Lois Foley art has a new home

Lois Foley has a new resting ground for her work. Stored dry and safe in the rolling, lush hills of Sebastopol, CA, this is a great place for her to begin anew.

myartspace desktop widgets/gadgets

Myartspace has introduced some new desktop widgets you can install.
See www.myartspace.com/downloads.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Spikes MET Membership

An interesting article in the Wall Street Journal by Pia Catton...


Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress, autumn/winter 2010–11. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photograph © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce

"The long lines for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's blockbuster exhibit "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" have gone away, but the lasting effect for the museum is the influx of new members. During the exhibit's run from May 4 to Aug. 7, some 25,000 memberships were purchased at prices between $70 and $550."


WSJ Article

AUCTIONING LOIS FOLEY'S PAINTING

MYARTSPACE CEO, Catherine McCormack-Skiba's mother is Lois Foley. When Skiba lauched MYARTSPACE.com back in 2004 she dedicated the artist's website to her mother.

After 10 years in storage, Lois Foley's art is going to auction. Bonhams & Butterfield of San Francisco is including her painting, Acclivium V, at auction with other 20th Century artist. Her work is one of the few abstracts in this current lot of artwork. Thousands of Foley's drawings and paintings are with her daughter Catherine McCormack-Skiba. A long battle of possession and legal ownership after Foley passed away in 2000; McCormack-Skiba was force to protect her mother's art work. MYARTSPACE.com displays her mother's art.

This website is an online social network which helps artists display their work to a global audience. For more information on Lois Foley go to www.askart.com or http://www.myartspace.com/lfoley.

Foley is well known in the Burlington, VT area where she painted, taught classes and exhibited her art.

Look for Lois’ work: ACCLIVIUM V, at Bonhams website under “Fine Art”, lot 2101

Who: Lois Foley
What: Bonhams & Butterfield 20th century art auction
http://www.bonhams.com/usa/home/
Where: SoMa Estate Auction, 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco, CA
When: 17 October 2010
Auction: 10 a.m. – Noon
Preview: 15/16 October 10 a.m. – 5 p.m

Foleys work, Acclivium V, will be on display, both online and at the auction.

How to Buy at Bonhams & Butterfields

There are a few important things to know about buying at auction before you begin. You should also read the Buyer's Guide located in the catalog for sale-specific information.

* Learn about the property that is for sale
* Decide which bidding method is best for you
* Familiarize yourself with our Buyer's Premium
* Familiarize yourself with the Conditions of Sale specific to the property you are buying

Auctions are free and open to the general public. Watching an auction live from one of the galleries is a great way to become familiar with the auction process. If you have any questions about the auction process, please feel free to ask one of our staff members for guidance.

At Bonhams & Butterfields, you can bid in many ways: in person, via absentee bid, or over the phone. Absentee bids can be submitted in person, online, via fax or email. Artwork up for auction at:

Bonhams & Butterfields
220 San Bruno Avenue
San Francisco, CA
17 October 2010
10 a.m.

In and Out of the Studio

Two professors at The Art Institute of Chicago have published a new book, The Studio Reader, a compendium of essays by different artists and theorists concerning both the physical and conceptual space where art is made it. What's so interesting about the text is how it undresses so many popular notions about what and where a studio is. Cultural imagination has long been dominated by images of the studio as a illusive and esoteric, if not magical, space where the isolated artist spends sleepless nights facing down the muses. Countless photographs in contemporary catalogs share this idea, be they of Francis Bacon's mare's nest London, or Jackson Pollock's cramped barn in East Hampton, or Bruce Nauman's ranch in New Mexico. Most working artists have different ideas about their studio: yes, it is a place where lightning is said to occasionally strike, but it is also a place where coffee is brewed, the paper is read, the dog takes a nap. What does the studio mean to you, and where is it? For some the studio is a free-standing garage, for others a converted store front, for some the kitchen table. Where is your place of practice?

Art Critic Jerry Saltz is licking the salt from his Work of Art: The Next Great Artist wounds.

Art Critic Jerry Saltz appears to have endured a few professional barbs due to his involvement with Bravo’s Work of Art: The Next Great Artist. The reality show pitted fourteen emerging artists against each other for a $100,000 prize and an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. Now that the first season is over-- Saltz is licking his wounds in that he is admitting-- at least from what I gather from his article-- that Work of Art: The Next Great Artist was a bad move for the respectability of art and perhaps a bad move for his career as an art critic.

Ask the Editor: Where should I sell my artwork online?

Ask the Editor: Where should I sell my artwork online?

As the Senior Editor of MYARTSPACE.com it is not uncommon for me to receive requests for advice from artists. One of the most asked about subjects happens to be focused on selling art online. It is safe to say that I receive at least a dozen to well over a hundred versions of this questions per month on Facebook, Twitter, or by email. Thus, I feel that I should tap into this question once again even though I know that I’ve covered it before on the Myartspace Blog.

MYARTSPACE.com at SCOPE Miami December 1-5 2010

MYARTSPACE.com at SCOPE Miami December 1-5 2010

50 finalists, 3 winners, work represented at SCOPE Miami 2010 Art Show December 1-5, 2010 at the same time as Art Basel Miami Beach Art Fair.

http://www.myartspace.com/ is sponsoring a juried art competition. The jury panel will select 50 finalists from those registered for the competition that have submitted their work for review. Out of 50 finalists, three winners will be selected to have two pieces of their work represented at the SCOPE Miami 2010 Art Fair. Additionally, 50 finalists will have 2 pieces of their work displayed digitally at the Fair. See, http://www.myartspace.com/miamibasel/

When Groundbreaking Artists Become Kitsch Where Does it Leave the Rest of Us?

When Groundbreaking Artists Become Kitsch Where Does it Leave the Rest of Us?

One negative aspect of the information driven times we live in-- and how it is reflected in our culture-- is the fact that great artists from the recent past often become kitsch figureheads. Take for example Frida Kahlo-- who is now more apt to be admired as a tattoo than heard about in a worth-while discussion about art. The history behind her work and the importance of what she achieved is often forgotten in exchange for a watered down reflection of who she was and what her artwork represented.

Sketches of Subjective Truth

There's an old and dusty question kicking around metaphysics: what exactly is truth? Is something truthful if it corresponds to reality? Is something truthful if it is useful in describing the universe? I should approach this question with the appropriate caution: there is an answer there, but I am in no position to find it; I am an artist, not a mathematician or metaphysician. Formulating these sorts of truth finding equations has never been part of the job description. And yet truth, of some kind, does seem relevant to the way we talk and think about art.

Do Artists Today Need a Blog?

Do Artists Today Need a Blog?


The question-- Do artists need to have a blog in order to obtain the exposure they desire online? I’d say yes. If an artist, specifically an emerging artist, wants to reap the rewards of gaining exposure online it is vital to have a digital podium to stand on, so to speak. A blog devoted to your art is more important today than ever due to the popularity of websites such as Twitter and Facebook-- and other sites that cater to link exchanges and the delivery of information online. However, keep in mind that using a blog as a tool for exposure is only as strong as the content of your blog.

MYARTSPACE.com has launched the 3rd annual juried MYARTSPACE Art Scholarship competition

MYARTSPACE.com has launched the 3rd annual juried MYARTSPACE Art Scholarship competition. The myartspace.com art scholarship competition involves $16,000 in cash scholarships and is free to enter for undergraduate and graduate art students worldwide. The deadline for the 2010 competition is December 12. All that is needed is a free account on myartspace.com to enter-- the scholarship competition is free to enter. Students who register early will also receive a free 3-month trial of Premium membership on the site. The competition jury will be lead by MYARTSPACE Founder Catherine McCormack-Skiba. For more information visit, http://www.myartspace.com/scholarships/

Superstition Aside, Art Can Be Powerful

                     Superstition Aside, Art Can Be Powerful


It has been said that artists-- or at least their artwork-- have a way of bringing people together. However, the opposite can easily be said. After all, some artists make a career-- intentionally or unintentionally-- out of being forced into the role of social and political provocateur. One need only visit a New York City art gallery, read a mainstream art magazine, or visit any of the top art museums to take note of how controversial works of art dominate by seeping into our cultural dialogue. More often than not said works spur notions of hostility rather than some ideal of peace. Yet the romantic image of ‘the artist’ as great communicator and bridge builder persists.

What Do You Want From Art?

                            
What Do You Want From Art?

I read an article in passing recently that asked the question, “What does the public want from art?”. The article-- which, if memory serves me correct was featured in the Illinois Times, focused on current art market trends and the complications between what the public desires to view compared to what is coveted by art institutions and galleries. The piece targeted regional artwork and the local art scene-- however, this rather broad question obviously has global appeal. After all, in the last decade alone we have seen various forms of protest throughout the world concerning art and how and where it is viewed-- and what should be viewed.

Shepard Fairey vs The AP-- what is the fight really about?

Shepard Fairey vs The AP-- what is the fight really about?


Anyone familiar with the myartspace blog knows that I have issue with some of the opinions of Shepard Fairey concerning copyright and appropriation-- to the point that my opinions on the matter have been quotes by the Boston Globe and other news sources. I’m not going to go into detail about the Fairey vs. AP case because it has been covered before on this blog and the information is fairly easy to find with a mere Google search. However, I will make it clear that I do not think that-- as Fairey suggests-- his stance concerning the AP is one of “fighting” the good fight to “ protect the rights of all artists”-- as mentioned on his Obey website, http://www.obeygiant.com/

Why every visual artist should have 5,000 friends on Facebook

Why every visual artist should have 5,000 friends on Facebook:

Life today, in many ways, is driven by online social networking. Everyone from garage band musicians to presidential hopefuls realize the power of having a strong social network online-- and power in the online social networking realm is based, though I suppose would could debate this, on numbers. To put it bluntly, if you want to reap the rewards of exposure online you need to take advantage of social networking and that means having ‘friends’-- lots of them.

Art Space Talk: Lauren Utter

 

Born Drunk, Die Drunk by Lauren Utter

I decided to mark my return to writing for myartspace by interviewing one of our Featured artists-- Lauren Utter. As stated on Utter‘s myartspace profile, “New Jersey native Lauren Utter found her escape from the banality of suburban life through the subculture of punk rock. Though she briefly attended the School of Visual Arts, Lauren's work is more influenced by her adventures panhandling in New York's Lower East Side, hopping freight trains, and generally experiencing life in the gutter. Finding herself moved by the people and experiences encountered on the fringes of society, she seeks to share these stories through her work.”

Rubbing Elbows or Breaking Arms: How Best to Respond to Art Critics in the Information Age

Rubbing Elbows or Breaking Arms: How Best to Respond to Art Critics in the Information Age


Before I venture into the grit of the topic above I wish to make something clear. I rank Edward Winkleman, Paddy Johnson, and Hrag Vartanian-- among others-- as examples of the top art bloggers writing today. While I enjoy their critical writings and insight-- I don’t always agree with their views. I’m certain they don’t always agree with me for that matter. That said, I have issue with a recent post by Edward Winkleman that I would like to tackle today. It is by no means a gesture of disrespect that I do so- and I’m taking it on because it is a topic I’ve wrestled with in the past. Game on…

Open Question: As a visual artist-- what concerns do you have in regards to exhibiting and selling your artwork online?

Open Question: As a visual artist-- what concerns do you have in regards to exhibiting and selling your artwork online?

• Have you had any overly positive or negative experiences in regards to exhibiting or selling artwork online?
• Do you have any advice about selling original artwork online?
• Where do you prefer to 'exhibit' your art online?
• Do you feel that the Internet is changing the 'landscape' of the global art market? If so how?
• What is more important to you-- gaining exposure and recognition for your artwork online or establishing an online business that is focused on your artwork?

WWW Art Hijinks: Mel Gibson Rant

It is safe to say that anyone with Internet access or a television has heard about Mel Gibson’s recent tape rants. Needless to say, I could not resist posting these gems of hilarity. Apparently they have been floating around Facebook. What can I say-- the Art of Mel. How is that for social commentary?