The Glass Shoe

“Hello Lover”, an exclamation by Carrie Bradshaw a “Sex and the City” character, as she covets a pair of Manolo Blahnik sandals in a window display.

Shoes like precious stones are collectable, cherished, and you can never have enough. Former Philippines’ first lady and political figure Imelda Marcos’ extensive shoe collection was 3,000 pair at final count.

There are books about Shoes as Objects of Art and Seduction. The Shoe has been a subject in Andy Warhol paintings. Wearable foot art comes in well thought out compositions from faces to places. Yes, there is a shoe museum, The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada, that hosts an extensive collection of designed footwear.

And if you trust in fairy tales, then you believe that Cinderella wore glass slippers. Larry Le Brane, a SLO fused glass artist, has perfected the Shoe in glass. He admits that his men’s shoe fetish sparked his creative shoe juices. Shoes offer a sculptural feel to this schooled artist.

Beginning with a “flip flop” two and a half years ago, he has challenged himself to perfect the Stiletto, both in fused glass.

Why high heels” Because they are “charged with sexual innuendo”, says Larry. “Wearing it (the high heel) emphasizes the curves of the female anatomy, making it visually appealing to men. I decided to emphasize this height to a 7" heel on a 2" platform. I added touches of "man stuff" (the cable ties for straps, and the diamond plate aluminum base), thus the title "Diamond Plate Stiletto". Larry’s art form is delivered as a whole package paying attention to details, form, color and design. Each pair is displayed on its own stand.

Earning his BA and MFA at Otis Art Institute, Larry was the Professor of Art at Orange Coast College from 1971 to 2003. He then moved here where he produces his art and teaches drawing for the Cuesta College emeritus program.

Each pair of LeBrane’s shoes is unique and hypnotic. These glass shoes always have a "Wow" reaction. They will be featured in “Caution: Art Zone”, SLO Art Center’s upcoming exhibition and sale that begins January 19th through March 16th, 2008. His studio is a glass artist’s Disneyland and open to the public by appointment only. Call Rhonda, wife/manager, or Larry for a private showing, (805)528-8791 or (805)748-6935.

Along with paintbrushes, shoes are my next favorite compilation. My salvation has been living in a tiny home offering little closet space, and in a walking town. It would definitely be a problem for me to walk my streets wearing four-inch heels. Lucky for me Prada and Stuart Weitzman, designer shoes that range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, don’t make tennis shoes. Dolce & Gabbana does.

ARTIST TRADING CARDS

Before last week I knew nothing about Artist Trading Cards. A local artist talked to me about these miniature works of art and I was instantly intrigued. So I did my due diligence via the Internet and found an abundance of information regarding this art genre. Artist Trading Cards are a contemporary phenomenon that is attracting collectors.

Known as ATCs, this is an idea born out of baseball and other trading cards by the Swiss artist M.Vanci Stirnemann in 1997. Artist Trading Cards are original works of art that meet a precise dimension. There are rules.

The qualifying dimension of an ATC must be 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches. They cannot be sold, only exchanged. The exchange must be made at a “trading session”. The trading session is a face-to-face meeting between 2 or more artists to switch a minimum of 2 cards. More cards can be made and traded as called for in the trading session.

The real meaning of these tiny works of art is about artists meeting other artists. Not only is it meant to exchange works but also ideas. Over a period of time Artists create a working network that can become worldwide. Because ATC’s are original works of art, they also expose artists to different artistic styles. This movement has made a positive impact in the world of miniature art and has increased interest in it from art patrons.

Cards can be made using any media, but the card must be sturdy. It is recommended that the artist use card stock or a simple playing card as its base. Balsa wood, metal, heavy watercolor paper, and clay can also be used, so long as the size requirements are met. This small canvas is then covered in artwork. Cards can be completed in collage, fabric, colored pencils, stamps, beadwork, watercolor, acrylic, string, airbrush, and many others. Traders want unique cards that are made with care and that will last.

The back of the ATC must show the artist’s name; preferably in signature; artist contact information, and it’s title. If the art is part of a series, the card must also to be identified by the edition number. Although by definition ATCs are one of a kind, sets of identical ATCs are called editions and so are ATCs made in sequence.

Trading sessions can be between 2 or more artists with 2 or more cards to trade. Sessions are meant to be face-to-face because of the underlying purpose to get artists together, but because of the growing popularity of ATCs, trading sessions are also conducted via mail. Since it’s origination, several hundred people are trading ATCs. In essence, this is a form of performance art.

Themed trading sessions can be fun. Artists who participate in themed sessions are required to meet topic restrictions. Famous Musicians Past and Present was one theme identified on the Internet. I would like to see this ATC collection.

The Internet is loaded with sites pertaining to this art form and offers templates for making ATC cards and envelopes, tips on storing cards, and ATC display suggestions.
There are also post and trading sites (ATC swaps), art galleries that specialize in exhibiting ATC collections, and quarterly magazines. ATCs are even showing up on Ebay!

Anyone can call an Artist Trading Card Session. Try it, you’ll like it.

The Automobile as Art

Of all the twentieth century artifacts none is more typically American than the Automobile.
Because Morro Bay’s car show is this weekend, I thought it would be appropriate that my column focus on how the automobile has been used as a subject d’Arte.

Cruiser art images trigger memories and emotions. They bring us back to moments in our lives. In my case it’s the 1958 Ford Fairlane. Automotive paintings are examples of the beauty of the classic and the modern automobile.

As still life subjects the Automobile offers challenges in drawing and painting. The Artist is required to depict body styles in proper perspective, to illustrate the car’s sleek lines and bumper to bumper shapes, to create tone value changes to illustrate mass, altogether to properly achieve a three-dimensional feel and quality to the final work. Countless paintings and photographs have been made using “parts of” automobiles rather than the full car to make the composition appear more abstract. Nothing smiles wider than a 57 Buick. Imagine the goofy character of the 1961 Peugeot caught on canvas.

Some artists use thick paint while some thin, others apply paint with heavy handed bold brush strokes when some artists feverishly dry brush to blend all texture. Artists depict automobiles in different ways. A composition placing a Ford Woody in the middle of a city would not suit the car best compared to it’s natural surroundings on a beach with its 4 doors open and surf board set on its top. Even bumper stickers can become an interesting part of a painting.

The artwork can even be more engaging when the classic automobile is depicted in its aged and rugged form, rather than tricked out. Metro active, or Digital Art, can create superb stylized images of automobiles, Andy Warhol like.

From Ferrari, to Ford, cars themselves have even been used as a canvas. Art car artists are sometimes referred to as “Cartists”. Well known artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Ernst Fuchs, Robert Rauschenberg, David Hockney and more have had their work reflected on BMW Art Cars. (The BMW Art Car Collection is a series of BMW production models transformed from automobile to art by some of the world's foremost artists.)

Be it with stickers or bobbing figurines, cars have always become a tool to express individuality. During the late 1960s, singer Janis Joplin had a psychedelic-painted Porsche 356 and John Lennon, a paisley Rolls Royce. Counterculture of the late 60s and 70s decorated their cars with day-glow paint and often glued and bolted on various appliqué’s. Jan Elftman decorated her pickup truck with thousands of corks she collected over a 15-year period when she worked as a waitress in an Italian Restaurant. Decorating one’s car is another way to say, “Look at me”. Art car artists usually drive their own work and often dress to match their automobile.

While we stroll down the boulevard this weekend admiring more than 500 car show entries, I don’t think we will see anything like I have described. But, surely we will see exotic customized paint jobs. These are hugely expensive.

I am not a Cartist nor do I dress to match my car. The only thing my Ford needs is a good bath!

QUEEN ( OR KING ) FOR A NIGHT

Have you ever attended an Artist’s Reception? There is a feeling of excitement anticipating the night’s festivities. The Gallery and Artist hope for customers and sales. There is no shortage of food and drink. Guests saunter about the room, stopping in front of each painting; they huddle in small groupings and murmur their observations. Communicating the underlying concept that motivated the Artist to create this body of work is the ever-repeating dialog. Who will break the ice with the first sale this evening?

Being in the spot light for a meager four hours is the culmination of hard work. Take it from an Artist; by the end of the party our hair has flattened our clothes droopy, we are pooped; despite the number of sales.

The “Reception” for my new works entitled LIQUID SYMBOLISM was March 1st, 5-8pm, in Palm Springs, California. Allow me, on behalf of my fellow artists, to educate you on the labors it takes that lead up to the Artist’s Reception.

Most Fine Art Galleries do not accept artists that are unknown to them. Exhibiting Artists have an established relationship with the Art gallery, offer a sales record and guest list. Planned a minimum of one year in advance, the date for the Reception is set. The initial meeting sets the groundwork for marketing strategies, time lines for effective public notice via mailings and press releases, and designated exhibition space is decided upon. The Artist and Gallery have a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

Unless the show is a “retrospect”, the Artist develops a new body of work. Artists test new products. Ideas are first thumbnail sketches, and then more refined sketches. Color palettes are thoughtfully chosen. What feeling and narration the artist wants to convey must come through the artwork. Shall it be soleful, provocative, or startling?

If you saw the movie “Jackson Pollack” you must remember the scene when he sat for days in an empty room in his apartment staring at a blank canvas. All the while, his mind was planning out the composition. He was working out the kinks in his head, developing the ultimate plan for the painting. Artists visualize final paintings in their dreams before executing the work on canvas.

Assigning a title to each piece is easier said than done. Titles can detract from the work and deprive the viewer of his own observations.

The professional Artist paints day and night. It’s our job, not a hobby. When we price a painting for sale we don’t consider an hourly pay…that would be depressing! Many times we price a painting based on what we want to do in the future, such as bills we need to pay and supplies we want to purchase. There may be travel and shipping costs involved. This is a difficult step. If pricing is too high or too low, sales will be affected. Pricing is a joint effort between the Artist and Gallery.

The day before the opening we hang the work, prepare our artist’s statement, and place the printed Tags that show the title, measurement, media, and price of the pieces. The lighting must complement the work. This takes hours. Of course there is always something that doesn’t go right and something forgotten…don’t tell me I am the only one who needs drywall bolts at the last minute. So the next morning its back to the Gallery for the finishing touches and photos of the show. Then back “home” to bathe, put on the perfect outfit, some lipstick (for me), and be ready to shine.

We meet and greet with the perfect smile. It’s not dissimilar for the Performance Artist who rehearses for the concert, recital, or play. Their Sold out performance and Standing Ovation is equivalent to the attendance and sales at Artist Receptions.

As Dr. Laura might say…Now, do the right thing – attend an Artist Reception AND purchase a piece of the Artist’s work.

DOES THE DOLLAR AMOUNT YOU SPEND FOR ART EQUATE TO ITS QUALITY?

By the time I’m done with my graduate studies in Fine Art, painting, at the ACADEMY of ART University in San Francisco, my education cost will exceed $82,000. At the study rate of 3 units a quarter, I won’t graduate until I’m 62. Will I ever recoup this cost through the sales of my artwork?

Audience numbers at stage performances lessening, visual artists not selling their works, musicians not getting gigs, these are the gloomy reports. There is a flip side.

I just purchased what I consider to be a work of art, my tickets to see Wicked at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. Each ticket cost me $100. It’s expensive to see live theater. Consider the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in the pre-production through final production costs. The Choreographer and Stage Manger work hand in hand to insure that we see a production that is graceful and flowing. Costuming has to be perfect. The Props and Backdrops must be visually enchanting and easy to move. The Orchestra…The Actors…so forth and so on. These performance artists collaborate for a final project. My small expenditure keeps this art form alive. I think that many of us don’t see this connection…keeping the arts alive takes money.

Purchasing any item de Arte that is in excess of one’s budget is never an impulse buy; regardless of the price spent. Expense budgets are personal. Purchasing a piece of art must satisfy the “When, How, and Why”. It’s a simple research of identifying the consumer your merchandise attracts and qualifying the buyer.

THE COLLECTOR: The serious Art Collector will produce theater productions, sponsor individual musicians, and acquire works of art by master Artists. There is social status involved in the decision to Buy/Underwrite. The money spent is considered an investment in the future, like stock. Artists Jackson Pollack, Picasso, Andy Warhol, have demonstrated that their works of art are collectable and command hundreds of thousands of dollars today and more tomorrow. These named Artists are no longer alive and their works are limited. There are many living artists whose’ works command thousands of dollars and who are touted by reputable auction houses, such as Sotheby’s, to be “collectable”. Except for numbered lithographs by Andy Warhol (certainly because that was his media presentation), color reproductions are not in this category. Even while on vacation, Collectors wander through Fine Art Galleries, research the artist, and will spend for an original artwork.

THE TOURIST travels with a specific amount of money put aside to spend during “vacation”. I interviewed several Tourists walking our streets last weekend and regardless of whence they came, the “fun money” averaged at about $300. Every merchant competes for these dollars. The tourist purchases “memories” of the trip, cards or small paintings that depict our scenes and fit the budget. Larger dollar purchases would be considered an impulse buy. These are rare.

THE ART CONNOISSEUR is you and I. We purchase simply because we like it. Whether is be to match a couch, to spend an evening at the symphony, what we purchase and participate in must feel good. There are many of us, all with different likes and dislikes, and with a price point. Attracting this consumer a marketing numbers game. Regardless of how much we “love it” or “want it”, if it’s over the household budget it’s a “no sale”. Limited edition Lithographs and Color Reproductions have made accessibility to acquiring a Painting more accessible to this consumer. There’s always Lay Away plans to purchase an original work of art.

You have $300 to spend. Which Consumer category are you?

CLASSIFIEDS: PETS:
CHIHUAHUA PUPS Shots, dewormed, registered, champ lines T-cups $300-$700.
GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPS AKC Parents onsite. 1st shots. Personal attention given. $600-$800
LAB PUPS AKC, yellow, black&chocolate. First shots, healthy, happy&ready NOW $300-$600
RABBITS – Good Home $1

Even though you can get more for your money, do you really want 300 Rabbits? Sure, quantity verses quality is an influence on your final decision, but also the adage You get what you pay for” may apply. Some of you may just want 300 Rabbits.

Bottom line, there is more than one motivation when buying a piece of Art. You have choices. There are galleries and individual artist’s studios in your area that offer an array of wonderful candy for the eyes and sole. Frequent them!

TAKING THE "R" RATING OUT OF ART

What once was a universal staple in an art gallery exhibition, the Art of the Nude is becoming a rare sight. Where have all these steamy paintings, sculptures, and/or photographs gone? Is it simply a response by galleries to consumer buying trends? Has it become passé to own or display an artistic depiction of sensuality? Or, are we secretly disquieted and surprised by viewing the “nude” in a public arena?

Rendering the human figure is academic for Artists. The Birth of Venus by Botticelli,c.1485, is one of the most famous depictions of a sensual nude. Art Historians report that over 210 Masters spanning more than 500 years; the likes of Rubens, Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh, Wyeth; have celebrated the creation of man through their art. (PS: Georgia O’Keefe is not a part of this “Master” list.) Maybe the Vargas’ pin ups, commissioned by Playboy in the 1960s-70s, were an impetus’ that changed our view towards the nude in art.

A newspaper story title caught my eye...“Local Libraries Pull Explicit Magazine”, added fuel to my query. It reported that a Nipomo, California library banned the August issue of Hope Dance ( another local rag ) because its cover was perceived as an explicit nude joined by beyond the cover articles that offered sexual overtones. Was the Library by its conduct carrying out Censorship activities? What I found as humorous was that the controversial Cover accompanied this headline story, in full public view.

Along a totally different line of thought, Art Business News’ July 2006 headline reads “Selling Sensuality”. This article reports the increase in gallery sales of art that depicts the nude human figure. Females are the biggest buying group. ( That may be a strickly regional poll. I wonder what the statistics would be in San Francisco or Palm Springs, California.)

With all of this conflicting input and my own thoughts, I decided to conduct a “woman on the street” research. I canvased my local Gallery walls to see what's UP ? The first gallery I visited was the Peter Steynberg Gallery because Mark Bryant, the Hope Dance cover artist, is this gallery's current exhibitor. I was sure I would see a nude in this show, but Steinberg’s walls were NOT “bare” – so to speak! I visited Morro Bay galleries; Visions, Seven Sisters, Marina Square, Fionableu, Graves, Dan Berkham, and the Morro Bay Art Association. Visions offered a classic style oil painting of a reclining female nude. (Quite nice I must add.) Fionableu presented small acrylic Gauguin-like paintings. Berkham feels his nude paintings are “personal”. In Cayucos, Amy Veltman, owner of Ocean Art Gallery, pointed to a painting of hanging pears; we smiled; Suggestive-Abstraction, I presume. Lubeck, artist and owner of Art by Christopher did offer a choice of female studies. The Cayucos Art Association had none.

You won’t see a nude in over 113 works of art at the National Fine Art Competition exhibition currently on display at the Morro Bay Art Association on Main Street. Yet, the Best of Show ribbon went to Tang’s painting of a draped reclining female.

I doubt you will see the nude at weekend Art Festivals, unless it is in the form of ceramic mermaids. There was a Call for Artists by the San Luis Bay Surfrider Foundation, wanting Surfer Art. I suggest that if you really want to participate, you NOT submit art of naked surfers. Hey, that might be interesting.

The nude in art is in the eye of the beholder..TO A POINT. There is a difference between Sensual vs. Explicit vs. Suggestive. I admit, there are no nudes hanging on the walls in my home...and I don’t even know why not.

WEBSITES & THE ARTS

I am an Internet junkie.

My laptop’s keyboard is as familiar to my fingers as holding a hamburger or French fries. Even when I watch TV, my fingers click-clack and my eyes glance back and forth from screen to screen. I wonder if I look crazed? I can follow the program storyline while searching the net for valuable information. I can mentally compute all of the this’ and the thats. But when my husband tries to talk to me during my technical sessions, I cannot maintain the conversation. I can’t comprehend how Knitters can manipulate their needles without looking at them to complete each stitch. Yet, I am doing the same thing on my computer. Google that?!?

I stopped counting my favorite places when my bookmarks exceeded 100. Researching subject matter that helps me in my writing is at my fingertips. Virtual museum tours give me insight into the current exhibitions, without the price of an n admission ticket. Price comparison is made easy and allows me to find the best price and where to purchase the product.

I thought you might like to visit some websites that I find helpful and fun. Appropriately, they do relate to the arts.

On occasions friends of mine send me websites that they know I will find outstanding. I will never tire of “Drawing a Woman Inside-out”(http://fcmx.net/vec/get.swf?i=003702). This site just amazes me and wins my vote for best animation. It is an excellent demonstration of drawing the human form via topography.

I pretend for hours I am the splatter king Jackson Pollack when on http://www.jacksonpollock.org/. There I can mouse-out designs and click to change colors. Voila! I create wonderful originals that I wish I could save and print. It’s far better fun than Solitaire.

For art supplies I use Dickblick.com and misterart.com. There are plenty of art supply sites that you can find using search engines. Crayola.com is one of many sites that offer how-to instructions with color examples for art projects for every event imaginable. I urge any teacher to consult this site for education enhancement using the arts.

Getting up close and personal with the Masters is made possible through “Archive tours” (http://www.artchive.com/tours/favorites.html). It’s not quite as spectacular as going to the Louvre but it’s a lot cheaper. Most every Museum today is online. Museum sites offer glimpses of current exhibitions, artists’ biographies, and ideas that kick-start our creative processing. Enjoy MoMa’s (Museum of Modern Art) architecture and design collection at MoMa.org. It’s the world’s first curatorial department devoted to architecture and design.

Moviefone.com is your connection to the latest in celebrity news, movie trailers, and reviews on new films. This site equates to watching the “E” channel, which I do not do. A far better site to review critiques on films by notable and worldwide critics is “rottentomatoes.com”. Quite an appropriate title, I believe. If you saw the movie “The Queen” you may enjoy reading the English paper reviews on this site.

The New York Times’ book review is a trustworthy site for novel recommendations. I like the New York Times for daily reading. Today, most large newspaper publications are available online.

When it comes to being computer savvy, once I think I have a pretty good grasp on the basics a new concept is developed and I’m back to preschool. I’m now trying to figure out what “Blogs” are all about. So, here I go again...learning a new trick.
Blog Me.