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Just in time for the show’s closing, BRASH dropped off the first run of Lustrous chapbooks at the artdc Gallery in the LUSTine center. They’re already selling, so get your order in if you want one. It’s a different approach that the usual postings done in the past at places like Artomatic and the ZIP Code show in that the poems are compiled in one place, so you can have a take-home collection that spans the entire show. An added twist (from BRASH’s much twisted sensibilities) is that the poems are not directly attributed to the work that inspired them. (There’s also a poem in there about the trash can at the LUSTine center–that’s assuredly not about any of the art!, as well as a small tribute to the wild weather of February 2010 and an examination of Olympic Ice Dancing as a metaphor for love.) I’m told that this is so you the artist can decide which one goes with your work, and then explain why by writing to BRASH@bust.com. The books, put together in an interesting 3 panel way, have identical poetry in each copy, but are compiled randomly, so that different books juxtapose different poems. There are almost 100 poems for the low price of $13, five of which goes to support ArtDC ventures. I’m also told that because the formatted file of the poems was lost right after printing the first draft copy, these early runs will include all the errors and errata that make early runs so much more valuable! So get your copy now!

We must send out our thanks to the benefactor again!  We posted previously about the benefactor here where they showed their artdc support with the gift of a silver “I love artdc” piggy bank filled with monopoly money and the hopes that it may draw more community support.  Shortly after our Valentines Day opening for the “Lust…” show, Alex from EYA dropped off a package that they received for us.  It was another benefactor gift with the idea of using Candy as a fund raiser!  We want to send out our Overdue Thanks.

We’re so pleased that there’s a Secret individual out there wishing us  support and great hopes for the future.  It takes a lot of energy to step out and do something.  We’re glad the benefactor did.

See the pics below:

Thanks to Fareeha Khawaja for the snap shots of the gifts!

Alex, a close friend of artdc.org just sent this ebay link via email.  This is it.  I feel like Dean Moriarty writing this.  You have to check out this item.  It’s a sculpture that sells it self.   This is Robert Morris taken to a new level.  It’s not the sound of it’s own making.  It develops it’s own sale.  It has 12 bids and is up to over $4,000.00 plus $50.00 shipping.  You own it until it sells it self again.

Evidently it pings a server every 10 minutes to make sure that it’s still for sale.

This goes beyond artificial intelligence, it’s something different.  I’d love to see the auction history for this item with past and future sales.

Here’s a link to the artist’s site.

UPDATE: It sold for US $6,350.00 and $50.00 for shipping on January 28, 2010.

We were really pleased to hear that a small package was delivered to the gallery via the EYA sales office. I opened the package and with great surprise, the benefactor sent us a gift! They want the world to support artdc.org so they sent us a great shiny silver piggy bank! Kim from EYA was very excited by the Benefactor’s idea. She loved the fact that they offered this kind of support and affirmation in small ways with big meanings. Personally, it had a great impact on us. Someone is willing to think about us and let us know that we’re doing something right.

We send our thanks to the benefactor! Check out these shots unpacking the bank and monopoly money. Here’s an image of the box shortly after we opened it under a painting by Jill Hackney.  

We thought the bank looked so good in the gallery that we put in on a pedestal for display!  Let’s hope the public get’s the point and supports us!

Here’s a full shot of the bank on the pedestal. We think it looks great in the space!

Maybe the monopoly money was a little prod at the Washington Post’s Reliable Source accusations of a connection with the collector. (scroll down to read their blurb about “The Collector’s Identity? It’s as Clear as Frosted Glass.”)

We just heard from Michael Winger that Bill Taylor died.  Bill Was Sy Gresser’s teacher, and it’s mean a lot for us to get to see the progression of work from one generation to the next.  From Bill, to Sy, to Michael.  It’s been a rare and unusual gift.  I finally was able to really see the connection between Sy and Bill at their recent UMUC show which we posted here.  This is a tremendous loss for the DC area art scene.  I hear their show may remain up for a few extra days, so I highly suggest you see it while you can.

For some more background about Bill and Sy, please read this article at the City Paper.  I was so pleased to see them write this artist’s profile.

Join attorney John D. Mason for a discussion of legal issues artists face–from copyright and trademark to contracts on December 12th, 1pm at the artdc Gallery. Questions are welcome.

Mr. Mason is a Washington DC/Maryland based art, entertainment, and intellectual property attorney. His practice focuses on copyright and trademark matters, litigation, contracts, and commercial matters. He works with artists, writers and creative people and companies to protect and exploit their work and is also a literary agent. He is on the Advisory Board of the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington and the Board of Director of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts. The website for his firm, The Intellectual Property Group, PLLC, is www.artlaws.com and his e-mail is artlaws2@aol.com.

Find the schedule of events for a Day of art, music, and creativity here.

A note was just published on live work spaces in the DC area, where we received a quote.  Check it out here.

Yesterday, I stopped by the Art League  at the Torpedo Factory to Jury a new show entitled Becoming Animal. The show runs from November 4 to December 7, 2009.  Artists were asked to explore the animal within us all or submit images of animals real or imaginary including everything from  our favorite pets to endangered and/or extinct species.  Artists are also encouraged to explore the fine line between humans and animals.  It was my goal to develop a selection of works that did exactly that.  It was important for me to attempt to move beyond the average pet picture and find raw emotion with in a tremendous pool of work.

There were well over 450 submissions which made this a tough yet pleasurable task.   The Art League is an organized movement which could give Seiko or even a Rolex a run for the money.   I was amazed at the attention.  There were 5 or 6 volunteers dedicated to helping the process run smoothly.  They insisted on bringing the work to me to view it.  I felt guilty watching them run from one pile to the next bringing me art.  In the end, I was exhausted, yet they had to feel it more since they were constantly running back and forth!  

The most difficult task was saying no, over 35o times, such an un-Dale Carnegie task.  (I keep hearing his instructions, make them say yes!)  

The Art League’s marketing manager too notes on our discussion about the curatorial process, and what I looked for to include a work.  At which point, I had to say, there could have been 2 or 3 other shows in this body of work.

One image or painting wasn’t  better than another,  the chosen works seemed to fit the theme better.  Some were picked for their raw emotion, others for my opinion of great skill, and many things in-between.  I would have loved to come back for a later visit to think more about which images were chosen, however the spontaneity of the of the process is part of the excitement, and it ads to the show.  I like the outcome. 

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Here we are with Vic and my old PA speakers.  These speakers had great karma about them.  We’re not sure who used them since they were purchased used from Guitar center, but with so many amazing musicians originating from the DC area, who knows, Dave Grohl could have played through them in a club, or they could have been someone’s garage band experience.  None the less, we’ve had them for the last 3 years or so, and they’ve been at many of Art Outlet and our shows.  

These speakers have experienced rock, jazz, and electronic music.  In the pic below, Vic and I delivered them from Flux 2 to the Zip Code show.   The south side of Arlington wasn’t the first time they saw the back of Vic’s ride.  We once drove them from our studio in NE DC down NY ave and south on 395.  We got some pretty amazing looks from the locals.  

All convertibles should have speakers this big in the back.  Who ever said a 10 inch sub was enough.  We want two 15’s.   After the zip code show we sold them to a father and son in Woodbridge, VA who are starting a new group and needed something to practice through. 

 May the speakers live on!  I have a feeling they’ll keep the positive speaker karma flowing.