> MAYOR DALEY and art!
In reading an interesting 1971 book, BOSS: RICHARD J. DALEY OF CHICAGO, by the esteemed journalist Mike Royko I unexpectedly came across some art references to hizzoner. Having lived in Evanston and mostly Chicago (Southtown) between the years 1956-1968, that city and Boss Daley are not foreign; my eldest daughter was born there, the only one of my four children not born in California. Looking back, Chicago was and remains a great "art town"... when the cor-ten steel by Picasso was installed on the Loop plaza I once spent a full day taking one b/w photograph of that sculpture at the top of each hour from the same exact spot (with my used Leica), which became a homey scrapbook wedding gift for Art Institute buddy, the painter Jack Stone (now in Oakland, CA.) The 24 images showed the passage of light across the piece... which is still one of the more remarkable public artifacts.
Turns out that up until the late 1960s, it was Mayor Daley's habit to begin each day by being let off at the Chicago Art Institute for his morning exercise walk to City Hall, 1 1/2 miles west. That museum is the first serious art museum I ever entered in my life, and I went back a bunch of times... mainly to see the Ivan Albright and Seurat paintings, and their Wedgewood collection.
Anyway, I found the following passage from Royko's book informative (describing Mayor Daley's office at City Hall):
"The business like appearance carries through the office. The only color is provided by the flags of the United States and the city of Chicago, and a color photograph of his family. When a prominent cultural leader offered to donate some paintings for the office, an aide said, 'Please, no, he can't accept them. People would think he's going high-hat.' "
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Friday, July 21, 2006
July 2006 Page 13
> POEM FOR LADY SEA AND OUR CHILDREN
"The Colour of Love" As sung by: Billy Ocean, 1988
[Arista Records, Aqua Music Ltd., Donril Music... &c]
"If I had to paint a picture
To show the world how true love can really be
I would use the brightest colours
To create a vision of harmony
It would be a reality
'Cause it's only what's inside of my heart
You would see I've always loved you
Right from the very start.
Tell me, what is the colour of love?
What do you see?
Is it warm, is it tender when you think of me?
I see the colour of love when I'm thinking of you
As a picture perfect painting of a love forever true.
The colours of the rainbow
Turn grey whenever you're so far away
It changes like the seasons
You're the reason it happens that way
What you see are colours of emotion
Reflecting what I feel deep inside
Now I'd like to take a look
At emotions that you hide.
And, oh, though many may try to keep us apart
The colours that I see in you
Will shine a light to see us through
No matter what the world will do
I'll always love you..."
"The Colour of Love" As sung by: Billy Ocean, 1988
[Arista Records, Aqua Music Ltd., Donril Music... &c]
"If I had to paint a picture
To show the world how true love can really be
I would use the brightest colours
To create a vision of harmony
It would be a reality
'Cause it's only what's inside of my heart
You would see I've always loved you
Right from the very start.
Tell me, what is the colour of love?
What do you see?
Is it warm, is it tender when you think of me?
I see the colour of love when I'm thinking of you
As a picture perfect painting of a love forever true.
The colours of the rainbow
Turn grey whenever you're so far away
It changes like the seasons
You're the reason it happens that way
What you see are colours of emotion
Reflecting what I feel deep inside
Now I'd like to take a look
At emotions that you hide.
And, oh, though many may try to keep us apart
The colours that I see in you
Will shine a light to see us through
No matter what the world will do
I'll always love you..."
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
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July 2006 Page 12
> "No Child Left Behind" in the arts?
Congress is now debating how/when/why/if the arts should (imagine that!) be included in the basic curriculum of public schools. Having held my nose long enough to write that sentence, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS, a well-established national advocacy group, is asking people to (for heaven sake) write to Congress and explain why our representatives and educators should include art in American education's sorta new and still wobbly, in my opinion, "No Child Left Behind" policy - which has since inception seen the teaching of art reduced by 22% nationwide.
AFTA makes it REAL easy to do your letter online. Take ten minutes of your time, and maybe help save the next generation of artists.
www.americansforthearts.com
jbleland@artsusa.org
> AMERICAN SURREALIST INITIATIVE - exhibition update
100 artists and several alternates have been selected to participate in the 2008 AMERICAN SURREALIST INITIATIVE exhibition at the Saginaw Art Museum, Michigan.
On April 20th 2006 I was relieved of my duties as Curator of that museum. However, the exhibit remained on a staff, committee and Board-approved advanced schedule and has every possibility of taking place still. Saginaw's Director has assumed responsibility for all curatorial functions. Changes in staff may occur there as with any other museum. Those in charge may elect to continue with the show, change its dates or completely cancel it. Cancellation of this landmark exhibition would be almost tragic at this stage of American art history.
Since the Email addresses (resumes, statements etc.) of participating artists were part of my research there, they are proprietary and I was unable to bring them with me. However, concerned artists have two options that I am aware of:
~ 1. I have re-started VISUAL ART ACCESS, a private company (established 1987). See www.visualartaccess.com or http://arthrobs.blogspot.com/ for contact points to me directly.
~ 2. Letters may be written to the museum at lreker@saginawartmuseum.org or mbraun@saginawartmuseum.org, or 1126 N. Michigan, Saginaw 48602 urging them to keep the exhibit on their schedule in 2008 or some other time, and giving your reasons for the request.
Help is needed to spread this news to any artist known to have become part of the show, as there was no time to do so myself in April.
Thank you all for your patience, cooperation and encouragement. Let us remain hopeful that AMERICAN SURREALIST INITIATIVE will occur as planned... the fruition of many year's work.
Congress is now debating how/when/why/if the arts should (imagine that!) be included in the basic curriculum of public schools. Having held my nose long enough to write that sentence, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS, a well-established national advocacy group, is asking people to (for heaven sake) write to Congress and explain why our representatives and educators should include art in American education's sorta new and still wobbly, in my opinion, "No Child Left Behind" policy - which has since inception seen the teaching of art reduced by 22% nationwide.
AFTA makes it REAL easy to do your letter online. Take ten minutes of your time, and maybe help save the next generation of artists.
www.americansforthearts.com
jbleland@artsusa.org
> AMERICAN SURREALIST INITIATIVE - exhibition update
100 artists and several alternates have been selected to participate in the 2008 AMERICAN SURREALIST INITIATIVE exhibition at the Saginaw Art Museum, Michigan.
On April 20th 2006 I was relieved of my duties as Curator of that museum. However, the exhibit remained on a staff, committee and Board-approved advanced schedule and has every possibility of taking place still. Saginaw's Director has assumed responsibility for all curatorial functions. Changes in staff may occur there as with any other museum. Those in charge may elect to continue with the show, change its dates or completely cancel it. Cancellation of this landmark exhibition would be almost tragic at this stage of American art history.
Since the Email addresses (resumes, statements etc.) of participating artists were part of my research there, they are proprietary and I was unable to bring them with me. However, concerned artists have two options that I am aware of:
~ 1. I have re-started VISUAL ART ACCESS, a private company (established 1987). See www.visualartaccess.com or http://arthrobs.blogspot.com/ for contact points to me directly.
~ 2. Letters may be written to the museum at lreker@saginawartmuseum.org or mbraun@saginawartmuseum.org, or 1126 N. Michigan, Saginaw 48602 urging them to keep the exhibit on their schedule in 2008 or some other time, and giving your reasons for the request.
Help is needed to spread this news to any artist known to have become part of the show, as there was no time to do so myself in April.
Thank you all for your patience, cooperation and encouragement. Let us remain hopeful that AMERICAN SURREALIST INITIATIVE will occur as planned... the fruition of many year's work.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
July 2006 Page 11
> Kim Thoman going to Wurlitzer
Former VAA artist from the SF Bay Area, Kim Thoman, has been awarded an eleven-week Summer 2007 residency at the prestigious Helene Wurlitzer foundation in Taos, NM... one of the more beautiful sites for such colonies. Congratulations to her for the work which earned this recognition, and for continuing to apply for those programs. By the way, she also recently got married!
> WEBB CITY DIGITAL - Giclee prints etc.
Had a good meeting with Jeremiah Dawson (son of Webb City artist Jack Dawson) and Tom DeCleene who co-operate a first-rate print studio near Joplin, 1501 Homestead Dr.
Their facility was quite impressive and busy as a beehive with the packing and sending of framed/unframed prints and other general activities one would not imagine take place in that quiet white country barn. Jeremiah got the business going about 5 years ago and is their technical/computer specialist. Tom joined in a bit later to serve as a design/color and other liaison with artists and groups seeking prints or reproductions.
They offer the total range of up-to-date digital photographic services including everything from 8x10 prints and 35mm slides on up to the CD, jpeg and whatever else is most useful in that field... all work being done in-house. They keep excellent reference print archives on each client, whether for an individual or organization such as Joplin City Hall (who commissioned them to make a reproduction of Thomas Hart Benton's mural there).
They can produce print sizes up to 44" height x unlimited length on paper or canvas (in editions from 1 to however many), have their own framing/matting shop, an online gallery of their customer's art is being planned, a great website and Email capability, can put together business cards and beautiful color brochures, do all their own packing/shipping as needed, have an online Price Calculator so you know what they charge in advance, and have worked with artists the likes of Doug Hall, Jack Hetterich, Charles Huntington and Steve Horan among many others in Missouri and from as far away as Florida. Everything they do is tailor-made according to the requirements of the artist and the available budget.
Check 'em out... looks like a great service for any artist in America.
www.webbcitydigital.com
sales@webbcitydigital.com
Former VAA artist from the SF Bay Area, Kim Thoman, has been awarded an eleven-week Summer 2007 residency at the prestigious Helene Wurlitzer foundation in Taos, NM... one of the more beautiful sites for such colonies. Congratulations to her for the work which earned this recognition, and for continuing to apply for those programs. By the way, she also recently got married!
> WEBB CITY DIGITAL - Giclee prints etc.
Had a good meeting with Jeremiah Dawson (son of Webb City artist Jack Dawson) and Tom DeCleene who co-operate a first-rate print studio near Joplin, 1501 Homestead Dr.
Their facility was quite impressive and busy as a beehive with the packing and sending of framed/unframed prints and other general activities one would not imagine take place in that quiet white country barn. Jeremiah got the business going about 5 years ago and is their technical/computer specialist. Tom joined in a bit later to serve as a design/color and other liaison with artists and groups seeking prints or reproductions.
They offer the total range of up-to-date digital photographic services including everything from 8x10 prints and 35mm slides on up to the CD, jpeg and whatever else is most useful in that field... all work being done in-house. They keep excellent reference print archives on each client, whether for an individual or organization such as Joplin City Hall (who commissioned them to make a reproduction of Thomas Hart Benton's mural there).
They can produce print sizes up to 44" height x unlimited length on paper or canvas (in editions from 1 to however many), have their own framing/matting shop, an online gallery of their customer's art is being planned, a great website and Email capability, can put together business cards and beautiful color brochures, do all their own packing/shipping as needed, have an online Price Calculator so you know what they charge in advance, and have worked with artists the likes of Doug Hall, Jack Hetterich, Charles Huntington and Steve Horan among many others in Missouri and from as far away as Florida. Everything they do is tailor-made according to the requirements of the artist and the available budget.
Check 'em out... looks like a great service for any artist in America.
www.webbcitydigital.com
sales@webbcitydigital.com
Monday, July 17, 2006
July 2006 Page 10
> VAA (and yrs trly) now have a local Joplin phone number, and my very own first cell phone.
#417.621.8577
> Arthrobs and VAA appearing on Search engines
In the two weeks or so since Arthrobs has gotten back online, it has already started to appear on the likes of Google, Ask Jeeves and Yahoo Search. If doing a search for "Visual Art Access" you will discover 78,500,000 possible combinations using those three words.
> International Mari Project
For several years I have been on the Circles Art, Inc. Board of Advisors for projects involving the California sculptor OSPREY OREILLE LAKE. Her immense Cheemah Monument is quite well-received at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA as one example, and they are on to the Mari monument piece as well as presenting her pedestal-scale bronzes whenever possible. Osprey is, in my opinion, one of the very few contemporary female sculptors who successfully blends fine casting/patina technique with narrative (vs representational, figurative or abstract) content. I've been following her work in relation to my American Surrealist Initiative research since the late 1980s.
See more about her and their projects/history at:
http://www.cheemahproject.org/
> Webb City "Praying Hands" sculpture
Found out today, from Tom DeCleene of Webb City Digital (they make quality giclee prints for artists), that the sculptor who made the huge Dureresque "Praying Hands" sculpture on the south hill as you head toward/from Carthage through Webb City was JACK DAWSON.
> Rosetta - wildlife sculptor
Former VAA artist Rosetta (Jan Shockner) and her husband Mel (art photographer) have lived and prospered in Loveland, CO for quite some time now. Her large wildlife bronzes have always been remarkable, and do nothing but become more so. While I was with the Saginaw Art Museum we had one of her pieces on extended loan for almost two years, and it was much-loved by all. Mel is one of the finest photographers of 3-D work I have ever met. She's just returned from 2 weeks in Africa.
See her work here:
http://www.rosettasculpture.com
> ArtCentral Gallery - Carthage
Had my first chance to visit the very fine ArtCentral gallery in nearby Carthage last week, for the Josie Ferrantelle reception. ArtCentral is housed in a beautiful arts & crafts era home (Hyde House, 1110 13th Street), on a hill, that was donated to the city not long ago. It's an artist membership organization, Directed now by the ebullient Sally Armstrong. Might be worthwhile considering making an exhibition proposal to them. For sure visit there, if you haven't already.
http://www.ozarkartistscolony.com/art_cent/
> Jeanne ROREX Bridges - Echota Cherokee band artist
Double-dated with Joplin friends Robin and Steve Wampler on an art outing to see this artist new to me wayyyyyyyyyyy over in Oktaha, OK... on a truly magnificent ranch place.
Her subject matter is almost entirely (!) Native-American females (we found exactly two [2] males depicted in any sense) in traditional domestic roles and settings. But, what struck me most about the studio visit was the amazing number of ways Rorex (her nom de pienture) has found to keep the pot boiling with reproductions of her stuff! There must have been not less than 20 varieties, from bookmarkers to tiles and notecards and more... and it was "flying out the door" at good prices. Her pricing on originals was not at all prohibitive or, in most cases, out of line for what it is.
www.rorex-art.com
#417.621.8577
> Arthrobs and VAA appearing on Search engines
In the two weeks or so since Arthrobs has gotten back online, it has already started to appear on the likes of Google, Ask Jeeves and Yahoo Search. If doing a search for "Visual Art Access" you will discover 78,500,000 possible combinations using those three words.
> International Mari Project
For several years I have been on the Circles Art, Inc. Board of Advisors for projects involving the California sculptor OSPREY OREILLE LAKE. Her immense Cheemah Monument is quite well-received at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA as one example, and they are on to the Mari monument piece as well as presenting her pedestal-scale bronzes whenever possible. Osprey is, in my opinion, one of the very few contemporary female sculptors who successfully blends fine casting/patina technique with narrative (vs representational, figurative or abstract) content. I've been following her work in relation to my American Surrealist Initiative research since the late 1980s.
See more about her and their projects/history at:
http://www.cheemahproject.org/
> Webb City "Praying Hands" sculpture
Found out today, from Tom DeCleene of Webb City Digital (they make quality giclee prints for artists), that the sculptor who made the huge Dureresque "Praying Hands" sculpture on the south hill as you head toward/from Carthage through Webb City was JACK DAWSON.
> Rosetta - wildlife sculptor
Former VAA artist Rosetta (Jan Shockner) and her husband Mel (art photographer) have lived and prospered in Loveland, CO for quite some time now. Her large wildlife bronzes have always been remarkable, and do nothing but become more so. While I was with the Saginaw Art Museum we had one of her pieces on extended loan for almost two years, and it was much-loved by all. Mel is one of the finest photographers of 3-D work I have ever met. She's just returned from 2 weeks in Africa.
See her work here:
http://www.rosettasculpture.com
> ArtCentral Gallery - Carthage
Had my first chance to visit the very fine ArtCentral gallery in nearby Carthage last week, for the Josie Ferrantelle reception. ArtCentral is housed in a beautiful arts & crafts era home (Hyde House, 1110 13th Street), on a hill, that was donated to the city not long ago. It's an artist membership organization, Directed now by the ebullient Sally Armstrong. Might be worthwhile considering making an exhibition proposal to them. For sure visit there, if you haven't already.
http://www.ozarkartistscolony.com/art_cent/
> Jeanne ROREX Bridges - Echota Cherokee band artist
Double-dated with Joplin friends Robin and Steve Wampler on an art outing to see this artist new to me wayyyyyyyyyyy over in Oktaha, OK... on a truly magnificent ranch place.
Her subject matter is almost entirely (!) Native-American females (we found exactly two [2] males depicted in any sense) in traditional domestic roles and settings. But, what struck me most about the studio visit was the amazing number of ways Rorex (her nom de pienture) has found to keep the pot boiling with reproductions of her stuff! There must have been not less than 20 varieties, from bookmarkers to tiles and notecards and more... and it was "flying out the door" at good prices. Her pricing on originals was not at all prohibitive or, in most cases, out of line for what it is.
www.rorex-art.com
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