Artwork Network Blog

Artist Spotlight - Sheigla Hartman

2010-03-11T12:08:00.001-07:00

A jury of four, including Anne Strauss, Associate Curator, Modern and Contemporary Art, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, selected the watercolor "Devil's Thumb, LaVeta" by Colorado printmaker and painter, Sheigla Hartman of Trinidad for the "Wide Open" show at BWAC [Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition] March 13 - 28.

Ms. Hartman has a B.A. from Doane College in Nebraska and received the equivalent of an M.F.A. at a private school in France. She moved from Denver to Trinidad, CO 8 years ago.

BWAC [pronounced bee-wack], the largest artist-run not for profit visual art organization in New York, provides a valuable venue for emerging artists and is an opportunity for the public to see new and exciting work. BWAC's 25,000 square foot gallery in a Civil War-era warehouse on the Red Hook waterfront of New York Harbor also provides a vista spanning the Statue of Liberty to the Verrazano Bridge. The 147 images selected by the jury can be seen at www.BWAC.org, "current exhibition". Ms. Hartman's image is shown on page 3 of contributing artists.

Travel: River Writing & Sculpting Journey

2010-03-10T12:00:00.005-07:00

Page Lambert's River Writing & Sculpting Journey, For Women Only - As featured in Oprah's O Magazine

Spend 5 days with Special Guest Artists from the Santa Clara Pueblo

September 1, 2010
$1299 ~ 5 days & 4 nights

Page Lambert returns to facilitate a 5-day river-writing journey for women in Utah's beautiful Westwater Canyon on the Colorado River. This special trip will explore writing and sculpting as complementary forms of creative expression. Whether journaling or writing professionally, an established artist or just beginning, the natural world unleashes powerful creative energy. Personal writing and sculpting time is woven into the moments between floating down the Colorado River, hiking at your leisure, or relaxing on shore. Although this is not a workshop, creative discussions about sculpting and writing will take place at the river's edge and continue throughout the day, ending with readings under the stars. "Women rediscover a unique part of themselves in the natural world," Page says, "and we inspire each other in uniquely feminine ways."

For more information, contact SGE or Page directly at: (303) 842-7360 or page@pagelambert.com.

Details and itinerary available here.

Banker's Blog: Insurance

2010-03-04T15:41:00.004-07:00

Is your artwork insured? I hope so! Now that we have established this fact, I will move on to the topic of this blog, which is not about obtaining insurance. Instead, I am going to discuss what to do after you have our work insured. If you read no further, at least read this:

It is extremely important to keep a record of your current inventory and a record of past sales!

As they say, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. We can all hope that nothing will ever happen to your artwork, but no matter how careful you are, things do happen. If your artwork is lost, stolen, or damaged, the first thing your insurance agent will ask you is this: What is the value of the piece? The second thing will be: Prove it.

Can you prove it? Do you have a record of similar works and what they have sold for in the past? No? Then you might be out of luck.

Simply stating the retail price of the piece to the insurance agent won't cut it. Unless you have proof you have sold work just like it or similar at that price, the retail price means nothing to the insurance company. They are interested in the market price, meaning what price buyers will actually purchase it for.

Inventory your existing work and your sold work.
o Photograph all work. If you don't have skills in this area, hire a professional to do it. It is worth the money! Don't forget to photograph the piece from all angles.
o Record sizes, medium, and all other details of the piece including the date of sale.
o Keep all paperwork involved with a sale- invoices, copies of checks, etc. (You should have all this for bookkeeping purposes anyway, but be sure to keep it on file!)
o Create a comprehensive record of sold works in one place. You may try keeping a notebook or photo album that includes an image of the piece sold piece, the details, the price it sold for, to whom, and date of purchase. Even better, if you have a website, mark works as sold with the sale price and any other pertinent information.
o Have a back up of all this information off site -- away from the work itself. (A website is a good place for this!)

If, in the event of a claim, you are able to hand your insurance agent this comprehensive record, it will greatly speed up the process and likelihood that the claim will go through. Having a link to send to an insurance agent is a good start towards proving your past sales, but they will also want to see the paperwork to back it up!

Artwork Network provides a solution for our members by including a sold section with their online gallery. We will load any work sold by that artist even if it was sold before they were a member. But, like any tool, it is only useful if it is utilized.

Keep in mind that the same process applies even if work is damaged while in the possession of someone else. First off, the third party is not obligated to claim the loss or damage on their insurance. If they are nice enough to do so it will still be up to you to prove the worth of the piece.

Basically, if you are insured, but cannot prove what your artwork is worth based on previous sales, than you will likely only be able to claim the cost of materials for the piece.

The information provided above is based on our past experience only. Please talk to your insurance agent if you have any questions.

303 Magazine - Wedding Party (Update!)

2010-03-04T10:56:00.003-07:00

More information about 303 Magazine's Wedding Party has finally been released! Here's the scoop:

Celebrate the release of the March issue in an event designed to feel like you’re crashing a wedding reception.
Dress code: BLACK & WHITE cocktail attire.
$15 in advance, $20 at the door

Includes:
Complimentary sponsored drinks by Svedka vodka and Trumer Pils Beer.
Two floors of Art Exhibits
Register for a chance to win a year in Aspen/Snowmass
Performance by featured March artist: Ali Pierre
DJ Hotness spinning all night
Cake by Mike Schettler
Chocolate fountain
21+

For details on the time/date, and to snag yourself a ticket, click here.

Call for Entry - Watercolor USA 2010

2010-02-24T14:01:00.003-07:00

Springfield Art Museum: "Watercolor USA 2010"
http://www.springfieldmo.gov/art/documents/WUSA_web_prosp_10.pdf

The Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri announces a call to artists for a national juried watercolor exhibition, June 12 - August 8, 2010. Approximately $40,000 in cash, patron & purchase awards. Juror: Richard Martin Ash, III. Open to any artist, 18 years of age or older, living in the United States of America or its possessions. All paintings must be original works, executed since 1 January 2009, and not previously shown at the Springfield Art Museum. All work accepted for the exhibition must be ready to hang, framed and glazed with Plexiglass or similar plastic. All entries submitted must be for sale and include a 25% commission. Nonrefundable entry fee of $15 for up to two entries.

Deadline: March 30, 2010.

Call for Entry - Art Through the Mail

2010-02-23T11:58:00.003-07:00

Lebanon Art Factory: "Art Through the Mail Campaign!"
http://www.lebanonartfactory.org/

Each artist may submit up to three (3) hand made art postcards which can be mailed to the gallery's temporary post office box created just for this exhibit.
Works should be no larger than 5.5 x 8.5 inches.
Any medium is acceptable as long as it gets through the world wide postal system in tact.
All Post-Art-Cards received before or on April 1st, 2010 will be displayed at the Refuge Gallery Space on 12 N. 9th street in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The opening will take place on First Friday, April 2nd from 5 to 8 PM.

Click here for the official website.

Story Behind the Art - Daniel Bahn

2010-02-22T10:40:00.004-07:00

Daniel Bahn's series "Blue Stain"

Growing up in Colorado, I am reminded every day of the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the reason I, and many other people live here. Nature is a continuum of life and death, growth and decay but the past few years have seen an unprecedented decline of the pine forests. The little bug the size of a grain of rice that ravages these trees is not new but the depth and breadth of its appetite is. Wide swaths of forest turn from green to orange in a matter of months as one wonders what may lie ahead.

Is this nature's way of regeneration?
Is a catastrophic fire inevitable?
What will this habitat look like in 10 years? 50 years?
Is there anything to be done?

My current series draws from this sense of concern and records the organic forms and the detritus that is left over. Sick trees exhibit a ghostly blue stain that meanders through the growth rings - a stamp or death certificate for that tree. There is also a natural beauty in the stains and the crosscut forms of the trees. I am interested in the formal aesthetics of this environment. The trees had been pillars of strength, offering shelter and a diverse habitat - that has now changed.

Click here to view more of Daniel Bahn's artwork.

Do Schools Kill Creativity?

2010-02-18T11:08:00.004-07:00

While attending a workshop on creativity at the Art Institute of Colorado, I was shown this intriguing video of Sir Ken Robinson. His dialogue is both witty and thought-provoking, and well worth a listen.

Also check out Ken's website www.ted.com, which is full of videos regarding all things creative.

Art From Ashes

2010-02-15T09:49:00.005-07:00

"Among the crowds flowing in and out of Artwork Network on Santa Fe Drive during this month's First Friday art walk were several young people carrying a microphone and speaker. They held a brief discussion about whether they should perform in the main gallery space before deciding they might be too intense for the casual observer and so they headed downstairs.

They were Art From Ashes poets, just as was Andrea Scherer, the young woman about whom I wrote this week. It was in her memory they gathered. They carried with them poems, their own, Andrea's, and when they spoke, their language crackled: "He's so sharp, he could cut you just by lookin'."

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14393663#ixzz0fckvbxjo

Virtual Tour - First Friday at Artwork Network

2010-02-10T11:09:00.001-07:00

Did you miss First Friday Artwalk on February 5th? We've got you covered with a virtual tour... but don't miss the next one on March 5th, 2010!

303 Magazine - Wedding Party

2010-02-05T10:32:00.003-07:00

Artwork Network is hosting 303 Magazine's Wedding Party on March 13, 2010.

Presidential Portrtait: Local Artists Create History

2010-02-04T12:28:00.007-07:00

Artwork Network's custom framer, Curt Fowler, recently had the privilege of crafting a frame for long time client and Denver portrait artist, Louisa Craft Jornayvaz. Louisa was commissioned to paint a portrait of former US President Jimmy Carter. The stunning portrait was presented to President Carter at a parade in Plains, Georgia this Christmas. He, in turn, has given the portrait to Plains Historic Inn & Antiques in downtown Plains. It will be displayed in their lobby. Curt was trusted with the craftsmanship of a piece that frames a historic figure, which really does speak to the quality of his work, and we are proud to offer his services at Artwork Network.

Click here for more information about our custom framing services.

Travel: Painting in Greece

2010-02-01T10:51:00.002-07:00

Join Colorado's award winning painter Barbara Kornfeld for two weeks of sightseeing and painting on the Greek island of Hydra, from September 14-28, 2010.

For more information contact Barbara at:
barbarakornfeldarts@gmail.com or 720-937-1257

Trip price includes:
- 3 days in Athens
- 10 days on sunlit Hydra island set in the Aegean Sea
5 day watercolor and pastel workshop with Barbara on Hydra
Price: $2100 per person double occupancy including 5 day workshop.
$1800 per person double occupancy without the workshop.

The guide is Sherie Jakobsson who lived on the Isle of Hydra for 20 years and is fluent in Greek. See her web site at:
www.hydra-artist-tours.com or call her at 303-494-6020

Capture on paper the legendary olive groves, harbors, vineyards, ancient walls and rosemary-covered hillsides that have enchanted epic heroes as well as fine artists for centuries. Share the travel experience with a small group of artists who, like you, bring the aesthetic perspective to travel and to life. Rest your eyes (and soul) in the light, sounds, foods, wines and climate of the Mediterranean.

Barbara and Sherie will be hosting informational meetings at Barbara's studio at 1530 Lee Hill Drive #7 in the Holiday Neighborhood in North Boulder on the following dates:
Wed Jan. 20th 11AM
Sat Jan. 23rd 11AM
Wed Feb. 10th 11AM
Sat Feb. 27th 1PM

IMPORTANT - you must reserve your spot by March 1 - accommodations in Hydra are very limited!

Larson Juhl: Framing Your Television

2010-01-29T13:04:00.006-07:00

"Flat panel televisions are taking up valuable art and framing real estate in many homes today. As an important part of our daily lives and now our home decor, these televisions deserve to be beautifully framed to complement your home interior and lifestyle." - Larson Juhl

Are you looking for a more "artsy" way to hang the flatscreen above your fireplace? Watch this video debuting Larson Juhl's new TV frames line. Artwork Network Framing is ready to construct one of your very own! Contact us today at 303.388.7420.

Creative Process: Network Tapestry

2010-01-18T09:14:00.002-07:00

The ancient art of felt making has been attracting a lot of attention in recent years. Although the technique has been practiced for centuries, it is still very viable today. What's unique about my art is that I have moved beyond traditional craft uses of felt for clothing and structural/utilitarian applications. For me, felt making is all about fine art, specifically, contemporary wall tapestry, with a focus primarily on sensory pleasure.

One of my goals when creating tapestry is to give the viewer a sense of calm and relaxation. This is achieved by using organic raw materials, and working with the undulating waves of the tapestry. The result is a total transformation from the soft sheep's wool of my palette, into a durable, yet tactile finished piece.

Character, texture and appearance keep developing as I work with the fibers. It is not until the felting is finished do I know exactly what the finished tapestry will look like, once it's dried. When I start felting, the fibers are very fragile. I must use extreme caution so the layout that I spent many days composing does not get disturbed. As I continue working, the fibers become stronger and stronger and the different shapes and textures become evident. This transformation keeps me intrigued and challenged. My knowledge and experience with fiber helps me to stay on track for the finished piece.

Aside from this, color blending is also an important part of the process. Most of the time my inspiration comes from the raw colors in my mind's eye. After dyeing many hues, I pick several that, at first, look like they have nothing in common and perhaps can even be a bit jarring together. The challenge for me is to arrange them in a particular way throughout the tapestry where the colors end up complementing each other.

What is most satisfying to me is to watch the reaction of people when they first see my finished work. Even though we each may see elements of the piece in different ways, what's key is that the tapestry allows us to share in a very personal conversation. Knowing that my work generates a reaction inspires me to keep on searching for new textures and colors and ways to communicate.

By PJ Bergin
An Artwork Network Member Artist

Hosted Event - Natural Tango Festival

2010-01-14T10:33:00.005-07:00

Artwork Network hosted the "Natural Tango Festival" on October 24, 2009. Interested in throwing your own bash in the gallery? Click here for more information about event hosting!

303 Magazine - Holiday Window Display

2010-01-11T10:43:00.007-07:00

Artwork Network was proud to participate in 303 Magazine's "I Heart Denver - Holiday Window Display Walk" during the month of December, 2009. The up-and-coming magazine has just released a video highlighting a few of the Art District's gems. Take a look - they saved the best for last!

Call for Entry - The Power of Self

2010-01-07T16:34:00.002-07:00

Artists Wanted: The Power of Self
http://www.artistswanted.org/

You are invited to participate in "The Power of Self" an international competition celebrating the vitality of self portraiture. A panel of judges including actor Steve Buscemi, director Chris Weitz, Guggenheim curator Helen Hsu and Flavorpill founder Sascha Lewis will award one artist a package of incredible prizes including six months of free living at The Edge in New York City or $7007 in cash. The most popular portfolio as voted by the public will also receive $1,000 cash. Your images have power. Now is your moment to reveal them to the world

Deadline: January 14th, 2009
Click here to read more information about how to enter.

Host Your Event at Artwork Network

2009-12-02T12:44:00.004-07:00

At the end of October, we collaborated with David Gaston of Gaston Photography to host a photo shoot in our space. The result is a series of lovely photographs starring Jenny, with some really breathtaking flower design by Cori Cook. Interested in hosting your big day in the Artwork Network gallery space? Contact Ken Sakal at 303.807.1053 or ken@artworknetwork.com.

Creating Opportunities for Art

2009-12-01T13:30:00.002-07:00

Congratulations to Artwork Network member Juan Usubillaga! His artwork is on the current issue of "Soundings Magazine" the program for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The piece featured on the cover is also on display at Boettcher Concert Hall along with a selection of his other works.

Juan's work was originally discovered on the Artwork Network website by the Director of Communications for the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Juan had the option to coordinate directly with the client regarding hanging is work at Boettcher but is taking advantage of the services Artwork Network provides to make his life easier! We hung the show and are handling any inquires that come from it. This may lead to showcasing artwork by other members as well.

Just another way that Artwork Network is creating opportunities for art!

Around Town - A.J. Kiel

2009-11-19T10:48:00.005-07:00

A.J. Kiel, one of our favorite local kids, has an upcoming show at Access Gallery. Stop in and see his cool new work on First Friday, December 4th. The opening reception runs from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, with a special bonus Bordo Bello preview party.

Chen Hao - Traditional Chinese Paintings

2009-11-18T16:58:00.005-07:00

This Friday, November 20th, 2009, Artwork Network hosts "Traditional Chinese Painting of U.S. Urban Landscape". This a solo exhibition of work by well known Chinese painter Chen Hao. The exhibit runs Friday 6:00 - 9:00 pm and Saturday 12:00 - 4:00 pm.

Click here to read more about Chen Hao.

The Art of Hanging Art

2009-11-10T16:20:00.002-07:00

I've definitely touched on this subject before, but I came across this great site with really easy to follow guidelines for hanging art. It also comes with pictures, for those of us who are more visually inclined.

Check out Decorating Digest here.

Helpful Tips for Artists: Tracking your Inventory

2009-11-06T13:03:00.009-07:00

It's 10am. Do you know where your art is?

It's 10am. You are settling into your studio for a nice long day of dedicated creating when a potential client calls. They are interested in a piece of artwork they saw on your website.
"Can I come to your studio and look at it?"
"It's not here, I have it on display."
"Oh, well, where is that? I am happy to go there to see it-but I am only in town for today."
"Um, sure, let me call you back."

The problem is that you don't know where this particular piece actually is. And unfortunately in this instance, that sale will likely be lost since the client won't be around to wait for you to find your missing piece. This scenario may sound absurd to most people, but you would be surprised! We have had many conversations with artists who are trying to track down their work at various locations.

Keeping an up to date inventory of your art in one document is a crucial aspect to managing your art business. Even more so if your work travels a lot from venue to venue. You want to be able to see, at a glance, where your art is located at any given time. Don't count on the gallery or other venue to keep track of your art. Some places will be more organized than others. Take it upon yourself to be on top of it-after all, this is your livelihood!

One of our member artists keeps organized with a simple Excel spreadsheet.

The top row can contain information such as this:
Title, Size, Price, year created, Framed/Unframed, Sold/Unsold, To Whom, % of sale you retained, Location, Exhibition.

The row on the left can list the works by series or alphabetically by title.

I went ahead and created a sample for you to use! Click here to download.

Other important reasons to keep an up to date inventory list:

Sales History. Not only do you want a record of where your art is located, an inventory is also helpful to show a record of your sales and pricing so you have a history for yourself and for potential buyers. We often have buyers wanting to know what the artist's work has sold for in the past. If this information is not readily available, a buyer will likely move on to something else rather than wait for you to find the information.

Client History. Your inventory list can also indicate who purchased a specific piece so you can market new work to them in the future. This is a captive audience who should be the first notified if you have new work they may like.

Website Creation. When you create a website, you will have to provide much of this information to the person putting it together. If you already have the information in one place, all you have to do is email it over!

Insurance Purposes. Providing your insurance company with your inventory list including photographs of each piece is essential.

Other helpful tips:

Name your piece and stick with that name. Don't have one name on your website, another written on the back, and another on a tag. It can become very confusing for others handling/selling your art if the name does not stay consistent. If you must name a piece 'Untitled', we would recommend putting a number behind. 'Untitled123' for example. Again this is to avoid confusion for yourself and others!

Keep your inventory up to date! Creating a system is one thing. Using it is another. If you are not computer savvy, download and print the sample spreadsheet we have created. You may manually enter the information in the boxes, then have a friend help you keep it up to date on the computer.

Do have other ingeniously simple ways of tracking inventory? Please share them in comments!

Around Town - Andrea Li

2009-11-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

Our friend Andrea Li is having a "Trunk Show" at the Lisa Kowalski Gallery on November 13, 2009.

"Nature is the source of Andrea's inspiration. The fluid forms of her designs effortlessly capture the brilliant color palette and rich textures found in the earth's most beautiful gemstones. The result is an alchemical blend of polished brilliance and raw strength, each handcrafted design defies trend with timeless beauty and aesthetic wisdom, thus ensuring it's rightful heirloom status."

Click here to view more information about this event, or visit Andrea's website to browse her incredible jewelry designs.