2011 Winter/Spring Show Schedule

As far as I'm concerned, there is only one good reason to leave Vermont, and that is, to sell art. Though it is a wonderful place to live and make art, it is truly a shitty place to sell art. Hence, I have again scheduled out-of-state shows for the winter/spring season so people unable to make it to my Montpelier studio can see my work. For your convenience, I will be at the following venues:

Baltimore American Craft Council Show, February 24 - 27 (Booth 3301)
One of the biggest and best shows in the country. Around 700 top level artists from all over the US and Canada. I will also be participating in the wholesale show on the 22 and 23 because it is attended by several hundred galleries and should help with developing relationships with some established retail venues. I'm going to have to start marathon training to get ready for the six days (eight hours plus per day) of standing and talking.

CraftNewYork, April 1-3
I was a little hesitant to commit to this show because of the expense and the fact that it is a first year show at this location, but the promoters have many years of experience running shows in New York and have a huge mailing list, in addition, I know the show includes many great artists that I'm more than happy to be associated with. At the very least, I look forward to getting a good blog post out of writing about other wood artists at the show. Hopefully, I'll also find some time to checkout some Chelsea galleries.

Paradise City Arts Festival - Northampton, MA, May 28-30
This is always a good show. It is guaranteed to have good attendance and the attendees seem to be particularly appreciative of my work.

I have several exciting new pieces that I'm trying to finish up for these events and will post images in a couple of weeks.

Paradise City - Northampton III Debrief

I was at the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton, MA over the weekend. This was my third time going to this show and I have to say it has been my favorite venue. It is a well established show that always has good crowds with plenty of people who aren't afraid to spend money, even in this economy. I can't say all the artists are selling at the level they need or expect to, but people are definitely spending money. For me, even if I'm not selling, having a large audience certainly helps in that I always get good feedback. Luckily, sales were good, especially compared to the disappointing Spring shows. I sold the new piece, Peaches and Pears, as well as an older piece, Green Grass-Summer Day, and I know a couple of people are seriously considering additional work. That, along with the additional 27 email addresses that I collected, give me hope that I can eventually earn a living making art.

Booth Shot
October 9, 2010

After the show I decided that I need to start taking notes to document what people say when they see my work. In particular, I need to count how many times I hear the exact phase "I've never seen anything like this." It is somewhat amazing to see a stream of random people walking by and hearing the first thing out of their mouths be the exact same phase. I estimate I hear it about five times a day but I'll start collecting data at the next show and then use the numbers as a gauge for evaluating success.

Other interesting comments included one person who was raving that they the work should be in museums. Unfortunately, he wasn't a curator nor did he have connections to any but I encouraged him to remember the work if he ever ran into one. Another artist stopped by and asked "Do people understand how beautiful these are?"

I also remember someone saying, "You must really enjoy making these." To which I responded, surprising myself, "No, actually I don't enjoy it." I enjoy the final piece, I enjoy thinking about them, I enjoy having a purpose to go to the lumber yard, but the actual process of making them I mostly don't enjoy. Rather, I find it to be a painful struggle that I'm compelled to complete. An endurance battle much like a marathon. Does anyone ever really enjoy running marathons? I've done them and I can't say I liked it either; still I would like to run more. I've hoped that making art would somehow get easier over time but I haven't found it to get any easier. Interestingly, I recently heard Philip Roth being interviewed on Fresh Air by Terry Gross and he said essentially the same thing. Writing has never gotten any easier for him, rather, it has always been a difficult struggle that he battles with every day. I guess I just need to get used to it (though, I'm sure, if it ever got easy I'd find something else to do -- the struggle keeps it interesting). Update Oct 22, 2010: I saw Frank Stella talk at Dartmouth College yesterday and, when someone asked whether he found more pleasure in making his art, looking at the finished piece, or looking at the work of others, he said that he doesn't find pleasure in making his art, that there are always problems that he is trying to fix which take all his attention, and that it is much more pleasurable to look at someone else's art.

In addition, I was surprised, and very humbled, to hear one artist compare my work to Agnes Martin's. I don't see it myself but have heard it enough times that there must be some truth to it. I hadn't known of her work until I made Silk Ribbons and Cherry a couple of years ago and had three people tell me that it reminded them of her paintings. Her work is so subtle that looking at images on the web is really pointless but finally saw one over the Summer. Like a whisper, it forces you to listen. If my work could do that, it would be a great accomplishment.

Another advantage of the show is meeting other artists and learning about their work. I especially like to see other people working with wood. This time I talked a bit with Mark Del Guidice, a unique and very accomplished studio furniture maker. He combines his own contemporary designs with his interesting, intuitive, hieroglyphs. They appear to tell a story but they are ambiguous enough that the viewer is drawn in and challenged to decipher them. He also adds text in morse code sometimes. I believe he creates pieces that work as an antidote to the ever increasing speeds of modern culture by slowing people down and getting them to look and think about what is in front of them.

Love Chest

Adornment

This chair has morse code on the back. It says, "Relax Have A Seat."

Sanfra Chair

I was glad to see this piece of non-functional wall art. The rocks are a nice touch. It seems a little altar-esque, something that promotes contemplation and prayer.

Faith

The next show is CraftWestport, November 20 and 21.

Fall 2010 Show Schedule

I have three shows scheduled for this fall. They include:

Burlington Art Hop - September 10 and 11
I have entered this new shellac painting, Watermelon, in the juried show which can be viewed at the Soda Plant at 266 Pine Street. I will also be debuting the rest of my shellac painting (eight more pieces) at the SEABA office space at 404 Pine Street where they will be on display through the end of September.

Watermelon
shellac on board
45" x 45"
2010

Paradise City Northampton - October 8-10

CraftWestport - November 20-21

I will just be bringing my wood sculptures to the Northampton or Westport shows because I find it is too confusing to display both series in the same small space. I'll post images of the new work soon.

2010 Show Schedule

Just in case you would like to see my work in person, and you are not going to be in Montpelier, VT anytime in the near future, you can also see my work at the following locations and times:

Paradise City Marlbourgh, MA, March 19-21
CraftBoston, Seaport World Trade Center, April 9-11
Paradise City Philadelphia, April 30 - May 2

After the Philly show I plan on spending the summer working on a piece that will win the ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, MI - September 22 to October 10. First place is $250,000 so I'll need to put a little effort into this one. I figure, if my goal is to be able to make a living making art, winning the ArtPrize would be a good start. I've been thinking about the project ever since meeting a couple from Grand Rapids over the summer who talked about what a great event last year's inaugural event was. After five months I've just about got it all worked out -- there is just one scenario that I'm worried about, if John Brickels somehow finds out about and enters the event, I'll probably have to settle for second place, otherwise, the cash is as good as mine. Prior to taking my winning piece to Michigan, you will be able to see it in the Vermont State House from when ever I finish it (sometime in August?) to mid-September.

Paradise City - Northampton Debrief (2)

I got back from the Paradise City show last week having determined that the economy still stinks. Don't listen to economists, go to art shows and talk to artists. Most people weren't happy with sales. Personally, I can't complain. I sold four pieces that more that paid for the show (May Rain, Horst and Graben, Cherry Ribbon, and Blue Ribbon) and there is still hope that I might get some commission work from the exposure. Sometimes you don't know how good a show was until many months, or sometimes years, later.
One person was interested enough in exploring potential commissions that I drew up some ideas for the client's apartment with 14 foot ceilings. This one is based on "May Rain." It would be about 90" H x 40" W x 1.5" D, made with random width and thickness curly maple and accented with cherry. And this one is based on "Five by Ten". It would also be made with curly maple and cherry and would be 72" x 72" x 1.5".The great thing about commission work is that it would give me the chance to do bigger work that I wouldn't do otherwise for space and transport considerations. It also allows be to develop a more impressive portfolio.

Having sold the last of my ribbon series, I now have the money and justification to buy a big chunk of cherry to make more. I really liked having them on the ends of my display because it allowed me to point to something that I welcomed visitors to touch, unlike the shellac paintings (which people are all too ready to put their hands all over -- I draw the line when they start tapping their finger nails on them). It was a bit of a surprise to sell them because I had spent countless hours talking to hundreds of people (no exaggeration) about them over that last 2.5 years. Much admired but never sold - I was mystified as to why, but, at the same time, happy to keep them indefinitely.

Also at the show was Katherine Park. I had briefly met her at the Baltimore show back in May but got a better chance to talk to her at this show. Her work was definitely the most interesting furniture at the show. It is well crafted sculptural furniture, but it also tells a story and engages the viewer to think. For instance, this mirror clock, entitled "True Crusade" is mysterious and fascinating.

Although it is obviously a mirror, it also has an a figure on the left side that seems to have a door on its body. If you open the door, you find another door.
If you open the second door, you find a clock! And if you look closely, you'll see a tiny figure looking up at the clock.
I guess, while one is looking at oneself in the mirror, you can think about how time is ticking away while you waste time looking at yourself; or, if you want to know what time it is while you are looking at yourself, you can open a couple of doors and find out; or, you can just stand there and admirer the fine craft in making the sculpture; or, you can think about how small and insignificant we are to the passage of time. I didn't ask Katherine about this piece because I think it is more interesting to think about it myself, but I'm sure it has a story and deep meaning behind it. I look forward to seeing more of her work in the future.

Rejection . . . Again

I recently received my latest show rejection, I think this is the 3rd from the Baltimore Craft Show. I take from this that craft shows really aren't the right venue for my work and I really need to stop wasting time and money applying to them. I really don't want to go in the craft direction any way, but I have thought that since I am working with a "craft medium" (I hate that term) that if I could get into one of these high level craft show that it would be good exposure. However, the truth is my work doesn't compare with high level craft. My approach is more minimalist, I don't do any intricate carving or assemblage and the work isn't meant to be used. The problem being that it is difficult to find appropriate venues to get the exposure. The Paradise City shows are good because they are a mixture of art and craft, they are relatively close, and they have indoor exhibit space but I feel like I need something a little better. Many of the shows that include "fine art" are outdoors in the summer, two conditions that I don't like doing with my medium. Other "fine art" shows are very expensive and without having work at the right price level or a huge inventory, it is hard to believe that it would come close to paying for itself.

Vermont is a great place to make art, but it is a horrible place to make a living as an artist unless you've already established yourself somewhere else. It is tough finding venues (all of which are outside of VT) and getting the exposure you need to make a living at it. I've been doing shows like the Providence/Baltimore Fine Furnishing and Vermont Fine Furniture shows in the hopes that people who shop for fine furniture might also like fine art made with wood, and to some degree it has worked, but it really isn't a great venue for my work either. I've applied for the CraftBoston show (for the second time) in the hopes that it would be a good way to make to connections to the Boston arts community but given my problems with getting in other craft shows I'm not holding my breath. I think what I really need to do at this point is spend some more time visiting galleries in Boston, New York, and/or Philadelphia before making some more portfolio submissions. Submitting an unsolicited portfolio is a horrible way to get into a gallery but it is a step better than submitting it blind without having visited the venue.

Paradise City - Northampton Debrief

I got back from Northampton late on Monday night and have been busy catching up and putting everything back in its place. It was a good show and I actually made some sales too. Both of my blistered maple pieces are gone "Thrice in a Lifetime" (left side of back wall) and "Yin/Yang" (left side of left wall) as well as "One Walnut Strip" (right side of back wall). And there seems to be interest in other pieces so maybe some follow up sales will come through as well.

The response to my work continues to be very good. Of course, plenty of people walk right by and aren't interested, but the people the stop and look have some really intense responses. I'm always a little surprised by it because I'm a little jaded by my own work. It is hard to see what someone else sees when they see it for the first time. I constantly here people ask "how do you get your colors?" and say that they have never seen anything like it before; that it is very original. Some people just stop and say "Wow!" so I must be accomplishing what I intend.

These shows are very draining though. Long days of saying the same thing over and over and over again. I try not to sound like a broken record but whenever I mix it up a bit I get lost and end up sounding inarticulate. Other artists have told me the same thing, the rule is, if you have a good spiel, stick with it. You may have heard it thousands of times but the public is hearing it only once. I've also found it is important to drink a lot of liquids. I'm amazed by how much moisture I lose by talking constantly.

My display walls seem to have worked out well. I get a lot of complements about them. The only problem is that I need a lot of space to put them together so it is hard to do when everyone else is getting ready. I thought I designed them so that I could put them together in place but that hasn't worked out as planned because it is hard to slide the panels into place. Someone at the show suggested that I rub soap inside the grooves of the rails and styles. If it works, I might be able to put them together without getting in the way of others.

There were some other interesting wood artists at the show. In addition to Jeffery Oh and Carl Schlerman who were both at the Baltimore show, I saw work by Brian Wood and Nathaniel Smith. Brian creates these great wood turning sculptures with blocks of wood. This sphere is pretty impressive. He says that he turns three reference lines and then carves the sphere from there. It doesn't looked carved to me but I'm not sure how else you could do it so I'll believe him.

©Brian Wood

I also liked his vases that had missing blocks. It reminded me of Bud Latven's absolutely insane work so I had to ask Brian how he though Bud made his sculptures. For Brian's work, it is "easy" enough to remove a few blocks during glue up, but for the amount of missing block that Bud has, he has to carve them out after turning.

©Brian Wood

I also really like this small vase with holes.

©Brian Wood

I also liked Nathaniel's dancing branch sculptures. They are all made with beech branches and either finished with india ink and tung oil, or just tung oil. It is amazing how much personality each branch has. Nathaniel is an arborist during the week so he always has a good, inexpensive source for his art.

©Nathaniel Smith