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?

Cow Tipping… Damien Hirst Style

Hirst's Mother & Child Divided (BBC)

BBC reports that a promotional model cow located near Damien Hirst’s exhibit at Torre Abbey in Devon has been stolen “several times“ despite an increase in security measures. The model cow-- used to promote Hirst’s Mother & Child Divided-- has been found in various places-- normally “grazing“ near the exhibit location. However, the cow has not been found since the last theft.

Protecting Your Art Online

Protecting Your Art Online:

Since the advent of the Internet visual artists have been caught in a maelstrom between easy-- and accessible-- exposure for their art as well as the potential for images of their art to be used in ways they do not agree with-- in a sense, stolen. While it is true that the Internet has spurred a new form of art theft-- it has also paved the way for artists to gain exposure without the need for additional expenses that were warranted in the years before the World Wide Web. Thus, the desire-- easy exposure aside-- to protect ones work online is often a hot topic with visual artists from all walks of life and levels of professionalism.

How has the Recession shaped the Art World?

How has the Recession shaped the Art World?

How has the recession-- and all the financial woes we have faced in recent years-- shaped the art world? Has the art market taken a step back or a step forward? Do emerging artists have an advantage or disadvantage due to the recession as far as making a name for themselves? Will we see an evolution-- or revolution- within the art world as to what is viewed as visionary? These are questions that I recently discussed with some of my associates.

Is Art the Only Statement an Artist Needs?

Is Art the Only Statement an Artist Needs?

Within minutes of posting “Artist Statements say Nothing when Plagiarism is Involved” I received some criticism on Facebook. The artist-- who asked to remain anonymous for this article-- stated that the artwork itself is the only statement that an artist needs. He went on to say that various forms of art writing by artists should not reflect more than the artwork itself. The artist went on to suggest that other forms of art writing, such as exhibit reviews and the opinion of art critics, are “point blank useless”. It was clear that this individual is of the opinion that artists should only speak visually-- and that art writing only serves as a means of mental masturbation, so to speak. I’d say that art writing-- at least some of it-- is of “point blank” importance-- and that some of us love to get ‘off‘.

Artist Statements say Nothing when Plagiarism is Involved

Artist Statements say Nothing when Plagiarism is Involved:

Since my involvement with http://www.myartspace.com/ it is safe to say that I’ve viewed the artwork of thousands of artists-- probably more in the hundreds of thousands-- online. I can remember days when it was not uncommon for me to view the work of at least 300 artists on a routine daily basis-- a constant search for potential interviews. Needless to say, I've viewed a lot of artwork and have read many artist statements as Senior Editor. Thus, I have learned to key in on potential problems concerning the statements of artists and the manner in which they gain exposure online.

Call For Artists -- Finding The Right Prospectus

“CALL FOR ENTRY”

I am gathering information to write about "Call For Entry” for visual artists. If you know of any contests, competitions or open calls with a deadline this summer or fall, send me the information. I am looking for museums, universities and brick and mortar galleries. Please no online galleries because MYARTSPACE has its own gallery devoted to selling works at NYAXE.
After doing some research, I am hoping to add some information to my blog and update it monthly.
I have had quite a bit of experience submitting my work to galleries and museums back when I was actively working in that direction. I know how frustrating it is to sift through all the crap out there. “How do we know what type of gallery is calling for entry?”
I used to look through Art Week for the latest call for entry; but they have gone by the wayside as of February 2010. Now, with the ubiquitous internet there are more and more scams. I will work very diligently to get some viable information very soon. In the mean time, I do know that some places are better than others in regard to visibility.

First of all, ask yourself why you want to show your work? Is it only to sell your work, or craving recognition, or just to get your art out there; "as we say in the art world?" Well, where is out there? If you look on the internet there are plenty of sites devoted to "call for entry" but most of them charge a yearly subscription. They aren’t too expensive but which one or two are the best?

I had friend of mine go through all the trouble in the submission process just to get into a tiny gallery way out in the middle of a wheat field in Nebraska. Not that there is anything wrong with Nebraska; but getting your art into show, after all the hard work put into making the art, preparing it to show and shipping it off, it seems like you would want to show in a place where plenty of people will see your art work.

Now, if you put in all that effort in making the art, getting it in order on CDs and DVDs, labeled, size/medium and all the other requests on the detailed prospectus, where are you going to show your work? It is always best to start close to home. If you are an emerging artist there are plenty of shows for artists who have just earned their MFA or have a limited number of shows under their belt. But for the people who have hit a ceiling and passed the emerging artist status, it becomes harder and harder to find quality places to submit work.

I know a woman who made up almost 300 portfolios and took them around to galleries in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Europe. She only got into one show and that was in Pacifica, California. Her work was great but no one cared to even look at it. She heard people laugh at her as she left a few of the galleries. I really felt bad for her. I don’t know what happened to her after she moved to New York but I hope she got off the ground.
I know there are many ways to get work shown but I will stick to “Open Calls For Entry” and “Artist’s Call For Entry.” Some of the “calls for art” may state their desire to look at an artist’s work for an upcoming show.

They may be looking for a certain theme or they want any genre of fresh art for an open call. Sometimes this work is shelved for future shows. They may be named, “call for entry” “call for art” “call for artist” but they all are requesting artist’s to send in examples of there work to their jury or selection committee. I am sure most of you already know this but I am just answering some of the questions from readers about this topic.
I will start with the competitions I know myself, do a bit more research and hopefully I will get plenty of information from "out there."

Of course I have to let you know about what MYARTSPACE has to offer in terms of competitions. The Scholarship competition is very successful for students and a few different competitions are coming up. I will keep you posted.

Let me know what you are interested in and what you would like to find out about art competitions.

I want to let you know about a “Call For Entry” in San Francisco where years ago a colleague of mind won and was almost sued for slander. I will just leave that information at that and move on. Look over the prospectus and see if your art would fit in the category.


Call For Artists: 2010/2011 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series
2010/2011 Art on Market Street Kiosk Poster Series
CALL FOR ARTISTS: prospectus may be viewed at:

http://www.sfartscommission.org/pubartcollection/calls-for-artists/2010/05/10/call-for-artists-20102011-art-on-market-street-kiosk-poster-series/

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2010, 5:00 p.m.

Remember the deadline and follow the prospectus. After you read all the details you will see how much you have to do to “GET OUT THERE”
Feel Free to email me @

jennykterry@gmail.com

best,

Jenny Harris
Senior Editor
MYARTSPACE.com

Universitys' Master’s Thesis Shows

Monica Lundy 2010

gouache on paper, 2010

May is a busy time for Universities. In the art world, the Master’s Thesis Fine Art Exhibitions is one of the most pivotal moments in an artist life. Millions of art collectors, patrons of the arts, curators, critics, other artists and friends descend on campuses to view the art of students just about to enter the competitive art market. Because these students have been studying innovative ideas, collaboration, style and refinement of their work for the last two or three years, their art may be on the cutting edge waiting to be to be scooped up by collectors. Students will use this work to contact galleries and competitions to start, or extend their art career.

I looked up MFA Thesis shows and found a few in the Bay Area. The three I picked are not a reflection of the best art work in this area; but they are the shows I had time to visit, read about or view online. I did notice most of the artists did not have their own web page -- to easily access through their University’s MFA show web site. Or could I find them on any social web site. I believe having a place to share their art would be an important tool for student to learn in this age of social networking.

It is a well know fact, if you want to start collecting art -- go to MFA Thesis Shows. Student artists are very interested in selling their art, at no commission to a gallery, for great prices.

Don’t be surprised if you run into artist egos because these students are coming off a high where they were on top of their world.

Mills College MFA Exhibition 2010

Exhibition Dates: May 2−30, 2010

My first adventure was to Mills College in Oakland. The name of their Thesis Show is Between You and Me. The exhibition is curated by Stephanie Hanor, Director of the Mills College Art Museum.Between You and Me features work by:

Nic Buron, Joey Castor, Chris Fraser, Dana Hemenway, Kija Lucas, Bobby Lukas, Monica Lundy, Kate Stirr, Adam Vermeire and Doug Williams.

Monica Lundy 2010

271, gouache on paper, 2010

Monica Lundy's investigations of historical California criminals manifest, of women who were in prison, in a series of paintings and sculpture that explore identity perception in relation to systems of social classification.

This body of work was inspired by prison archival photographs from the California State Archives in Sacramento.

These oil and gouache portraits of female inmates and the application of wet clay to the gallery wall diluted paint that pools, bleeds, and separates as it dries, creates an effect of staining or erosion; or wet clay on the wall that leaves as evidence only a trace of what was there before. “Working in this way conjures mental parallels to the corrosive nature of time on material things,” Lundy said.

Lundy has already had numerous exhibitions and has studied in painting in Florence, Italy. She received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. You can view more of her work at www.monicalundy.com.

This work and the other 2010 MFA student’s work can be seen through the end of this month.

Mills College 5000 MacArthur Blvd
Oakland, CA 94613 Museum Hours:

Tuesday-Sunday 11-4 pm

Wednesday 11-7:30 pm

www.mills.edu/museum

San Francisco Art Institute MFA Exhibition 2010

Runs through: 15–22 May 2010

If you can only make it to one show and really want to see a cross section of what’s happening in the contemporary art world you can’t miss the “San Francisco Art Institute MFA Graduate Exhibition, Vernissage. This show will feature work by nearly 100 artists graduating from the SF Art Institute this year.

Artists include: Maia L. Anderson, Luca Nino Antonucci, Alexis Arnold, David Bayus, Pete Belkin, Pamela Belknap, Tyler Borenstein, Percy Cannon, Reece Camp Carter, Richard Bluecloud Castaneda, Carlos Castro Arias, Alma Chaney, Kim Cook, Christina Corfield, Liz Corman, Ian Coyle, Taylor Crawley, Nicole Crescenzi, Donald Daedalus, Xiao-long Dai, Tyrone Davies, Kate Dipietro, Emily Dippo, Stephanie Dodes, Mercedes Dorame, Jason Driskill, Sara Eliassen, Carrie Elzey, Rashin Fahandej, Catherine Anne Fairbanks, Laura Boles Faw, Michael Robinson Fleming, Ferdinanda Florence, Aryk Gardea, Lindsay Gardner, Brynda Glazier, Jono Goodman, David Marc Grant, Casey Gray, Robin Griswold, Ashley Harris, Lauren Hartman, Melkorka Helgadóttir, Michael Hilt, Chris Hood, Tsen-Chu Bamboo Hsu, Neil Jernstrom, Lindsay Jordan, Hyunsun (Yuri) Jung, Amelia Layton, Jack Leamy, Ko Woon Lee, Hava Liberman, Cathy Chih Lu, Christine Lund, Julie Mallozzi, Romy Leanides Mariano, Susan Alta Martin, Margaux McAllister, Christopher Walton McLean, Carling McManus, Sonja Meller, Nicholas Conrad Miller, Mimi Moncier, Amy Morgenstern, Robert Moya, Muistardeaux Collective, Crystal Am Nelson, Karl Nelson, Jennifer Odell, Ian Alan Paul, Eric Petitti, Scott Polach, Carissa Potter, Ernest Eugene Regua, Lina María Rincón, Eric A. Roman, Lisa Mitchell-Schmaltz, Jesse Eric Schmidt, Gretchen Adelia Schneider, Stephen R. Shearer, Daniel R. Small, Marta Spurgeon, Magda Stanová, Mary Jakse Strebinger, Jen Susman, Amy R. Sweeney, Michael Ten Pas, Angela Thornton, Krissie Tosi, Paulina Velázquez Solís, Kheng-li Wee, Cascade Wilhelm, Megan Wynne, Michele Wysocki, Rochelle You, Amber Jean Young, Daniel Yovino, and Eric Zeigler.

Paulina Velázquez Solís

Solis was born in Puebla, México but moved to Costa Rica, where she obtained her BFA in Visual Arts at the National University (UNA) in printmaking with teachers such as Adrián Arguedas and Rudy Espinoza.

Her work is focused at the moment in the symbolism behind games and playful actions, using techniques such as printmaking, as well as video, animation and three-dimensional objects. In her thesis work she found discarded objects on the sidewalks in a couple of San Francisco neighborhoods. She copied the objects and printed them out on paper or on currency.

She plans to go back to Costa Rica and find job that gives her time to do her art. She also wants to open a workshop-studio-art coop.

She has also shown her work in such places as Casa de las Américas in Havana, Cuba, the Costa Rican National Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MADC) in San José and the SUNY Gallery in New Paltz, New York.

The Thesis Show for the Art Institute will be at Fort Mason.

Vernissage

Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason

(Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street)

San Francisco, CA

Gallery hours: daily from 12:00 to 6:00p.m.

http://sfai.edu

San Francisco State University 2010 Thesis Show

Through May 14

Seven emerging, prolific artists present new work in textiles, sculpture, painting, conceptual and information arts, photography and printmaking. Showcasing the creativity and diversity in the SF State Art Department’s rigorous, competitive three-year M.F.A. program, these artists all exhibit their works actively throughout Northern California.

Bren Ahearn, Luke Damiani, Aaron Granich, Matt Kennedy, Taryn McCabe, Jeff Ray, and Holly Williams.

Luke Damiani 2010

Luke Damiani’s wood and metal sculpture presents as a statement on industrialism’s crude beginnings. These machines would have little use with today’s rapid farming practices. Along any highway in California old broken-down tractors, plows and carts can been seen rusting away. This work reminds me of a representation of the once thriving agrarian culture.

Damiani say, "Machinery in the modern age augments human activities, making tasks easier to perform, or freeing up labor altogether. Prior to the materialization of machinery though, people imagined mythical machines that aided them in navigating the supernatural. Both realized and imagined machinery are indicative of man’s desire to invent forms that could provide freedom from the constraints of time and place."

Damiani received his BFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts, Oakland before attending to San Francisco State University. He has worked as a gallery assistant during his time at college and will continue to show his work.

Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Through May 14th

Closed Sunday through Tuesday.
1600 Holloway Avenue

San Francisco

Fine Arts Building Room 238

http://art.sfsu.edu/

More On Thesis Shows:

After all the research I did through the internet I found it difficult to find accessible images of students’ work at University MFA Programs. The Master Thesis Shows' Art should be easy to find and the artists work displayed. I didn’t have all that much luck in the Bay Area finding good web sites. But I did find two from other states -- that go right to the MFA students’ thesis show. Why do most colleges neglect to have students work easily available to view on the internet? Shouldn't learning how to display their art on the internet be on the curriculum? There are too many unorganized, ugly, non-productive sites around that do more harm than good for the visibility of fresh art from the energetic group of recent graduates.

Go to these sites to see if they are easy to look through.

Emerging and established artist need to understand how to show their work through the World Wide Web.

University of Houston

http://www.class.uh.edu/blaffer/exhibit_2010_thesis.html

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

http://www.massart.edu/Galleries/Featured_Exhibitions/MFA_Thesis_10.html

Jenny Harris

Senior Editor

MYARTSPACE.com