Should I display my artwork for free?

Would it be fair to have a stripper do her thing in front of you and not to offer her a tip?  Can you go to the movies without paying a ticket?

I must admit that the first time I heard the words, “Would you like to hang your artwork here?” was not exactly like my first time in bed with a girl but rather my first sweet kiss as a teen. When you have never sold your artwork before, when you are afraid people will like your creations, these words fit just perfectly since the only think you dream about is to show your work anywhere at any cost.

But if you are a true artist, you can’t settle there. You start traveling, you get to know museums, galleries, art shows, you start investing more time, money and effort in your career. Your name is no longer unknown. And after a few years, more art shows and earning more frienemies, you are an emerging artist. Maybe a magazine has published your first article, probably you’ve got the attention of a documentarian, or a prestigious gallery has requested your work. However it is your artwork finished its ABC stage and is now pronouncing its own language and obviously people are willing to pay a better price for it. The people who didn’t trust in you now are turning around, whether to criticize or to congratulate but they can’t shut their mouths to mention you.

Unfortunately for some bizarre reason, there are people who see artists as people who receive a contemporary version of manna. Or as if we are never hungry, don’t pay taxes, don’t like to go drive cars or own houses. And they have the idea to invite you to lend your art work and displaying it at their places or events without offering reciprocal deal. They think they are doing artists a favor and say things like, “We’re gonna have this bla, bla, bla show and would love for you to hang your art work there?”

You‘re no longer a teen and can’t settle with a sweet kiss anymore. You know that every time you move your artwork, you expose ii to be damaged. You know that you have to decide if you spend that money on gas and meals to attend that show or to invest it on buying canvases, paintings, colors, paying rent, paying bills, etc. Now you are thinking, will it worth it? Should I go or invest my time, energy and money to do my accounting and pay my taxes? just like any other human being.

If you are already an emerging artist or almost there where your art is well known, you are doing a mistake by lending your art work without receiving a payment. It is not your fault that these blinded people can’t understand that an artist has the same duties and responsibilities as any company. Therefore if they can’t value your artwork, you should be the first one to set the example. What would a restaurant do if they invite it to show a catering? The very least it can ask for if it’s not going to have a check for the food, chef and costs of moving the catering, is at least to have the restaurant’s name on the show advertisement. Anybody who is invited to be involved in an event or show is expecting a payment, so who said any product or service is better than art works?

It is humiliating to request a painter to hang his/her artwork at a given event and just expect the artist to be happy by having people saying, “oh how beautiful, congratulations!” but nobody buys anything.We as artists have had to offer our artwork to be shown for free, but it is only at the beginning, there should be a time when the very same artist should understand that that stage is not forever, that there is a time when people has to either rent it, buy it, offer advertisement or trade a product. We are the first responsible ones of the value of our artwork. We as artist should be together on this idea. We should also honor the ones who are ahead of us and help those who are behind us. Since one day we will be ahead and should never forget where we were, getting a teenager lollypop kiss.

Of course we’re not talking about philanthropy. Think about what would happen if the income difference between emerging artists and startists would shrink? What would happen if two out of every 10 citizens would own an original art work? Share your experience with us or your tips on how we can make our art more worthy.

Guacha Bato Ediciones, Guadalajara.

As crude as slang may sound, it could never be seen that way concerning to Guacha Bato art shop due to the fine art collection they represent. Some say that blends create a richer essence and Guacha Bato isn’t the exception, although it was established in a folkloric Mexican atmosphere in Guadalajara, Jalisco, half of its identity came from the US-MX border, Mexicali, Baja California. Sergio Ruiz and Raquel Guerrero are the loving duet who once daydreamt to encounter genuine artists from a multicultural diversity to share their inspiring ideas. The ones that eventually have given birth to some of the most praised compositions in the international art realm. Guacha Bato, which could be interpreted as “Watch Dude!” includes in its offbeat collection the most recognized artists from México among other countries; Francisco Toledo, Alejandro Colunga, Gustavo R. Rivera, Mario M. Del Campo and the list continues surprising us. Perhaps these names could sound as a branding tool, though, every artist that has collaborated with their creations must‘ve had spent time at the shop in order to have created their artworks there due to the engraving process.

Therefore this time spent together has created that artistic humus, that friendly environment that Sergio, Raquel and Paco de la Peña, the official auctioneer, show when they talk about their masterpieces at auctions. It’s as if the original creator was talking in first person once you hear the Guacha Bato crew inspiringly address the artworks. It’s the result of a pleasant interaction within the artists; they have shared food, laughs, ideas and most of all friendship. Guacha Bato brings the essence of towns such as Oaxaca in every Toledo, Zacatecas, Guadalajara even San Francisco, just to mention a few. Offering unique art shows in México and the US. Their curating connoisseur ship grants art collectors a high reputation promise. If you happen to have the opportunity to attend a Guacha Bato art show or auction, remember that your time is a very important asset, invest it wisely, feed your spirit and senses all at once.

Tan crudo como pudiese sonar el calo, jamás pudiese verse de tal manera cuando nos referimos al taller de grabado “Guacha Bato Ediciones” dado a la colección de arte contemporáneo que representan. Los conocedores afirman que las mesclas crean una esencia más grata y Guacha Bato no es la excepción, ya que aunque fue establecido en una atmosfera de índole Histórico-Mexicana en Guadalajara, Jalisco, la mitad de su identidad provino de la frontera entre MX y US, Mexicali, Baja California. Sergio Ruiz y Raquel Guerrero son el dueto amoroso quienes un día tuvieron la visión de encontrarse con artistas genuinos provenientes de una diversidad multicultural para compartir sus ideas brillantes. Mismas que a lo largo del tiempo han dado a luz algunas de las composiciones más aclamadas en el bagaje artístico.

Guacha Bato, anglosajismo del verbo “watch”, ver, incluye en su colección inusitada a los artistas de mayor trascendencia en México y países diversos. Francisco Toledo, Alejandro Colunga, Gustavo R. Rivera, Mario M. Del Campo y la lista sigue sorprendiéndonos. Quizá estos nombres les suenen como una estrategia de mercado, sin embargo, cada artista citado debió haber invertido tiempo en el taller para poder realizar sus trabajos debido al proceso minucioso de grabado. Mismo que ha creado esa composta artística, esa atmosfera afable que muestran cuando Sergio, Raquel y Paco de la Peña, martillero oficial, hablan acerca de las obras que muestran en las subastas. Es como si el creador original describiera su propia obra cuando escuchas a la tripulación Guacha Bato hablar inspirada mente acerca de dichas obras. Es el resultado de una interacción placentera con los artistas, el haber compartido; comida, risas, ideas y sobre todo amistad.

 El prestigiado taller realiza subastas y exposiciones artísticas en México y Estados Unidos. Su curaduría y experiencia garantizan a los coleccionistas una promesa de prestigio. Si en alguna ocasión, tienes la oportunidad de ir a alguna subasta o exposición de Guacha Bato, recuerda que el tiempo es un bien prioritario, inviértelo sabiamente,  en la oportunidad para alimentar tu espíritu y tus sentidos a la vez.

 

 circuitodelarte.com

 

 

 

 

 

¿Qué es arte?

¿Qué es arte?

Si escuchamos a dos guitarristas tocar su instrumento, uno muy propiamente vestido, con zapatos lustrados y sentado de una posición algo elegante interpretando una canción de rondalla, refiriéndome a un ritmo repetitivo y lento, habitualmente carente de retos musicales. Dicha canción es interpretada al leer un cancionero y es notable observar que si no ve el cancionero, tiende a cambiar el ritmo de la melodía y escucharse una pequeña y abrupta pausa. El canto, es muy similar al del intérprete original. Ninguno de los dos compuso ni la melodía, ni la pieza ni le dio vida a algo nuevo. Solo están repitiendo lo establecido por alguien más casi medio siglo antes. ¿Es estético? Definitivamente, lo es, ¿es agradable? Si, puede incluso, alguien de la audiencia llorar emocionado/a o conmocionada/o. Pero, aun reuniendo estas características que comúnmente se rozan con lo artístico ¿se trata de arte? Les pido amablemente lo analicen y lo comparen con el otro guitarrista a continuación.

 

El siguiente guitarrista, tal vez no es tan sofisticado en su vestir, incluso puede observarse algún rasgo de variación en su manera tanto de vestir como de hablar como de comportarse. Un comportamiento raro, si lo quieres llamar así, un tanto inusual o mejor dicho, original. El instrumento puede ser precisamente la misma guitarra que uso el interprete anterior, pero la postura, el movimiento y los sonidos que eyaculan de tal instrumento son absolutamente diferentes. Si, eyaculan.

 

Son chispazos de sonidos a veces incluso no elocuentes, con ritmos inusuales, movimientos agresivos,, o muy demasiado suaves, o incluso una mezcla de ambos. Este ejecutante, dicho artista, tal músico, toca su instrumento habilidosa, fluida y genuinamente. A esto se le reconoce como arte.

No podemos excluir al intérprete absolutamente. Posiblemente el pueda ser parte de un arte, el pueda ser una pieza en una obra maestra musical, incluso el puede en un futuro crear arte. Pero de momento, eso que comúnmente nos gusta y tanto abunda, no cuenta con lo necesario para podérsele apodar como artístico.

Al otro ejemplo, de hecho se le debe de dar el merito de artístico en toda la extensión del término. De ahí pueden nacer muchas más manifestaciones artísticas, tal músico está listo para desarrollar su talento cumpliendo un propósito especial, un propósito único.

El arte como tal, a parte de satisfacer una auto-necesidad y otra social a la vez, tiene como objetivo vital, el cumplir con un propósito único y genuino. O sea, solo esa canción especifica pudiese acomodarse en el soundtrack de aquella película con aquel tema determinado. (Ej. Los Tres Entierros de Melquiades Estrada). Es un insulto meter el audio del guitarrista que interpreta una canción popular de rondalla que cualquier guitarrista inexperto puede ejecutar. Cuando existen artistas expertos en ciertas aéreas quienes estudian, mejoran e innovan ciertos sonidos y habilidades especificas.

The Sapphire Artist

 

As days go by artists with extraordinary talent kill it, since they are not willing to drink the Calvary cup. Often artists know they are talented though they firmly refuse to play with it. Some simply try to fool us about pretending they weren´t born with it. More than a talent, the vast majority believe it´s a curse since it means they have to stop practicing ordinary duties in order to start an artistic career, one that proves that not only pain, suffering, and tears make it happen but that investing a life time is a basic requirement. Perhaps it is not that the talented people not only ignore they were born with the talent, but that they are so very afraid to dig into what could be a sapphire mine or the tunnel toward desperation and affixation.

Which life appears to me a more worthy to talk about? I am certainly so intrigued with what makes a gifted person follow the right path? What motivates a real artist continue and never surrender nor settle for less than, a promise, perhaps?

When an artist decides to spend years in college in order to learn, in order to share, in order to start crawling into a long but so rich in emotions career, it proves that the artist is willing to do anything to obtain the goal. A goal that does not come in the shape of a degree but in the shape of a full life committed to fulfill a purpose. Thus is the case of Shannon Nowak, the Sapphire Artist.

It is frequently said that a name is not just a tag but it is also a blessing or a curse, very few get to be baptized with a different name, once they already have one. Shannon was chosen to be the Sapphire Artist, says who? God says so. If it´s rare to be baptized with a new name, it is even quite rare to listen to God nowadays. Though as it happens in several Christian artists, listening and obeying God is a must in Shannon´s career.

 

Sapphires are cleverly called the gemstones of the heavens; they inspire truth, endurance, and commitment, no wonder God and Moses used sapphire on the tablets. Shannon develops these same qualities in her everyday colorful voyage. But more than appreciating Shannon´s creations or the beauty of sapphires what amazes me the most is the analogy between them. Her artwork is the kind of art that the average eye is not able to perceive. Shannon´s art is the one a genuine curator, collector, designer or truthful artist detects miles away from. It is just as placing a raw sapphire in front of the common people, they simply cannot tell what it represents, but if we put it in front of a jewel expert, we create the perfect equation. An equation that, as we mentioned before takes the sapphire to the next level; the separation, the cutting and the polishing. I´m so sure Shannon is still going through the very same process. These tests are the ones in charge of making a fragile artist to doubt, to give up and surrender. Shannon not only has being obedient to God, but has found in her family a virgin strength, specially made for her. It is a strength full of illusion, hope, love and energy. It is the vital energy she finds in order to climb another step and though she is a gemstone there is no ¨crystal stair¨ path for her.

 

The Sapphire Artist is not a role model exclusively for artists, but to anyone who has gone or is traveling through suffering and facing obstacles. She has overcome the hard times holding God´s hand who has also shown her a clear picture of her destiny. A destiny that has proven to be full of artistic surprises with her delightful paintings. What made someone to steal ¨Becoming¨? -One of Shannon’s creations. What made Hollywood producers invest in The Sapphire Artist in order to have two of her paintings in two different movies?

 

Looking at Shannon’s artwork is diving into a pool of sapphire colors. But the energetic experience is to look at the real painting and even more amazing to touch it and own it. Don´t doubt to go into one of The Sapphire Artist´s shows. Don´t hesitate to buy one of her artworks in www.artpalazzo.com , an exclusive Christian art gallery, because not only will you obtain a master piece, you will also be part of one of the most beautiful and clean art careers, but more than anything, you will have a piece of heaven in your hands. Since I know for sure, I am so convinced that the trouble and obstacles that the Sapphire Artist is going through is due to God´s patience. Is due to God´s waiting for Shannon to be ready to meet again with Him. Since He has blank spots in heaven waiting for the Sapphire Artist to continue doing her duty.