31 posts tagged “artists”
- The portrait Herbert Ascherman Jr. took of me appeared in the paper yesterday in a story about the Cleveland Society of Alternative Printers.
- There's a little Q&A I did over at the blog She Wants To Find Frankenstein
- And then I conducted a Q&A with Casey Weldon over at Kotori Magazine
Got all that? Also, I will be having a launch party at my new studio once I get my crap all moved in. More info TBA but keep July 11th open if you are interested. I just got back from a trip to Michigan and came home to a slew of emails and phones calls all urgent and crap (why did everyone decide they needed everything from me on Saturday for everything?) so I will have a recap and photos involving lots, and lots of beer shortly. Is it bad that I totally forgot my birthday was this week too? Like Thursday or something? I haven't looked at a calendar so I have no idea what today is even. My only reminder were a few gifts I got in the mail today. Maybe I'm ignoring the fact I'm now going to be over 30 (eeep!), but presents are nice and make it slightly less painful, gimmeh more presents! Or not, whatever is good for you.
Who are these people that charge stupid amounts of money to be your art "consultant"? Not all art genres and scenes are the same, not all approaches should be the same, not to mention any information you need can be found at the library for free. I've noticed most consultants have a spotty job history and are failed gallery owners; on average with two under their belt. I don't want someone who couldn't keep their own business going to be tell me how to run mine. I write my own bio, CV, design my own website and often I write my own press releases -- not the galleries. Why? Because I know me better than some person I just met who will base everything off a questionnaire. The best are the consultants that claim that they know the secret to writing good copy, and in the claim, they have glaring spelling errors or made up words like "impactful". Yes people "impactful" is not a word, stop using it. Twitter isn't magic, neither is blogging, and teaching a workshop on good art portfolio web design isn't a selling point when your own workshop website sucks.
I guess there are those artists that feel lost and out of the loop, but with a little research, they can do anything that paying a consultant can do. I never understood why bands paid PR companies for something they could do for next to nothing. I should know, I had a music promotions side company with my husband for a while. I felt like a fraud because what we were doing wasn't rocket science, anyone could do it. Perhaps they were paying for what my husband's reputation could bring them? In any case, the results we got made several bands very happy and they wondered what the secret was. Simple really: email someone personally. I know crazy right? Instead of an email blast hoping for it to stick!
I don't know, sometimes I just put it down to laziness. Trust me, I am lazy as hell, but somehow I can get stuff done if it is important enough to me. I always thought of people who got life coaches to be lazy for instance. It doesn't help I know a few people who trained to become life coaches, and they are some deeply disturbed individuals with a messy life of their own -- real messy. Maybe hiring a consultant or a coach of sorts makes people feel important? Like you are getting serious and down to business. Maybe they make really bad art and hiring help will somehow change that. Maybe I'm just incredibly distrustful; there are too many hucksters in creative fields for me to count. Maybe I'd rather spend $500 on an ad in a fancy art magazine, than have an unemployed former director of a gallery no one ever heard of tell me how to write an impactful biography.
Last night I attended a large open studio event here in Cleveland that included private artist studios, galleries, an auction house and the ever curious Xploited Cinema. It was a strange night and made me and my partner in crime feel as though we were in a David Lynch film. I had been in the building many times on the ground floor, but never saw how developed the rest of the property was -- very nice spaces indeed. But, nice space isn't enough to always look professional and not look completely shifty! It brought up a lot of points about open studios if you are planning on hosting one yourself.
- Clean your space up! I understand if you want to have your space look like Francis Bacon because it is all "tortured artist" or something, but at least clear off your surfaces where it looks a little bit like you tried. This especially goes if you are a gallery or an auction house! I'm not going to buy something from you if it looks like you are going to lose my paperwork in a mountain of magazines and trash. It says to me that you are a disorganized mess.
- No one is going to buy an old painting at auction that is cracked all to hell, because I can imagine paint chips eventually falling into my carpet.
- Dust your artwork, especially if you are trying to sell it for $14,000.
- Have business cards, hoping I remember your name to google later on isn't such a practical way of trying to market yourself.
- Lights, they're handy, I can see things when lights are put on them.
- Don't tell me how you've never exhibited, or sold work, because that would then make you a commercialized whore for the dollar and you want no part of that. It isn't cute, and it doesn't make me think you are somehow noble.
- Don't try to sell damaged prints to people.
- Don't have acoustic music or weirdo neo-folk people play art openings. That's just wrong.
- I can smell your pot smoke, we all can, you are fooling no one with the Oust air spray.
- If you have busted frames, throw them out and get new ones. No one wants to buy busted art.
- Being nowhere to be found when there is a possiblity of journalists who might want to photograph or interview you isn't such a good move. This goes for artists and the gallery owners.
- Not leaving bio information of any sort near art that I actually want to know more about, it is a no no. Especially if it is an artist not in attendance who can't be there to promote themselves.
- Not giving price lists anywhere, but instead saying to people, "make me an offer". That is vague, and totally unprofessional. I mean dude, come on.
I could go on, but these were instances that came up that I can remember.
Finally after over a year of traveling and being thrust into various hands and 2 wait lists that fizzled: The curse of "The Duchess Beatrice" has ended. Someone finally knew what was good for them and nabbed her. Probably because they knew she would class up any room she hangs in -- damn right!
I have a bunch of new shows coming up, most in California, so go check 'em out here as I'm sure something will be happening at a gallery near you! I just realized, I have two rather large dual solo shows, and one solo show, coming up between now and September...crap, I better get busy!
I've made a new policy that I will no longer donate artwork to charity auctions of any sort -- with the exception of one Cleveland institution -- so from henceforth I will refuse all begging, pleading, and annoying guilt trips trying to get free work from me. I have had one too many annoying/exhausting/bitter experiences, so best just to stop them altogether.
I finally finished the later unedited volume of Cecil Beaton's last batch of diaries, verdict: what a bitch! Does it say something about me that I know all too well the people he speaks of in passing, or makes fun of? People most American 30 year-old women would never know? I think my pal Shannon is the only person I know my age who the names Mitford, Manners, Sert, Wrightsman, Bruce and Pope-Hennesy actually means anything. Maybe it means I'm just a big old Queen trapped inside my little queen body? Or perhaps I just retain completely useless facts easily. If there were ever a quiz show just about Hollywood history alone, I'd win it probably.
Would you like to know my latest time wasters? Oh sure you do!
http://stirredstraightup.blogspot.com
http://www.themostawesomeststuffever.blogspot.com
http://www.blushinghostessentertains.blogspot.com
http://scentedglossymagazines.blogspot.com
http://artistemerging.blogspot.com
The 2nd issue of Pink Eye Magazine has been released in print edition with a few different images and condensed interview of this. You can find it free in Cleveland at various galleries, bars and bookstores.
January 16th - Feb. 22nd: "It's Fierce" a fashion themed group show @ Eclectix Gallery, El Cerrito CA. Opening reception Friday from 7-10pm. I'll have a miniature portrait made especially for this show.
February (Friday the) 13th - March 7th: Art Core presents "Forgotten Saints" A collection of Saints that never were or never should have been. @ Congregation of Forgotten Saints, 7569 Melrose Ave. Hollywood, CA 90046. I get to make up a saint with a history, how perfect.
April 17th -May 17th: "Confections" group show @ The Alternative Cafe Gallery, Seaside CA.
April 24th - May 14h: "Poise, Posture, and Profanity" a dual solo show with Andrea Heimer @ Artchitecture Gallery, Cleveland OH. We're very excited about this show and I'll be debuting a new series of miniatures!
Saturday, August 15th: "Innocence and Arrogance" a dual solo show with Brandi Read @ Art Whino, National Harbor MD. More info TBA.
for prints: www.bellavendetta.etsy.com
for more info: www.arabellaproffer.com
I was voted 2008 Best Visual Artist in Cleveland in the reader's poll for Scene. Yay! Thanks to all who voted, you know who you are. On that note, I finally finished my piece for the All Things Cleveland show coming up on November 14th. I was having A LOT of trouble with it as it simply isn't my usual style, but the fact it my made husband bust out laughing and he couldn't turn way was all I needed to know it was a success.
Some info on the show:
"A visual roast of this glorious city by Cleveland artists. If you cannot laugh at yourself, you cannot laugh at all. Just think: Of the overwhelming cabbage smell of grandma’s house, the Big Chuck and Little John show on a black and white television with tinfoil on the antenna, etc.
The work exhibited is produced solely by Cleveland artists to emit that bleak perspective of a Clevelander. This exhibition will be a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The object was to produce an exhibition that promotes a self deprecating view of Cleveland by Clevelanders. The work must represent or depict Cleveland in some way, shape, or form. Think more of a less positive Harvey Pekarian viewpoint, burnt pierogies, the continual grief and despair we feel each and every day, the adverse effect our sports teams have on our mental state, our bleak and depressing outlook on life, etc, etc, all the good things.
The opening reception will be complete with a live polka style performance covering all the great Cleveland inspired hits like – Bernie, Bernie, Cleveland Rocks, The Heart of Rock n Roll, etc. Sauerkraut and kielbasa will be available and will be slow cooked overnight to give the gallery that special sensory smell we are all accustomed to being from Cleveland. Opening Reception - Friday, Nov 14th., 6-10pm. Show runs through Dec. 6th"
I hope of the local celebrities that THIS GUY shows up!
New portrait, "Anya" 5x7"...
and I know you are probably sick of me posting pictures of Milkshake -- no wait, I take it back -- NO ONE is ever sick of Milkshake, and if you are, someone must have urinated in your eye drops or contact solution because that's the ONLY way you could ever find pain in viewing all that is white and fuzzy. Anyways I'm only posting this photo because I thought it was funny to see him clearly trying to imitate an old painting of mine...
Seriously, he was trying to reach his back leg, he had a slew of poses he was trying out. What a weirdo.
Two newbies here...
Svetlana, 10x8" oil on board
Vivienne, 5x7" oil on panel. I'm doing several tiny paintings lately.
I'll have two pieces in this show curated by www.creepmachine.com, should be pretty fun and I wish I could go. My two portraits of a character I call "Switchblade Sue" are just based in general off all the girl gang related teen exploitation movies I've seen over the years. Here are some clips to get you in the mood. High School Caesar is one of my favorites, although the clip doesn't show the gang leader's girlfriend with huge knockers and bizarre eyebrows. But boy, I wish I could have an "anything goes party!" like in the High School Hellcats. Maybe when I turn 30 in June?
Once upon a time when I worked at Herbert Palmer Gallery, I finally got some cash together to buy a silkscreen by Gerald Laing (since I didn't have the money for an Albrect Durer woodcut that may have been a fake). I bought a great piece from the Baby Baby Wild Things series he did in the 60s...
It is my favorite thing in my home. I don't even care about Bridget Bardot, but I like the image. Little did I know that he was STILL making kick ass pop art images, even of today's celebrity train wrecks...
do yourself a favor and grab one if you can.
Steve from "Artwork by Steve" also does pop art style oil paintings; girls with colored sunglasses and always with food, or bubbles, or both...
You can also buy prints from his site.
My parents started collecting the work of David Miretsky in the 70s. In fact he did a huge painting they bought to celebrate the birth of moi. He does a lot of social and family scenes that reflect the Brighton Beach circles of Russians and Ukrainians, but also nudes and political satire paintings. His work is either soft and pretty, or very surreal and bizarre. The men in his work are always in fact, very ugly. Though I guess the women can come off like cheap whores or well-to-do depending how you look at it. I grew up with both types of his work hung around the house, and I'm sure it made an impression on me on top of all the other eastern European artists my parents collected. In fact, many visitors to the house always asked how my family could live with so many large, bizarre, and somewhat disturbing images. I thought they were awesome, and thought it was normal. But here is one of his more subdued works...
I am not really a fan of vector art or digital painting, mostly because it looks digital and has the potential to appear very dated in the long run. But, I do like Tom Bagshaw, aka www.mostlywanted.com.
His work has a painterly figurative, anime, and comic book-like quality that for some reason I really dig. You can see some of his process on his blog: http://tombagshaw.blogspot.com/
