rollertrain

7 dirty words scarf by Anja Louise Verdugo

(always sad when the good ones pass)

Fables 69 by James Jean (via kneel dillon)

On top of his multimedia work, Jean has created one of the best blogs and professional sites I’ve ever been sucked into. The way he incorporates his work, process, information and *STORE* into both arenas is something that every single practicing artist should check out and deeply consider recreating.

The gap between fine art and how it’s presented and sold online is pretty frightening. Ever since I started art school, I’ve been searching for more information on how artists sell their work online without having to deal with the scary, limiting and often silly art gallery industry. I understand that galleries are a necessary business for a small and generally very expensive segment of artwork. What I don’t understand is why more established artists - whether they’re younger or older, or whether their work has hefty price tags or not - aren’t taking more advantage of the internet. It’s not easy to set up a commerce site or build a store onto an existing professional site or blog, but I’d guess it’s always a wise investment for the small percentage of artists who’ve done this. Finding the right audience is not impossible, and I think any artist would be pretty damn thrilled to receive 100% of the money from a piece of work they made and love.

Craft artists and photographers figured this out several years ago. I really don’t understand why all the other folks are lagging behind on how much more financial potential the internet has for expanding an audience (customers!) and exposing work to people who’d never otherwise know about it (advertising!) Not to mention the comparatively low overhead costs of having your very own online gallery, and not having to deal with the difficult process of actually finding a gallery that doesn’t suck - in terms of how it treats its clients (artists!) and how well it conducts its business (sales and commissions!).

This is something I care about a lot, and will hopefully learn more about, because I’d much rather be in full charge of my own business than have to deal with the alternatives, and I suspect a lot of people in my position feel the same way.

If you ever come across some good information on how the internet is changing the fine art market, I’d love to get my hands on it.

(that’s where the comment box comes in handy.) <—that was a hint.

Up Shit Creek with Luciferin - 60 x 6.5” acrylic on a wooden paddle

Luciferin is what makes fireflies glow. A paddle is what makes asses glow.

Mr. and Mrs. Christopherson by Ilka Hartmann

Third Friday is tonight in Durham! Branch Gallery has two shows up: Casa de Carton (which features a slew of great artists, including Robert Thiele and Rashawn Griffin) and Up Against the Wall (photography by Ilka Hartmann). More info at the N&O.

Bull City Arts Collaborative has a Sarah Powers show that’s worth checking out. Sarah is the executive director of the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, so it’s always good to return the many kindnesses VAE offers to local artists - you know, by actually showing up to an art event. More info here.

There’s also some good music at the Bull’s Balls (CCB Plaza). Maybe we’ll see you there.

Selling Art: There’s a sucker born every minute

(thanks, pop!)

pig head centerpiece by melaleuka

It’s Hog Days in Hillsborough this weekend, for all of us pig lovers.

(Fond barbecue memory: Driving past a group of old timers outside of Dreamland in Birmingham, Alabama, with my best friend Graham, who is screaming out her car window “PORK ME, PAPPY!”)

Chair by Scott Jackson

(a broken hearted day, for the little one that got away.)