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 Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Obey Fairey
Posted by erika
I just came across a nice article on one of my favorite artists, Shepard Fairey. I think he's one of the most important and inspiring artists of our time, mainly because of his DIY approach that focuses on utility and meaning more than profit. Fairey doesn't conform to traditional standards of "the art world," yet he is indeed a successful practicing artist -- one who has built a positive reputation among other non-traditional artists who are wary of the "old school" standards of salability and esthetic value.
I've copied the article below, originally from The Times Online UK.
(The links were added by me.)
October 20, 2007
Poster boy with a difference
Virginia Blackburn on the irony of an artist whose advertising-style works ‘market nothingness’, but can fetch thousands of pounds
Mention the term “street art” and the practioner most likely to come to mind is the urban graffiti artist Banksy, whose work has leapt in price from an average £500 to £50,000 in the past five years. However, it was another exponent of the artform who inspired Banksy and numerous others.
Shepard Fairey, born in 1970 in South Carolina, and now based in Los Angeles, was one of the first street artists and is about to stage his first exhibition in London for seven years: Nineteeneightyfouria, November 2-18* at the StolenSpace gallery in the Old Truman Brewery in London. With more than 100 pieces on offer, it is Fairey’s biggest exhibition to date, but the prices start at a remarkably affordable £60.
Beth Gregory, assistant director at StolenSpace, says: “Fairey is not quite a graffiti artist, as his work is not letter-based artwork, but he has taken the ethic of graffiti to create visual iconic images that are then propagated over and over again, in the way grafittists do.
“He uses posters, stencils and any number of different media to get the image across to more people. He understands the way our consumer society works: what he is doing is using the power of advertising, except that his is a brand without a product.”
Fairey does this with his posters adorning advertising billboards without actually advertising anything, or as he puts it, “market nothingness”.
Appropriately enough, Fairey’s interest in art originated in the street. In the mid-1980s he became a devotee of skateboarding, which led him to develop a desire to create the paraphernalia that went with it.
“Skateboarding in the Eighties was do-it-yourself,” he says. “That was what got me into making T-shirts and screenprinting. At first I cut stencils and spray-painted shirts. Then I realised my art teacher had a primitive screenprint rig in the back room. I started screenprinting shirts for myself and a couple extra for friends. You could see that in a short time in 1984-85 my whole career was beginning to form, based on that stuff.”
Fairey first made his name in 1989, when he was still at the Rhode Island School of Design, from which he graduated in 1992 with a BA in illustration. He created a sticker campaign called “Andre the Giant Has a Posse”, which in turn evolved into a campaign called “Obey Giant”. The images that he created were replicated across the globe and a selection can be seen on his website (www.obeygiant.com), becoming, in Fairey’s own words, an “experiment in phenomenology”.
Ms. Gregory adds: “Fairey’s work is clearly influenced by Pop Art, Andy Warhol’s production techniques and our throwaway society, in that he creates, for example, fly posters.”
Because he utilises various media the prices for his works vary hugely, from his screenprints, the cheapest of his works, which start at about £60, to large canvasses, which climb to many tens of thousands of pounds. This is a deliberate strategy on Fairey’s part: while he is now an established and influential artist, an effort has been made to stay in touch with people who first bought his work and who would not always be seen as typical art collectors.
There is a huge range of work on offer at the new exhibition, including a screenprint run of his most famous image, Obey. It is an edition of ten and each costs £600. Then there are images that can be bought in several forms: Mujer Fatal is available as a stencil collage/mixed media canvass for £5,070, or as a ruby lithograph for £1,010. The same forms and prices apply to Proud Parents. Alternatively, This Machine Kills Fascists can be bought as a large canvas for £15,000, or as a ruby lithograph for a more affordable £1,010.
Fairey is very much an artist of his time, not confining himself to “traditional” canvases, but also working as a graphic designer and illustrator. In 2003 he founded the Studio Number One design agency, which produced the cover for the albums Elephunk and Monkey Business, by the Black Eyed Peas, as well as the poster for the film Walk the Line.
He also published a book last year, the title of which could be said to sum up what his work is about: Supply and Demand: the Art of Shepard Fairey.
This is an artist who should certainly not be underestimated. Amid all the trendiness and commentary on contemporary society, Fairey’s striking images may well pass the test of time.
*According to the Stolen Space website, Fairey's show is running until November 25.
Here's another good (longer) article on Fairey, which I linked to from here.
Artists
10/23/2007 9:43:11 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Monday, October 22, 2007
EXHIBIT at the WORLD'S LARGEST ART FAIR
Posted by erika
Applications are being accepted for the 30th annual Artexpo New York (February 28-March 3, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center).
Artexpo New York is the largest gathering of qualified art buyers, offering unparalleled access to the world's most popular art. Each year the show attracts more than 40,000 trade and consumer buyers from 55 countries, all in search of the art and artists that will shape trends in galleries worldwide.
SOLO is a special section of Artexpo New York dedicated to showcasing the work of the world’s emerging, independent artists. Since its debut in 2004, SOLO has become the ultimate venue for artists to be discovered.
If you can't afford the cost of renting a booth (starting at around $3,000), consider entering the Emerging Artist Contest, sponsored by Art Business News. The winner will receive a free SOLO booth as well as two quarter-page ads in Art Business News. Download a PDF application here. Deadline for entry is December 1, 2007, so don't delay -- this is a great chance to have your artwork seen by qualified professionals in the industry!
Calls for Entry | Self-Promotion
10/22/2007 4:51:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, October 18, 2007
Creativity + Commerce
Posted by erika
Creativity + Commerce, PRINT magazine's International Business Graphics Review, is the newest and fastest-growing of PRINT's design competitions.*
It brings together the full range of work done for corporate clients around the world--from print ads, corporate identities and flyers, to animated short films, websites, interactive games and much more.
PRINT invites you to participate in this important showcase. All winning entries will be featured in the September/October 2008 issue of PRINT, and cash prizes totalling $9,000 will be awarded to the top 3 winners.
Entry Deadline: November 1, 2007
Download an entry form (PDF) here.
*Don't miss out on competition news, calls for entry and announcements of winners. Click here to sign up for the PRINT, I.D. and HOW magazine Design Competition Update, delivered right to your inbox!
Calls for Entry
10/18/2007 3:33:38 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Holiday Promotions
Posted by erika
As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I'm providing some information about Modern Postcard's holiday card packages. (Modern Postcard is a printing company that specializes in direct mail services. Fred Hernandez, Marketing Communications Mangager at Modern Postcard, was interviewed for Maria Piscopo's article on self-promotion in the 2008 AGDM.)
The holiday season is a great time to send promotional postcards to prospective clients. Modern Postcard has holiday card packages starting at $29, with free envelopes and shipping for up to 200 cards. So get to work on creating a fun holiday-themed design or illustration, then select a template and upload your image. Be sure to include your name and contact information, as well as your specialty (e.g., children's illustration, editorial illustration, graphic design), when you personalize the message on your cards.
Here's a generic (fake) card I designed using an illustration by Janet Stever that appears in the 2008 AGDM:
front inside
Self-Promotion
10/18/2007 2:13:18 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, October 17, 2007
2008 Edition is done!
Posted by erika
I just got my advance copies of the 2008 AGDM!!! (And I also realized that today is the 1-year anniversary of my promotion to editor, so I guess October 17 must be a lucky date for me.)
It's so exciting to see the finished product of my hard work. All the art looks great -- I can't wait for you to see it! I'm told the book will be shipping from the warehouse within the next week or two, but you can pre-order it from Amazon. As soon as I get my first shipment, I'll be sending comp copies to all the artists and writers featured in the book.
To peak your interest in the book (and to get you thinking about your marketing plans for the upcoming holiday season -- the perfect time to send promo cards), I'm providing here an excerpt from Maria Piscopo's article Self-Promotion in the Modern World:
Assembling a Mailing List
Successful direct marketing always starts with a targeted list of prospective clients. In addition to creating mailing lists based on researching Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market listings and your own networking, some artists purchase industry-specific mailing lists or labels.
There are many industry-specific sources for your mailing lists. You can just buy the labels or e-mail addresses from these firms, but consider buying the database to use on your computer and make your own labels. Another option is to import the data if you are already using a compatible contact management software program for a database (e.g., Filemaker Pro or Microsoft Access). When buying data, look for individually prepared lists targeted to your marketing message.
Make sure the company updates their database at least two to three times a year. If you are buying the database, make sure you can add your own sales leads, contact names and even mail/merge for printing custom letters and envelopes. Check out the search and sort capabilities of the program before you buy so that you can search the data by company name, city, state, zip code, area code, type of client, contact name or any of the other popular fields of information used for mailing lists databases.
Here is a partial list of companies that sell targeted databases of clients that buy art and graphic design:
*Agency Access is currently offering the following discounts:
Sign up for either a North American or European full membership before October 31st and receive a 10% savings with quarterly part payments. Also, receive $100 off any E-mail bundle!
Full range of self-promotional services available:
- Up-to-date database (99% accuracy)
- Over 40,000 qualified North American and European buyers
- Customized searches and tailored lists
- E-mail and direct mail marketing services
- New high-quality printing service
- Personalized help and marketing consulting
Want to try them out before you activate your subscription?
Call 1-800-704-9817 for a 3-day FREE TRIAL or personal Online Demo.
Book Contents | Miscellaneous | Self-Promotion
10/17/2007 2:02:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, October 11, 2007
Rollins and Rose
Posted by Erika
Ohmygod, I'm SO excited! I'm on Cloud 9 right now...
My best friend Lori and I met Henry Rollins last night!!!
This is a dream come true for us -- one we've had for 15 years! That's more than half of our time on this planet, and though we've known each other forever and shared many common interests, our passion for Hank outweighs pretty much everything else.
I guess I should start at the beginning and move forward...
Our dads met in Vietnam, and they kept in touch after returning home. They both lived in Ohio, at opposite ends of the state, and they had become friends with a few other guys who lived in neighboring states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. So these guys and their wives/girlfriends would take turns getting together at one another's homes, and their friendship grew and survived the miles between them.
Through some kind of magical fate, our moms happened to get pregnant around the same time, and in September of 1978, Lori was born exactly one week before me. I guess you could say we became friends simply because our parents were friends, but our friendship has evolved so far beyond that. At first we would only see each other when our parents made plans to spend a weekend together, but as we got older, we were able to take turns spendng entire weeks at each other's houses, during Spring Break or the Christmas holiday.
By the time we were 14, we had discovered "real music" -- we said goodbye to bands like New Kids on the Block and Bell Biv DeVoe, and we started listening to Nirvana, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, The Pixies, and so on and so on. We started wearing flannel shirts and combat boots, and we thought we knew everything. Together we were invincible. We watched 120 Minutes on MTV religiously (I still have about 20 VHS tapes with recorded episodes), and we discovered more and more "alternative" music that wasn't being played on the radio.
One of the bands we were introduced to on the show was the Rollins Band (before "Liar"). This Henry Rollins guy blew us away, and we had to find out more about him. Through our punk rock research, we found that he had been in a band called Black Flag. We immediately bought some of the band's albums, and we were hooked -- particularly on one album that included some spoken word tracks. Through further searching, we found that Henry had quite a few albums that were entirely spoken word. We found them all and devoured them.
The very first spoken word album we bought (and I don't know how we bought it when it had the "Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics" warning on it) was The Boxed Life. It was a 2-cassette combo, and we each had our own copy. We listened to it voraciously, constantly quoting lines to each other and feeling as if we'd discovered the meaning of life. We went on vacation with my parents that summer, and to keep them from hearing what we were listening to, we each put our copy of Tape 1 into our individual walkmen and listened simultaneously through separate headphones. Those original cassettes are what we took to the spoken word show last night for Henry to sign.
Something else that happened that summer is that we went to our first Lollapalooza ('93) -- without our parents' permission. They told us we were too young to go to an all-day concert like that, and of course we thought that was the lamest thing we'd ever heard. So we went anyway. We contrived some weak cover story and took off to Indianapolis (nearly 3 hours away, across the state line) with Lori's older friend Becky and Becky's much older (21) friend Erik Rose.
We sat quietly in the backseat and thought that Erik Rose had to be the coolest guy in the world (next to Henry Rollins, of course). He was an artist and a musician, and he had long, dark hair and wore a Cure t-shirt with the sleeves cut off (The Cure is one of our all-time favorite bands, but that's a whole other story). Anyway, we went to the concert and had an amazing time, despite the blistering sunburn and sprained ankle I acquired...and despite the fact that we inevitably got caught in our lie.
Part of Lori's punishment was that her dad took most, if not all, of her CDs and cassettes, including some Rollins spoken word albums, and threw them away! She told Henry about this last night, and he said, with an appalled look on his face, "Is he still alive?!" Ha! Believe me, we did want to kill our parents after that. Like, why couldn't they just understand and leave us alone?!? Ah, teen angst.
To make a long story short (too late), Lori has since obtained new copies of Hank's spoken word CDs, and we are just as enthralled with him now, at age 29, as we were at 14. We've seen him perform with the Rollins Band twice, and we've been to at least 3 of his spoken word shows together. Those have been some of the best nights of our lives, but last night definitely ranks at #1.
And now we come back to Erik Rose...
About a year ago, as I was planning the 2008 edition of AGDM, I came across him on the Internet. I was reading up on the case developments of the West Memphis Three (in which Henry has been very supportive and instrumental), and I discovered that Damien Echols had been interviewed by a magazine called Tastes Like Chicken. I went to the website to check out the article, and I was immediately drawn to the illustration of Damien that appeared with the interview -- an illustration by Erik Rose!
My heart skipped a beat. Could it really be the Erik Rose from 14 years ago?!? I clicked on the link to his bio, and as soon as I read "originally hailing from a small town in Ohio that is filled with Etch-a-Sketches and Dum-Dum suckers," I knew it was him. I explored the site further and discovered that he's the art editor and a contributing writer for the magazine, and that he had interviewed none other than Henry Rollins for a previous issue (which included a kick-ass illustration of the man and his well-known tattoos).
I was so excited at this point, I didn't know what to do with myself. So I did what fate must have intended: I sent an e-mail to Erik Rose asking if I could interview him for my first edition of AGDM. I could tell from his website that he had turned out to be an amazing artist, and it seemed like he'd had some success as a freelance illustrator and would make a great interview subject. Boy, was I right!
Erik gave such excellent answers to my questions, I couldn't have hoped for a better interview. I think he'll be a great inspiration to many of AGDM's readers, and I'm so excited to share his work with all of you. I plan to post an excerpt from his interview in a later blog entry, but you'll have to get your own copy of the 2008 AGDM to read the whole thing, which I strongly encourage!
Isn't it funny how life works? We're all connected in so many small ways, and it seems those are the things that make it all worthwhile. Just think, if my dad or Lori's dad had never fought in that crazy war, they wouldn't know each other, and therefore Lori & I wouldn't know each other, and maybe neither of us would care about Henry Rollins or even know who he is. I certainly wouldn't know Erik Rose, and even if I had discovered him in searching for artists to feature in the book, he wouldn't have the same significance.
So I'm thankful for who I am, and for the people who've come into my life...for whatever reason, because it's the connections we make with people that give such value to life on this strange planet.
Now excuse me while I go back to floating on that cloud...
Peace,
Erika
Artists | Miscellaneous
10/11/2007 11:16:11 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Family Talent
Posted by Erika
I just found out that my husband's Irish cousin is Artist of the Month at Galway City's Bold Art Gallery. Her name is Mary Dillon, and I absolutely love her and her work. Though I've only met her a few times, she made a great impression on me with her bohemian style and upbeat attitude. She is a true inspiration.
Biography from Bold Art Gallery:
A full-time professional artist since 1999, Mary enjoys spending her time working from her studio at home in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. Originally from Kilkenny, she first exhibited her work during Kilkenny Arts Week at the age of 13.
Mary has a keen interest in botany and gardening and takes inspiration from her garden, local hedgerows, woodlands and the bogs in the midlands of Ireland.
Mary’s unique style reveals the power and vibrancy of watercolours at their best. Gradually building up washes of paint to create intense yet delicately subtle layers of colour, her paintings encourage and challenge us to look again.
Her work has been critically acclaimed on television and in national print media, and she has undertaken commissions for corporate and private collections around the world.
To submit artwork to Bold Art Gallery, mail a CD of images to the gallery at Merchants Rd. & Augustine St., Galway City, Ireland. Include a self-addressed envelope for return. You may also e-mail sample images to info@boldartgallery.com. Be sure to include a biography in your application. The biography should consist of information about you as an artist, your education (if relevant) and your influences.
Artists
10/10/2007 11:48:19 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, October 09, 2007
A chance to collaborate
Posted by Erika
Born Magazine is seeking artists interested in collaborating with writers to create experimental, interactive projects for two sections of the magazine:
- Just Born features cinematic and interactive interpretations of short genres such as poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction. For this section of the magazine, designers collaborate with writers to create an original media-rich project that interprets the writer's original work.
Design guidelines: Artists interested in creating interpretations of short literary works may send design portfolio samples (2MB maximum) and/or URLs via email to the online curator.
- The Birthing Room features media-rich art that explores storytelling using interactive media, animation, design, and other approaches. Collaborative teams create an original concept and work from scratch. Teams can include writers, artists, musicians, programmers, and others. Projects can range from interpretations of classic literature to experiments in narrative or visual storytelling.
Popular approaches to Birthing Room collaboration include:
- Designer-created team
Artists can collaborate with programmer(s) and/or writer(s) of their choosing. All participants should submit portfolios of their work and a brief proposal (1-2 paragraphs) outlining their concept.
- Matchmaking
Born matches artists and writers who are interested in collaborating to create an original work. The team then develops the concept together and submits a brief proposal to Born.
- Interpretation
Artist(s) submit a proposal to interpret a work of their choice. All stories will be reviewed by the editors to consider literary excellence and copyright permissions. If the work is covered by copyright, Born can contact the publisher/writer on behalf of the designer to obtain permission.
- Wild Card
Artists and writers suggest new and unique collaborations that Born has not yet thought up.
Design guidelines: Artists interested in The Birthing Room may send design portfolio samples (2MB maximum) and/or URLs via email to the online curator. You may send proposals at the same time, unless requesting matchmaking.
Calls for Entry
10/9/2007 12:25:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, October 04, 2007
Licensing Art 101
Posted by Erika
I just got an e-mail announcement from ArtNetwork about a FREE live telephone conference with Michael Woodward, author of Licensing Art 101, happening TODAY at 5:00 EST (4:00 CST, 3:00 MST, 2:00 PST).
- Learn how to license your artwork for additional income.
- Learn the major mistakes most people make in the licensing market.
Michael Woodward has worked in the licensing industry for over 30 years, and he is the founder and owner of Art Licensing International Inc., one of the markets listed in AGDM (see listing below).
The teleconference is limited to 150 participants, on a first-come first-serve basis. Dial 605-475-6000 and use Access Pin# 164122.
ART LICENSING INTERNATIONAL INC.
7350 S. Tamiami Trail #227, Sarasota FL 34231. (941)966-8912. Fax: (941)966-8914. E-mail: artlicensing@comcast.net. Web site: www.out-of-the-blue.us. President: Michael Woodward. Estab. 1986. Licenses images internationally for a range of products--particularly fine art posters and prints for interior design industry, as well as greeting cards and stationery.
• See additional listings for this company in the Greeting Cards, Gifts & Products and Artists' Reps sections. See also listing for Out of the Blue in the Greeting Cards, Gifts & Products section.
First Contact & Terms Send a CD and photocopies or e-mail JPEGs or a link to your Web site. Send SASE for return of material. Commission rate is 50%.
Tips "Concepts for prints and posters should be in pairs or sets of four or more, with regard for trends and color palettes related to the home decor market."
Licensing
10/4/2007 12:09:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Pete the Cat and James Dean (the artist, not the actor)
Posted by Erika
This past Sunday was my birthday, and my dad gave me the coolest gift: a book called The Misadventures of Pete the Cat. It's a compilation of paintings done by artist James Dean, all of which feature his cat Pete.
I love cats, and I love art, so of course I love cat art! But this book is like nothing I've seen before. I couldn't put it down without flipping through the entire thing to look at each and every picture. Some are simple and whimsical, but there are also reproductions of famous paintings with the addition of Pete, such as this:
I have since found Pete the Cat's website, which features pictures not included in the book, and now I'm totally obsessed. Most inspiring is the fact that James Dean was an electrical engineer who wanted to be an artist but didn't think he could make a living as one; Pete came into his life at an opportune time and stayed just long enough to be the muse he needed to make the leap into a freelance art career. Now he is locally and nationally known for his Pete the Cat prints, which are sold at galleries and retailers around the country. Isn't that encouraging?
Artists | Miscellaneous
10/4/2007 11:38:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
What's new in the 2008 edition?
Posted by Erika
Just to give you a heads up, I've added lots of new resources, including grants organizations, artists' residencies, and more publications, Web sites and blogs to help you network for a successful freelance career.
I've also included a totally new geographic index so you can search for markets in your home state and surrounding region. Canadian and International markets are also listed. With the addition of this new index, I've decided that listings in the Galleries section will no longer be sorted by state, and listings in the Advertising, Design & Related Markets section will no longer be sorted by region. All listings are now arranged strictly in alpha order, with the exception of Art Fairs -- those continue to be listed by region (but they still appear in the Geographic Index).
Articles and Interviews:
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Motivational Tools of the Trade: Advice from an Experienced Freelancer by Jim Hunt, a nationally recognized cartoonist
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Self-Promotion in the Modern World by Maria Piscopo, an art rep and expert on business and marketing strategies
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Success Stories: Patience, Flexibilty and Perseverance Pay, featuring comic book artist Troy Boyle, freelance illustrator Michelle Shortt, and Hilary & Tyler Jenkins, the husband-and-wife design team known as Blacksheep Studios
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Insider Reports:
- freelance artist and magazine art director Erik Rose
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Book Contents
9/27/2007 3:11:15 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Welcome!
Posted by Erika
I'm happy to announce the 2008 edition of Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market (my first as Editor) went to the printer last week. Yay!!!
I had so much fun working on this book, and I can't wait to find out what you, dear reader, think of it. Of course, you won't be able to see the actual book for another month or so, which means I'll be posting some excerpts here and in my newsletter to spark your interest.
To sign up for my free monthly newsletter (planned for the first Friday of every month), go to the main AGDM Web page and enter your e-mail address in the box that appears in the upper-right corner. You can also sign up to receive e-mails when I post new blog entries. Just scroll up to the top-left of this page, where it says Click to subscribe via RSS.
Plans for the blog and newsletter include contest announcements, exhibition openings, marketing/self-promotion tips, and whatever art-related topics happen to come up. I hope you'll provide me with some feedback about what kinds of things you'd like to see. Post comments here or send me an e-mail so I can help you in your creative journey.
Best,
Erika O'Connell
Editor, Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market
Miscellaneous
9/26/2007 11:21:38 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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