Missing for hundreds of years "Salvator Mundi"

A lost work of Leonardo Davinci seems to have surfaced. Sold at a private estate auction a few years ago, it apparently is on the block now for a mere $200 million.
I have long been an admirer of DaVinci and this new piece is no exception. Except for the unsettling fact that the face reminds me of my teen age buddy Bill. (maybe it's the mustache).
Apparently the art had been re-painted, and attempts to improperly restore it had done more harm than good. A pains taking process has brought it back to some of its glory and is scheduled to be displayed in upcoming months.
Check out the full story here.
If you live anywhere within driving distance of this piece being displayed, I would say don't miss it.
Things like this find makes me wonder how many master works are floating around out there in granny's attic that are unrecognised and holding long secret stories. It's art world mysteries like this that really make the imagination stagger.

The NEW art buying engine?

It looks like Art.sy is poised to take the art world by storm. As the tagline suggests one can discover fine art, powered by the art genome project.
The site promises to launch in the spring of 2011, which is shortly about to pass by.
Taken from the website:
"Art.sy is led by Carter Cleveland, a Computer Science Engineer from Princeton University with a passion for fine art, and Sebastian Cwilich, a former executive at Christie’s Auction House and Haunch of Venison Gallery. Sebastian is also Founder and Chairman of ProyectArte, an international nonprofit art school for young emerging artists.

Art.sy’s investors and advisors include global leaders in the arts, media and technology. Investors include Dasha Zhukova, Founder of Moscow’s Garage Center for Contemporary Culture; Wendi Murdoch, Film Producer; Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google; and Jack Dorsey, Creator of Twitter. Advisors include Larry Gagosian, Owner of Gagosian Galleries; Barrett White, Director of Haunch of Venison Gallery; and Joe Kennedy, CEO of Pandora. "

With such powerful "and loaded" backers and investers the project shows some promise. The outstanding questions remaining in the back of my mind.
Is it just going to be a popularity contest? If an artist gets enough "facebook likes" do they show up?
What is it going to take for an artist to get listed?
Will this be just another place for every person with a pencil to post pics (I.E. Deviant art)?
How does an artist prove their worth the be a part of the "genome"?
Is this just going to be another -elitist art listing? A place where emerging artists stand no chance unless they have slept with or are owed a favor by some well known?
Snobbery galleries already do this, and isn't really of any use to hard working artists or collectors.

There are many questions lingering around, the only answer I seem to find is "wait and see"

Art.sy seems to be gallery owner driven. Art.sy listing the art and connection for people to buy the art from galleries. Art.sy then wants to collect a commission from the gallery selling the art.

This raises the thought in my mind.... how many commissions can be had off of one artists work? This sort of thing kills me. Galleries want 20% (ish) already, now Art.sy wants another 10%. The artist has to make the art, host the opening, get the attention, sit in the gallery all month being a retail agent, and now... lets grab 30% -50% of what they generate.

This leaves the person creating the product being scraped off the bottom of the shoe like so much dog shite on the walk.

This project can be a great tool for artists and buyers, or it can be one more way to further the rape the creative minds and the works they create. Connecting galleries to buyer is perhaps one way of weeding out less experienced artists. Sadly, many new buyers and collectors may not realize that great art can be bought without a gallery.

We are just left waiting.

http://art.sy/

-Lloyd M

It is what it is INVITE

The opening is officially arranged. July 8th, 6:00-8:00pm at the West Buxton Public Library.
Work will include Oil, Acrylic, Pen & Ink, Photography and other works by myself, Lloyd Metcalf.
The inspiration for the name is an admiration for a common phrase of accomplished artists, "The work speaks for itself." It is what it is, is a place I always aspire to in my work. some sort of communication of something inside... even if I don't know what it is.
The creative interests are scattered enough to qualify this time to say, "It is what it is" A display of my art.

Check the Facebok event page assume you are invited.

It is what it is: An Art Show

An upcoming art showing for Lloyd Metcalf opening July 8th. The idea of crawling before you can walk comes to mind.
Instead of running straight for the brightest light, why not head for the one you can put your hands around and follow the path that lights up?
The West Buxton Public Library has been kind enough to offer me a showing of my work that will hang for the entire month of July.
This means the studio will be a buzz of activity (once I beat down this cold bug) and the work will be some of my best yet. Already I am pleased with the work that I have been producing and I have been very inspired to keep the ball rolling in new directions for the future.
"It is what it is" Is refelctive of the more well known saying that I feel some of the more refined artists use, "I think the work speaks for itself".
This show will be a mixed bag and mixed genre of work that is the explosion of creativity that has stricken me recently. There will be photography, pen & ink drawings, digital art prints, and full size paintings of Acrylics and Oils. I am not even sure what else.... because it just "Is what it is" A showing of my work.
The idea of starting more locally and creating a local buzz seems more of a logcal step than throwing the little fish into the big pond. Why not work on growing the little fish in the little pond first?

It should be a great evening and a better month. All the work will be for sale, with some of the profits going to benefit the library (not required... my decision). With this no cost option, of a showing, that leaves me with a little budget for the opening itself and some publicity.
Details to follow soon (fb event and all that) until then.... mark a place on your calendars July 8th 6:00 PM at the West Buxton Public Library.

34 River Road
Buxton, ME 04093
(207) 727-5898

see you there!

Ai Weiwei hanging in there

Just a short post this evening, and I am even stealing it from someone else. (don't judge, I'm not lazy, just tired) and this is relevant to the art world.
Ai Weiwei was allowed a visit from his wife and he is apparently being taken care of well, but his wife finds him "tense"
Full story here: http://bit.ly/lhjyB2

Hang in there Ai Weiwei! I look at these updates on him, and I am grateful to live in America... and even grateful for my discontent with the government, and how I am allowed to say so. In China, life is different. I think this is a lesson for America. As we slowly and willingly let go of freedom after freedom, here is where that road leads.

New work

A pen & ink sample of some of the new work. I decided that while things are so busy, perhaps I should be working on more "mobile" art forms until I get some time to sit in the studio.

Not like the other

Friday Artwalk at 3 fish gallery was the place to be. Max and Erin Leon "Not like the other" showing.
The brother / sister team brought their finest which, as usual, set the bar a little higher in the Portland Maine art circle. From the opening of the doors, until the night was over 3 fish was buzzing with activity.
3 Fish Gallery at 377 Cumberland ave is hosting the artwork until the end of the month, and not all of it has sold... yet.

The Leons are becoming some of Portlands more collectible artists as their work has been showing up regularly with consistent outstanding quality and improvement for well over 15 years. With every show, art walk, and display Max Leon and Erin Leon show growth experimentation and jaw dropping talent in every piece.

For this show Erin profiled her amazing handmade prints which not only exhibited her expert use of line, energy and form, but also profile her ability as a master craftswoman in her medium of choice.
Max exhibited a number of geometrical sort of pieces he has dubbed Tetronometry. A very exciting, new and unexpected direction for the artist. Many Max Leon collectors were expecting the en caustic and oil paint work from his past but were surprised and very pleased with "Tetronometry". Clean lines, geometric patterns, shapes and forms.

As I walked through the exhibit people were buzzing and chatting one another up in the usual way. What struck me most were the viewers of the art. People were immediately drawn in and would be staring at a piece. The conversation was breaking the viewing reverie for many of the opening attendees.
Returning before the month is over would be well worth the trip to fully have an opportunity to take in the work displayed before it is gone or sold.

I honestly can't find the words to express my complete impression of the work the Leons displayed. I could thumb through a book of art critique and design terms for a few hours and piece together some mish mosh that would fall sadly short of transferring the experience to you my readers. After a number of drafts, none leave me satisfied with anything that could do justice to the work I saw. I can only urge everyone to make an effort to get into 3 fish and stand in front of the pieces displayed. I had to check my own bank balance a number of times during the evening with a desire to bring something home.
I have been blessed with the friendship of the Leon family for quite a few years now and make no mistake that every time I find a doodle in one of my sketchbooks, or a piece gifted or purchased over the years it finds its way to a frame, and a special place in my home.
While the work is amazing, it is a chapter in the ever expanding work of Max and Erin. I believe the work for both artists displays a place of achievement and mastery. This show also lets us know that what we saw was certainly "Not Like the Other"