work.....

- Laura