Artists intent

Interesting concept. Does the artist own the meaning of his/her art work. In the strict sense of the sentence of course not as the interpretation by the veiwer is tremendously varied. He/she (now known as et.al) would own some of the meaning and would own completely what they say the meaning is. I wonder sometimes when I read a critics long winded statement of an artists work whether et.al is secretly amused/disgusted because it has absolutely nothing to do with et.als' intention.

Machine art

Great video from Vvoi at New Art

Anton Refregier

In the 1930s Anton Refregier one of the greatest social realist artists to have worked in America during that time made the following quote:

“In this middle period of the 20th century, we are faced with the dilemma of reconciling the profit motive and the cultural needs of the American people. There is no denying that the capitalist system has provided material abundance unknown in previous history. It has been less successful, however, in implicating the spiritual values which would make that abundance meaningful in terms of human satisfaction.
In consequence, we find ourselves in an anomalous position. The richer we get in possessions, the poorer we become in their enjoyment. The leisure we have earned by mass production is a source of worry and unease. We are not quite sure we know what to do with it. In short, the profit system is not capable of providing the fullest cultural development of the people.”

Pertinent today?

Creativity

When my creativity is low (as it is at the moment) I realise I am trying to run my art separate from my life and it just doesn't work. I've been in the zone sometimes when life and art flow with no boundaries and it is exhilarating and very productive. Lynton Lamb has a great analogy below..



“For serious artists, painting is a permanent attitude of mind. It is a scheme into which the general run of experience fits. However difficult it may be to reconcile work and life there remains a sense in which, as Saint Paul said, “all things work together.”If painting is a relaxation quite separate from his ordinary living, it will not be strengthened by daily experience, it will be weakened by its contrary direction.It will become something outside itself, to be maintained by visits: like a distant allotment garden into which he occasionally inserts an artificial flower.Preparation for Painting, Lynton Lamb, 1954

Gallery commission

The Artspost Gallery where I have some sculptures told me they take 40% commission which in my language means they put 40% on my price and keep it when the piece is sold. If I want $3000 the sale price is $4200 and they keep the $1200. But no. They take 40% of the sale price so put 40% on my price and then take 40% off the inflated price. 40% of $4200 is $1680 which leaves me with $4200 - $1680 = $2520. So to give me my $3000 they put 67% commission on..... $3000 x 67% = $5000.... 40% of $5000 = $2000.
Now I still get my $3000 but I think it is deceitful to say they only charge 40% and it inflates all their prices so less art is sold.
We don't take any commission at the restaurant because we like to have changing art on the walls, it helps the artist and it keeps the prices down. We have sold 10 paintings since we opened in October which doesn't sound a lot but in these hard economic times it's not bad.
A local artist, Annabel Nesbit, opened her exhibition of landscapes yesterday and we bought one, not only because we liked it but she needed money for more canvases.

Hamilton Exhibition

I'm stoked. My treepee won the peoples' choice award at the exhibition worth $700 worth of prizes and I conned the gallery to let me leave it on the street (above). It's a risk because it could be stolen or damaged but it's great promotion as it's the main street of Hamilton, one of our biggest cities and right next to their prestigious museum.

We also did a round trip to Tauranga to deliver the portrait I painted of Elpie for her 50th birthday on Xmas Eve. Yes that is a gorgeous single malt whiskey from her fathers' distillery at Campbelltown on the Mull of Kintyre in my arms. Fair swap!!

Studio

Still cold and wet outside so to avoid sculpture I cleaned out the studio. Haven't painted for a couple of years and I don't look after my stuff. Brushes were crusty and had to dig into the paint tubes in the hope of moisture. Nice though. The space is high in the house reached by a rickety ladder and I'm left alone. Big with light from the four points of the compass it allows me to stop and dream. And then? To the pallet knife. Memories of days making concrete tanks with plaster over chicken wire. The oil paint thick and luscious the magenta somehow heroic the white is white. Is the result OK? I like to go up next day and surprise the painting. The sudden viewing quickly finds faults. Does it work or is it out to the sculpture again.
I think I'll become a rock star!!

Stone carving

I have been forced through lack of timber to leave my warmish studio and head out to the cold and wet stone yard (or is that graveyard!) where various unfinished works lie waiting for inspiration or summer whichever comes first. The stone is an andersite, named because it was first discovered in the Andes, and the quarry is only an hour away so is reasonably local. It is very hard so diamond tools make life easier, a lovely blue-green colour and polishes well up to 3000 grit but it's downfall is that it is blasted in the quarry so tends to have fractures just where you don't want them.

I hope to have some Coromandel granite for our next symposium in November. This is found north of Colville on the Peninsula near Fantail Bay and has been quarried and used for some of our Parliament buildings. Softer than marble and very consistent it has a lovely fleck and can be picked up as boulders in farmers fields.

I'm working on a shipwrecked boat in two pieces, the lower piece supporting the boat and having a reservoir so I can pump water up through the boat to cascade over the side and back down to go up again. In theory it sounds good but I'm having trouble making it look natural as if the boat has been cast upon the rocks and abandoned. I want to craft an oar out of a piece of recycled kauri to make it look more authentic and maybe and old frayed rope from a bollard on the front.

Cutting stone with power tools at this time of year can be a bitch, by the time you assemble all the tools, supply the power, put on the overalls, the face mask, the ear muffs, turn the stone over and imagine what you are going to do, it's time for a cup of coffee!! Don't tell me I don't need my coffee! After watching a DVD of Australian artist Brett Whitely my addiction pales into insignificance.