What if a grant is granted this week?

I applied for my first grant months ago and will find out if it passed initial screening within days. I could do so much with this grant. Twenty years of work stored in a small room could come to life in my proposal for a protptype for exhibitions that reveals the symmetry of my journey.

It would make such a wonderful and enlightening exhibition. It would also show viewers the rocky road to achieving a voice, the ups and downs. Bills continue to mount and I and my supportive wife continue trying to stay afloat. Yesterday, I sent out a package to a museum considering acquisition. Today, I send out an introductory letter and pics to Gallery in upstate NY. Someone will see that something in my work that will inspire others - that is the motivating force that makes all these mailings purposeful.

I've gotten the eyes of important members of the art world. Now I have to get their ears. I need a solo show and I need assistance in bringing it to the people, damnit!

LUNCH WITH A CURATOR

Last year, my donation to the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey's Annual Blank Canvass Benefit, was a painting depicting an alter ego of myself having lunch with the juror for the 2008 International Show. This was the "Best in Show" award - to sit down for lunch at the Whitney and have the ears and eyes of the juror, which in this case was the Whitney's curator of drawings. Did I resort to some ancient voodoo tactic to try my luck? No, I merely used art to express my hope for a certain outcome before it was decided to not happen - I wasn't even juried into the show. But in 2007, I won a Merit Award, one of the top 6 awards selected from about 1800 entries. So, my hopes are high and probably not too far-fetched. But, who's to say when hope is misplaced. I can think of many other things more misplaced.

This year I am submitting for the auction, a logo for the "Lunch with a Curator" Best in Show award in the upcoming 23rd International Show at Summit. It will consist of a plate, a fork, a 1" brush, an approaching ship made of clay, stick on letters, and a re-structuring of the VACNJ logo. I'll spray it chrome and call it "Lunch with Curator II."

HEY WHITNEY

In response to my rejection in the International Show 2008 (Summit,NJ), a show I really wanted to be in - the juror was from the Whitney and from the department of Drawings, I drew "Hey Whitney." The Best in Show award for the Int'l show was a meeting with the juror at the Whitney, and a Cash Award of $1,000. I entered that drawing in the Madison National Show in Madsion, GA, and it won a $1,000 Best in Show Merit Award, one of three awarded. The juror was Sylvie Fortin, Editor of ART PAPERS. Lesson: Take that artist's angst and channel it.

But the story doesn't end there. I sent a copy of this drawing to the Whitney to see if they wanted to purchase it. It's been months and still no response, which means there is no interest, because if there was they would certainly contact the artist. I sometimes find if a story is too good, too appropriate, or too relevant, it isn't wanted. Perhaps those that make the decisions prefer something they don't understand, which would make a big ego feel that it is important because it is after all, unexplainable by their cerebral cortex, and if it was easy to understand then it would be an insult to the inquiring mind if it wasn't easily grasped in the first place. Perhaps sometimes an artist should not try to explain the art, thereby making it mysterious, and exciting. But then doesn't art history try its dam nest to make our expressions understandable. Isn't that the point of lectures, books, and exhibitions, to a degree?

At any rate, there are a lot of reasons that determine an acquisition, and some may have nothing to do with the sheer freshness or spiritual value of the work. Look at dealers who may sometimes only look at the existing monetary "value" of a work as the informing factor in their acquiring of it. So, back to this fresh vision where an artist is gaining curatorial favor via juried art winnings, yet not one work has sold, and an artist has to struggle, searching car seats for coins, just to afford the most basic of materials, paper. Do collectors not have vision????

Drawing Prize

Last year in May I flew to Cambridge to receive the Outstanding Drawing Prize in the 10Th Anniversary of the Cambridge Art Association's National Prize Show. I was returning from a furniture delivery when I got the personable call from Kathryn Schultz. She was so welcoming saying, "New England opens her arms to you." My drawing with its Hard Knocks development had finally gained indisputable academic credentials - the Director of Harvard Art Museums, Thomas W. Lentz, had selected me for this prestigious award. How could I beat this I thought.

Well, this past May I was selected by Sylvie Fortin, Editor of ART PAPERS, for one of the three top awards in the Madison National Exhibition at the historic Madison Cultural Center. Three of us received this $1,000 Best in Show award. I was tipped off to my winning when I received the exhibition announcement bearing three images on the cover, one being a close-up of my accepted entry.

Just weeks ago, I won the Chung & Press Award for Drawing in the Will's Creek Survey Exhibition in Cumberland, MD., for my drawing, "Geisha" (pictured). The juror was from the Corcoran. Suddenly, my drawing is on something like a winning streak. However, not one original has sold at these shows where my work was honored by important members of the art world's curatorial staff. I'm a bit perturbed by this, despite the winnings. Curators are supposed to follow the artists, and collectors should do the same, supporting the artist that is struggling to gain a fresh mastery of his medium. What does it say about the visionary qualities of a collector if they wait until other collectors make the first moves. Where is that strength of belief in an artist. I'm doing my part and forging my own voice, breathing new life into this thing called art.

The awards are great, but why haven't they brought about a purchase? I still struggle to get money to pay for my paper and pens. Not to mention, framing costs and shipping & handling to shows. How nice it would have been to attend these past two art openings to hear the attending juror give a talk on the art. A talk that may never make it to a publication. These little things bring joy to an artist seeking to gain academic insight into his or her own contribution to the arts.

What's next now? By the end of September, I will find out if I was considered for a Ella Lyman Cabot Trust Grant. This is the first time I've asked for support. I feel I have a good chance; I've crafted my words pretty well and stated my case succinctly and it fits the trust's requirements in giving. I feel as though I've won enough through the past three years and need to now have a solo show and that is what I've requested assistance with. I need to develop a prototype for an exhibition of my 20 year plus journey in art. There is an important symmetry that has emerged. Without an audience the work is incomplete.
Posted by Drawingmyshipin at 9:00 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: art, art shows, artist, awards, drawing, grants
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Glass Broken on 3 Drawings to Artfutura 2007

I used the $500 Drawing Prize won at Cambridge Art Association's Annual National Prize Show, to make it to the opening @ the Cultural Center of Chicago for the opening. But 1 hour before I left to the airport in Norfolk, VA, and just several hours before the show opened, I was notified that all three works chosen by James Rondeau, Curator for Modern and Contemporary Art, Art Institiute of Chicago. I agreed to let the works be displayed WITHOUT glass. The works themselves were safe but they didn't have the grace they had under glass and the intended rips were too exposed.
Another artist had her large canvass punctured by a Fedex forklift at a local branch. But they had time to repair the piece. The Icon Group is handling the return shipping. I will repair the Non-glare glass when they arrive soon. And one of those works will go to New Jersey for a National Juried Competition at the Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts and Sciences.
I enjoyed Chicago, despite the broken glass. Lake Michigan was beautiful and the guy in front of the Art Institute of Chicago selling Homeless papers enlightened me about where Route 66 begins and where the names of the Teenage Mutant Ninji Turtles were derived. The Cultural Center and other architectural wonders made me see beyond the small things.

"Hard Knocks" Drawing Goes To Harvard Square & Wins!

My wife and I flew in to Boston Thursday, May 10, for the greatest art event ever. There was a private pre-opening party at the Charles Hotel, exhibit and awards ceremony at univeristy gallery and kathryn Schultz Gallery, where we had brunch in the morning before leaving back to Virginia. Kathryn was the epitomy of the great director: intelligent, majestic, and hospitable. I was selected by Thomas W. Lentz, Elizabeth & John Moors Cabot Director, Harvard University Art Museums, as the recipient of the Drawing Prize. Those on the staff make me want to donate work to them. I'll one day reward those that treated me so well. That's the least I can do...and continue doing the best work I can.

Received Merit Award at the International Juried Show

I left Friday morning for the 6 1/2 hour drive to the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. Didn't have time to get the CD player fixed, but got some things done on the 1993 vehicle to pass inspection. Apparently it wasn't enough, though, as the driver side tire wheel bearings broke apart, forcing me to have to turn off the road. Luckily, I had AAA, and a tow truck brought us to a home mechanic who spent 3 hours working to torch the old bearings off the spindle, and putting a new set on. That was on the way back to VA. We made the trip to the Opening Reception. It was Classy. The parking lot stayed full as newcomers were flooding in as others left. We parked down the road and got there about 6:30pm, 30 minutes late. I was given a name tag to this critically acclaimed international show that sported "Merit Winner." I went thru the exhibit and missed my pieces the first time. Then I noticed them, the Merit winner was hung under my other work. They are displayed directly adjacent to the Best in Show Winner, a reproduced graphite rendition of an old photograph. The works chosen were muted works of oranges and greys, and of course the black and white work of mine. The opening was a success. I was officially presented with an award for the first time in my life for art. A handshake, an enveloped certificate with a $200.00 check, and the resident photographer capturing each award winner with a smile. It was worth the 13 plus hours o the road. Plus I exchanged cards with a few other artists. My small fraternity has expanded and for 7 weeks my art will have a chance to shine and greet collectors, dealers, curators, and critics. A winner out of 1800 entries worldwide. The world needs to see how a little drawing made it this far. I will promote it until it gets coverage that can inspire others.

My drawing "Samurai" wins Merit Award!

I was notified Feb. 1st, that I had won a Merit Award @ the 21st International Juried Show. Three were given, plus a Best in Show, and a Photography and a Watercolor award. So, my little, black and white drawing (that's been through 20 plus years of style developement), has competed against large paintings and sculptures worldwide, and won something. Germany, This is my Lucky Break. I knew it would be. I put an image of the drawing that won on my dashboard...before it won. I would pull it to my eye as shards of light hit it. It made me feel good. Really good. I felt I had won a battle. I did. I bet Goliath. Nineteen years ago I submitted to 2 International Competitions in New York and received a Certificate of Excellence for Drawing and for Works on Paper. That was when I was still stuck on this one image which I was compelled to draw until it had reached its dynamic conclusion. I actually felt that this was it. That I could not go any further. But something made me do so. I held on to two lines I learned in the factory while mass-producting doors: The more you do something,the better you get & Practice makes perfect. It made me nuts. I kept drawing, thinking I'd reach a breakthrough. It got so bad, that I considered the effects giving up would have on me. What did I have without this drawing? I had nothing. A husk of a person. A shell. A vast emptiness. Worse than the death of art - the death of an artist who carried a torch, who had a pumping heart, a soulful voice, and a soaring spirit. Paper saved me. I cried on it like a million sheets of kleenex. Year after year after year. I don't think anybody thought I was anything but completely insane. Why? Because I held on to a dream. Because the blue sky beckoned me. Because I believed that the world was my oyster. That days could be Banner days

This International Exhibit Will Yield Results

I feel really good about my entries into the 21 International Juried Exhibition @ The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and the qualifications of the Curator who juried the show. I will make this show yield results. I'm sending out personalized postcard invites. The first printing was not centered on the text, but the printers made good on the photo. I argued my case for quality and they did a better 2ND printing. The actual framing of the two pieces came out nicely. I will send them off Monday after I anoint them with my sword. The sword I have slain so many dragons with - the one that drips with black ink!

Upcoming Shows in New Jersey

I won an Honorable Mention at the Colorado Show. The works I had ready to submit in requested format that were not already out to other exhibitions, were not that great. But, I felt compelled to enter this particular exhibit because of its title - "Repetitive Gestures." I've found overall, I have better responses in NY and NJ.

I will focus on the upcoming International Show and the National Drawing Show in New Jersey. I need to tweak my artist's statement with a picture of the artist. Perhaps, a foreshortened image of my distant head with a foreground image of my pen large as a sword veering down near the ground.

Phone call of acceptance to the International Juried Show!

The call came on the 14th, but I didn't check the messages. And if you didn't get a call by the 21st, you were not accepted. So, when the call came today from the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, I was surprised. About 130 works were chosen out of 1800 entries. The great news is that this show has been referred to as "...a global cousin to the Whitney Biennial show of American art..." by Dan Bischoff of the Star-Ledger. Both of my submitted slides made the cut.

That sheet of paper is your field of dreams

Rekindle. Reignite. Reunite. Reawaken that dream. That single sheet of paper is your field of dreams. Launch the 1'000 ships. Go for it. So a few attempts fall short. You need them. You need a reference point, a compass point from which to experience your winnings. Those 7 times down have made that one time merlot sweet.

Drawing Made it to the College of New Jersey

I sent off the selected drawing to the college of New Jersey's National Drawing 2007 juried exhibition opening January 24, 2007. I was happy with this work; it had the dynacism I was seeking. I want my works to elevate me and vice versa. Happiness is something I can always find from a well executed work, even when everything else has me down. How many years in the factory was the dust, the noise, the low wages, the over-all dream-less life rendered mythic when a drawing made it out in spite of the situation. How soft that concrete bed outside a vacant church became when a drawing, its empty space sparkled with a certain human exactitude.

Response from ARTnews: Could it lead to something?

On Monday, November, 20th, it was my Birthday. I got in the mail three rejections to juried shows. But I got one acceptance letter from NJ. Better than that though, was a non-form letter from the publisher and editor of the top art magazine, ARTnews. Milton Esterow had responded to my invite to a group show I had in September. Although, he could not make the show, he passed my information to the editorial department. Could something come from this?

Work chosen for show in Colorado

I had my first shrink wrapping episode today as I prepared 3 drawings for the bin section in an upcoming exhibition I've been selected to participate in. The bin works are as good as the chosen work receiving the wall space. The bin work must not exceed $250.00 in price. Specifications like this help one in determining the price. But that price limitation has made me re-think the price of the selected piece which was priced much higher. Well, it was the one out of 3 sent that won approval by a jury of 5 artists, so there lies the justification. But, the jury never saw the other 3 bin works. My work has gotten better in the last 2 months.

Drawing Board from the Factory Assembly-line

This is the drawing board that I hinged to a wooden post at my work station in the factory. It was a simple, but bold step to put this symbol of creativity in a factory. It was bolder to actually whip out drawings in between running widgets on the assembly line. But this is what happened. I nurtured my dream in literally seconds-long installments. One mustn't think I was not working, for I worked hard and even won grand prize for cost-saving ideas that were used to restructure the lumber company I worked for. It was those little gaps of time that I used, where others may have taken a sandwich bite, a sip of coffee. This environment became the backdrop of my unfolding personal myth. I became engaged in my own mythic journey.

National Drawing 2007 @ The College of NJ

I overnighted 2 slides to National Drawing 2007 in NJ. It is hard to hold back my fire on these explosive drawings - but the rips must be controlled - within that control is the greatest freedom and the highest aesthetics achieved in this drawing style. I have to know in a split second where I must end the arpeggioed release. It is no different than baseball, golf, or any other sport where one must practice peripheral vision and see the whole game. It hasn't caught on big time yet, but I'm going for it.

Who is the Target of My Drawing Style?

The sheer dynacism of my drawings have an appeal to a certain collector. Someone wanting that primal, yet sophisticated delivery, dripping with never-drying soul. The homerun hit, the hole in one, the bull's eye. These celebrated moments are just second's long. My drawings have similar aspects. Certainly, this one thing - Sense of Urgency - has a relevance to the common person. Who hasn't experienced tension? Release? Grace under Pressure? The drawings have received honors from jurors from top museums. They have a inspiring Story. All the incredients are there. I need to put them in front of the right set of eyes and ears.

Submitting to National Drawing 2007

Last night I performed a dozen drawings. I'm going to submit 2 slides to the National Drawing Competition 2007 @ the college of New Jersey. Foremost for me entering a competition is the credentials of the juror and that the show emphasizes my medium - drawing. Or works on paper. I need that critical eye to notice the value in my soul drenched work, unfolding from a long journey - I've tried to outline its path on my site - www.drawingmyshipin.com. The juror is Curator & Director of Exhibitions, Hunterdon Museum of Art in Clinton, NJ. Last September, I attended a Long Island group show. My explosive, fast-paced drawings netted an Honorable Mention. That was important for me, as the curator was Colta Ives from the MET. And she was from the department of Drawing and Prints. And she was a well known author. And perhaps, best of all, she had just been awarded Best Exhibition for her Van Gogh Exhibition @ the Met by the Association of Museum Curatotrs, of which she's a founding member.

Drawing Last Night

I performed 14 drawings last night before bed. I selected three of them to make slides/CD's of to send to upcoming competitions. The critique takes but seconds; clearly, the best stick out as I can notice every subtlety because I have watched these drawings from their incubation period in the factory. I'm wanting to give more breadth to the leap for joy of this singing pen.