I'd like to leaf you with the idea that you can make art out of anything!!!

Be sure to click the link to check out more of Christoph Niemann's clever work.

 

Bio-Diversity

via Illusion 360 by Adriana on 11/24/09

Leaf art by Christoph Niemann–he  has his work on  display at “Abstract City” at the The NY Times blog channel.
About the artist (from bio):

Christoph Niemann’s illustrations have appeared on the covers of The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine and American Illustration. His work has won numerous awards from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the Art Directors Club and American Illustration. He is the author of two children’s books, “The Pet Dragon,” which teaches Chinese characters to young readers, and “The Police Cloud.” After 11 years in New York, he moved to Berlin with his wife, Lisa, and their sons, Arthur, Gustav and Fritz.

Do you respect or push boundaries in your art?

Boundary makers

via Seth's Blog by Seth Godin on 11/28/09

Some artists continually seek to tear down boundaries, to find new powder, new territory, new worlds to explore. They're the ones that hop the fence to get to places no one has ever been.
Other artists understand that they need to see the edges of the box if they're going to create work that lasts. No fence, no art.
Can't do both at the same time.
My guess is that you're already one kind of person or the other. When people present you with an opportunity/problem, what's your first reaction? Some people immediately start looking for loopholes or weak boundaries. "You didn't say we couldn't do xxx". For these people, the best and most obvious solution is to completely demolish the problem and play by different rules.
Other people, some just as successful, take a hard look at the boundaries and create something that plays within, that follows the rules, but that is likely to win because of this.
In my experience, either can work, but only by someone willing to push harder than most in their push to be remarkable. Going with the flow is a euphemism for failing.

Some great ways to get your art seen...

While it's geared towards photos, I can see these suggestions being useful for any type of art.

7 Ways to Get Your Photos Seen

via Digital Photography School by Guest Contributor on 11/22/09

I wanted to talk a little about a different kind of exposure for your photography… the kind that results in more people seeing your work. I have had a lot of people ask how to get their photos seen and many believe that simply posting photos to a site like Flickr is all they need to do.
If you are taking the time to create something, I think it is important that you also make the effort to have it seen. It will help you grow as an artist and may lead to new opportunities you didn’t expect.
Here are some tips I recommend for getting your photos out to a wider audience:

1. Find websites that may want to display your work

Realize that the websites don’t have to be photography-related to show your images. Sites like Flickr, Smugmug, DeviantArt, etc are all great places to show your work to other creative types… but non-photography sites may have a bigger pool of potential viewers.
I have seen more and more blogs pop up that post a variety of content, including art… all of those sites are a great place to submit your photos to. If you specialize in a certain type of photography (landscapes, portraits, macro, whatever), do a little searching on the web to try and find websites that might want to use those types of photos. They probably won’t pay for the images, but you’ll get credit for the work and you will probably get a link back to your gallery or website.

2. Use the Creative Commons license

Creative Commons is a way for you to maintain the copyright of your work while still allowing others to copy and distribute your images. Websites are more likely to display your work if the license allows it and there are a number of search engines available that will only show images licensed under Creative Commons.
Since I started licensing my images under Creative Commons, I saw a huge spike in the number of sites using my photographs… all of which have linked back to my website or my Flickr page.

3. Make your photos useful

Try and think of creative uses for your photos that will increase their value (and potential views) beyond just showing them in a gallery. For example, I posted a handful of images on my website to be used as desktop wallpaper. I know others who take and share photos specifically to be used as textures.
Images can be made useful in a variety of ways. Figure out the one that works best for your work and you can bet that it will bring in a whole new audience to your photography.

4. Create a Blurb book

A friend turned me on to Blurb a while back and I have been a fan ever since. A Blurb book (or any photo book publishing service) is a great way to keep a portfolio of images handy. Keep the book in your house to show off to family and friends or have one with you while meeting potential clients. The book will make you look more professional and it can be more convenient than carrying around a traditional portfolio.

As an added bonus, a site like Blurb can be a source of new viewers in and of itself. I put together a collection of images as a Blurb book and I have noticed a fair amount of traffic coming to my personal site from the Blurb listing.

5. Talk to your local paper

The first photograph of mine ever published in print happened because I called my local city paper with an idea for a story and some images they could run along with it. The paper liked the idea and I had a photo in print a few weeks later.
News outlets are always interested in hearing story ideas and they are usually happy to look at any photos you have that they might be able to use. If you think a photo of yours is newsworthy, don’t wait for the papers to come to you.

6. Business cards for your website

When photography comes up in conversation, I will usually mention that I have a website where people can view my work and give them a card printed from Moo.com. It doesn’t have to be a traditional “business card”… usually mine are just a photo on one side with my name, website and contact info on the back. Any type of business card will work, as long as it has your site’s URL included. People are much more likely to remember to check out your stuff if they have a card, so remember to carry a few with you when you can.

7. Social networking

It probably goes without saying, but using services like Twitter and Facebook to show your work is an extremely effective way to expose more people to your work. I generally make a post on Twitter during a shoot and then I will put up another message when those finished photos are uploaded. It’s a great way to let people know what you are working on and where they can see it… it is also a nice way to attract new viewers to your photos.

How do you approach this and get your images viewed?

This post is Chris sharing his experience of getting his images viewed – how have you gone about it? What is the image that you’ve had viewed the most and how did you achieve it?
Chris Folsom is a hobbyist photographer who spends much of his time photographing abandoned buildings. You can view his site at www.studiotempura.com or see more of his photos at Flickr.
His photos have been published in newspapers and on numerous websites.

Inspriring videos

and these two...

http://www.bestofthe2000s.com/videopopup1.html




http://www.bestofthe2000s.com/videopopup4.html

Opportunities for artists

Opportunity For Artists and Illustrators « Creative Boom Magazine ...
By Tigz Rice
Opportunity For Artists and Illustrators. Posted by Tigz Rice on November 22, 2009 under Design, Illustration, Opportunity. Tigz_drowning. Nightmares and Fairytales is an collaborate project by myself (Tigz) and Lala, which has been ...
Creative Boom Magazine | Supporting... - http://www.creativeboom.co.uk/

CALL FOR ARTISTS - INTERFERENCE
Deadline January 4, 2010

We are currently accepting slides and CD submissions from visual artists for consideration for a 2011 group exhibit examining environmental interference and related issues. All original artwork in any media within the exhibit theme will be considered for review. Work previously shown at the Howard County Arts Council will not be accepted, nor will work previously submitted to the gallery program in the past year. All work must fit through a doorway measuring 54" x 80" and fit appropriately in the HCAC gallery.
Entry
Artists should download a general exhibit application here or call (410)313-2787 to have one mailed. Return to Attention: Interference.

FOR ART'S SAKE: VISUAL ARTISTS NEEDED
Submissions due: January 22
Are you a Howard County artist looking to gain exposure and help sup port the arts? We are seeking visual artists and artisans working in all styles a nd mediums to participate in the Silent Auction Benefit Art Exhibit. This exhibit is part of the Arts Council's annual fundraising gala, the Celebration of the Arts . All Howard County 2-D, 3-D, and fine craft artists, 18 years or older, are invited to submit for jurying . More information and applications can be found online by clicking here . Deadline for submissions is January 22 by 5PM.

Boise Weekly Cover Art Submissions

Every week Boise Weekly chooses one submitted original work for the cover. BW will pay $150 for every published cover plus a $25 gift certificate to Boise Blue Art Supply. We request that all published original covers be donated to a charity cover auction in the fall benefiting youth outreach programs in the arts. Works must be original, in any medium including digital and photography. Artists submitting digital covers must do so on archival quality or giclee print. Square format works preferred, but slightly rectangular works accepted. Final reproduction size is approx. 10" x 10" but original artwork may be any size. Works do not have to be framed. BW will handle all framing for the auction. Artworks not selected are available for pickup anytime. Drop your artwork by the BW office. Direct questions to leila@boiseweekly.com.

Call for Submissions:
Artists and Curators for Signal & Noise 2010

VIVO Media Arts Centre in Vancouver is currently seeking submissions by artists and curators for their Signal & Noise festival, which will take place May 27-29, 2010. Next year marks the tenth anniversary of this contemporary media and sound art festival, which showcases single and multi-channel audio & video works, live performances and immersive installations. The deadline for applications is January 10, 2010.

The Gam Submissions for Grand Opening Show December 10th 2009

The Gam Gallery and Studio is an open space for artists to create and to show, inclusive to all disciplines of artistic endeavors. Our goal is to encourage participation and motion toward creating a dynamic and thoughtful culture. It is a place to meet and learn from the talented people within our community, to get inspired and inspire others.
The Gam is located at 110 E Hastings St (at Columbia), in an artists’ only building. The building is in a great location for art events such as Swarm, and will be taking part in art/craft sales and culture crawls through the Olympics and beyond!
gam
–noun Slang.
a person's leg, esp. an attractive female leg.
Origin:
1775–85; prob. < Polari < It gamba leg; see jamb 1
gam
–noun
1. a herd or school of whales.
2. Eastern New England, Nautical. a social meeting, visit, or the like, as between whaling vessels at sea.
–verb (used without object)
3. (of whales) to assemble into a herd or school.
4. Nautical. (of the officers and crews of two whaling vessels) to visit or converse with one another for social purposes.
5. Eastern New England. to participate in a gam or social visit.
Origin:
1840–50, Americanism; perh. dial. var. of game 1
We are calling for work in a range of media and size, and reflects the mission and meaning of the Gam stated above. If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the e-mail address below. You can also contact Tarah Hogue at 778-235-6928, Julia Kreutz at 604-323-2434, Jamie Reid 778-828-4627 or Jasmine Ohlhauser 604-566-2138. We are the ladies that make up The Gam, and we're certain you'll enjoy talking to any one (or all) of us.
SUBMIT work to thegam@live.com
Include: image, dimensions and media
DEADLINE is December 2nd 2009

Mark Siddall Gallery accepts artist submissions.

We are interested in all contemporary media including painting, works on paper, photographs and sculpture.

The gallery accepts postal submissions throughout the year from artist seeking representation. We also accept exhibition proposals. We do not make appointments or spontaneously view portfolios during gallery hours. We only accept to review portfolios that include a self-addressed stamped envelope for returning materials submitted for review.
Artist Submissions should include the following:

• Curriculum Vite
• Artist Statement
• Minimum of 10 images of your work, slides, photographs, JPEGs or TIFFs are acceptable.
• Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope must be included for return of submitted materials.

The gallery is located North of Eglinton Ave. on Wynford Dr., just minutes away from the Ontario Science Centre.
40 Wynford Drive, Suite 106
Toronto, ON. M3C 1J5
Canada
Phone: 647.728.4700
Toll Free: 1.888.996.2275
E-mail: info@marksiddall.com





 

Letters from Vincent. 900+ of them.

http://www.vangoghletters.org/vg/
Annotated, illustrated with transcriptions and translations.

Van Gogh’s letters

The artist speaks
9 October 2009 - 3 January 2010
From 9 October 2009 to 3 January 2010 Van Gogh's letters will take centre stage in the exhibition Van Gogh's letters: The artist speaks. More than 120 original letters will be on show alongside the works that Van Gogh was writing about. These important documents have seldom or never been shown to the public due to their extreme fragility and sensitivity to light.
The combination of more than 300 works from the museum's own rich collection, including paintings, drawings, letters and letter sketches, offers a penetrating and comprehensive insight into Van Gogh as letter writer and as artist.

Especially for this exhibition the Van Gogh Museum has been able to secure the loan of three special letters from Vincent van Gogh to the artist Emile Bernard (1868-1941) from The Morgan Library & Museum in New York.

‘There are so many people, especially  among our pals, who imagine that words are nothing. On the contrary, don’t you think, it’s as interesting and as difficult to say a thing well as to paint a thing.’
Vincent van Gogh to Emile Bernard, 19 April 1888

Fascinating artistic correspondence
Vincent van Gogh was not only a ground-breaking artist, but also an ardent letter writer, who left to the world one of the most fascinating and multi-faceted bodies of artistic correspondence that we know. The 902 letters, of which more than 800 are held in the Van Gogh Museum, chronicle in direct and compelling style the story of his eventful life, the close bond with his brother and confidant Theo and the development of his work. These documents of more than 120 years ago with their many wonderful letter sketches unite the artist with the letter writer.
In the exhibition quotations from the letters guide the visitor through Van Gogh's paintings and those of his contemporaries, offering insights into his views on art and the role of the artist. The reader is witness to his dreams and disappointments, his passions and tribulations, friendships and quarrels, the battle with his illness and his all-encompassing desire to create art that would live on.
The letter sketches
Van Gogh's correspondence has a special bearing on his art because of the sketches of his own work that he included in his letters. These sketches served no artistic purpose but were made with the sole intention of showing Theo and his other correspondents what the paintings or drawings he was working on or had completed actually looked like. Visitors will be able to view a large number of letter sketches and enjoy the unique opportunity of being able to compare them with the paintings and drawings on which they are based.
Van Gogh Letters Project
October 2009 sees the culmination of the extensive and prestigious Van Gogh Letters Project. Fifteen years of research into the correspondence of Vincent van Gogh by the Van Gogh Museum and the Huygens Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences will be crowned by this special exhibition, the launch of a website encompassing the complete research results and the publication of a six-volume book in three languages.
Web edition: vangoghletters.org
The English-language web edition www.vangoghletters.org contains all 902 letters to and from Van Gogh in their original languages (Dutch and French) with new English translations and images of the authentic manuscripts. The letters are furnished with extensive annotations and illustrations of all works of art mentioned in the correspondence. The web edition also offers extensive search possibilities and will be freely accessible from 8 October 2009.

You can also read Vincent's blog at http://www.vangoghsblog.com/

Calls for Artists

New policy: I'm only going to publish calls for artist that don't have fees involved.
On one hand, I appreciate that it takes $$$ to hang a show, the economy is down and galleries floundering. On the other, galleries take a large enough chunk that they should be able to subsidize their own shows and not be dependent upon the artists to do it. Your thoughts are welcome.

Lower East Side Printshop, Manhattan, announces 2010 Special ...
By AMP
The Printshop offers an opportunity for artists to complete an important new body of work in collaboration with our experienced master printers, entirely sponsored by the Printshop. Artists are provided with technical assistance, ...
AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and... - http://pluginamp.com/network/

flickr

» Amateur photographers: Getty wants your images
Amateur Photographer - UK
So, it has set up a 'Call for Artist' group on the Flickr website. When Getty first announced the project it was unclear whether amateurs would end up ...

SoFA open submissions calls for themes about landscapes
Indiana Daily Student
Art with performance or interactive components is also accepted. The deadline is Dec. 1 and selected artists will be notified by Dec. 15. Submissions should ...
See all stories on this topic 

Call for artists
Baltimore Sun
The Howard County Arts Council is accepting slides and CD submissions from visual artists for a 2011 group exhibit examining the environment and related ...
See all stories on this topic
 



 

NYC Museum shows that I want to see...

The Red Book of C.G. Jung
At the Rubin Museum of Art
150 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011 · 212.620.5000

Creation of a New Cosmology

http://www.rmanyc.org/nav/exhibitions/view/308

Bring a friend for free coupon at http://docs.rma2.org/press/bring_a_friend_coupon_final.pdf

Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (15 East 84th St, bet 5th and Madison Ave)

The Lost World of Old Europe: The Danube Valley, 5000 - 3500 BC features more than 250 objects from the remnants of Old Europe, a period of related prehistoric cultures that achieved a peak of sophistication and creativity long before Egypt or Mesopotamia and then mysteriously collapsed by 3500 BC. These goddess figures, jewelry, art, metal ornaments and weapons from museums in Romania, Bulgaria, and Moldova have never been featured in the United States despite the renown of artifacts like "The Thinker" - a strikingly modern male figure from Cernavoda, Romania. Continues through April 25th.

Calls for Artists

11/23 DRAWING EXHIBITION @ CLIMATE GALLERY
"Drawing. We artists are all doing it again. In this complex time of new energies and new directions in every facet of our lives, drawing, the ancient and perhaps the first method of self-expression, has been taken up by artists as never before. It is as if we have retrofitted the medium for defining and thinking about this ultra-modern time of overwhelming media capabilities, simply through pictures made directly by the power of the hand alone." Exhibition December 5-20, 2009. No Jury. Exposure to New York based Arts Professionals. Representation opportunities. Spaces fill quickly. Gallery exhibitions take place at it's location in New York City. Apply online at http://www.climategallery.com

11/30 EMERGING ARTISTS EXIHIBT
Eighteenth annual competition for gallery exhibition and awards. This exhibition is devoted to the discovery, introduction and promotion of emerging artists. It will be held in March 2010 at the Limner Gallery in Hudson, New York and is open to all artists working in any media. There will be a $1000 cash award and $2400 in publication awards. For prospectus e-mail: slowart@aol.com OR visit http://www.slowart.com/prospectus/ea2010.htm

11/30 CALL FOR ANIMAL THEMED ART @ CALADAN GALLERY
Juried exhibition entitled "ANIMAL NATION". "We are seeking art to sanctify, honor, and glorify ANIMALS of every species! Crawling, flying, hanging, loping, landing, swimming, basking, bathing, cuddling, following, sitting, eating, rearing; however you represent them, capture them, we are interested! We have been extremely fortunate to be creating an exciting, diverse, and active meeting place for artists and viewers alike, in a warm and positive virtual atmosphere since 2003." All mediums except video are eligible. Write to postal address or call or download, for prospectus: Caladan Gallery, Box 391939, Cambridge MA 02139 OR 617-838-8929 OR visit http://www.caladangallery.com

12/31 SHOW US YOUR BRAIN! DESIGN CONTEST
A Design Mafia would like to announce its first ever design contest. "We are proud to have Brainstorm Print and Design to accompany us in unveiling our ‘Show Us Your Brainstorm’ event. Participants are asked to visually interpret the word “Brainstorm” using any medium available that won’t get you arrested (paint, ink, graphite, video, computer, macaroni, a bedazzler, etc)." Deadline is December 31,2009 at which point winners will be selected and announced. For more information and to enter visit A Design Mafia
Grand prize: The winner gets the opportunity to collaborate with the founders of Brainstorm and A Design Mafia on a limited edition print. Not only will the winner receive the print that they helped create, but the print will also be sold in the Brainstorm online store…but WAIT THERE’S MORE!!! Not only will the winner receive a print, not only will it be sold in the Brainstorm store, but 20% of the proceeds will go to Friends of the Earth (http://www.foe.org) !!! Second and Third Runner ups will receive a print of their choice from the Brainstorm online store. All participants will receive A Design Mafia stickers as a token of appreciation for participating in this great event!

All via Underground Art School

Abstract handheld pinhole digital photography. Idaho State Fair, 2008.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bodyartist/PinholeAbstractFairImages#

Are you a genuis or is it something within the walls of your studio?

http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
I loved Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love.
In her Ted talk, she brings up some interesting ideas about what the role of the artist is in the creative process. Are you a vessel? Is God actually doing the creating? Can you check your ego at the door?