Damien Hirst Lowers Prices and Slams a Price Tag on Pants

From "Show me the Money!" to "Let's make a deal!"

Damien Hirst has been shaking the foundation of the mainstream artworld more than usual as of late. First he bypassed his dealers in order to sell at auction-- breaking auction records along the way. Then he returned to one of his first dealers while keeping other dealers on the fence, so to speak. Now, with an artworld recession lurking in the background, he is openly stating that the market for his work and the art market in general is over-priced.

There is a bit of irony to his statements considering that critics of Hirst have long stated the same about the artist who has fetched millions for his work with relative ease. The artist, businessman, and entrepreneur is now looking forward to selling his work for affordable rates within the context of recent global economic woes-- reducing the price of some works by half. Hirst has also said that he is looking at more realistic prices in general, "If I want to sell new work, I'll price it lower. If people have got less money, you can either just shut your door and say, 'Screw everybody', or I can wait until everyone can afford my work or price it cheaper."

The Damien Hirst X Levi’s® collection

Do you need an example of how committed Damien Hirst is to his recent statements? Look to his association with Levi’s Jeans for the answer. The artist is working with Levi’s Jeans in order to produce a limited edition collection of clothing featuring themes that are common in his art. According to Art News Blog the prices will start at £55 for tees and £150 for jeans. When asked about the difference between expressing himself in art versus fashion Hirst replied, “I don’t see a difference really, anything done well is art, but this way a lot of people get to own my stuff and in a not too precious way.” It will be interesting to observe how Hirst utilizes the internet for his new ventures. He has a history of exploring eCommerce.

Links of Interest:

Damien Hirst Sees the Writing on the Gallery Wall

End of Days Watch: Damien Hirst Admits His Art is Overpriced

Damien Hirst Levi's Jeans and T-shirts

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

www.myartspace.com/blog

www.myartspace.com/interviews

Giving something of value: The art of building relationship

I don’t want to pick your pocket here. Many smart people have already written and spoken about the significance of the Internet in the art industry. Brian Sherwin wrote about the importance of a solid portfolio and ecommerce for galleries... I don’t think I can improve on his message. I also believe that the audience here at MyArtSpace is not only art savvy but Internet savvy as well, and as such, I’d rather stick a fork in my eye than write another article about why a website is important for the arts. I think we’ve established “the why.”

Museums, galleries and artists of note have websites. They might also have ecommerce to sell their wares to a global audience. Museums and galleries tend to sell trinkets online, while artists want to sell art. (This is an interesting difference and a topic I’d like to write about at a later date.)

When the Internet was born, back in the day, its primary mission was communication. The Internet of today still retains this underlying goal. It makes no matter if you are creating your website, blogging or sending out an email campaign. The primary purpose of all these things is communication with the intent to build relationship.

Building relationship is not only fun but it establishes authority as well. While marketing and advertising exec’s may feel the bottom line is to sell you stuff you don’t need and make you think you do need it… the mission of building relationship is more genuine and customer service oriented.

Speak to your audience: Think a bit on who your target audience is and where are they geographically located. Is your website online to simply display your work to one and all? Or are you looking for a commission? A gallery contract? Is your audience other artists? Buyers? Gallerists? Draw your mission to suit your target audience and then keep those people in mind.

What do THEY need?: It’s not enough to write about and structure your communications based on your needs. Your online communications must provide information that your audience is looking for. A well designed and professional looking website will get you more attention and more credibility than a site that was designed by your cousin’s friend in the basement who will do it for free. Information that is relevant and updated is extremely important. Buyers and Gallerists will want to see detail photography of work. Provide different formats…audio, video, slideshows and text. When purchasing online your audience will also want to know about you. Give your audience multiple ways to contact you… your email, phone, blog address, Facebook, Flicker, LinkedIn, and your ICQ, Skype or AIM accounts.

Give them a surprise: You might want to provide something besides your vitals. Give your audience something of value and fun… something they don’t necessarily know they want. At my business site, Dragonfly Blu Design, I provide a Client’s Bill of Rights and a Designer’s Bill Rights. I can’t tell you how often those two PDFs are downloaded. Do those two documents make me any real sales? I don’t think so, but they are there for a higher purpose… They exist on my site to establish authority, provide customer service to my clients, other designers and maybe to people whom I’ll never meet. If they are helpful in some way that makes me happy. If they result in greater networking, better still.

Let’s just forget about selling art on the web: I know a lot of artists and galleries who have sold art on the web. Some buyers have purchased the work sight unseen (so to speak) and some sellers provide a way for the buyer to view before buying. I also know a lot of buyers who will not purchase art on the Internet. They need to see the piece in the raking light, examine the brushstrokes etc. It’s all valid but let’s just forget for a moment about the sales portion of the web. Many types of people will be viewing your site, gallery, portfolio and email campaigns. Whether they are online buyers or not, the thing you can provide is something of value. What makes you or your work different and why should they purchase for their home or office? If you are a gallery why not help educate your audience in the ways of the art market?

Several big name museums here on the East Coast send me their newsletter. I generally trash them. Why? Because instead of sending me something of value (information on upcoming lectures, new exhibitions, art restoration) they are sending me newsletters focused on their latest Van Gogh scarf inventory and earring sale.

People come to the internet to do an initial search, research or just to dream. The moment of truth comes when they care about something enough to click “contact me.” Will your online presence cause them to click the “contact me” option or click away?

Think “customer service and networking” and then send it off into the world with blogs and press releases, and see what comes back to you.

Thanks for reading,

Lisa

Art Does More Than You Realize

Art Does More Than You Realize

A blog reader recently asked a few open questions about the role of art and artists within the context of society. Her comments were spurred by a topic that dealt with how the recent economic struggles have caused a sense of panic within the artworld. She stated, “I don't even know if it is important if artist are around. Thats the feeling I get. What good does art really do? Can you tell me that?”. I don’t have all the answers, but I do have an opinion on the matter. Art is good for society as a whole. With that said, I feel that I should project some of my thoughts about the importance of visual art as well as the importance of art related skills, such as drawing, within the context of the world as we know it. Our lives would be very different if art-- be it fine, concept, or other-- did not exist.

In my opinion, art is the lifeblood of civilization. Thus, I view art as social and cultural vitality. If we think back on past civilizations we can observe the importance of art and the skills related with artistic creation. Throughout history art has facilitated the advancement of science and commerce as well as the different aspects of our day-to-day lives. Without art we would not see any progression-- there would be no advancements-- society would decline, wither in confusion, and eventually die. In this scenario-- if the creation of art were to cease completely-- the world would be thrown into chaos. Civilization would be stripped of its intellectual and economic endurance-- civilization, encumbered by the ignorance that would stem from this scenario, would be gone. Humanity as we know it could cease to exist.

These thoughts-- as radical or farfetched as they may seem-- are core to my philosophy concerning the importance of art and artists within the context of society. To put it bluntly, advancements in visual language and tradition tend to push society forward. Fine art and commercial art often walk in hand-in-hand as far as individual inspiration is concerned-- so both play a role in advancing society. Thus, if these aspects of artistic creation were to stop we would witness cultural and societal stagnation-- more so than what some of us already feel has occurred-- the world as we know it would take a step back, followed by another step back, and would eventually fall. With that in mind, art does good because it serves as a pillar of intellectual and economic growth.

I don’t think people realize how important art is to the intellectual growth of society. Imagine what the world would be like without the different aspects of visual art and the impact it would have on our intellect and ability to educate ourselves. In the above mentioned scenario our collective imagination-- the ideas that are common within us-- would become dull, our individual imagination would be in peril, the continuation of scientific studies and advancements would be hindered, production lines of new items would stop, we would have to once again rely on oral traditions instead of visual language and visual traditions. Sadly, I don’t think the generations alive today would thrive in that scenario. Academically speaking-- visual art has long nurtured other studies. Some will go as far as to say that without a focus on visual art humankind would have never pursued the sciences. Again, art is vitality!

The creation of art and the skills that are primarily utilized within the context of artistic creation have proven to be of importance with economic growth as well. Every manmade item we see or touch has at one point involved some aspect of art and said skills-- the products we buy and the labels upon them all start out as sketches and concept work at an earlier time, the movies we view involve some level of visual art, the video games we play rely heavily on art, the buildings we visit and dwell involve aspects of these skills, the clothing we wear may have started out as a coffee stained preliminary drawing, and the monitor before you as you read these words was nothing more than a concept design in the past. Thus, commerce would be shattered if artists, architects, and designers ceased the utilization of visual art skills. Art is good because it is the basis of economic growth.

Various aspects of visual art, specifically the skill of drawing, have long served the advancement of civilization. This is not to suggest that every artist or person who utilizes visual art is above anyone else. In other words, we can’t all be treated as the pillars of civilization. However, I do think that on some level each and every artist plays a certain role in advancing and maintaining this infrastructure-- the bones holding together society and culture-- at least in thought and within their generation. It is the continuation of a visual tradition that builds from one generation to the next. Perhaps that is why it seems that artists often feel that they have an inborn need to put ideas to paper, canvas, or upon some other surface-- a survival trait that dictates that so many individuals within a population will feel driven to pursue these skills-- to pursue art.

In closing, I suppose the key point to remember is that without visual language-- without the ongoing tradition of visual art and other aspects of art in general-- society would have never reached the point it is at today. Society would surely decline if artistic creation and the use of various skills involved with the art making process were to cease. People tend to not appreciate something until it is gone. In that sense visual art and the skills used by artists are often taken for granted by the population as a whole.

The trick is not to expect respect or outright reverence-- hardly any of us will obtain that no matter what we accomplish. That goes for fine artists as well as anyone who utilizes aspects of visual art within their profession. For example, I doubt the average person could name the architect behind some of the common building designs that we have come to expect… or the mastermind behind character designs for a major motion picture. Think of it this way, you have won half the battle if the art you create-- or at least the process of artistic creation-- is important to you. You have done good with art if someone discovers your work and enjoys it-- even if that person does not know your name.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com

Art Space Talk: Mel Davis

Mel Davis holds an MFA from The San Francisco Art Institute (2005). She is the recipient of two grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, (2007,2006), the Irene Pijoan Memorial Award for Painting and a Visual Artist grant from the Conseil des Art et Lettres du Quebec (2001). Her work is part of international public and private collections; Wellington Management, Boston, Capitol Group, Los Angeles, Hyatt Hotels, Santa Clara and Concordia University, Canada. Mel Davis has been featured in publications such as New American Paintings,(2004), Magenta Carte Blanche: Vol2 Painting (2008) and Studio Visit Magazine (2008).

Untilted 10, oil on found wood, 11"x12", 2008

Brian Sherwin: Mel, you studied at Concordia University in Montreal, The Slade School of Art in London, and the San Francisco Art Institute. Can you discuss your academic years? Did you have any influential art instructors?

Mel Davis: Concordia University was an incredibly nurturing place to make art. It's soft critiques and encouraging atmosphere made this place very special to me. Enthusiasm for painting was contagious. It was 10 years ago that I attended this institution for a BFA and the friends I made then remain my closest to this day. We all still paint as well which is astonishing and admirable.

A brief stint at the Slade in London reinforced a respect to the long tradition of painting. Faculty there are experimental but within the confines of traditional parameters. For example they were really big on setting up the painting palette in a customary fashion, something that I had never done before. It is a useful technique to learn, but my rebellion did not sit well with them.

The San Francisco Art Institute was a difficult place to make paintings. A lot of students came into the painting program, but then abandoned the discipline for the New Genres department or installation/performance/video arts. As a result painting became unpopular and something one had to defend doing. Grad school was pretty cliquey and I felt isolated most of the time but in an adverse way I left feeling prepared and really sure of who I am and what I wanted to do as an artist. Speaking with other artists this experience seems pretty typical of grad school. The affliction of a tough love philosophy appears to be the way serious institutions build their artists.

The great thing about grad school was the level of sophistication the conversations held. Memorable conversations with faculty members such as Christopher Brown, Pegan Brooke and John Zurier have shaped the way I think about painting.

Untitled 4, oil on found wood, 13"x11", 2008

BS: How have your travels-- studying art in three different countries-- helped you to mature as an artist? Do your travels influence you?

MD: I think travel is essential for growth in any discipline. Three weeks in Tuscany and Umbria remain the most important and educational time for me. Seeing the Piero della Francesa tour I was able to experience a level of history in painting that made me realize in a really profound way how resilient painting as an art forum is. I was filled with hope and a new found seriousness and urgency to be part of this incredible community. Looking at paintings that transcend time and place will instill a respect for the forum and a humility that is essential to any artists practice.

BS: Give our readers some insight into your art. What do you strive to achieve with your work?

MD: A respect to the tradition of painting, to be in close proximity to nature, specifically light, a sense of both mystery and revelation, accuracy and spontaneity,

Untitled 5, oil on found wood, 12"x5", 2008

BS: Can you discuss some of your methods?

MD: I manipulate these wood objects before, during and after the painting process by hammering, ripping, wrestling and sanding. It forces a characteristic in my paintings that can be interpreted as violence, however beyond this they also function as artifact. The process of artifact is a violent one. It speaks of civilizations lost, broken territories and abandoned communities. I am purposefully aging the paintings. I see them as fractured paintings clipped from a larger endeavor.

BS: What about specific influences? Do you adhere to any specific art tradition, so to speak? Are you inspired directly by any specific artist from the past?

MD: For these works I was directly influenced by the Fayum mummy portraits from Roman Egypt. These portraits are in varying stages of decay; displaying centuries of elapsed time yet contain an uncommon tenderness that is found in master portraiture. They speak of the great tradition of painting whilst showing how natural and instinctive making a painting can be.

Untitled-- windy sail, oil on found wood, 7"x9", 2008

BS: What are you working on at this time? Can you give our readers some insight into your most current work?

MD: I am continuing with the found wood paintings. Lately they have been speaking of the particular light in Scotland. I recent trip here has been an influence. I am also thinking about a new body of work that pays tribute to the fan paintings made by Hiroshige from the Edo period. These exquisite paintings display everyday moments and settings executed in the richest of pallets. They are playful and decorative. I think it would be a cool challenge to interpret these works today.

BS: I noticed that you have been very active with the NavtaSchulz Gallery. You have also been featured at the Bridge Art Fair. Can you give us some highlights of your exhibition history?

MD: Sadly the NavtaSchulz Gallery folded earlier this year. But Ryan Schulz worked hard for his artists, trying to place the work in important collections. This gallery was kind enough to take a chance on me when I was still in grad school, which meant a lot to me. I've been pretty lucky, participating in group and one person shows around this country and Canada, it's been a little tough showing consistently here in the Bay Area; there are too many artists and not enough spaces.

Untitled-- Scotland #1, oil on found wood, 12"x16", 2008

BS: Will you be involved with any upcoming exhibits?

MD: I am currently having a one person exhibition at Larry Becker Contemporary Art in Philadelphia.

BS: Speaking of exhibiting… what do enjoy about displaying your art in public view? Do you see it as part of the process, so to speak?

MD: Before this show in Philadelphia, I didn't really see it as part of my process. Larry and Heidi Becker have a gift when it comes to hanging a show. They taught me something about my work, about it's relationships and nuances that I didn't realize existed before. Previously I was never really excited about the way my work hung in a gallery or exhibition space.

Untitled-- Scotland #2, oil on found wood, 11"x14", 2008

BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the goals that you have?

MD: I like this quote from Tom Marioni-
"The artist's role in society is to observe real life and report on it poetically. If the movement of his materials is sure and honest, the work becomes a beautiful gesture.”

You can learn more about Mel Davis by visiting her website-- www.meldavis.peachpitpie.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

Art Scholarship Competition for Undergraduate and Graduate Art Students

Myartspace, the social networking site for visual artists, has launched a free to enter student art scholarship competition for undergraduate and graduate art students. The competition is free to enter and is open to art students (seeking a BA, BS, BFA, MFA or other high degree in art) worldwide.

The scholarship program is intended for art students who exhibit exceptional artistic excellence in their chosen medium. All mediums are accepted. Including photography and video. Both contemporary and traditional art will be considered. Myartspace is providing 3 scholarship prizes for undergraduate students and separately 3 scholarship prizes for graduate students. $16,000 in cash prizes are up for grabs!

Early Registrants (Students who register before November 21, 2008) will automatically be granted a free 3-month subscription to premium services on myartspace, a paid service normally selling at $75 per year. Premium Subscribers have more capabilities including a personal URL on myartspace and improved networking tools. Early Registrants will also be eligible for a chance drawing involving two iPhones. The final deadline for registration and online submission of work is December 16, 2008.

In order to enter and submit a portfolio/gallery students must be a member of the myartspace community. Membership is free. JPEGS/videos must be placed into a myartspace online gallery. Up to 20 images can be submitted for consideration. Scholarship winners will be announced on December 19th, 2008. Creating a portfolio and gallery is quick and easy using the Gallery Wizard on the site. Students interested in signing up for the myartspace art scholarship competition can find out more details by visiting-- www.myartspace.com/scholarships

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

www.myartspace.com/interviews

www.myartspace.com/blog

Nov 15th is the last day to register and submit work for the myartspace / Bridge Art Fair competition!

November 15th is the final day to register for the myartspace / Bridge Art Fair competition. The 15th will also be the final day to submit galleries. Thus, if you want to take advantage of this opportunity you must do so very soon. The competition involves jurors from the Whitney Museum of Art, SFMOMA, San Jose Museum of Art and the Bridge Art Fair.

www.myartspace.com/miamibasel/

Myartspace Interviews: Bo Bartlett, Alex Golden, Aleksandra Mir

A look at past interviews that have been featured on www.myartspace.com.


Interview with Bo Bartlett:
“I don’t think there is a collective spirit of America. America to me seems fractured. Many people seem marginalized. I think the "America’s heart" concept is really just talking about a larger idea; a mythological spirit or soul of America which has to do with the concept of freedom, individual rights, and the adventurousness we associate with the frontier spirit. People are all longing. We’re all looking for something. On some level, my paintings tend to address this sense of desire. I paint people because I am a person. I paint America because I am American. I’d like to think that I’m a citizen of the world, but at the same time, I can’t deny my nationality. I am not necessarily proud of it.” -- Bo Bartlett
READ MORE

Interview with Alex Golden:
“I never fully cast aside my questions and doubts about the systems of society, but I try to. I think my work is, at heart, ironic and critical, but I try to get in there and join in what I sometimes perceive to be the absurdity of various belief systems. It is an effort to understand the human propensity to find meaning and then to believe in it, often wholeheartedly and without doubt. Why do we subscribe to the norms that cultures generate for us, even when they seem outdated? Why are we seduced by celebrity and branding? How is it possible for ideological warfare to be waged in the 21st century?” -- Alex Golden
READ MORE

Interview with Aleksandra Mir:
"The closest I get to religion is in that I try to seriously engage with and maintain certain originally religious traditions and rituals that I like. A lot of my work also has a celebratory aspect to it that perhaps can be seen as verging on ceremonial worship. I also need to have a lot of faith in good weather when dealing with big public and ephemeral events. But that's pretty much it." -- Aleksandra Mir
READ MORE

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

Hi Everyone

My name is Lisa Mikulski and Brian Sherwin has invited me to contribute to this blog every so often about the importance of web design and Internet marketing for the arts. I am happy to do so because I feel this topic is becoming more and more relevant especially in light of the present economic situation. I also consider Brian’s writing and the content here at the MyArtSpace blog to be first rate.

While the economy is certainly a factor effecting the increasing importance of using the Internet as an arts resource, it’s really about more than trying to avert an economic crisis situation. Simply put, the Internet is a tool and it should be taken advantage of in good times and bad. It is my hope that my writing and thoughts might inspire or in some small way help you take better command of how a quality website can empower your business.

I’d like to tell you a little about myself. I am a graphic designer, web designer and marketing consultant. I have worked exclusively with artists, sculptors, photographers, galleries and art organizations for the last 10 years. I have the privilege also of writing art features and editorials for the monthly print magazine, INK Publications. I keep my own blog on art and design at ArtLOOK.

Thank you Brian for inviting me and I look forward to the dialog.

/Lisa/

Art Blog Buzz: Recent buzz from the art side of the blogosphere

Buzz from the art side of the blogosphere



Interior photograph of Rothko Chapel, Houston, Texas. Completed 1971



Hungry Hyaena
www.hungryhyaena.blogspot.com
Christopher Reiger at Hungry Hyaena explores Mark Rothko’s darkness and the wonderful artifacts of Matthew Day Jackson.

Art Fag City
www.artfagcity.com
Art Fag City takes a jab at the validity of shock-rocker Marilyn Manson’s paintings while the Estate of Helmut Newton takes a jab at Art Fag City with a cease and desist letter. All in a weeks worth for a steadfast art blogger.

Religion and art...

Art News Blog
www.artnewsblog.com
On the Art News Blog there has been discussion about religion & art, Shepard Fairey & wine, with a dash of Jackson Pollock controversy for good measure.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin / Senior Editor / www.myartspace.com

myartspace / Bridge Art Fair Deadline Nov 15th!

MYARTSPACE has teamed up with the Bridge Art Fair Miami to sponsor a juried competition. Jurors from The Whitney, SFMOMA, the San Jose Museum of Art and Bridge Art Fair will select the winners. Winners will be represented at the upcoming Bridge Art Fair Miami event in early December 2008. The normal registration fee of $50 is now implemented. However, JPG is offering a discount code that will allow registrants to enter for just $25.

JPG Magazine is one of the most innovative online communities for photography. JPG Magazine has become an anchor sponsor for the myartspace Bridge Art Fair Miami competition. For those of you still looking to enter the Juried myartspace Bridge Art Fair competition, they have made available a $25 discount for registration.

Bridge Art Fair currently presents a combined total of nearly 300 galleries and over 2,000 artists at four expositions throughout the year. Since the premier of Bridge Miami Beach in 2006, total sales of nearly $30 million and more than 100,000 visitors have confirmed Bridge as a leading voice in a newly globalized art marketplace.

Link to discount code:
www.myartspace.com/miamibasel/JPG_Magazine.html

Link to competition info:
www.myartspace.com/miamibasel/

For more information about the Bridge Art Fair:
www.bridgeartfair.com/miamiindex.html

Mistakes that Artists (and art dealers) Make When Selling Art Online

Mistakes that Artists (and art dealers) Make When Selling Art Online

The art market of today is very different than the art market of the past. Today artists, art dealers, and other individuals can utilize the power of the internet in order to forge alliances with peers and to sell their art by exploring eCommerce capabilities. In most cases a personal website is not enough to be successful when it comes to selling art online. Thus, individuals need to promote themselves on high traffic art websites that demonstrate professionalism within the context of the mainstream art world. However, finding an online ‘home’ for selling art does not mean that your work stops there. An entrepreneurial spirit-- with the drive and ambition to succeed-- is needed.

As many of you are aware, www.myartspace.com is preparing to implement eCommerce capabilities. That is why I have decided to tackle some of the mistakes that artists and others make when selling art online. Below are what I consider to be the most common mistakes that online art sellers make when it comes to listing their art for sell-- these mistakes can easily block your efforts when it comes to selling art online. These mistakes can drive potential buyers away:

Lack of image descriptions: Believe it or not most art buyers, especially those making a purchase online, desire to know information about how an image was created and the motivation behind the creation of the image. Unfortunately, many art sellers leave options for image descriptions blank instead of taking advantage of the opportunity these options provide in order to offer more details to potential buyers. Thus, sellers need to take some time offering information about the work they are selling in order to be more successful selling said artwork online. This does not mean that the information has to be of any great length-- it simply means that online art sellers need to condition themselves to offer more content. Content is king online-- and that goes for selling art as well.

Lack of an artist statement: The lack of an artist statement does not say much for the artist or the artwork that is being sold-- literally. This is especially true for emerging artists who are not yet 'known' to the general public. Thus, having an artist statement that is easy to access online can drastically improve the chances of selling art online. Don't be afraid to write about yourself if you are selling your art online. If you are selling the artwork of others it is still important to offer as much information as you can about the artists you are representing online.

Lack of online networking commitment: In order to be successful selling art online one must be committed to online networking. Online networking is important for establishing a presence online. This is accomplished by taking advantage of networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and even myartspace in order to introduce yourself to, and establish rapport with, potential buyers. Also, by networking online an artist can establish connections with other artists who may have crucial information pertaining to strategies for selling art online successfully. To put it bluntly, you don’t exist if you fail to social network online in the market of today.

Lack of consistent pricing: Most of us would like to sell art for the same prices as Damien Hirst or another mainstream established artist. However, that is not exactly a realistic approach for pricing your art-- especially if you are only pricing works that you are extremely attached to in that manner. Thus, artists and other art sellers need to be realistic and consistent about how they price their artwork online. If your attachment to a specific work of art is blinding your judgment on pricing it may be best to not sell that specific work until you are ready to let it go. Also, while it is tempting to ask high prices for specific works the simple truth is that it is best to be consistent with pricing. In other words, if you have sold work for $500 it is best to stay in that price range. Once you raise your prices remember to be consistent with all of your prices.

In closing, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of art sites that an artist or art dealer can choose from in order to increase his or her chances of selling art online. However, the wise online art seller will focus his or her attention on art sites that are geared toward professionalism-- art sites that can prove their significance with an established track record of mainstream artworld involvement. Focus on art sites that have been involved with major contemporary art fairs because that often means that high profile collectors are aware of those sites. Only a select few, including www.myartspace.com, have been involved with art fairs directly. By utilizing art sites that are embedded in the mainstream artworld and avoiding the mistakes mentioned above an individual will greatly improve his or her efforts in selling art online.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com

JPG Magazine Sponsors $25 Discount Coupon for Bridge-Myartspace Competition

www.myartspace.com is sponsoring a joint competition with the Bridge Art Fair. Three top finalists will exhibit at Bridge during Art Basel Miami in December. Bridge Art Fair currently presents a combined total of nearly 300 galleries and over 2,000 artists at four expositions throughout the year. Since the premier of Bridge Miami Beach in 2006, total sales of nearly $30 million and more than 100,000 visitors have confirmed Bridge as a leading voice in a newly globalized art marketplace. The deadline for the competition is Nov 15th.

MYARTSPACE has teamed up with the Bridge Art Fair Miami to sponsor a juried competition. Jurors from The Whitney, SFMOMA, the San Jose Museum of Art and Bridge Art Fair will select the winners. Winners will be represented at the upcoming Bridge Art Fair Miami event in early December 2008. Our early registration for the competition ended on October 16. The normal registration fee of $50 is now implemented. However, JPG Magazine is offering a discount code that will allow registrants to enter for just $25.

JPG Magazine is one of the most innovative online communities for photography. JPG Magazine has become an anchor sponsor for the myartspace Bridge Art Fair Miami competition. For those of you still looking to enter the Juried myartspace Bridge Art Fair competition, they have made available a $25 discount.

Link to discount code:
http://www.myartspace.com/miamibasel/JPG_Magazine.html

Link to competition info:
http://www.myartspace.com/miamibasel

For more information about the Bridge Art Fair:
http://www.bridgeartfair.com/

Art Space Talk: Carolyn Ryder Cooley

Ryder Cooley is a multi-media artist and musician currently based in Troy, NY, (US). Weaving together chimeric visions with residue of daily life, her work reveals a terrain of lost dreams and phantom memories. Working with found materials and personal mythologies, she creates cinematic performances and installation spaces. Public performances, interventions, murals and collaborations are modes that Ryder employs in order to engage viewers in multi-sensory dialogs. Working resourcefully and sustainably while establishing and maintaining art practices beyond the context of industry and commercial culture is integral to her approach. Exchanges with artists and communities in local and international settings are crucial to her practice.

Ryder Cooley has participated in a wide variety of collaborations, public works and educational projects, as well as individual and group exhibits. Selected exhibitions have included: White Box and Exit Art in NYC, Grand Street Community Arts in Albany NY, Feminism(s) Conference at U. Hartford, Theater Artaud in San Francisco CA, Contemporary Artist Center in N. Adams MA, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco CA, Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco CA, New Image Arts in Los Angeles CA, Anno Domini Gallery in San Jose CA, Sama-Sama mural exchange in Indonesia, Numero 8 street mural journal (displayed in France, Morocco, Biennale de la image, and other locations in Europe), Brown Bag Contemporary Gallery and Photo New York in NYC, and community arts workshops in El Salvador. She has completed artist's residencies at Hambidge Center in Georgia, Jon Sims Center in San Francisco, C.E.S.T.A. in the Czech Republic and The Vermont Studio Center. She is a 2006 recipient of a Belle Foundation Artist Grant.

Antlered Doe with Menses, mixed media painting on paper, 14x17in.

Brian Sherwin: Ryder, you studied Sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design and Combined Media at SUNY. You then earned an MFA in Integrated Electronic Arts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Can you tell us about your academic years? Did you have any influential instructors? Do you have any advice for current students who are in those specific programs?

Carolyn Ryder Cooley: I came from a family where education was highly valued. My parents were both teachers and there was a lot of emphasis on college. After my first year at college I was ready to cut loose from academy so I struck a bargain with my parents and switched to Art School. I entered the Rhode Island School of Design in 1990 where I discovered an inspiring group of young women artists working with their bodies and exploring materials from women’s folk art traditions such as fabric, hair and domestic filigree.

Displaced within a formal & highly departmentalized institution, I stitched myself into the seams of the Sculpture Department where there was more flexibility to work collaboratively, site specifically and performatively using the body. During that time I began making performances and installations in empty buildings and outdoor settings around Providence, Rhode Island.

The best thing that happened for me at RISD was that I formed an identity as an artist. Unfortunately, I didn’t take advantage of all the great classes and facilities because I didn’t want to be in school. As a working artist, I wish I could afford to take classes now, so my advise to others in similar situations is to wait until you are ready before going to college. Ultimately, art school re-informed my distaste for what I viewed to be a highly competitive, commercially driven, alienating art world, and upon graduating I fled to San Francisco and immersed myself in the underground art and music scenes.

More recently, as an MFA student at Rensselaer Polytechnic I worked with amazing artists, musicians and thinkers such as Pauline Oliveros, Kathy High and Linda Montano. I’m not an electronic artist, which was a challenge at RPI since it’s a technical school, but the program supports multi-disciplinary work, which was great for me since I work fluidly in so many different mediums.
Reconstruction. Exit Art, NYC. April 2007. Three hour performance on a swing with Deer, feather shoes, sound and video projection. (Trickster Theater series)

BS: You have stated that as an installation and performance artist you strive to invent haunted dream worlds that echo political and cultural phenomena of the past and present. Can you go into further detail about the thoughts behind your work? Also, what are the social implications of your art?

CRC: I embrace a methodology focused on inventing new myths, rituals and life expressions which speak to diverse audiences, bringing people and other life forms together in unusual contexts for poetic acts of re-enchantment, thereby provoking thought and inspiring change. Given that we live amidst varying degrees of human destruction and oppression, it’s my hope that through the language of the arts, new levels of ecological awareness, gender diversity and non-violent co-habitation can be encouraged. Exploring ways of working sustainably through creative reuse of materials is a critical part of my work. Discarded belongings, recycled mater and visceral debris (feathers, hair, bones) are transformed into props and garments for installations and performance works.

Masquerade, mixed media painting on paper, 24x30in.

BS: What attracted you to these themes? At what point did you realize that the direction you have been on with your art would remain a strong focus for you?

CRC: The way that I arrive at ideas is intuitive, internal and often based on personal experience. My interest in deer, for example, began with a series of deer encounters, which subsequently led to a fascination with antlers and a bout of deer research.

My art practice began at a young age with a penchant for cake decorating. I enjoyed the impermanence of the cake and the carnal act of eating it. Moreover, I enjoyed inviting guests to participate in the cake eating ceremony (my first efforts toward creating ritual). I began to recognize that it would be preferable to society if I abandoned all forms of creative expression as Ronald Reagan was elected U.S. President in the early 90s. Therefore, from 1984-1989 I dedicated my life to the pursuit of normalcy and the strict avoidance of being an artist.

Over the years I rediscovered my creative voice. As an inter-disciplinary, politically concerned & emotionally driven artist I often find it difficult to operate within the product oriented art world, yet over time I have learned to follow my heart and pursue dreams in ways that are conscientious and sustainable. At times, this involves forgoing comforts such as a stable home, health insurance and a fixed income, but I enjoy finding ways of working around capitalism.
Carcass, mixed media painting on paper, 20x24in

BS: Can you discuss your use of symbolism? For example, in several of your paintings and works on paper you depict wounded or dead birds. Do you intentionally use symbolism in order to convey a message?

CRC: There is personal symbolism embedded in my work, and I hope there is symbolic significance for others who experience it. I don’t intentionally work with culturally constructed symbols, though I realize that my work can be interpreted in that way. Over the past year I’ve been developing a performance, Animalia, which looks at the society of honeybees and other animal creatures in their current struggle for survival within diminished environmental conditions. The Animalia performance uses the symbol of antlers as a vehicle for looking at identity, gender, queerness & interspecies trajectories while exploring metaphors of flight in response to social distress and the reverberations of war.

BS: You are a musician as well, correct? How do you find balance between visual art and music? Does one build upon the other, so to speak?

CRC: My work is multi-disciplinary, combining video, sound, music, text, movement, performance, installation, drawing & painting. I try not to think of the mediums as separate entities, but rather as voices, languages, tools and vehicles for expression. There’s a lot of pressure to compartmentalize and specialize in our culture. I’ve been trying to shift away from fighting against the system by working through the margins in poignant ways. I may call myself an “artist” or a “musician” when necessary, but in my heart I know it is all the same, communication and magic. Recently I injured my hand and couldn’t play the accordion for two months. During that time I was thankful that my creativity was fluid and I was able to express myself, install an exhibit and perform using the rest of my body. A few years ago I went to Indonesia to paint murals. There seemed to be less emphasis on mastery and a broader versatility of skills there. For example,everyone who I met knew how to play an instrument, you didn’t have to be a musician to play music. I admired the Indonesian fluidity, especially in relation to the arts.
Body of the Hive, part one (bees) of Animalia performance. Dec. 2007, Troy, NY. photo by J. Craig Thompkins

BS: Can you give our readers some insight into your current work? What are you working on at this time?

CRC: Currently I’m working on a performance called Animalia, Stories of Collapse, Calamity and Departure. The performance combines live and recorded music on singing saw, upright bass, banjo & accordion. Video, archival film and aerial movement reveal an enchanted fable about a girl who, through her disillusion with the human world, decides that she must develop flying powers. When she joins a circus and learns to fly the trapeze, she realizes that even the idolized circus is a military operation. Eventually, the performer falls under the spell of a deer and revokes her humanity to become an antlered deer creature. She is joined by another antlered character, and together they fly into the clouds on a nocturnal journey. Animalia is available for booking in 2009, for more information please contact me. Rydercooley at yahoo.com.

I’m also working on two other ongoing projects. Reliquary is an installation series where groupings of mixed media drawings are mounted on old wood and built into site-specific constructed environments. Suspensions is a series of site-specific duration performances in which I suspend my body, often seated in a floating chair. There are images of all of these projects on my website.
Drawing Room Reliquary, installation of mixed media drawings mounted on found architectural wood with tea bags, framed drawings and feathers. Photo by Carols Vela

BS: Where can our readers view your work in person at this time? Will you be involved with any upcoming exhibits?

CRC: Reliquary (a multi-media drawing installation) is currently on view at Pan American Art Projects in Miami, Florida until early December. I’ll be performing Animalia as part of an artist residency at the Robert Wilson Watermill Center on May 2nd, 2009 in Watermill, NY. I also have a band with musical collaborator Todd Chandler called Fall Harbor. We have CD’s available through Blood Onion Records and we perform intermittently. For more information visit www.myspace.com/fallharbor. During the 2008-2009 winter I’ll mostly be in artist residencies on the east coast (MacDowell Colony, Vermont Studio Center). Readers can view my work on-line via my website, www.carolynrydercooley.com, where there is a list of events as well as a detailed archive of images and text.

BS: I understand you have been involved with several collaborations including public works and educational projects. Would you like to discuss some of the projects you have worked on? What do you enjoy about collaborating?

CRC: I collaborate with people, animals, environments, sites, histories, communities, dreams and spirits. Animal interactions and collaborations have always been intuitive, with origins in childhood and possibly past lives. A youthful fascination with non-human creatures led me to take up animal portraiture. I worked with subjects ranging from dead birds to spiders and turtles. Animalia was created with living human collaborator Todd Chandler and two previously living deer collaborators. The taxidermy deer are brought back to life in our collaboration. I am packing the rack when I strap the deer to my body. Trough me, my strap on deer re-experiences the living world. Through her I travel back in time. I feel her death in my body as she becomes part of me.

Collaborations have often been challenging for me, you take a lot of risks when you work closely with others and there inevitably are conflicts and intensities. Putting aside the ego can be difficult, however the experience gained by working collaboratively or collectively is invaluable. I have learned more through collaborations than through classes, workshops or books. The work is hands on and intimate, you can really observe your collaborators up close.

Working on site specific and/or public projects such as murals and street theater enables me to transcend the synthetic “neutrality” of museums and galleries. Creating work outdoors and in public space allows for more diverse and unsuspecting audience interactions. Connecting with the nuances and histories of sites, and the various life forms who inhabit them, opens up opportunities for generating living art. Of course, it can be difficult dealing with people’s expectations, conditioning and definition of “art”. Sometimes I find myself self-censoring in public contexts. Though I like to take viewers into consideration, it is also important to take risks and challenge peoples’ expectations.

Animalia performance, Pt. 4, Flight of the Deer, with Todd Chandler. photo by Zulma Aguiar

BS: Can you tell us more about your influences?

CRC: My primary inspirations are the people, animals and environments around me. There are many enchanted places I’ve experienced in the world, and in my mind (the rainforest, the ocean, hidden gardens, old buildings, empty spaces, reconstructed memories, characters who I’ve dreamed up).

There are a number of artists whose work approaches themes of embodiment, environment, ritual and time/duration who have been influential to the development of my practice: the installations of Ann Hamilton, the film-performance works of Rebecca Horn, Ana Mendieta, & Loie Fuller, the Indonesian art collective Taring Padi, the photos of Dianne Arbus, the combines of Rauschenberg, the quilts of Faith Ringgold, silent movies of the 1920’s such as The Wind. Moreover, animals, plants and insects offer more complex inspiration. Honeybees, for example, are amazing creatures. Producing an array of vital inventions, their matriarchal artist communities are composed of mostly “female” workers. Birds are also influential. They engage in an array of astronautics, acrobatics, migrations and navigations.

BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the message that you strive to convey?

Bird Spirits, mixed media on found paper, 10x12 in.

CRC: As humans, as artists and as animals we have the power to create and destroy. The body itself can be a navigation device for points of departure and arrhythmic shifts. We all make choices with our bodies. There is a leaping into the unknown, a shattering and suspending of time. I believe it is possible to unearth invisible pasts and restore forgotten histories within an ever-unfolding presence of bewilderments.

Art practice is my never-ending refugee camp of the soul. In this place I seek asylum from the wars around me. The retreat becomes a platform from which I can speak. Practice is a place, a home for my homeless gypsy spirit.

If you are interested in experiencing my work in person, I would like to come perform, speak, install or create in a school, theater, museum, gallery, or public space near you. Please contact me: www.carolynrydercooley.com

You can learn more about Carolyn Ryder Cooley by visiting her website-- www.carolynrydercooley.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

More on the Economy

Greetings MyArtSpace readers. Guest blogger Nathaniel Stern here. You can learn more about me via nathanielstern.com, the implicit art blog, or my MyArtSpace interview. Brian asked me to be part of his new Artist Essay series, and so I may be doing some occasional postings or re-blogs from time to time.

It was Brian's post on Art and Recession that sparked my wanting to participate now, given that I am one of the emerging artists he alludes to there: I've had two important shows for my career indefinitely postponed due to the current financial crisis. So I wanted to take this opportunity to think and write about who might be affected by the situation, how, and what they (we) can do about it.

I have the privilege of being both an experimental and an emerging artist. On the one hand, much of my work is conceptually-, digitally- and/or installation-based. I also make more sell-able work, but that leads me to my other hand: I'm no Art Star. Unfortunately, I'd say both of these things are working against me right now.

Experimental artists tend not to show at commercial galleries so much; the work is generally harder to sell (sometimes nigh impossible), and so I often rely on my own funds, grants, commissions, experimental galleries and museum spaces to create and exhibit my work. People like me often have full-time day jobs and live off writing or academia or the like. Given the monetary crisis, the number of people looking for these kinds of funds and art-related jobs will increase, while the amount of them will stall and/or dwindle.

Number 2: commercial galleries are less likely to take "risks" with lesser-known or unsigned artists. Bear in mind that this isn't just about making money in the short-term. Galleries understand that it can take time before they get a return on their investments, and not every show, even for mid-career artists, necessarily turns a profit right away. Part of their job is to see where that investment is worthwhile, look for talent and drive and professionalism in the field of emerging artists. But right now, unless you are signed with said gallery, it's not in their best interest to think long-term investment with new artists. You may decide to go to another field, sign with another gallery, or make work that is non-commercially based and thus insupportable. You may simply never "make it" - and the number of artists such galleries can take risks with is getting lower by the day. Remember: an average NYC / Chelsea gallery has overheads of around $20,000 a month. Nobody benefits from them needing to close down after taking too many risks. If they are going to lose money on a given show, they are better off doing it with an artist who they are absolutely sure they will still be working with in the future, when the money comes back.

But fret not. This is not permanent. And I believe it will work itself out for the aforementioned talented and emerging and professional artists in the long run.

Picture this: around the time of the Clinton years and the dotcom boom (not to mention new taxes for imported art works in London), young artists (Young British Artists - YBA - to be more precise) like Damien Hirst began playing the system and becoming Sensations overnight. This helped start the trend where artists were being snagged right out of grad school - Matthew Barney being one example (his Yale and familial connections didn't hurt). But such quick success stories weren't always the way, and I think they may have had their day. At present, young artists seem to think that if you don't "make it" by the time you're 30, you're screwed. In the "old days," young 'uns were told to come back when they were more refined, had time to hone their practice and skills and engagement with discourse. If you had a solo show by the time you were in your mid-forties, you were in good shape.

Perhaps we won't go back to quite that system, but the kind of carefulness you're seeing from galleries again - where they don't necessarily want to risk a hot new or sensationalist artist for a quick buck, where they want to spend time on group shows or long-term investments to make sure they can meet their overheads - is the same attitude pretty much all commercial galleries had in the pre-YBA years. I think we may see a shift towards older artists again in the near future. And if you are a young or emerging artist now, by the time the crisis ends - assuming you carry on showing and making at whatever pace - you will be a much better artist, and ready for that mid-career snag.

So what do you do?

Use this time to hone those skills. Go to grad school. Get an apprenticeship. Look for the few grants that are left. Do some writing. Take risks in your art while the galleries are not doing so in their shows. Don't show art, just make it, lots of it. (The best work happens when you don't have a gallery in mind.) Get a job that inspires or at least does not exhaust you, and make art as much as you can - more experimentally rather than less. It's true that this'll mean less time in your studio, "just making." But honestly, have you ever met an artist who felt like they have enough time in the studio? I complained about it just as much when I was a full-time artist as I do now, with a full-time job.

We're again in a thoughtful and reflective moment of art, where the most prized works are a wonderful composition of the conceptual and the material, context and visuality. Explore that in depth and add to the art discourse, and when we're out of the hole, curators and gallerists will have no choice but to find you.

In other words, now more than ever is the time to be more artist than careerist. It's the best thing for Art to move forward, and probably the most pragmatic move for your personal career.

CATCHING UP WITH HOT SHOT CUBAN DIRECTOR ALEJANDRO BRUGUES

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myartspace / Bridge Art Fair competition entry deadline is November 15th 2008!

myartspace / Bridge Art Fair Competition!

myartspace, the premier online venue for the contemporary art world, is sponsoring a Juried competition. We want to represent three of the hottest contemporary artists down at the Art Basel Miami event in early December at the Bridge Miami venue. The competition, like others from myartspace, will have world-class jurors reviewing the work of the submissions. Fifty finalists will be selected and three winners will have their work represented at the fair.

With over 40,000 members, and more than two years of history, myartspace has been a key force in the art industry at availing opportunity for its rapidly growing community. The myartspace community consists of artists, collectors, gallerists, art appreciators, educators, curators, art critics and many others. Membership to myartspace is free, and members can upload an unlimited amount of art work, music, video and audio narration. Deadline for registration and submission is November 15, 2008

Create a free account on myartspace:

www.myartspace.com

Link to competition info:

www.myartspace.com/miamibasel/

For more information about the Bridge Art Fair:
www.bridgeartfair.com/miamiindex.html

The jury panel:

Elisabeth Sussman, Senior Curator, The Whitney Museum: Elisabeth Sussman returned to the Whitney in 2004 (she was curator at the Whitney from 1991 to 1998). Her Whitney exhibitions included Mike Kelley: Catholic Tastes (1993); the 1993 Biennial Exhibition; Nan Goldin: I�ll Be Your Mirror (1996), with David Armstrong; and Keith Haring (1997). For the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Ms. Sussman co-organized, with Renate Petzinger of the Museum Wiesbaden, a recent retrospective on the work of Eva Hesse. The exhibition received the International Art Critics Association First Prize for the best monographic exhibition outside of New York in 2001 and 2002. For SFMOMA, Ms. Sussman also organized, with Sandra Phillips, a Diane Arbus retrospective, currently on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The catalogue for the Arbus exhibition has received the 2004 Infinity Award for Publication from the International Center of Photography.

Ms. Sussman was a Fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation at the Rockefeller Study and Conference Center in Bellagio, Italy, in 1999. In 2003 she was a Scholar at the Getty Research Institute. She is the author of many publications, including Lisette Model (2001). Before coming to the Whitney, Ms. Sussman served as Interim Director (1991) and Deputy Director for Programs (1989-91) at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. Also at the ICA, she was Chief Curator from 1982 to 1989, and Curator from 1976 to 1982. She has taught at M.I.T. and Tufts.

Janet Bishop, Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA): Janet Bishop is the Senior Curator of Painting and Sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Since 2000. Bishop worked as a observation assistant at the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University and in the print room at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University. Janet holds a B.A. in Art History and Psychology from Cornell University and an M.A. in Art History from Columbia University.

JoAnne Northrup, Senior Curator, San Jose Museum of Art: JoAnne Northrup is a Senior Curator of the San Jose Museum of Art. Prior to this, from 1995-2001 she served as Curator, Exhibits and Collections at the de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, and from 1992-95 she held a curatorial position at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California. Northrup earned her Master's Degree in Art History/Museum Studies from the University of Southern California, and her Bachelor's Degree in Art History from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Since accepting the position at SJMA, Northrup has curated numerous exhibitions that fuse popular culture and contemporary art, including Un/Familiar Territory; Domestic Odyssey; Girl Power! Laurie Long; Heavenly Bodies ; and Jennifer Steinkamp, which is on a national tour. Her most recent entitled Robots: Evolution of a Cultural Icon, opened in April 2008. The exhibition featured sculptures, paintings, photographs, digital media, and installations created by more than 20 artists from across the US.

Michael Workman, Founder, Bridge Art Fair: Michael Workman is Founder and Director of the Bridge Art Fair and Bridge, NFP, a Chicago-based arts publishing and programming organization. Bridge, NFP, publishes the Pushcart-prize winning bimonthly /Bridge Magazine /, for which he serves as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. Bridge, NFP also organizes the annual Artboat exhibition on the first Saturday in May at Navy Pier and pioneered a multi-use facility that provides incubation space at 119 N. Peoria for developing arts organizations, currently occupied by 1R and Bucket Rider galleries. He received his Bachelor's from Northwestern University in 2001.

Workman writes a column on visual art, /Eye Exam/, for the Chicago alternative weekly newspaper, NewCity. He is also Chicago correspondent for the bi-monthly Italian art publication, /Flash Art/ and works as an arts critic and commentator for Chicago's NPR affiliate, WBEZ-FM. His writing has appeared in catalog essays for the Chicago Cultural Center and elsewhere, and his fiction, journalism and critical writing has appeared in /New Art Examiner/, the /Chicago Reader/, /zingmagazine/, /TenbyTen/ and /Contemporary/ magazine. Michael holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature and Philosophy from Northwestern University.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

Art and Recession: Time to Adapt

Art and Recession

It appears that the current status of the economy may have delivered the final blow over the success of the art market. Many had thought that the booming art market would continue to thrive regardless of the financial crisis facing the global economy. Today is a new day-- and it is not exactly better. There is great fear that the financial bubble surrounding the traditional aspects of the art market may finally burst. Could it be that the art world recession has finally come? Are we already there? These questions and more plague the thoughts of art dealers at this time. The need to adapt is now.

I'm not convinced that we are 'there' yet. However, if the art market continues to sour we will most likely witness artists forced into obscurity while gallery doors close for the last time. It has been estimated, as mentioned on this blog recently, that if a downward spiral occurs it could result in the closing of over 50 galleries in New York alone. If this happens careers-- artists, curators, and other art related professionals-- may stagnate and emerging artists will find traditional exhibit involvement to be even more difficult to accomplish.

For example, I’m already getting reports from emerging artists who have stated that exhibits that had been planned for months have now been cancelled. Insiders have also warned that major contemporary art fairs may be forced to hold off until the economy is more stable. It is very likely that the situation could turn into a waiting game. That said, I would not count the art market out just yet-- though it does pay to be wary and to learn to truly adapt to the situation by utilizing the technology of today.

These concerns are warranted due to a drop in transactions between art dealers and art buyers at recent major art fairs in the UK. In the US the art market has been delivered another blow due to major sales by Sotheby's and Christie's in New York that were millions of dollars below their lowest estimated prices. The brick & mortar galleries are having a tough time, the art fairs are having a tough time, and now the auction houses are having a tough time in this unstable market. Needless to say, the art market has dodged more than a few bullets and has taking a few hits in stride as the financial crisis unfolds. To put it bluntly, there is enough fear to go around, but there are also people putting up one hell of a fight to sustain the art market as best they can. The question is-- will the good fight be enough to keep the art market in the ring, so to speak?

It is no secret that the success of the art market is often only as strong as the status of the economy. The two walk hand-in-hand. If the economy is strong the art market is strong. The best example of this is the art market of the 1980s and how the art market had a harsh fall in the early 1990s. However, the thing to remember is that the art market always bounces back-- sometimes a little bit before the economy does. Also, the art market of today is far different than the art market of the early 1990s. Today the art market is truly global. That factor may help to sustain the art market when everthing is said and done.

Think of it this way-- the number of international collectors has drastically increased in recent years. There has also been an increase in younger art collectors compared to the recent past. Thus, one could say that the art market is down on one leg, but that does not mean that it is out for the count. Collectors from India, China, and young collectors throughout the world may serve as a lifeline. In that sense, I think that some galleries may learn to appreciate ecommerce and other marketing strategies that are considered unconventional by the blunt of the art world at this time-- such as utilizing online social networking for exposure and global reach.

In closing, when the market changes a good business person will learn to adapt to those changes. That involves more than just saying, "I can adapt". I know a lot of art dealers who claim to adapt, but in all honesty they do not. Key figures involved with the art market are being bombarded by questions concerning the financial crisis. At this rate I believe we will know some of the answers by the start of 2009.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com

Selling Art: Three Key Factors that Emerging Artists Should Consider

Selling Art: Three Key Factors that Emerging Artists Should Consider

When it comes to selling art there are as many ideas about pricing and selling artwork as there are artists, gallery owners, and art consultants-- each individual has his or her own opinion on the matter. In other words, there is no set rule for how one should price or sell his or her work. Some artists are able to cash in with the traditional route of gallery representation while others bypass the traditional market in order to carve out their destiny one their own terms. The hard definitions of how an artist should sell are broken all the time. However, for emerging artists I feel that it is important to be realistic about pricing and to consider three main factors that can help or hinder the process of selling art. Thus, I will offer my humble opinion on these factors.

Before going into detail about these three factors I feel that I must include some information about art pricing in general. When pricing art an emerging artist must consider details that might be uncomfortable to think about. For example, the emerging artist must look at what his or her art has accomplished from an objective standpoint. He or she must acknowledge a lack of exhibit history if there is one and the connections that come with it. He or she must acknowledge that in the bigger picture his or her artwork has yet to make a cultural impact.

One can have an ego that matches the ego of some of the top selling artists in the world, but that does not mean that he or she will be able to realistically demand the same prices. In other words, the emerging artist must acknowledge his or her place in the art market as a new face who has yet to be tested. Pricing should reflect this. In other words, don't expect to sell art for $20,000 a pop. True, there are exceptions, but most of us are not so lucky. Thus, in order to improve status one must take the initiative to do so.

With that said, there are several factors to consider when understanding why some artists can sell their work for several thousand per piece. I think three factors are the most important-- exhibit history, cultural impact, and social networking. Fortunately, emerging artists can take advantage of-- and improve upon-- these factors by utilizing the internet:

1. Exhibit History: The exhibit history of the high selling artist is one of the top three factors concerning demand for high prices in my opinion. Where the artist has shown can debatable prove the importance of his or her work as a financial investment on top of raising the value of his or her art in general. True, there are exceptions, but most high selling artists have exhibited actively throughout their careers in prestigious galleries, museums, and institutions. The thing to remember is that most of them started off exhibiting in smaller venues. Thus, it is important for an emerging artist to strengthen his or her resume by taking part in as many exhibit opportunities as possible. Don't expect everything to just fall in your lap.

"Don't be fussy about the shows you are asked to be in, although still aim for bigger and better shows. The more exhibitions you are in the more likely you will be offered venues that are more prestigious and you will get a better deal." --
Derek Ogbourne

Each exhibit brings with it new connections that the artist can utilize in order to push further into the market. Fortunately, the internet can be used as a point of contact. By utilizing aspects of the internet an emerging artist can learn about exhibit opportunities that he or she may not have been aware of otherwise. This can come in the form of discovering online juried art competitions or curators who are seeking emerging artists. Thus, it is important to take some initiative and make things happen. An emerging artist should not wait for ’it’ to happen-- an emerging artist should try his or her best to make ’it’ happen by improving upon his or her exhibit history. Think of each exhibit as a step up a ladder leading to the next step or as a machete that can slice into career obstacles.

2. Cultural Impact: The impact the artist has had on popular culture can be a factor in why he or she is able to demand high prices. A perfect example of this would be the art of Shepard Fairey. True, Fairey was well-known before creating his iconic image of Obama. However, that single image launched him into mainstream culture. That impact has made it possible for the artist and his work to end up discussed in a rural gas station as much as it is on the streets of New York. That impact, which spread like wildfire on the internet, has no doubt increased the value of Fairey’s work in the mindset of art collectors. Thus, it is important for emerging artists to make as much of a cultural impact as they can AND to utilize aspects of the internet in order to spread the flames, so to speak.

"Everybody uses labels: they give you a handle on things – an over-simplified handle, sure, but without labels, without ads, without words, the world would be an indistinguishable mass, a blur. You can hope, maybe, that people ascribe so many labels to you that none wins out…" --
Vito Acconci

Making a cultural impact involves fostering discussion about your art by taking specific actions that can help improve your chances of being successful-- or at least notorious. This does not mean that the emerging artist must fight for a specific political cause, but if the artist does have a statement to make he or she should probably make it very clear. Fairey’s HOPE is an example of how easily work by a specific artist can become recognizable by utilizing the internet and spreading the word. True, an emerging artist may not be able to make the same national impact on visual culture that Fairey has accomplished, but it is very possible for he or she to make a regional impact on culture. As I’ve mentioned before… it is very important to build a regional audience for your work and this specific factor can play a role in that.

3. Social Networking: Who the artist is associated with can be a major factor in why he or she is able to demand high prices. Traditional social networking is still a solid foundation for exposure. However, there are other options-- such as online social networking. By social networking online an emerging artist can meet and build connections with individuals who have the potential to drastically improve the exposure of his or her work.

"My students have almost all made networking sites part of their daily life. I seriously wonder where they find the time. Young artists have great opportunities to see what is out there, to form connections and communities and to promote themselves." --
Holly Hughes

Today an emerging artist can utilize social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, and myartspace in order to build rapport with gallery owners, curators, art collectors, and fellow artists. Establishing good rapport with fellow artists is one of the best ways to open doors later down the road, so to speak. Online networking and the interaction that originates from it can foster exhibit involvement and other opportunities for the emerging artist. Social networking online is social networking without the expense of travel or a hangover.

In closing, that is the three main factors as I see them. My opinion is that if an emerging artist improves on these three factors he or she will have a better chance of demanding higher prices in the future. Until that point is reached he or she will have to be realistic about pricing. True, an emerging artist can be successful in grasping these three factors and still not achieve the standing of pricing that he or she desires. However, by taking initiative and improving upon them he or she will stand a much better chance of improving upon his or her market.

As the saying goes, “You only live once.”. In other words, spend your time wisely. If you want to view art as a career-- and if you strive to sell art you most certainly do to some extent-- then you must realize that you will need to do what you can to foster it just like any other business entrepreneur. If you can’t think of selling art as a business… than you should probably not bother selling your art. It is as simple as that.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin
Senior Editor
www.myartspace.com

Myartspace Interviews: Kathie Olivas, Travis Louie, Sas Christian

A look at past interviews that have been featured on www.myartspace.com.

Interview with Kathie Olivas:
“I started exhibiting over a dozen years ago and wasn't really familiar with the term "lowbrow." I was just showing in contemporary galleries. I met my husband in 2000 and he introduced me to Juxtapoz Magazine and started encouraging me to start showing on the West Coast. My work just sort of fit, but I've always thought of Lowbrow as being a very West Coast movement so I guess I still feel a bit like an outsider.” -- Kathie Olivas
READ MORE
Interview with Travis Louie:
“My work is created in several stages, . . . the first being the idea and or inspiration which can come at any time at any place. When I'm purposefully trying to come up with something, I make many little thumbnail drawings and write little character descriptions or complete little short stories to accompany the concept of a piece before I even get to the painting,”-- Travis Louie
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Interview with Sas Christian:
“When I was about 8 a Japanese friend of mine at school had shown me some dolls she had - they were hand-painted and had these vibrant large "manga" eyes. I was fascinated with them and it stuck.”-- Sas Christian
READ MORE

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com

Art Space Talk: Antonio Puri

Antonio Puri states that his art is his means of identifying with the universe. Puri utilizes symbols, forms, and spatial concern as a means to express his need for universality. His inspiration comes from the unity between the microscopic and the macrocosmic. In a sense, his painting process is also designed to bridge the gap between the known and the unknown.

Voyage 3, Mixed Media on Canvas, 36" X 36", 2008

Brian Sherwin: Antonio, you studied at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. Can you discuss your academic years? Did you have any influential art instructors?

Antonio Puri: I loved San Francisco. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t left. As far as instructors though, the most significant art teacher I had was in Iowa. His name was Bob Kocher and he taught painting. I remember how he pushed me to think outside the box. I was very comfortable doing landscape paintings and still life but he helped me realize there was more than that. From the very first abstract painting I made I was in love. I found it to be so liberating to be able to paint from sources inside of me rather than what was outside.
Janm 1, Mixed Media on Canvas, 20" X 20", 2007-2008

BS: You have stated that your inspiration comes from the unity between the microscopic and the macrocosmic. Can you go into further detail about this? Tell us more about the philosophy behind your art.

AP: My work is about Oneness. Things that are so small that cannot be seen with the naked eyes have a relationship with things that are too large to see, like supernovas and nebulas. I found the similarities fascinating. I remember reading in Eastern mysticism that things which are inside us are also outside of us. This idea troubled me for years, since it seemed like a contradiction. However, looking at the similarities between the micro and macro, things started to make more sense. My goal was to make works that could be seen as both large and small simultaneously. The mitosis series was born from that quest.

Crown Chakra, Mixed Media on Canvas, 72" X 72", 2008

BS: Can you discuss some of the symbolism involved with your art?

AP: Targets are a perfect example. There is a definite history to the target motif used by Johns, Noland and others, but they could also be mandalas used in Buddhist expressions of meditations. It is this overlap of meanings that symbols present that excites me. When the same images can be seen by different cultures as meaning different things, it is ultimately abstract.

BS: What about your methods as far as your painting is concerned? I understand that you utilize materials that sometimes resist each other. Can you discuss some of your techniques and your thoughts behind some of the materials that you use?

AP: I studied batik when I was very young, around 12 years old. The idea of wax resisting the dye was thrilling. When I studied painting I felt that the traditional process of painting usually covers up layers and layers of paint. So I decided to apply the batik process to my paintings. I had to modify the process so I could work with wax and acrylics and oils.

The fact that wax would repel washes of acrylics allowed me to experiment with a variety of applications not easy to create with traditional paints. For example, if I was to have a drip which changed colors as it went on that would be almost impossible by using just paints. But a drip made of wax covering several colors would make this possible. Of course I would need to burn off the wax with newspapers and irons before the colors underneath are revealed. I realize it can get confusing talking about this without a real demo but hopefully it makes sense.

I also experiment with paints of different viscosities to create a resist affect. The whole concept is to break down paradigms that say what we cannot do. It is this feeling of separation that I resist. Is it possible to make oil and water one? Can collage and painting fuse together? I started to experiment with all kinds of materials and techniques and hope to continue that.

Stairway 4, Mixed Media on Canvas, 30" X 30", 2008

BS: What about other influences? Do you adhere to any specific art tradition, so to speak? Are you inspired directly by any specific artist from the past?

AP: I definitely have a deep respect for abstract expressionism. I find Pollock, Kiefer, Johns, Rothko, Rauschenberg, De Kooning, among others, very inspiring. Nonetheless, I don’t see my art as derivative of any of these artists but an attempt to create a synthesis between the past and present. By incorporating my own life experiences and philosophy to the work, it separates it from any particular school of thought. Personally I prefer to stay away from labeling the work as belonging to a specific tradition.

BS: What are you working on at this time? Can you give our readers some insight into your most current work?

AP: I have been working on an afterlife series. I find death and afterlife are issues which are treated so differently by various societies that I wanted to address it in my work. To see death and birth into another life as the same thing continues my exploration of oneness. I created a work which incorporated crematory ashes and saw this as an afterlife for those ashes. I am pursuing a more conceptual idea now where I am asking donors to will their ashes to me. Of course it is conceivable that I may never get to use those ashes in case I transcend before my donors, but it is the idea which has merit for me. By willing one’s ashes an individual has to think about their own demise and afterlife. Some cultures are more open and receptive to these ideas than others, and it is quite revealing how each reacts. It is by understanding death that we can begin to live.

BS: Will you be involved with any upcoming exhibits?

AP: I am currently in a group show with eleven international abstract artists known as Pintura Fresca. We met on the internet and have been showing our work together around the world. The show has already traveled to Singapore, UK, and is now in San Francisco at the California Institute for Integral Studies.

The opening reception is on November 7th at 7pm. You can get more information on the group and exhibition at www.pinturafresca.net. There are several other exhibitions I have coming up in Philadelphia, Bethesda, Arizona, and India. I try and keep an updated list of exhibitions on my home page: www.antoniopuri.com.

Open when Closed, Mixed Media on Canvas, 72" X 72" X 3", 2007

BS: Speaking of exhibiting… what do enjoy about displaying your art in public view? Do you see it as part of the process, so to speak?

AP: The public is a crucial part of the art making process. Especially in my new afterlife series, the public is one with the art. By having the audience participate in signing the donor list, they become a piece of the art. It is unifying the viewing experience and the participating experience. I enjoy the opinions that people express because it is out of those differences that I find unity. If the art would be the same to everyone it might get boring.

BS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art or the goals that you have?

AP: No, I feel like I have already said too much. Thanks Brian.

You can learn more about Antonio Puri by visiting his website-- www.antoniopuri.com. You can read more of my interviews by visiting the following page-- www.myartspace.com/interviews.

Take care, Stay true,

Brian Sherwin

Senior Editor

www.myartspace.com