What a week its been.... I recently returned from a short (mostly business) trip to Cape Cod where I met with a gallery owner about possibly being represented. Long story short the words used to describe the piece above was " a generic still life ".... I know " criticism is part of the job" or "it happens" but I really feel like this piece has the qualities (good and bad) that fully represent what I am about.......I'm hoping that's not too "generic" ...
To round out my week of insults when I went to pick up a piece from a local plein air show I found it on a table with 5 or 6 other paintings stacked on top of it... now normally this would be NO problem BUT these 5 o 6 pieces were stacked on top of the FABRIC support that the painting was on....... so it was pretty stretched out... I also stopped by a different "local show" to see how the show looked hung and found one of my piece hanging in the bathroom......yes it smelled like bathroom spray....nuff said.
Quote: "I believe that the personality of the artist develops and asserts itself through the struggles it has to go through when pitted against other personalities." Henri Matisse
13 comments:
Your work is too awesome to be hanging in a bathroom with bathroom spray...nuff said!
Wow that sucks, what rude people! I would have been chewing someone out over the bathroom and stretched painting stuff.
The critic, that's life I guess. I'm bracing myself for intermediate painting to try out for "block." (Determines if I get to be a major in painting or not and you only get 2 tries.) I'm told that competition gets fierce (and harsh) from other classmates, but I have 3 allies in that class and we made a pact to back each other up.
That's a drag Dan! I am always amazed at the rough treatment my paintings get at some of the local art shows. Usually the people are just clueless and have no idea what they're doing (so why are they working at an art show??)! FYI -- If the gallery owner on the Cape is the person I'm thinking of then it's par for the course from what I hear. She's a tough cookie. I was told by same person that I was talented but my work overlapped her other artists. Hmmmm. I thought a cohesive collection was the goal?
Anyway - this piece is beautiful Dan. Great colors and composition. Hope you do more of these.
Hey Dan
I certainly wouldn't call that a "generic" still life. It looks totally like a still life created by your hand. Honestly, I can't say I've seen many other still life pieces executed with similarities of your color handling and brushwork. I also don't see anything generic in the arrangement. What's she wanting? Dead birds in a flaming basket??
Keep up the good work, focus on the important things and all the rest should fall into place. At least that's what keep telling myself...
Block it out and paint paint paint paint paint. Pay no attention to "them" - who are "they" anyway? Do not let anyone stop you. Ever. Go paint. Now. Paint over their voices. Paint over their faces. Repaint that bathroom. Give that bathroom the gift of the sweet aroma of paint. Paint over those stretch marks. Paint over those places on the map. Paint a new road to a new place. Paint a new place. Paint a new self-portrait. Paint today. Paint tomorrow. Paint.
Hmmm, Well, the poor treatment of the paintings at the shows is unacceptable. I've got stories about artwork being damaged, but by galleries.
The gallery owner's response to your painting is just ignorance or she was lazy and could not think of anything to say. Don't let that get you down Dan. We can't please everybody.
I assume it was the gallery we had talked about before you went. I think everyone is thinking of someone else.
Hang in there. Don't change a thing.
Sorry about the bummers this week, Dan. I'm the last that should be giving advice at this point in my life, but I just can't help myself...
Lesson learned on the shows. Just don't go back. Take your stuff and leave. Forget about it. Don't hold bitterness towards them or it might come back to bite you. I know from experience.
As for the gallery owner, that's her opinion. Your fellow artists, your peers, seem to like the still life. Maybe she had a bad day. Maybe she's just mean. Maybe she has no clue as to what good art is. You see, this doesn't matter either. UNLESS, you want to try and please her by trying to paint what SHE wants. Nope. Didn't think so.
Keep on truckin' Dan.
After reading this post I find myself wanting more details. Such details like the name of the gallerie(s) mentioned. I wish to visit these galleries in order to educate myself on how things really are in the "Artworld." The Artworld we have to "deal with" not just simply "put up with" and/or vice versa.
I feel that the art galleries exist because of the art. Not the other way around. When did the art gallery owner become critic, curator and reprasentitive etc. all wrapped into one? Was it always that way or has an opportunist recently come into power in the galleries too. This may very well have been that way since the institution formed. Who can say? I like to believe that the gallery used to represent Artists and the Art. Not the other way around.
"An art critic is someone who hopes to see his ideas translated to canvas without having to learn how to paint." ~ Robert Brault
"generic"? or "timeless"? some dont know the difference. To me, those that dont shouldn't decide whether or not any painting gets exhibited. Funny thing about artist's trying to make it is that the majority of them have training in their field. Funny thing about the art gallery owner is that the majority of them do not. Sure, the gallery owner has every right to pick and choose what goes on their walls. They search for and invite Artists to "apply" for the job. I'm glad they do, otherwise artwork would remain in and around the Artist's studio and not many would/could enjoy it. I feel the responsibility of the gallery owner is to hang the piece or put it on a pedistal for exhibit.... or simply not to.
I'm here wondering if it was imperitive, Dan, that you go all they way to the gallery to hear that your painting(s), for lack of a better description, need work. That's fair of the gallery owner to say, to an extent. Again, they have every right to choose your work, anyones work, or not. Yet it is un-professional to muddy up the transaction by getting into detail which borders on insult.
This could be about produce in the markets, super or otherwise. Sorry, these tomatoes aren't up to snuff, I wont be putting your crop on my "shelf." That's fair too.... though "the buyer" of tomatoes has no stance in saying "perhaps you (the crop grower) should use wax on your tomatoes and buff them insted of worrying about them being pure and tasting good."
Sorry this has become a long winded way of saying simply "where do they get off"?
Excellent topic. I guess we should not be naive, we have to get used to this type of treatment. Yet there is hope. We CAN deal with it, not just put up with it. After all they need "us" too
As a co owner of a busy gallery we review artist's submissions on an ongoing basis and to me this response is unacceptable and puts the rest of us in a bad light.
We refuse work for a number of reasons--and some not always because the caliber of work suffers--sometimes it is because of sale-ability, balance in the gallery ie if we already represent a lot of still life artists--and to the artists who are, shall we say not 'there' yet? we tell them honestly that after taking considerable time to review their work we do not feel at this time it fits in with the overall feel of the gallery and try to suggest other venues..
Having said that rejection is part of being an artist.
--as an artist I have had works in shows and been devastated to see where the work is hung--something we can't do much about, but sometimes you can offer to help hang the show...and have a 'no bathroom' stipulation.
*and if you lived in Canada we'd invite you and Mr. Martin here for a show in a heartbeat..
jordanartgallery.com
Oy, what a day, Dan! As they say, "Illegitimi non carborundum."
I like this latest piece, btw.
All one can say is that 'ignorance is bliss' and should not be indulged. When your critic gets wind of the deserving popularity and appreciation that your work attracts they will live to regret their crass stupidity as well as their lack of taste. Both will come back to bite them.
As for the cretins who have treated you work with such outrageous disregard I'm quite sure that a boycott by you and like minded individuals will have them reviewing their practice. I find myself enraged by the stories that you relate.
WoW.. where to begin..
HI Denise,thank you. Maybe if they had a glade plug in it would have been OK :)
Hey Allison, You know the gentleman working in the gallery that day was the nicest guy and he quickly removed it and re-hung it while I was there... I think it worked out fine. Best of luck and let me knowif there is anything I can help out with..!
HI Eden, I am guessing that everyone is guessing a certain gallery that I have worked with recently and it is not them it is another that has to remain unnamed. I would love to berate and belittle them here but focusing on the positive should yield better results (hopefully) :)
Thanks John, hhmmmm "flames" now that would do it...
Thank you Solveg, I painted today!
Thanks Frank! I'm not really down, just a bumpy road of a week. I am loving your work at Addison! Inspiring!
Hey Bill!, thanks for chiming in. I think that your advice is good for all. One of the best things I've ever heard was something like "Nobody is paying rent for that space in your mind"..
PHIL! hey! great stuff and it deserves more time then I can give at the moment, sorry. long story short, I will keep my tomatoes polished and ready for when the stores run out... :))
Hey Jan, Yeah I agree about a galleries having to deal with many (maybe too many) aspiring artists. I reallydon't know If the person knew they said it out loud or if they even meant it as they did say "it is beautiful" in a different breath..?. Either way Thank you, I will talk with Mr Martin and see whats possible.
Hey MCJ, Thank you and thank you..
HI Mick, whoa take it easy !! Im kidding Mick, you sound like your gonna catch a flght over here and put butt kicking on somebody.. Thank you for your kind words! I a not really mad at any of the situations, (well the stretched canvas was a bit aggravatng) I just wanted to share em here and vent a little.. After all Life has its ups and downs even when its Life from Paint.. :))
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