Sunday, March 06, 2016
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Artist Frank Brown comes home again
Artist Frank Brown visits Southern Illinois. He lived in Carbondale as a child, then returned to graduate from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with an art degree
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, September 12, 2010
ArtSlant - Artists, Exhibits, Galleries and SalesRoom
"A great Arts link for worldwide audience!"ArtSlant - Artists, Exhibits, Galleries and Sales Room
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Artist Websites and Marketing
Fine Art Studio Online: "FineArtStudioOnline is a revolutionary web site creation tool that allows an artist to create his or her own art website in a matter of minutes!"
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
This blog has moved
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Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Stolen Paintings
Hello Art Lovers. I have an experience to share with you, an experience that might, hopefully, prevent other artists from going through the same ordeal I’ve gone through.
Although the vast majority of art dealers I’ve dealt with in the past have been professional and honest, sometimes an incident comes along that can propel an artist into total emotional frustration. That incident for me occurred one year ago, in the summer of 2007, when I was invited to have a solo art show at D Gallery in Oceanside California. Being a blind artist, the opportunity for people in San Diego County to see my art was invigorating. One of my goals has always been to show that blind people can create visual art. Although I have less than 5% vision left in one eye and only light perception remaining in my other, I can utilize that tiny bit of sight with the use of my memory. Relying on my memory is vital for I cannot see my paintings in their entirety either during or after their completion.
D Gallery was run by an art dealer named Gia Guidinger (I’ve since found out this is possibly an alias), the art show would run from August 1st 2007 – September 1st 2007, and we worked out a contract that contained all of the details one is supposed to have in a good contract. I made arrangements to fly from my home in Missouri to attend the show on opening night.
Opening night came and everyone in attendance had a great time. I responded to many questions regarding my art and the way I create it, and several people came up to me stating that they had just purchased certain works. I left for home feeling confident more sales would occur over the next four weeks.
Two weeks after returning home I was contacted by a friend in California, who told me that D Gallery was closed and all of my paintings were missing. I immediately phoned Ms. Guidinger and demanded that my art be returned to me or I would be contacting the local police. She assured me that my art was fine and claimed that the show lost money and she had to close down the gallery. When I inquired (several times over the next few weeks) as to how many of my paintings had sold, I received various answers along with excuses about misplacing her paper work. Little by little she shipped my paintings back to me, and when Ms. Guidinger said I’d received them all, I was15 paintings short. It was already past the date in the contract I was to be paid by, but she promised to send my percentage soon.
Several months passed and no payment came. Emails from her were vague, sometimes offering excuses and promises, other times they were abusive, and occasionally they were bizarre. I’d had enough of this fiasco and decided to take her to court.
She had breached the contract, and California civil service code 1738.6 states that an art dealer is required to pay the artist their share of the profits prior to the dealer paying himself/herself or spending any of the proceeds. I filed papers with San Diego County court, but found it impossible to have these documents served to Guidinger, for she had disappeared.
In January 2008 I placed a theft notice on my website with photos of the 15 paintings and a photo of Ms.Guidinger and myself. A couple of months later I received an email from her threatening to take legal action against me unless I removed her photo from my website. I wanted to shout, “please do it, take me to court, I’d love to see you in court!” Instead, she offered to pay me what she owed if I agreed to remove the theft notice. I was thoroughly familiar with her tactics by now and never for a moment believed she would actually pay me, but I wanted to say that I gave her every chance. So, I removed it, she didn’t pay, and the theft notice is now back on my website. I’ve also discovered that I’m not the first artist to have this experience with her, but as far as I know, I’m the only one speaking out about it.
It’s now been one year since the art show, I still haven’t been paid one penny, and the whereabouts of most of my 15 paintings is still a mystery. However, several weeks ago I received an interesting special delivery letter. It was from a Judge Mathis, and upon opening the letter I found out he’s a judge on TV. They search through court records around the country, came across my case in the files at San Diego Courthouse, and asked if I would agree to have my case on TV. I agreed, but they either couldn’t find Ms. Guidinger or couldn’t get her to agree to appear on Judge Mathis. A few days ago I received another special delivery letter. Now Cristina’s Court wants my case on their show. I await the results of their efforts to find her/convince her… I’m not holding my breath.
If anyone would like to see a photo of this “art dealer to avoid”, the link is http://www.davidkontra.com/notice_of_art_theft.htm .
Although the vast majority of art dealers I’ve dealt with in the past have been professional and honest, sometimes an incident comes along that can propel an artist into total emotional frustration. That incident for me occurred one year ago, in the summer of 2007, when I was invited to have a solo art show at D Gallery in Oceanside California. Being a blind artist, the opportunity for people in San Diego County to see my art was invigorating. One of my goals has always been to show that blind people can create visual art. Although I have less than 5% vision left in one eye and only light perception remaining in my other, I can utilize that tiny bit of sight with the use of my memory. Relying on my memory is vital for I cannot see my paintings in their entirety either during or after their completion.
D Gallery was run by an art dealer named Gia Guidinger (I’ve since found out this is possibly an alias), the art show would run from August 1st 2007 – September 1st 2007, and we worked out a contract that contained all of the details one is supposed to have in a good contract. I made arrangements to fly from my home in Missouri to attend the show on opening night.
Opening night came and everyone in attendance had a great time. I responded to many questions regarding my art and the way I create it, and several people came up to me stating that they had just purchased certain works. I left for home feeling confident more sales would occur over the next four weeks.
Two weeks after returning home I was contacted by a friend in California, who told me that D Gallery was closed and all of my paintings were missing. I immediately phoned Ms. Guidinger and demanded that my art be returned to me or I would be contacting the local police. She assured me that my art was fine and claimed that the show lost money and she had to close down the gallery. When I inquired (several times over the next few weeks) as to how many of my paintings had sold, I received various answers along with excuses about misplacing her paper work. Little by little she shipped my paintings back to me, and when Ms. Guidinger said I’d received them all, I was15 paintings short. It was already past the date in the contract I was to be paid by, but she promised to send my percentage soon.
Several months passed and no payment came. Emails from her were vague, sometimes offering excuses and promises, other times they were abusive, and occasionally they were bizarre. I’d had enough of this fiasco and decided to take her to court.
She had breached the contract, and California civil service code 1738.6 states that an art dealer is required to pay the artist their share of the profits prior to the dealer paying himself/herself or spending any of the proceeds. I filed papers with San Diego County court, but found it impossible to have these documents served to Guidinger, for she had disappeared.
In January 2008 I placed a theft notice on my website with photos of the 15 paintings and a photo of Ms.Guidinger and myself. A couple of months later I received an email from her threatening to take legal action against me unless I removed her photo from my website. I wanted to shout, “please do it, take me to court, I’d love to see you in court!” Instead, she offered to pay me what she owed if I agreed to remove the theft notice. I was thoroughly familiar with her tactics by now and never for a moment believed she would actually pay me, but I wanted to say that I gave her every chance. So, I removed it, she didn’t pay, and the theft notice is now back on my website. I’ve also discovered that I’m not the first artist to have this experience with her, but as far as I know, I’m the only one speaking out about it.
It’s now been one year since the art show, I still haven’t been paid one penny, and the whereabouts of most of my 15 paintings is still a mystery. However, several weeks ago I received an interesting special delivery letter. It was from a Judge Mathis, and upon opening the letter I found out he’s a judge on TV. They search through court records around the country, came across my case in the files at San Diego Courthouse, and asked if I would agree to have my case on TV. I agreed, but they either couldn’t find Ms. Guidinger or couldn’t get her to agree to appear on Judge Mathis. A few days ago I received another special delivery letter. Now Cristina’s Court wants my case on their show. I await the results of their efforts to find her/convince her… I’m not holding my breath.
If anyone would like to see a photo of this “art dealer to avoid”, the link is http://www.davidkontra.com/notice_of_art_theft.htm .
Friday, March 14, 2008
Time for a newsletter
So much is happening at Art Lovers gallery: plans to make it a cooperative; plans to expand our internet and print sales . . . it's time for a new newsletter.
It's also a time for a fitting tribute to Victor DeGraff, the gallery's best-selling artist, who died last month, after his car went off the road just past Dead Man's curve in Cobden. Victor would appreciate the irony. His Sands of Time Studio website has been recently updated, so his legacy will continue.
You can sign up for the newsletter on the Art Lovers home page.
It's also a time for a fitting tribute to Victor DeGraff, the gallery's best-selling artist, who died last month, after his car went off the road just past Dead Man's curve in Cobden. Victor would appreciate the irony. His Sands of Time Studio website has been recently updated, so his legacy will continue.
You can sign up for the newsletter on the Art Lovers home page.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Juno in July
Visiting artist to offer lectures, workshops in July: "Visiting artist Violet Juno will be on campus July 2-27 with a series of 25 events, including lectures, performances and workshops. The series, called 'Campo Truth Charmer: An Interdisciplinary Performance Expedition,' is meant primarily for artists of all types, from musicians to writers to painters to dancers, and for the 'art-curious' in any discipline.
Juno is an arts learning activist for the Alameda County, Calif., Office of Education. She is also a performance artist, having participated in exhibitions in more than 30 cities over the past 17 years, including a premier performance at SIUC's Kleinau Theater of "Swallowed Whole: Stories from Inside the Painting," an exploration of her work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Juno was born in Germany, but raised in Normal, Ill., where, according to her biography, she learned to recognize the "absurd masquerading as the mundane." She earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at Washington University and a master of fine arts at the University of California-San Diego.
Juno's visit here is funded in part by the Student Fine Arts Activity Fee. All of her events are open and free of charge. Each week has a theme. The schedule is given in the press release."
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Aftermath 2002, and other Plochmanns on display
The Southern Illinois Art Gallery at Rend Lake will be displaying the paintings of Carolyn Plochmann's Gift, a selection of paintings and drawings from the 1940s through 2005. The highly distinguished Carbondale artist, Plochmann, gifted the work to the Illinois State Museum in 2006, many of which are being shown for the first time.May 20 - September 9, 2007.
Six miles north of Benton, Illinois, just west on Exit 77.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Can you Duhigg it?
Artdaily.org - The First Art Newspaper on the Net: "ST. LOUIS - The annual Kranzberg Exhibition Series opens June 8, 2007 with an exhibition featuring the work of Thad Duhigg titled, Assumptions Mediated and will run through September 2, 2007.
Currently professor of sculpture and the Chair of the Art and Design department at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, Duhigg will fill the indoor galleries at Laumeier with his bold, probing and provocative work. The exhibition includes sculpture, installations, prints and drawings. Duhigg’s most recent work questions and provokes as it focus on issues of identity, race and current events. . . .
Duhigg received his B.F.A. from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale "
Currently professor of sculpture and the Chair of the Art and Design department at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, Duhigg will fill the indoor galleries at Laumeier with his bold, probing and provocative work. The exhibition includes sculpture, installations, prints and drawings. Duhigg’s most recent work questions and provokes as it focus on issues of identity, race and current events. . . .
Duhigg received his B.F.A. from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale "
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Healing art
Healing through art: "Twice a month teens and adults meet at The Women's Center in Carbondale for a unique form of art therapy called 'The Art of Survival: Women, Healing and the Arts.' The program is the only one of its type in Illinois and it has highlighted the work of about 25 people since it started in 2004.
'We let each individual decide what they want to do in their art. Through the artwork and various steps, an individual is able to reconnect with their feelings that they may not be aware of,' volunteer program manager Elka Kazmierczak said."
'We let each individual decide what they want to do in their art. Through the artwork and various steps, an individual is able to reconnect with their feelings that they may not be aware of,' volunteer program manager Elka Kazmierczak said."
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Picasso works stolen from granddaughter - Yahoo! News
Picasso works stolen from granddaughter - Yahoo! News:
"The paintings, 'Maya and the Doll' and 'Portrait of Jacqueline' by Picasso -- worth a total of nearly $66 million -- were stolen from the artist's granddaughter's house in Paris overnight Monday to Tuesday.The Art Loss Register, which maintains the world's largest database on stolen, missing and looted art, currently lists 444 missing Picasso pieces, including paintings, lithographs, drawings and ceramics. Among recent missing Picassos reported to the register was the theft of an abstract watercolor stolen in Mexico."
Monday, February 26, 2007
The Russians are Coming
Russian musicians to visit SIUC School of Music, March 6 & 7, to perform Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 with the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra at two venues: Shryock and The First United Methodist Church.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Lucky 13 in Mt. Vernon
Reported in FLIPSIDE Online: Thirteen Carbondale artists will display their work in the Mitchell Museum's main gallery at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon, beginning this Saturday, Feb. 24 through May 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.
The exhibit features the art of Andrea Buckvold, Luca Cruzat, Harris Deller, Ann Dodge, Cheonae Kim, L. Brent Kington, Jiyong Lee, Alex Lopez, Michael Onken, De Sande R, Rick Smith, Jason Urban and Chris Wildrick. Their works include photography, acrylic, ceramics and oil paint.
The exhibit features the art of Andrea Buckvold, Luca Cruzat, Harris Deller, Ann Dodge, Cheonae Kim, L. Brent Kington, Jiyong Lee, Alex Lopez, Michael Onken, De Sande R, Rick Smith, Jason Urban and Chris Wildrick. Their works include photography, acrylic, ceramics and oil paint.
Juried student art exhibition on display this week
Juried student art exhibition on display this week:
"The Graduate Sculpture Student Organization at Southern Illinois University Carbondale presents the first SIUC Juried Student Art Exhibition. The exhibit will be in the Surplus Gallery in the Glove Factory, on the corner of East College and South Washington streets in Carbondale. First, second and third place winners will receive $100, $50 and $25, respectively.
The exhibit will be open Thursday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 23, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The reception and awards presentation are set for Friday, Feb. 23, from 6 to 9 p.m. The events are free and open to the public.
Mel Watkin, the director of the photography gallery at the Public Policy Research Center of University of Missouri, St. Louis, will jury this inaugural exhibition."
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Strange statues around the world
One of Art Lovers favorite artists and dear friend, Christa Barnell, has moved to colder, but greener, pastures in Michigan, from where she sends this link to strange statues around the world posted on haha.nu - a lifestyle blogzine.
Which gives Art Lovers an idea..... How about an imaginative statue in Town Square?
Which gives Art Lovers an idea..... How about an imaginative statue in Town Square?
Saturday, February 10, 2007
One man's urinal, is another man's art
Yahoo! News reports in France: Court upholds urinal attack conviction:
"The self-proclaimed performance artist who attacked a urinal symbolic of the anarchic Dada movement with a hammer had his three-month suspended sentence upheld by a French court Friday.
Known as 'Fountain' and first exhibited by surrealist artist Marcel Duchamp in 1917, the ceramic urinal was slightly cracked by Pierre Pinoncelli's attack in January 2006.
'It was a nod to Dadaism, I wanted to pay homage to the spirit of Dada,' said Pinoncelli, 78, who complained about the 'non-recognition of his artistic act.'"
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Sand Painting DVD
The long-awaited documentary on the Art and History of Sand Painting with Victor DeGraff can be ordered through the Sands of Time web site.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
The Sound of Sand
The sand painting documentary Art Lovers is co-producing with Victor DeGraff is nearly completed, now that he and editor Dylan D. (.jpg) have completed the section of American Indian sand painting. Running approximately 40 minutes long, with the addition of original music and sound by Shadi Frick (pictured here with Victor), the next step is for Art Lovers' own Dan Johnson to finalize the DVD's and burn a few for the premiere on February 2, the First Friday of the month.
High School art high quality
Students art in Marion:
"The artwork presently on display in the Little Egypt Arts Centre in downtown Marion is a mix of prints, drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures. And although all of the pieces were created by high school students, the art is anything but juvenile."
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Art shows art at Wal Mart
Yahoo! News: Painting of Jolie draws notice: "A North Carolina artist intrigued by the public obsession with celebrity has found herself feeding that obsession with a painting of actress Angelina Jolie as the Virgin Mary hovering over a Wal-Mart check-out line.Kate Kretz has painted for 20 years but none of her previous work has garnered the attention given 'Blessed Art Thou,' showing ... at Art Miami, an annual exposition of modern and contemporary art."
The painting — acrylic and oil on linen — depicts an angelic Jolie in the clouds, holding her newborn daughter, Shiloh, with children Maddox and Zahara at her legs. Below them is a Wal-Mart checkout line. The painting is for sale for $50,000 through Chelsea Galleria in Miami, which represents Kretz.
On her blog, Kretz, 43, said the painting addresses "the celebrity worship cycle." She said she chose Jolie for the subject "because of her unavoidable presence in the media, the worldwide anticipation of her child, her 'unattainable' beauty and the good that she is doing in the world through her example, which adds another layer to the already complicated questions surrounding her status."
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Art for Mart's sake
Beginning Jan. 2 Art Lovers will selling its fine art online exclusively through Boundless Gallery a Carbondale-based virtual art gallery that attracts thousands of online shoppers monthly, with convenient search features like choosing by color, and seeing how a painting will look in a room.
The Art Lovers gallery looks great. More paintings by local artists Kathleen Shaffner, Christa Barnell, Victor DeGraff, Deborah Brees, Steve Fessler and others weekly.
The Art Lovers gallery looks great. More paintings by local artists Kathleen Shaffner, Christa Barnell, Victor DeGraff, Deborah Brees, Steve Fessler and others weekly.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Associated Artists Gallery closing, New ones opening
Photographer Bob Hageman and Dick Lawson try to explain why Associated Artists Gallery is closing in January: as the Southern Illinoisan reports: "[It] voted itself out of existence at its December meeting. . . .The gallery was formed in 1983 as the Carbondale Artists Cooperative . . . located on South Illinois Avenue next to the Kaleidoscope gift shop. . . ," but never recovered from the move to The Island, where it became more of gift shop.
". . . [A]rtists . . . intend to go on with their work and find new venues - maybe even a new association and new gallery -- including a symbiotic relationship . . . between Southern Illinois wineries and Southern Illinois artists."
". . . [A]rtists . . . intend to go on with their work and find new venues - maybe even a new association and new gallery -- including a symbiotic relationship . . . between Southern Illinois wineries and Southern Illinois artists."
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Newly-found Rockwell sets record
Yahoo! News: Rockwell found behind wall sets record: "One of Norman Rockwell's most famous paintings, discovered hidden behind a fake wall in its owner's Vermont home, has sold for $15.4 million.
'Breaking Home Ties,' which 'Henry' comic strip illustrator Donald Trachte Sr. purchased from Rockwell when the two were neighbors in Arlington, Vt., was sold to an anonymous telephone bidder, Sotheby's auction house said Thursday."
'Breaking Home Ties,' which 'Henry' comic strip illustrator Donald Trachte Sr. purchased from Rockwell when the two were neighbors in Arlington, Vt., was sold to an anonymous telephone bidder, Sotheby's auction house said Thursday."
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Damaged Picasso repair
Wynn's damaged Picasso being repaired - Yahoo! News: "Casino mogul Steve Wynn lost $139 million, but got to keep one of his favorite paintings when he poked a hole in a Picasso last month. . . . Now it will cost Wynn $85,000 to repair the damage to the art work, if not his pride.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Honored ceramist to show works at SIUC
Honored ceramist to show works at SIUC: "A celebrated ceramist will showcase his work at Southern Illinois University Carbondale next week as part of the Visiting Artists program at the University's School of Art and Design, part of the College of Liberal Arts.
David Furman, professor of ceramics at Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., will present a slide lecture and a demonstration on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. in room 161 of Lawson Hall. The event is free and open to the public. The fine arts activity fee funds the Visiting Artists program.
'Furman's visit will give SIUC students and faculty a unique opportunity to learn from this great artist,' said Jiyong Lee, assistant professor of glass and chair of the Visiting Artists committee."
David Furman, professor of ceramics at Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif., will present a slide lecture and a demonstration on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. in room 161 of Lawson Hall. The event is free and open to the public. The fine arts activity fee funds the Visiting Artists program.
'Furman's visit will give SIUC students and faculty a unique opportunity to learn from this great artist,' said Jiyong Lee, assistant professor of glass and chair of the Visiting Artists committee."
Monday, October 23, 2006
Exhibit showcases young artists' creations
Exhibit showcases young artists' creations: "Creations by young artists will be on display at Southern Illinois University Carbondale's School of Art and Design from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28, in room 102 of the Allyn Building. This event is free and open to the public.
The exhibit will showcase artwork produced during the 'Saturday Young Artists Workshop,' an eight-week series offered by the School of Art and Design's art education department. The school is part of the College of Liberal Arts."
The exhibit will showcase artwork produced during the 'Saturday Young Artists Workshop,' an eight-week series offered by the School of Art and Design's art education department. The school is part of the College of Liberal Arts."
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Pokes Picasso Painting
U.S. casino magnate gives Picasso's dream the elbow: "Picasso's famed 'Dream' painting turned into a nightmare for Las Vegas casino magnate Steve Wynn when he accidentally gave the multimillion dollar canvas an elbow.
Wynn had just finalized a $139 million sale to another collector of his painting, called 'Le Reve' (The Dream), when he poked a finger-sized hole in the artwork while showing it to friends at his Las Vegas office a couple of weeks ago.
Director and screenwriter Nora Ephron, who witnessed and related the incident in her blog on the Huffington Post Web site (www.huffingtonpost.com), said Wynn had raised his hand to show the group something about Picasso's 1932 portrait of his mistress Marie-Therese Walter."
Wynn had just finalized a $139 million sale to another collector of his painting, called 'Le Reve' (The Dream), when he poked a finger-sized hole in the artwork while showing it to friends at his Las Vegas office a couple of weeks ago.
Director and screenwriter Nora Ephron, who witnessed and related the incident in her blog on the Huffington Post Web site (www.huffingtonpost.com), said Wynn had raised his hand to show the group something about Picasso's 1932 portrait of his mistress Marie-Therese Walter."
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