I had the pleasure on being on a panel in early October at SDAI. I made a presentation but I came away with lots of new ideas as well delivered by the other panelist and audience.We were all delighted with Jennifer DeCarlo's (jdc fine art ) idea of an art participation pyramid. It is built on a strong base of community involvement with art writers and curators, art administrators, gallerist as you climb to the peak. Artist are too free to be part of the structure but hoover all around.
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| Jennifer DeCarlo Cultural Consumer Pyramid |
One of the most interesting things about the
evening was the comment that San Diego only needs sun, tech and the border.
Maybe we do put too much energy in cultivating the general public. But my belief
in the power of art is so great that I see it as a necessity like food, water
and shelter. If art is this powerful in a great many lives, it does seem as if
everyone would benefit from it. I admire communities that know and practice
their daily involvement in the arts.They are richer for it.
.
Funding For The
Arts Month @ SDAI Oct 8 Looking
at and Talking About Art (Jennifer DeCarlo, Director of jdc
fine art; Larry Baza, Chair of the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture;
Patricia Frischer, Founder of the San Diego Visual Arts Network; Alessandra
Moctezuma, Professor of Fine Art and Director of the Mesa College Art Gallery)
Here is my presentation for the evening:
I have
chosen to speak about the young or newly interested potential art gamer. This
is someone who might have gone to the meet up at one of the museums like TNT at
MOCA or Night Owl at Athenaeum or Culture and Cocktails at SDMA or Art After
Dark at OMA. They might be tempted to attend by the possibility of picking up a
date. But Art is not an everyday occurrence in our lives. It is a strange thing
that makes us notice ordinary things in a new light. What we need younger
generations to realize is that when you look hard and talk about a work of art,
you are actually defining yourself. You reveal yourself to others and if you
are lucky to yourself.
Most
viewers have an inferiority complex and think you need an art history degree
for the ability to understand art. This is compounded by many artists not being
able to speak about their work. But a viewer can start by describing exactly
what is viewed. Start with size, color, line, content and before you know it
ideas will start to flow about content and meaning and you will bring yourself
into the experience. Simply by describing a work you can start the process and
once started here are some questions to enrich that dialogue.
What one
art works would you choose to give as a gift and to whom would you give it?
Which
artwork speaks to you and what does it say?
If you
could meet one of these artists which would you choose to meet?
If you
could walk inside one of these works in miniature, which would you choose?
Can you
imagine this artwork in your home and where would you put it? Why does it
relate to that place?
How did you think the artist got the idea for the piece?
What is the
media used and why do you think that was chosen to fabricate it?
What do you
like most about it?
What does
it remind you of?
What did
you learn looking at this art work?
Did this
work remind you of another work?
Why do you
think you like or dislike it?
Artist can
do the same thing:
Start with
a paragraph description of an art work of yours you like best.
How did you
get the idea for the piece?
Why did you
choose that media to fabricate it?
What do you
like most about it?
What does
it remind you of?
What did
you learn by doing this art work?
Did this
work lead you to make another work?
Who bought
or expressed a liking for the work and why do you think they bought or liked
it?
Artist can interview themselves as a
way of preparing to create a dialogue
When did
you first start creating artwork?
What media
do you use?
Is there a
reason you choose that medium?
Do you
start out with an idea of the end in mind?
What
inspires your work?
When you
conceive or set about executing a work of art, do you think you're guided
mostly by a constant driving inner aesthetic?
Or do you think you're in some significant way reacting to the world
around you - to culture or the economy, say?
Do you
think that you actually see the world differently than other people?
Does
religion, or any sort of spiritual belief, play in the creation of your work?
Who would
you say are your greatest influences? Or is there a particular historical
period from which you draw inspiration?
What's your
history of working in San Diego?
Does your
work sell well in another geographical area?
If so, why do you think that is?
Is it ever
hard to part with a work?
Did you
ever consider expressing yourself in other art forms?
What do you
think art is really about today?
Do you have
a favorite art work among your creations?
How do you
know you've finished a particular art work? i.e. How do you know when to stop
working on a piece?
When it
comes right down to it, what do you like best about making art?
How can
people see your art and buy it?
Or an artist could:
Keep a
diary - write up notes during the creation of the work and pull information
from those notes.
Or an artist could
Interview a
good friend about the art work and borrow the best bits
BECOME AN ART BUYER - NINE TIPS TO
HELP
Yes, I do
mean you may have never said, "I'll buy that one, please."
1. When the lights are on in an art
sales gallery after 5 o'clock and a crowd has gathered, it means you can walk
right in, have a drink and a bite to eat and look at the art. No invitation is needed. You don't have to pay to enter and you won't
be pressured to buy anything. Gallery
openings are listed in magazines and newspapers and you are welcome to attend.
2. One of the pleasures of owning a
work of art is meeting the artist. There
are many opportunities for this to happen.
Go to an exhibition opening and the artist is often present. Most cities have an open studio tour or an
art walk (San Diego
has both). An art dealer may be able to arrange a meeting and most artists
welcome a call from you directly to arrange to see more of their work.
3. Celebrate if you fall in love with
an artwork. This is a totally valid
reason to buy. Like in any good love
match, if you treasure it, it will reward you. Give yourself permission to own
the work. Long term you will learn more and more about it and about yourself.
4. It is also OK to buy a work because
it fits the décor of your home. Just
make sure you have an emotional and/or intellectual connection to the work as
well.
5. Don't hesitate to buy a work of art
to commemorate a special event or to remember a favorite place or feeling. Many famous collections were started in just
this way.
6. If you do happen to like one of the
works but you are unsure, ask if you can take it home to see if you can live
with the artwork.
7. If you are nervous about buying or
even looking at art, seek out a friend, an art collector, an art dealer or
consultant to mentor you. Some artists
are excellent mentors and can speak well about a whole range of artwork.
8. If you buy art, you may eventually outgrow
it. This is all right and you can sell
the work, give it away or put it in the attic and see if it can tell you more
later. Just make sure and replace it
with a new work.
9. Once you buy an artwork, share it
with friends and let them experience the joy, insight and pleasure from the
works that surround you. Your art defines you and is another way to show who
you are.
