My proposed solo exhibition at BBC Lancashire's Gallery which had to be postponed last autumn due to a gallery refurbishment. has now been rearranged and the dates are Tuesday 13th April until Tuesday 11th May.
On Tues 13th PM on the John Gillmore show (this may be amended) they plan to do an on air interview. You should be able to listen to this anywhere in the world as it is also broadcast on the Internet.
Will post further info as I receive it..
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Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Ever tried..
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better."
Samuel Beckett
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Samuel Beckett
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Saturday, 30 January 2010
The pro's of art discussion on the Internet
I don't think we learn much by surrounding ourselves with sympathetic folks. I prefer to be surrounded by a spectrum art and artists than by people who all feel art is about the same things.
I think there is an artistic apartheid in the UK.. if you're not left of centre and based in some academic institution you really don't get into the art debate in the UK. In my view because artists pursue independently their vision of the world..this makes artists more likely to be independent thinkers.. because by the nature of our practice we have (or should have) the will to be independent of the political mainstream.. more so than any conviction that one grouping, establishment or a single philosophical position is correct. I have strong and probably quite unpopular views on the type of art receiving State subsidises in the UK and there really is no general platform for open discussion of this... rather like global warming (sorry I mean climate change). In my experience where the debate ends the creativity quickly dries up as well... that's probably why I find much contemporary art in the UK insular,self absorbed and frankly dull.
In my opinion Artists generally deal with the ideas.. and because we deal with visual ideas we are quite capable of bringing a "different perspective" to an established debate, not seen in the wider social context. We are less interested in the actual political application of these ideas and political loyalties but artists generally explore ideas. Free debate is the anvil on which new ideas are hammered into some form of coherent shape. In a healthy society artists should generally be challenging accepted ideas of political correctness and truisms than the general population.. we explore visual ideas and therefore the idea of any rigid "truth" should be met with suspicion by artists. We are less likely to follow the debate we are generally more likely to create, renew or stimulate debate. I think its healthy that when the "truth is declared".. artists eye this declaration with suspicion.
In European history over the last couple of centuries "creatives" have always been close to the heart of the evolving debate. It seems only right that the internet should create and sustain forums for the exchange of international ideas and art sites are probably the intellectual equivalent of the Parisian cafes in Picasso's day.
At this time I see society as in urgent need of fresh thinking and new vision.. the right/left thing is largely dead.. society needs its creative thinkers now to find a way through the mess.
Andy Mercer
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
I think there is an artistic apartheid in the UK.. if you're not left of centre and based in some academic institution you really don't get into the art debate in the UK. In my view because artists pursue independently their vision of the world..this makes artists more likely to be independent thinkers.. because by the nature of our practice we have (or should have) the will to be independent of the political mainstream.. more so than any conviction that one grouping, establishment or a single philosophical position is correct. I have strong and probably quite unpopular views on the type of art receiving State subsidises in the UK and there really is no general platform for open discussion of this... rather like global warming (sorry I mean climate change). In my experience where the debate ends the creativity quickly dries up as well... that's probably why I find much contemporary art in the UK insular,self absorbed and frankly dull.
In my opinion Artists generally deal with the ideas.. and because we deal with visual ideas we are quite capable of bringing a "different perspective" to an established debate, not seen in the wider social context. We are less interested in the actual political application of these ideas and political loyalties but artists generally explore ideas. Free debate is the anvil on which new ideas are hammered into some form of coherent shape. In a healthy society artists should generally be challenging accepted ideas of political correctness and truisms than the general population.. we explore visual ideas and therefore the idea of any rigid "truth" should be met with suspicion by artists. We are less likely to follow the debate we are generally more likely to create, renew or stimulate debate. I think its healthy that when the "truth is declared".. artists eye this declaration with suspicion.
In European history over the last couple of centuries "creatives" have always been close to the heart of the evolving debate. It seems only right that the internet should create and sustain forums for the exchange of international ideas and art sites are probably the intellectual equivalent of the Parisian cafes in Picasso's day.
At this time I see society as in urgent need of fresh thinking and new vision.. the right/left thing is largely dead.. society needs its creative thinkers now to find a way through the mess.
Andy Mercer
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
In defense of Abstraction
I equate abstraction in art with rhythm and harmony in music.. words in music are much like realism in art for me. Words in music can convey human emotions and create pictures in the mind etc.. but the "words" depend absolutely on an underpinning of rhythm and harmony. Likewise realism in art can convey direct human emotion.. but this emotive quality in realism is dependant on an abstract visual composition of basic shapes and colour.
Is instrumental music somehow less than music with words ? I doubt many orchestral conductors would agree with you on that.
Is abstract art somehow less than realistic art.. not at all.
They are simply different.
The relationship between realism and abstraction is a fascinating historical one.. "realism" as we know it is a relatively recent phenomenon and arose in public consciousness after the Renaissance... with the emergence of engineering and the material sciences. IMO certain aspects of visual art practice somehow got mixed up with scientific thinking and practice..(probably due to the Royal Academy's) in the sense that accurate observation and description in art i.e. "Realism" became the artist equivalent of accuracy and precision of scientific experimentation. Its is not in my opinion co-incidence that the rise of realism has occurred at the same time as the rise of scientific thought and practice. Precision and accuracy of observation and delivers good science so the argument goes this must also be basically true in other areas of human activity... including art. This idea has certainly stuck in the public's mind in western cultures.. how many times have we heard someone equate accurate depiction with the quality of the art ?
But "abstraction" is not really concerned with accuracy or precision of depiction so abstraction in some quarters is somehow devalued in the same way that religion/spirituality has become devalued by the prevalence of our scientific based philosophy. As Darkest said at the start of this thread.. why do people "switch off to abstraction" ? I believe they "switch off" because of this basic taboo towards anything not quantifiable in culturally established scientific terms.
But artists have been using pattern, texture, colour, shapes and rhythm since time began.. every mark made by an artist is basically abstract.. a line or a splotch, a block of colour is basically abstract.. all art starts as abstraction.. abstraction is at the core of visual art. I think artists who are musical are more inclined to understand the true nature of abstraction as the building blocks of art... as rhythm, tempo and harmony are the building blocks of music. Here the comparison between music and art breaks down in a revealing way for me.. because there is (as far as I am aware) no similar comparison to the scientific method influencing music in recent centuries.. music in all its forms is still just music.. as art in all its forms should simply be the many varied and wonderful forms of visual art.
I have no problems with experimentation in art and visual perception.. I don't really like any artificial boundaries or restrictions.. that we ALL just do art will do for me.
But I do have more of a problem in this respect with contemporary conceptual art.. when Art deals less and less with the timeless basic constituents of visual art i.e. colour, shape, rhythm, pattern, texture.. and even accuracy.. for me it becomes less and less art. Its no surprise to me then that it has to rely more on context to be accepted as art at all.. place a bucket of rice with a light bulb in a field and its a bucket of rice with a light bulb in a field.. place a bucket of rice with a light bulb in a gallery and it becomes art. But I'm not sure that a devalued art.. is not ultimately devaluing the context.
I would never agree with the idea that art only exists in the gallery.
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Is instrumental music somehow less than music with words ? I doubt many orchestral conductors would agree with you on that.
Is abstract art somehow less than realistic art.. not at all.
They are simply different.
The relationship between realism and abstraction is a fascinating historical one.. "realism" as we know it is a relatively recent phenomenon and arose in public consciousness after the Renaissance... with the emergence of engineering and the material sciences. IMO certain aspects of visual art practice somehow got mixed up with scientific thinking and practice..(probably due to the Royal Academy's) in the sense that accurate observation and description in art i.e. "Realism" became the artist equivalent of accuracy and precision of scientific experimentation. Its is not in my opinion co-incidence that the rise of realism has occurred at the same time as the rise of scientific thought and practice. Precision and accuracy of observation and delivers good science so the argument goes this must also be basically true in other areas of human activity... including art. This idea has certainly stuck in the public's mind in western cultures.. how many times have we heard someone equate accurate depiction with the quality of the art ?
But "abstraction" is not really concerned with accuracy or precision of depiction so abstraction in some quarters is somehow devalued in the same way that religion/spirituality has become devalued by the prevalence of our scientific based philosophy. As Darkest said at the start of this thread.. why do people "switch off to abstraction" ? I believe they "switch off" because of this basic taboo towards anything not quantifiable in culturally established scientific terms.
But artists have been using pattern, texture, colour, shapes and rhythm since time began.. every mark made by an artist is basically abstract.. a line or a splotch, a block of colour is basically abstract.. all art starts as abstraction.. abstraction is at the core of visual art. I think artists who are musical are more inclined to understand the true nature of abstraction as the building blocks of art... as rhythm, tempo and harmony are the building blocks of music. Here the comparison between music and art breaks down in a revealing way for me.. because there is (as far as I am aware) no similar comparison to the scientific method influencing music in recent centuries.. music in all its forms is still just music.. as art in all its forms should simply be the many varied and wonderful forms of visual art.
I have no problems with experimentation in art and visual perception.. I don't really like any artificial boundaries or restrictions.. that we ALL just do art will do for me.
But I do have more of a problem in this respect with contemporary conceptual art.. when Art deals less and less with the timeless basic constituents of visual art i.e. colour, shape, rhythm, pattern, texture.. and even accuracy.. for me it becomes less and less art. Its no surprise to me then that it has to rely more on context to be accepted as art at all.. place a bucket of rice with a light bulb in a field and its a bucket of rice with a light bulb in a field.. place a bucket of rice with a light bulb in a gallery and it becomes art. But I'm not sure that a devalued art.. is not ultimately devaluing the context.
I would never agree with the idea that art only exists in the gallery.
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Saturday, 12 December 2009
The Future for POD sites ? (Part 2)
As a lot of my recent work has been digital, I've been including a message in the image description about the availability of limited edition prints direct from me.
I've kept my POD prices low.. simply because I think they are unsigned reproductions. I would hate one of my unsigned POD buyers to contact me in the future and ask me to explain what the difference is between their unsigned POD they paid $100 for and the unsigned print they have just seen in Walmart for $15. (Ok I don't sell through Walmart but stranger things have happened)
I get a steady stream of Limited Edition sales from several POD sites.. and have made more money from selling LE prints online than POD's in the last 12 months.
I get quite a lot of contact from people thinking of buying POD's who maybe want to know which paper I recommend.. in my experience these people can often be persuaded to buy LE prints.
But I know other artists have different pricing strategies.. and I really don't think there is just one route.
I think traditional artists really do have to get over their reservations about online and computer generated art sold as prints. In my opinion it can only a good thing that new buyers are buying POD prints and IMO this expansion of interest can only add value to traditional forms of prints.. like lithographs etc. With print sales it is very obvious that there is a correlation between rarity, artists approval and the amount a buyer will pay.. at the moment there is no limit on the number of POD's a site could sell of any artists work and this makes them more like Walmart and less like a way of buying genuine ART print with a long term value. If an artist sells a million POD's and makes $100 per print essentially these POD's will be worthless to collectors... you may be happy artist.. but your likely to have a lot of not very happy buyers.
I think that many buyers on POD sites are not "savy" art buyers.. just people who like a work and want to buy it. Crazy as it seems I don't think that many YET understand that the authetication and a signature adds hugely to the value. But I do think they will learn, so for me its important they don't feel in the future they have paid too much for what are basically unsigned prints.
I think the question is "how can POD sites effectively add value for the buyer.. and provide extra income for both artists and POD sites ?"
I think POD sites are missing a trick in simply selling basic POD's.. they have generally settled for a relatively low cost low margin product. I do believe if a POD sites became a supplier of "authenticated, numbered and approved reproductions of an artist" it would have some extra value for the buyer in the long term. This authentication and numbering could all be done in house. I currently provide authentication written on a small b&w art print.. and many buyers say they are delighted to get two art works for the price of one and all this could be set up via POD sites. The signature is the only problem. I wonder if artist signing tours might be possible in the future.. in the same way that authors have book signing tours.
I think the following would be worth trying for both POD sites and artists..
The POD site becomes "an approved print reproduction supplying site for artists" and in addition to normal POD's offers.. a numbered and authenticated POD which are essentially the same but with a certification of authenticity. The artist could then decide how many of these "authenticated prints" to offer for sale. None of this prevents artists from offering signed limited edition prints as well. I just see it as a way of adding value for buyers.. and extra income for artists and POD sites. I think the POD site would have to make it very clear they are supplying "artist approved prints"
Online art sales are here to stay.. and we want POD's to be collected.. and traded. I think the next stage for sites like this will be need to start adding value for buyers.. and making more money per print for artists and POD sites in the process. I'm less interested in making $10-500 dollars on a single POD than building a relationship with a potential collector who I want to help build up a valuable collection, I want to profit from this long term relationship but I also want the buyer to profit from this relationship both in terms of accrued value and enjoyment. At the moment POD sites simply don't provide anyway of acheiving this.. POD's need to become approved online print sellers providing a complete service.
Anyway that will give everyone something to think about over Christmas..
Seasons Greetings to all creatives everywhere.
Andy Mercer
http://www.andy-mercer.co.uk
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
I've kept my POD prices low.. simply because I think they are unsigned reproductions. I would hate one of my unsigned POD buyers to contact me in the future and ask me to explain what the difference is between their unsigned POD they paid $100 for and the unsigned print they have just seen in Walmart for $15. (Ok I don't sell through Walmart but stranger things have happened)
I get a steady stream of Limited Edition sales from several POD sites.. and have made more money from selling LE prints online than POD's in the last 12 months.
I get quite a lot of contact from people thinking of buying POD's who maybe want to know which paper I recommend.. in my experience these people can often be persuaded to buy LE prints.
But I know other artists have different pricing strategies.. and I really don't think there is just one route.
I think traditional artists really do have to get over their reservations about online and computer generated art sold as prints. In my opinion it can only a good thing that new buyers are buying POD prints and IMO this expansion of interest can only add value to traditional forms of prints.. like lithographs etc. With print sales it is very obvious that there is a correlation between rarity, artists approval and the amount a buyer will pay.. at the moment there is no limit on the number of POD's a site could sell of any artists work and this makes them more like Walmart and less like a way of buying genuine ART print with a long term value. If an artist sells a million POD's and makes $100 per print essentially these POD's will be worthless to collectors... you may be happy artist.. but your likely to have a lot of not very happy buyers.
I think that many buyers on POD sites are not "savy" art buyers.. just people who like a work and want to buy it. Crazy as it seems I don't think that many YET understand that the authetication and a signature adds hugely to the value. But I do think they will learn, so for me its important they don't feel in the future they have paid too much for what are basically unsigned prints.
I think the question is "how can POD sites effectively add value for the buyer.. and provide extra income for both artists and POD sites ?"
I think POD sites are missing a trick in simply selling basic POD's.. they have generally settled for a relatively low cost low margin product. I do believe if a POD sites became a supplier of "authenticated, numbered and approved reproductions of an artist" it would have some extra value for the buyer in the long term. This authentication and numbering could all be done in house. I currently provide authentication written on a small b&w art print.. and many buyers say they are delighted to get two art works for the price of one and all this could be set up via POD sites. The signature is the only problem. I wonder if artist signing tours might be possible in the future.. in the same way that authors have book signing tours.
I think the following would be worth trying for both POD sites and artists..
The POD site becomes "an approved print reproduction supplying site for artists" and in addition to normal POD's offers.. a numbered and authenticated POD which are essentially the same but with a certification of authenticity. The artist could then decide how many of these "authenticated prints" to offer for sale. None of this prevents artists from offering signed limited edition prints as well. I just see it as a way of adding value for buyers.. and extra income for artists and POD sites. I think the POD site would have to make it very clear they are supplying "artist approved prints"
Online art sales are here to stay.. and we want POD's to be collected.. and traded. I think the next stage for sites like this will be need to start adding value for buyers.. and making more money per print for artists and POD sites in the process. I'm less interested in making $10-500 dollars on a single POD than building a relationship with a potential collector who I want to help build up a valuable collection, I want to profit from this long term relationship but I also want the buyer to profit from this relationship both in terms of accrued value and enjoyment. At the moment POD sites simply don't provide anyway of acheiving this.. POD's need to become approved online print sellers providing a complete service.
Anyway that will give everyone something to think about over Christmas..
Seasons Greetings to all creatives everywhere.
Andy Mercer
http://www.andy-mercer.co.uk
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Collaborative series of works
I've recently been involved in an extended collaborative series of works.
I spotted this image by Denis Dalby
And who takes notice on Red Bubble. I'd wanted to create an image based on torn posters for awhile... so Denis's photo fitted the bill. Denis kindly agreed to send me a copy.
I've also had a few textile artists tell me some aspects of my work are close to textile art.. I like texture and repetitive lines and shapes. The link below details how Canadian textile artist Lorraine Roy picked up on my image (based on Denis's image) and in turn created an entirely new work based on my image. The image Lorraine has posted at the very top left via the link below is Stop 3 which is my image inspired by Denis Dalbys photo.
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=131956
Juding by some of the comments on the message boards other artists are interested in developing this colloborative series further. One of thing I really enjoy about all of this is that there is no plagerism going on.. we all see potential for new entirely images in other artists works !
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
I spotted this image by Denis Dalby
And who takes notice on Red Bubble. I'd wanted to create an image based on torn posters for awhile... so Denis's photo fitted the bill. Denis kindly agreed to send me a copy.
I've also had a few textile artists tell me some aspects of my work are close to textile art.. I like texture and repetitive lines and shapes. The link below details how Canadian textile artist Lorraine Roy picked up on my image (based on Denis's image) and in turn created an entirely new work based on my image. The image Lorraine has posted at the very top left via the link below is Stop 3 which is my image inspired by Denis Dalbys photo.
http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=131956
Juding by some of the comments on the message boards other artists are interested in developing this colloborative series further. One of thing I really enjoy about all of this is that there is no plagerism going on.. we all see potential for new entirely images in other artists works !
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Frontiers Magazine
About two months ago, Andy Mercer and myself were contacted by a representative of the scientific journal 'Frontiers in Neuroscience'. Yesterday, we were each notified that our work will be featured in their upcoming, quarterly edition. This edition is primarily devoted to all aspects of Sleep: latest research, and the impact of sleep, and sleep disorders, on society, funding, and industries.
Here are some excerpts from the Frontiers website:
The Frontiers Journal Series are open-access journals supported by the Frontiers Research Foundation, an international not-for-profit foundation based in Switzerland in the spirit of neutrality and guided by core principles.
The Frontiers Journal Series is not just another journal. It is a new approach to scientific publishing. As service to scientists, it is driven by researchers for researchers but it also serves the interests of the general public.
Vision -- The prosperity of society requires all people - without borders or discrimination - to have free and easy access to knowledge. The grand vision of Frontiers is a world where all people have equal opportunity to seek, share and create knowledge.
I'm presumptuous enough to speak for both of us and say that, though there is no fee involved, this is a great opportunity for any artist and we're honored to participate. The Frontiers journals are distributed worldwide, with a print run of 8,000 copies going to subscribing scientists, surgeons and other medical professionals as well as libraries, universities and various scientific facilities.
Here's a link to Andy's accepted, sleep-titled image -
The City that never sleeps
http://www.redbubble.com/people/merca/art/1602779-2-the-city-that-never-sleeps
Frontiers has chosen to use six of my sleep/dream-related images -
The Flock
Sealy's Window 1, 2, & 3
http://art166.redbubble.com/sets/87817/works/3242627-2-sealys-window-1
http://art166.redbubble.com/sets/87817/works/3242613-2-sealys-window-2
http://art166.redbubble.com/sets/87817/works/3242573-2-sealys-window-3
REM Dreams
http://art166.redbubble.com/works/3234139-2-rem-dreams
And, a final image, Dreamstorm, which is not posted online, but will be . . . very soon.
It also pays to update your online sites, even when sales slack off. Did I mention they found us on RedBubble?
I'm told we should have hard copies in our hands before Christmas. I hope that's true, as it would be nice to pass around to the family before Christmas dinner!
Thanks for your support in this, Andy. It's been fun!
~ EyeSpy aka W. J. aka Wendy J. St. Christopher
W. J.'s Blog - http://art166.info
W. J. @ Zazzle - http://www.zazzle.com/eyespy*
W. J. @ Zazzle 2 - http://www.zazzle.com/art166
W. J. @ Redbubble - http://art166.com
W. J.'s Video Exhibits - http://www.youtube.com/user/art166wj
My website
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
Here are some excerpts from the Frontiers website:
The Frontiers Journal Series are open-access journals supported by the Frontiers Research Foundation, an international not-for-profit foundation based in Switzerland in the spirit of neutrality and guided by core principles.
The Frontiers Journal Series is not just another journal. It is a new approach to scientific publishing. As service to scientists, it is driven by researchers for researchers but it also serves the interests of the general public.
Vision -- The prosperity of society requires all people - without borders or discrimination - to have free and easy access to knowledge. The grand vision of Frontiers is a world where all people have equal opportunity to seek, share and create knowledge.
I'm presumptuous enough to speak for both of us and say that, though there is no fee involved, this is a great opportunity for any artist and we're honored to participate. The Frontiers journals are distributed worldwide, with a print run of 8,000 copies going to subscribing scientists, surgeons and other medical professionals as well as libraries, universities and various scientific facilities.
Here's a link to Andy's accepted, sleep-titled image -
The City that never sleeps
http://www.redbubble.com/people/merca/art/1602779-2-the-city-that-never-sleeps
Frontiers has chosen to use six of my sleep/dream-related images -
The Flock
Sealy's Window 1, 2, & 3
http://art166.redbubble.com/sets/87817/works/3242627-2-sealys-window-1
http://art166.redbubble.com/sets/87817/works/3242613-2-sealys-window-2
http://art166.redbubble.com/sets/87817/works/3242573-2-sealys-window-3
REM Dreams
http://art166.redbubble.com/works/3234139-2-rem-dreams
And, a final image, Dreamstorm, which is not posted online, but will be . . . very soon.
It also pays to update your online sites, even when sales slack off. Did I mention they found us on RedBubble?
I'm told we should have hard copies in our hands before Christmas. I hope that's true, as it would be nice to pass around to the family before Christmas dinner!
Thanks for your support in this, Andy. It's been fun!
~ EyeSpy aka W. J. aka Wendy J. St. Christopher
W. J.'s Blog - http://art166.info
W. J. @ Zazzle - http://www.zazzle.com/eyespy*
W. J. @ Zazzle 2 - http://www.zazzle.com/art166
W. J. @ Redbubble - http://art166.com
W. J.'s Video Exhibits - http://www.youtube.com/user/art166wj
My website
My Red Bubble - Art Prints
My Zazzle Shop- Cards, Mugs T Shirts etc
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