Monday, September 15, 2008

Roller Review of the Atlanta Arts Festival 2008

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posted by saishman @ 1:53 PM   10 comments

10 Comments:

At 1:51 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Thanks for the tour, Steve. Next best thing to being there...and buying some art!

 
At 7:57 AM, Blogger lindapicken said...

That was the worst review of an art show yet. To hype up the "freebies" and not talk to the real artists, those who paid to be there, and feature the art work was very disappointing to say the least. These artists are going thru the worst times to try and sell art with the economy being what it is. Many depend on their income from shows to survive. They need good articles in papers and interviews such as yours to bring people out to buy artwork, not look for freebies.

 
At 8:44 AM, Blogger Gary said...

I agree with Linda. With all the trials and troubles this art community is having, this was horrible. To merely focus on all the free crap you can pilfer at an art show where people are struggling to even put food on the table. They have spent thousands of dollars to be there. You could do better with this forum for building up the artists. Oh, can I have some 'free' photography from you? That's all I want, is what I can get for free....geezz......

 
At 1:27 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Fun idea to cruse the art fair on roller blades an film along the way. but Steve there were real live artist there did you talk to any of them? Think of buying anything? Free stuff to stuff your mouth and bags with is all good but these artist came many miles and spent many dollars to bring their artwork to Atlanta. I hope artist did well enough there. I know I still ache for the wonderful days of the Arts Festival of Atlanta.

Annette

 
At 7:14 PM, Blogger saishman said...

Wow, are these comments jokes?
Do people actually believe that because artists have paid to display their work that I have to give them a good review?
I showed up, I had fun, and I documented what I did while at the fair. I have absolutely no responsibility to use my blog to "build up the artists" at all.

I did interview a few artists and all they wanted to do was promote the sales of their work through their websites. If I choose to not use my blog as free commercial advertising for individual artists, that's my choice.

By the way, you did come to my blog for a "freebie"; a free review. So Gary and Linda, I assume you'll put your money where your mouth is and send me a check ...

 
At 11:12 AM, Blogger Gary said...

You are most correct that this is your blog and you have no responsibility to do anything beneficial with it what so ever. You can review anything you want or say anything you so desire. And in the same vein, as someone who viewed your video, I have no responsibility to commend you for your video or commentary.
I did not see any real substance in your video. I thought it was going to be an actual 'review' of the 'art' show, maybe a look at some of the artists that were in the show, some real artwork and an overview of the show. Pluses and minuses. How this year's show compared to previous ones. You said that you did interview a few artists and all they wanted to do was promote their own artwork. If you had been better skilled at interviewing, you would have a good series of questions to ask them. Bad questions get bad answers.
You set the premise up yourself, you were going to the show, telling about it and it all sounded good. But when you interviewed that 'local' artist with his sketch book, it all fell apart. You baited and switched on us. You then went in for just the freebies, because as you said, "free give aways, now that's a good art fair" Instead, your whole video was nothing but a joke as you were only interested in getting 'freebies' on your mooch mission, you posted on a 'free' site and 'free' is all that your review is worth. As for a donation to your cause, it is not worth the price of a postage stamp to send you a check.
If you are an artist, maybe you should try exhibiting at a series of art fairs for a change, it might give you some much needed perspective of what really makes a good art fair. Your video would have been better entitled: "Roller Mooch Mission Through the Atlanta Arts Festival"

 
At 9:00 AM, Blogger saishman said...

Again! This is fascinating and great … I’ve never had anyone spend so much time critiquing my personal blog of what I did on my weekend! Who are you Gary? I post this stuff to share with my friends. My latest post was a punk show I went to with some of my friends, but apparently, I should be catering to what Gary wants, so I guess I should stop making posts like that.
Also, I do show work at art fairs, you may have seen my work at Miami Basel’s fairs or the Armory Show’s in recent years. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of them, but if you check my other posts, you’ll see both me and my work at them.
I would love to see your work Gary. Do you have a blog or website?

 
At 4:25 PM, Blogger Gary said...

Let me guess here. You have a real job, maybe teaching and only do a few art fairs as a hobby, for a few extra $$$s?? I have been professionally selling my art at fairs for my livelihood since about the time I would guess you were wiggling your first loose baby tooth to pull it out. I am an old art show dog and many, many of my peers have done art fairs very successfully for decades as their sole means of income. This has been absolutely wonderful for us and a dream come true. It has been a passion and love for all of us. Selling our artworks and without a net. These artists are absolutely talented, wonderful, giving, caring and truly honorably people. I love them dearly. Art fairs have always been an excellent forum for the customer directly meeting the artist. Collectors are started, bonds and friendship established. It is a very personally way of selling your art and for the collector to know the artist. But this has come to a screeching halt the last couple of years. Sales have tanked for most and with a few exceptions, there are many desperate artists out there. Art shows have been a Baby Boomer carried market, the ride is over! With the economy the way it is, gas at an all time high, the housing market in the shitter and the stock market tanking like crazy, the public is scared and they are fickle. Buying art is not on the forefront of their minds. Artists are having to find jobs (full and part time) just to make ends meet and quiting art shows in droves and many, many are scared to death. Many are older than me and some probably twice your age, what sort of future do they have? The back lash is that art fairs can not find enough quality artist to fill their booth spaces. They are begging for artists! Art shows will fold. And yet another backlash is that if we are not selling then, the suppliers that we buy from for our equipment, materials, supplies, frames, mats, clay, glass, photo paper, etc are also feeling this recession. I have received numerous calls from show directors and suppliers and they are getting in a bind too. This whole art fair business is in a mess and it is tanking fast. Artists are traveling thousands of miles to set up their booths for the publics convenience of purchasing art, with hopes of making a living and many are losing money doing this. Put all this in your mind, get it packed in there good and tight. So when somebody that says they too are an artist and that they are going to review an art show, which many an artist is hoping to hear good things about, and all they can do is ignore the show dynamics and people of the show and concentrate just on what they can get 'free' at the show while skirting through it.....well, Steve, it is damn hard to take! Was the free stuff the main forum for the show and the artists were there just to round out the show to give the public something to view while they were enjoying their freebies? Or was it the other way around? You said you viewed some really fine art that day. What was it?? By whom?? How much did you take home with you?? Do you want the show to continue?? Do you care if the show is there next year with some really fine art?? Support a working artist then!! If you are an artist and if the best thing about going to the art show is for free stuff, where does that say about the publics' mindset and where does that leave me in your equation? It pretty much lacks any sort realization of what is going on, and it comes off as callus. The link to your blog was sent to me by a number of other artists as I am not a subscriber to it, and it did tick a lot of them off. I'll spare you the names you where called. I just felt like letting you know this and hope that you might learn a different perspective from it. If you are teaching art, then are you being fair to your students and letting them know what the real world is like out there? What are their chances of making it out are? If not, then encourage them to learn computer programing and networking, they will make a living there and a dang fine one. .
As for my art, my website is currently down for revamping, but I show in the Midwest and used to do about 26 shows a year for the last 26+ years. This year I will be doing good to attempt 15, they are just not worth the effort. I would be very happy to send you via email some JPGs of my art. I'm a 2-D mixed media artist. Thanks for your time here.

 
At 5:02 AM, Blogger Gary said...

Hmm, one thing that I too just realized, and now I feel a bit enlightened myself.. You said this was your own blog that you post stuff on to share with your friends. You also seemed amazed that some people you don't know are commenting on it. Then I guess you don't realize that some artist ran across your blog on the net and then linked it to another 'artist' blog that promoted it and sent it out via emails to their subscribers? That blog I am not a subscriber to either. Well, it hit a nerve with some of their subscribers who in turn sent out copies, of the other blogs email about you, to their art friends on their email groups list. It really pissed a bunch of them off. I in turn received some of these emails with links to your video. That's how I even became aware of it. I viewed your video, couldn't believe it and I in turn sent it out to about 50 other artists! Again, I'll spare you the comments some made about you. The second poster on there, "Linda", is very long time great friend of mine, and you struck a nerve with her too. (I don't know who Annette is). So I guess your earlier postings remained among your own friends. But this time you did something that made it a bit bigger time for you. Wow!

 
At 1:06 PM, Blogger saishman said...

I must say, this interaction continues to fascinate me, but based on your last rant, Gary, this is either a really great joke or really sad. I was being facetious and coy about showing my work at the Armory Fair and Miami Basel, but now I realize that you actually don’t know what those fairs are. Artists can’t just buy a booth at those types of fairs (you should really look them up). It’s from art fairs like Miami Basel that blue chip art galleries show work to international collectors and museums. Frequently, people who show at those fairs move on to showing at places like the Whitney Biennial or MOMA. The fact that you are proud of showing at local art fairs for 26 years is what is bothering me and I don’t want to make fun of someone who maybe does not know that there is an entirely different level of making and exhibiting art. Gary, I show my work in galleries and museums. Do you know about the gallery system? Are you represented by anyone? Is your work in any major collections? If you’d put your work up on Flicker, I’d love to check it out.

 

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