Finding the Muse

Inspiration for an artist or designer can come from anywhere. I have to admit that sometimes I let the arts take a backseat to school, work, and life.
In those things though inspiration does strike.
My friends and I have found ourselves gathering up on Sunday evening to play a round of Dungeons and Dragons (2nd edition.... no I don't care much for newer versions)
This has always been a safety net for inspiration. Its essence is a story telling game. Players and game masters contribute to tales of (generally speaking) medieval fantasy.

This translates into hours of character sketches, writing of various tales, background stories, and artwork. It really is a simmering pot of inspiration.
If you haven't tried it, cast aside your social fears of being a nerd and step into the world of dragons and fantasy.
When you step back to the studio, you will find it has affected your work in a new light. It allows you to think outside the box, consider story lines of people you meet. What brought them right here, right now?

Why not... it's better than watching Lord of the Rings, and more enlightening than still life.

I haven't gone away

To my FB, blog, and page followers, I haven't forgotten.
This summer has been a flurry of activity with art shows, new jobs, and internships.
Life seems to be settling back down and I will soon be back on track with the page and blog.

SAD 57 has hired me to film, edit & post school board meetings and events. The internship at Saco River Community Television has been nothing but wonderful, educational and productive. I will be continuing to volunteer.

Now that summer is coming to a close, my education is ramping back up and I have returned to support the guys with autism full time.
Full success is only a matter of a very little bit of time. Still plenty of the artwork for sale here at the studio.

Artist space in Portland, Why am I PISSED?

This is all in response to an article posted here by the Maine arts comission. It's one of those facade sort of situations that lets Portland bill itself as an "Arts friendly city" and it is driving me nuts.
At the risk of sounding off and being "Ranty" I can hardly contain my contempt for this set up.

Efficiency apartments for artists that are available ONLY by application and review. This is not being labeled properly. This is Cheap housing for Elitist MECA students only. I am sure the project is being pushed by MECA. I honestly hope they are not intending on using money from the good people of portland to subsidize this double dipping BS scheme.

What about artists with families, kids, who are already paying rent reliably and have a place to live but are trying to work in their living space? What about artists getting muscled out of the gallery scene on first fridays because of lack of room at galleries? What about artists who ARE NOT ATTENDING MECA?
Why is this an option, but not artist WORKING space that opens up on first fridays and has a place for artists to show and move their work? The old mills in Biddeford are already doing this, and the result has been great.

When you rent a working space for X dollars, you could also be paying for X feet of space in the open gallery...
Efficiency apartment? Portland already has low income housing... labeling it "For artists... by application only" Makes it low income housing only for MECCA students. MECA has plenty of money... buy your own damn dorms!!!
This in no way is conducive to new fresh art entering our city. This doesn't "add to the arts" in Portland.
Cheap working space would attract serious artists from Portland and the outskirting areas who have the dedication, drive and motivation to produce art. It would give these people a place to be seen and noticed on the First Friday Circle. Which as of right now is dominated by unaffordable and unrealistic galleries.

(I love my gallery owner friends out there...more or less) But what working artist with a family can afford 40-60%, and a month of sitting in the gallery being a retail agent???

This whole thing leaves me steaming and disgruntled.

When I start seeing some real income, it is on my bucket list to buy such a building in Portland, or some other city and watch REAL artists turn the frikkin world on its EAR!


My response to the article (that will probably be erased) is posted below.... and I tried to temper it.
The efficiency apartments for artists thing seems like a good idea on the surface and I am sure makes folks feel good if it is pitched to them properly.

A better resource (IMHO) would be artist WORKING spaces on the cheap in a warehouse or building somewhere that could open up on first fridays.
Not living space, working space for artists with a resource to show work and move art.
There are MANY artists on the outskirts, and intown Portland who have Families, kids, Rents and what not. But need a dedicated space to produce and move their art.
This building might be great for a young, single artist with no family who is struggling to hold a job.
Lets just call it what it is..... Elitist space reserved solely for MECCA students.
Go ahead, beat me up over this comment...I'm just looking at a transparent situation and reading the text behind it.

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!