What I am searching for in the Art World....

Honestly, I really do not know. It is a search! This search has encompassed all aspects of my own art practice. What is arts purpose? What does art mean? What is the role of the artist in society? And what does the quintessential art world look like?

Right know the only thing I do know is that the typical art museums and commercial art galleries are not feeding me, like they used to. "They" seem stale and thematic.

What is the art world exactly.
Wikipedia says...

The art world is the "world" composed of all the people involved in the production, commission, preservation, promotion, criticism, and sale of art. Howard S. Becker describes it as "the network of people whose cooperative activity, organized via their joint knowledge of conventional means of doing things, produce(s) the kind of art works that art world is noted for" (Becker, 1982)

I personally have been on many sides of the fence. The 20Th century master art seller. an artist, an "art therapist" for emotionally disturbed children, and now an art advocate. At times I question does it all make a good marriage? Commerce, Soul Expression , Healing, and Communal Transformation.

On First Thursday in SF
Lauren and I (Art is Moving) have a monthly art practice of journeying out to see new art in San Francisco. In January I was so unenthusiastic about going on the traditional art walk, which starts at 49 Geary, that I did a quick search on Craigslist and found the art event. An alternative art space at the Otis Lounge on Maiden Lane in San Francisco. They featured poorly lit art, live painting,and a happy hour. What could be better than that. The night was fruitful we met the live painter Nataliya Tyaglo. Also, we met the art promoter of this event and many more in alternative spaces Owen Geronimo
I really loved and I am thankful how open both Nataliya and Owen were to engage with us.
What was my impression of the whole event. I love the concept of alternative art space and of live painting and "happy hour." My only question is what did the mainstream audience get from it? spectacle? background art? again much to think about.

What does the quintessential art world look like for you?

I am an Artist: Nataliya Tyaglo

As we posted earlier this month, Lisa and I had the pleasure of meeting a few people during First Thursday in San Francisco. Read our interview with art promoter Owen Geronimo HERE. We also had the pleasure of meeting artist Nataliya Tyaglo who was this month's live painter for the Otis Lounge. Lisa and I asked her a few questions about the act of live painting and what it has done for her as an artist.



1. How does it feel to paint live? Pros and Cons?
I enjoy painting live; it’s a thrill for me. The pressure of finishing a
painting in a few hours challenges me to just dive into the painting
without hesitation and judgment. It’s an opportunity to just do it, and
make the best of the present moment. When I paint live, I feel less attached
to the product--my painting, and more absorbed in the experience of creating.
Painting live at various venues is especially stimulating because music adds a
rush of extra energy, my brushstrokes catch a rhythm, get bigger and
wilder. Painting live for me is like dancing with brushes, where the
dance floor is my canvas.

Painting live is also very public and social--which is different form a traditional
painting setting. Unlike in a studio, where I escape into my own world and show
my work only after completion, painting live presents the opportunity to
interact with public during the creative process. I get to hear how people
react to my work, what it makes them feel, and what they see in it. Sometimes if a different perspective inspires me, I listen to what people say and actually make a few changes in that particular piece. I get to know my audience more during live painting performances, and they get to know me. Live painting can be fun and interactive. I feel that live painting breaks the isolated experience of a traditional studio setting and makes fine art more accessible and exciting
for everyone.



2. How did you get involved with this First Thursday scene?
Owen Geronimo invited me.




3. Has it affected your career? How?

Live painting pushed me to be more free, bold, quick and experimental. I feel less
constrained about producing a perfect image and more free to ride the creative energy wave. I started experimenting more with acrylics. Before live painting most of my work has been done in oils because oils are much more receptacle to color movement and blending. However, oils require good ventilation and days of drying time after the work is completed. This makes it messy and uncomfortable in a public setting. The challenge of working quickly with a faster drying medium, such as acrylics pushes me to be more daring. Live painting is also turning me into a full time artist. Since most live painting events happen at night, I can paint in the studio during the day and then get a new burst of energy and dive into another painting at
night.

4. What does art mean to you?

Art is about freedom and appreciation. Art allows me to break the rules, create something new, and detach from a certain order. It’s also about being able to discover, appreciate and share a beautiful experience. I feel that there is something beautiful in every place--it’s just a matter of taking the time and having the energy to notice it. Whether it’s a landscape of a Calistoga
winery filled with luscious greens and yellows, or a traffic jam on a rainy day drizzled with long reflections of streetlights, there is beauty everywhere. I think so many of us are caught up in our daily obstacles and problems that we take the beauty in front of us for granted. As an artist, I feel that my role is help people notice beauty wherever they are. Art is not as much about
self-expression as it is about sharing: sharing a point of view, an experience, and making it memorable.


Nataliya's Portfolio: http://nataliyatyaglo.blogspot.com/

I am an Artist: Jeffrey Locke Lemert

1. Why are you an artist?
I am an artist because I have always been creative, it has never occurred to me to be and do anything else.

2. Is there a concept behind your work? If so, please tell us about it.
Yes, but not always. For years I was just drawing almost anything. Until I bought 3 canvases put them on the floor and asked myself "what do I see"? The first thing that came to mind was a tree trunk, so I started drawing a tree trunk on 1 of the canvases, 9 months later I had a triptych of this amazing tree. So since 1990 I have been drawing and painting trees.


3. Why do you use the medium that you use?
I use pen & ink and oil pastels. The ink allows me to draw the details and control of the tree. The Oil pastels give me the vibrancy and POP of an area of the tree I want to highlight. Painting allows me to bring in texture and a different palette of color as well as a larger scale of tree.'


4. How do you decide on subject matter for your work?
Since all of my work are trees, I am inspired to do new trees based on what is going on in my life and always trying to stretch my abilities.

5. What is the role of the artist in our society? and in Nevada?
I believe the role of any artist is to be true to themselves and to create and express their vision. It is an artist role to interpret what they see, feel and hear to inspire & encourage others.
As far as the role here in Nevada I feel it would be to bridge the imaginary gap between art and the gaming industry.The amount of artist and vision it takes to manifest just one of these casinos is astounding.
it take someone with vision to imagine it
it takes an architect to interpret that
it takes an contractor to build it
it takes an interior designer to bring color and design
it takes the art of finance to bring in profit
and of course the imagination of winning to go inside
Art isn't just a painting in the galleries.


6. Where do you see yourself as an artist in 5 years?
Within the next 5 years I see myself as having several galleries through-out the country. These galleries are in smaller cities & towns. They will be showcasing the local artist, giving them a chance to showcase there work and giving exposure of art to the surrounding communities.

7. What are your ultimate goals as an artist?
Just to be know as the "TREE ARTIST"

8. What does art mean to you?
Simply put, ART It is the moment something is created.

Artist's Website: http://www.jlockedesigns.com/

I am an Art Promoter: Owen Geronimo

Painting by Owen Geronimo

photo courtesy of owengeronimo.info

Last Thursday, Lisa and I went on an adventure. Relying on a Craigslist.org post that Lisa found, the two of us ventured down Maidenlane in San Francisco and found Otis' Lounge. At first, it's pretty much like every other bar in SF. Dark and small. When my eyes adjusted I noticed the art hanging on the walls. We grabbed a drink and had a seat. The live painting started about 10 minutes later.

Lisa and I met Owen Geronimo, in between his rushing around to organize the several groups he had arranged to get together that night. He told us that every First Thursday he arranges live painting events and he connects artists with bars that act as galleries.

Geronimo uses bars to introduce artists to the public, promote art, get fashion designers and models to meet, and create a scene around the visual arts.

Lisa and I asked Owen if we would answer a few questions for us about how he got where he is today and what it means to the art world when bars become galleries.

Owen Geronimo is the founder of San Francisco Art Forum, a soon to become a non-profit company to provide various art business services to the local art community. He's the art director of Werkstatte Art Collective and the producer of the popular monthly art party called Werkstatte: First Thursdays at Otis Lounge in San Francisco. He also founded San Francisco Fashion And Merchants Alliance, Inc. last year.

1. Tell us your story.

My story? (laughs) I have lots. I don’t want to bore you. (laughs)

At this point of my life, I’m all mostly about giving what I can or what I’m able to- to anyone. It took me the past two years to rediscover my identity. It feels like it was just yesterday, when myself and my partner are sitting in a UHaul truck freezing to death in the middle of the night because we did not have a place to go home to. For whatever reason, that night was significantly special. A year prior to that, the real estate crash occurred and my whole livelihood plummeted with the market. That led to living in that Uhaul truck for a few days, a year later. From that experience, I learned that living in a UHaul truck (laughs) is not that bad. Mostly, material things became less and less important to me.

In the past year, to keep my sanity … I rediscovered myself through art. Surprisingly, I did four art shows in the past year, two of them were art auctions. I made sure that the homeless and hiv community benefited from my work. It was very gratifying. I also made sure that I volunteer at the mess hall of both Glide Memorial and Saint Vincent De Paul for the holidays.

My soul searching with a lot of fate and spirituality with my endless studies of quantum physics, finally started paying off.

Now I moved in atop (literally) of Twin Peaks next to the Sutro Tower with the greatest view of the city and sold my 3 series last year. In a matter of less than twelve months, I was able to reinvent myself as a sought after art curator and a successful event producer. I also founded a non-profit called San Francisco Fashion And Merchants Alliance, Inc. A business chamber of commerce for the fashion and art community offering various sustainable professional services to anyone that wants to get into the business of fashion.

This is the first time that I shared this story. I hope it enlightens the reader.


2. Tell us about Werkstatte (http://www.werkstatte.info/).

The idea was given to me by my partner. The original thought of the project was to be called “Haute Haus Werkstatte” but I ended up dropping the words “Haute Haus” because I did not want my fashion events to be confused with my art events.

The word “Werkstatte” however, is an homage to the art workshop: “Wiener Werstatte” in Vienna in the early 1900s that evolved from the Vienna Secession, founded in 1897. I wanted to embody the same principle of the original group that… art should be accessible to anyone.

2. Why do you promote live painting in a bar rather than holding a party in a commercial gallery setting?

Live painting in a bar with music and a bar crowd is a lot sexier. It creates more excitement and audience curiosity. Although, it’s less formal than a gallery setting. I truly believe that the artist is able to create better work in this type of condition. Both the music and the crowd provide the antithesis of the norm gallery. It also challenges the artist to become more innovative with his work. I’ve seen it, it works.

3. How does an artist get involved in your collective?

It’s very simple. I have to like their work. Their works have to be sellable. The key component is that, I have to like their personality. We have to get a long. Without those three simple formula, it will not work. They simply get involved, if I show interest with their work. Then, they get assigned an exhibit or an art event to test how the public reacts to their work.

4. Where do you think the art world is heading?

It always has been that the art heads to the die hard art collectors’ home. No matter how dire the economic climate is. Art is art. Although, the majority of the buying consumer are more frugal as of late, some still do buy art. In fact, Ian Ross just sold ten art pieces recently. So, yes, the art is heading to the die hard art buyers.

As far as the art world is concerned, I was asked to ship art to Shanghai mid of last year. There is also a huge market in the Middle East, mainly in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Hollywood and Las Vegas are also ideal places for art due to their celebrity residents. In fact, Angelina Jolie shelled out about a million for Bansky's work before.

I see art as a “supply and demand” product.

5. What does art mean to you?

Art is an extension of my own self that defines my inner most thoughts. It embodies all my feelings of : fear, love, anger, forgiveness, happiness, dissatisfaction and challenges. It is an expression that enables me to be unique and different at all times. It separates me from the norm. It is also very therapeutic in a very zen way.

6. Any new projects?

Yes. I’m curating a group exhibit on March through June at The Barber Lounge. I also now provide arts to Ghirardelli Square’s public area, thanks to their management team. I’m also sponsoring six artists to donate their work to the 'Rainforest Action Network' (RAN), in the 'Invisible Hand of the Philanthropist' Art Auction in Foster City next month.


Site reference

http://www.owengeronimo.com/

http://www.sffama.com/

What do artists do in Nevada?

So, I've been searching the good ol' Internet to find out some info. about the great state of Nevada and it's art scene.

Here's what I have found thus far.

Nevada Artists Association

Established in 1950, the Carson City based Artists Association hopes to encourage a high standard of art, present work by local artists, help establish art making in classrooms and around the community and maintain a high standard of ethics between artists. Read their whole mission statement HERE.



A few images from the Nevada Artists Association Galleries. Click HERE to visit.

VSA arts of Nevada

Established in 1986, the main goal of VSA arts is to provide art programming to everyone living in Nevada. Located at the Lake Mansion in Reno, NV this program has classes, workshops and exhibitions. They ask for volunteers and offer scholarships.

Their current exhibition entitled, Dementia: A Study features work from Rhoda Cummings, a Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Nevada Museum of Art



Current Exhibits:
Raphael: The Woman With the Veil
Rembrandt: The Embrace of Darkness and Light

What really excites me about this museum is the Center for Art and Environment.



Lisa and I both love Environmental Art and should figure out a way to get ourselves to this place. According to the website, the center is

a leader in supporting the practice, study and awareness of creative interactions between people and their natural, virtual and built environments. The Center serves as a programmatic focal point for the Nevada Museum of Art and works in tandem with the development of the Museum’s exhibitions, collections, programs, facilities, and online presence.

They also have a Social Networking Site dedicated to connecting Environmental Artists from around the world. If you are an environmental artist or interested in that genre of art, I suggest you join today!

Nevada Gallery Guide

I found a great resource for anyone who is new to Nevada, traveling there soon, or just wants to see more art. Check out this gallery guide to find all of the art galleries in the state of Nevada.


If you or anyone you know can add some insight to the goings on in the Nevada Art World, please send the info. our way or write a comment.

-Lauren

Viva Las Vegas! I mean Nevada!

Lauren and I first began this art investigation in October of 2009 with the intention to virtually travel to all of the fifty States and beyond. Through our Art is Moving Blog and through our artist interview series called I am an Artist we have hoped to discover and uncovering various art scenes and artists within these States. Thus far it has been an amazing adventure and our expectations have been exceeded. Through this project we have learned about the artistic inspirations and we have seen the incredible art from many individuals from the States of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

As we move along to Nevada, we are making our first stop to witness and to reflect on the giant ART Muse that exists and was spawned in the Nevada desert, called Burning Man. It is annual event that began "in 1986" in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
The amazing image above is from the cosmic ART event, that I found on the website www.majorlycool.com/media/1/20080314-burnin is one of the many art installations and art communities that can be found at this happening. You can also "click here" to check out Burning Man's site, which is a resource to try to paint a picture of the Burning Man experience to those who are new to the project, as well as to give those participants looking to keep the fire burning in their daily lives an environment in which to connect to their fellow community members.

Has anyone been to Burning Man? Please share experiences, your art, and any other artist's you might know, who are active participants is this stellar event. E-mail us at artismoving@gmail.com and we will post them!

Artist's who live or create in the Nevada we look forward to hear your voice!-- and we look forward to discovering the various art scenes in this amazing state.