Whitehot!
The first print edition of
Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art blazed onto the scene December 6th at WM's annual Art Basel Miami Beach Party. The launch of the 80-page full colour publication, hosted by Locust Projects, revs the heat created online by Whitehot's inimitable editor-in-chief, Noah Becker, and 130 international journalists writing about the best art in the world.
Issue #1 features Debbie Harry on the front cover and a dozen incandescent interviews including Vince Aletti (by yours truly), Will Cotton, Adam Stennett, Dan Attoe, Paul Zone, Trevor Guthrie and Andy Denzler.
To order a copy:
For more about Whitehot Magazine:
Miami
Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, Noah Becker,
visual culture
Art Basel
Art Deco: A gift of the Pharaohs
Before arriving in Miami, I had heard all about the much anticipated art deco
scene from friends and family (and Miami Vice, of course), but it was
still somewhat of a mystery to me. Walking around Ocean Drive, the
blocks upon blocks of bright pastels and bold shapes made me wonder
about its ancient origins. And ancient they are! Although art deco
looks ultra-modern, it dates back to the days of Egyptian tombs. In
fact, it was the discovery of King Tut's tomb in the 1920's which
opened the door to this enticing style. The stark lines, bold colors
and zig-zag architectural features were added to objects placed in the
tomb meant to entertain and enlighten the sleeping kings. Americans
loved this style, who were going through the "roaring 20's" and were
drawn to the eclectic look. To them, it was a symbol of decadence and
extravagance, qualities their generation embraced. Art, architecture,
jewelry and fashion were all heavily influenced by the bold colors and
sharp lines of the movement.
So back to Miami. In 1910, John Collins and Carl Fisher undertook
the daunting task of transforming the island now known as Miami Beach
from a mangrove swamp to a tourist destination. It just so happened
that when they were working on the coast, Ocean Drive, the art deco
movement was in full swing. Proving to stand the test of time, year
after year people flock from all over to enjoy this gift of the
pharaohs, art deco.
South Beach, Ocean Drive, Art Deco, Melissa Gidney
Flocks
As Christmas "looms" closer (no pun intended), these knit poufs from
FLOCKS made of New Zealand wool would be lovely to perch on in front of a nice warm fire.
Diversify Your Portfolio
Diversify your design portfolio that is. Dunhill has done just that with a new product line, ranging from a pair of
limited-edition titanium skis, which can be engraved with your name or,
as the company suggests, the name of your "favorite resort", to Ping-Pong tables and picnic baskets. Click here to browse or shop for the males on your Christmas list.
Art Basel Miami Beach 08
As the sister event of the most prestigious art show worldwide, Switzerland’s Art Basel,
Art Basel Miami Beach is a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. There will be over 250 leading art galleries from around the world and artworks by over 2000 artists, with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design.
With most of the exhibition sites in the Design District and the city’s beautiful Art Deco District, the city is buzzing in anticipation with partygoers and art lovers alike. There is no lack for things to do, only a lack for time to fit it all in!
I am so excited to see the vast array of art put forward by both the renowned artists and the cutting-edge newcomers. This is my first Art Basel, but I know it won't be my last!
Miami
Melissa Gidney
Art Basel
Conditions for Giving?
A week ago was the night of the long awaited Art for Life which is a fancy way to get some amazing art and see and be seen by the best in the Vancouver scene. Art for Life benefits the Vancouver Friends For Life Society which works with individuals living with life-threatening illnesses, helping them to take an active role in their holistic wellness journey in order to move through pain, anxiety, vulnerability, fear, and social isolation. At Friends For Life, we recognize that with compassion, support and knowledge, the experience of illness can be a catalyst for positive personal transformation.
Egg Head by Emily Cooper
This year I sadly donated a small piece, but had had high hopes of giving away something notable and fabulous. I tried to give something larger and more valuable this year, but they had already photographed everything for their catalogue. I was too late, but was still very happy to be a part of such an awesome night!
Early Path by Zoe Pawlak
Often when artists are asked to donate pieces to charity they give away something that has not sold or they perceive will not sell in the near future. It is hard for artists to give away pieces that are of value to them since the gamble of even being able to sell one of our very best works is just that…a gamble. I have long been an advocate of fine artists and their ongoing commitments to making a living from their work. It is so sad to me that so few do and that others who are even better painters than me are slaving away for 40 hours per week working for someone else with all their energies tied to outcomes other than their work. Painters do not have an easy go when the market is not hot and even those of us who are well supported by a spouse and really well set up with our galleries and online, can feel the crunch when the economy is slow. If people are not able to make their mortgage payments and fear loosing their homes, it is unlikely that they will be splurging to fill their walls with art no matter how determined we remain.
Painting by Zoe Pawlak
The ask for donations is especially high during the Christmas season and this is true for us artists as well. In any given Christmas season I will be asked about 5 times for a painting to contribute to a silent auction. Giving this way is one of my favorite things to do because I rarely have excess money to give and so I can make a contribution that truly costs little, gives lots and gives of my heart and my time. There are many things I have used as determining factors when faced with the ‘to-give’ or ‘not-to-give’ question and these are loose criteria I have come up with for myself and our family:
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Is it a charity event and one I ethically support? Would I otherwise contribute anyways? I always like to know where my money is going and our family gives to certain groups, so I always run the decision by my husband because I am giving away something that could otherwise contribute to our family income.
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Is there a minimum bid? I once donated a beautiful piece to an event and then met the buyer later to find that something valued at $600 had gone for $80 dollars. This in not only a waste of my piece to not earn it’s full potential for the charity, but a poor decision on my part since I could have sold it for much more and then just given the charity say $100 dollars from that were I so inclined to support them. Always ask if there will be a minimum bid or how the work will be sold.
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Do I get a tax receipt? All charities should be able to provide the artist with a tax receipt for the full amount of the VALUE of the piece regardless of how much it sells for. This helps so much at tax time!
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Do I get free tickets to the event? These events have often been free dates for my husband and I. Attending these (usually fancy) events helps to network, make a presence, distribute your card, drink delicious wine and see how your work is being displayed. For example, I went to Art for Life last year and decided it was REALLY something I wanted to donate to this year since it is so high profile and well organized.
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What piece is suitable for the audience that will be in attendance? Always pick something that will be appealing to the type of people you think will go to the event. There is no point in donating something too crappy or that you know will be to edgy or unappealing to a an audience that is looking to buy a cheap piece of art to match their sofa.
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Have I given priority to my galleries and my clients? Always make sure you have given you gallery or your client list a chance to look over the work prior to sending it to the silent auction table. You gallery deserves your best and treating them well can be the difference between getting a part time job at Starbucks or not!
You will almost always let the piece go for less than it’s worth, but remember, it is the giving that is so important. We have so much and giving year round is an important practice for everyone, including artists!
zoe+farmboyfinearts
Nov 29, 2008
Filed under:
Zoe Pawlak, Farmboy fine arts, Emily Cooper, Art for Life, Friends for Life, fundraising, giving art away, art donations
painting
Pop it up!!
I came across this artist,
Thomas Allen, who is bringing old tattered books back to life. His cut outs our captured in photographs that give his creations a depth like no other book could possibly read. check out some of his work
here
book, cut, cot out, pages, page, photography, photos, photographer, depth,
Poladroid
The cult of Polaroid continues online with Poladroid - the digital answer to the look we've learned to love. In three easy steps, you can generate high-resolution pictures (400 ppi), "ready-to-print" with a Polaroid design. The free download application offers 10 treatments per session, just like the content of a cartridge! Random and realistic
Polaroid-like colors help keep the dream alive.
Toying with Texture
For the past few days, I've been practicing different techniques to add texture to my photographs. Namely, I've been layering several different photographs to achieve some interesting synergistic effects. I consider this image my first successful final product!
Pull of the Tide
This particular image was created using three different photographs - the salt marsh, a sunset, and cool gray water at twilight. All three images were taken
during my vacation this year - along the Saint Lawrence Estuary in
Quebec, a truly beautiful part of the world.
gold
seashore
technique
photograph
glow
dsbrennan
ocean
texture
seasons
Diana Brennan
salt marsh
The Oldest Artist? A 12,000 Year Old Shaman
Image by Farmboy Fine Arts Artist Mark J. Gaylard
In traditional societies, shamans are the artists, priests, and healers of their communities. These individuals are considered to possess spiritual, magical and healing powers. Shamans are typically buried in elaborate ways that mark their privileged status and destination for a special afterlife.
A recent excavation of Israel's Hilazon Tachtit cave revealed the grave of a 12,000-year-old woman identified as a shaman. The woman was part of the Natufian culture, a group of hunter-gatherers who lived from 15,000 to about 11,500 years ago in the area that now includes Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
“The most parsimonious explanation of this unique grave treatment for a Natufian person is that this woman was a shaman,” comments Harvard University archaeologist Ofer Bar-Yosef.
Debby Hershman, curator of prehistoric periods at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, followed Grosman’s excavation with keen interest and plans to display some of the finds in 2010. “The burial of the shaman from Hilazon Tachtit cave is one of the most important discoveries associated with a prehistoric religion...” she says.
The finding is particularly interesting since the Natufians were on the verge of becoming a more sedentary, farming society.
"Finding an early shaman grave during this transition makes sense." said researcher Natalie Munro, a zooarchaeologist at the University of Connecticut.
"With the beginning of agriculture we seem to see an intensified ritual behavior," Munro said. "When things change dramatically, people tend to try to reestablish the legitimate order of things by using ritual and religion to deal with change."
She added, "These people are starting to live in more permanent communities; they're in more contact with one another from day to day. It's not surprising that we start to see evidence for those ceremonial behaviors at this point in time."
Grave Diagram and Information from National Geogrpahic, Oldest Shaman Grave Found
More information at ScienceNews.org An Ancient Healer Reborn
See more work from Mark J. Gaylard at Farmboy Fine Arts
A. Traviss Corry
oldest artist
oldest
shaman
ceremony
old
Farmboy Fine Arts
ritual
shamanism
Mark J. Gaylard
12,000