A 'uniquely portable magic' at Columbia City Gallery
If Stephen King is right that “books are a uniquely portable magic”… then a book arts exhibit must be a special kind of sorcery.
“The Book as Art” gathers a dazzling array of handmade books at the Columbia City Gallery. They’re different from the books I alter, which are usually sealed shut (partially or completely). Although I make narrative art, the story is told within a more traditional volume. These artworks tend to deconstruct the book design itself. It’s fascinating to see what qualifies as a “book" in an artist’s opinion, and what materials they choose to manipulate.
MalPina Chan, “The Evil Eye:: Envy and Jealousy”
Narrowing down the selection must’ve been a nightmare for MalPina Chan and her co-curators. But installation day… now that I would’ve volunteered enthusiastically to do.
Getting back to the “portable” part of the magic, though, I can’t escape the desire to hold a book in my hands. How do you allow people to get a good feel for the artwork, literally and figuratively?
Fortunately, there’s a time and place to ask: the book artist panel discussion at the gallery tomorrow, October 19th, at 4pm. After a couple hours in this magicians’ workshop, maybe I’ll walk out with a few secrets I can take back to my own studio.
On asking artists to speak at your event
I know we haven’t even gotten to Halloween yet, but I’ve been thinking about January and February 2019. It reminded me of a hilarious comment I heard during an art event:
This person receives tons of last-minute requests to speak at this Black History Month event, or make a presentation at that Martin Luther King Jr. Day gathering. In one sentence, the person made several points:
I am available for (paid) speaking engagements all year round, not just in January or February
Please don’t wait until a week or two before your event to invite me to speak
I am perfectly capable of speaking about topics other than being a person of African descent
I’m not nearly as well known as that person I quoted, but I was invited to speak at five events during January and February 2018. I accepted four of those invitations.
Me speaking at North Seattle College, with artists Gabrielle Nomura Gainor, Elisheba Johnson & Tariqa Waters
Know why I turned down the fifth event? Because the organizer waited until mid-February to ask, and was hoping to compensate me in “exposure” to potential art collectors. Maybe I would’ve said yes anyway… but I was a little busy with events related to my museum show, and curating a group art exhibit.
So here’s your take-away, if you’re going to invite an artist to speak at your event: Ask early, and offer tangible compensation for their time. Even gas money or social media love is better than “exposure.” And yes, now would be a good time to book me for MLK Day or Black History Month 2019.
The time to collect art is NOW
Here's what I imagine happens in an art collector's brain when they decide they NEED to have that art in their lives:
When I delivered a collage to this new collector, I was privileged to see her reaction in real time. She and her husband had seen "Rare & Exquisite" in the show I curated at Columbia City Gallery...
... and the collage stopped them in their tracks. The husband loves maps, and he'd mentioned he would like "something more 3D" for this spot on the wall.
If you've been itching to take home original art, you're in good company. This weekend, the Seattle Art Fair returns for its fourth summer, drawing collectors and art galleries from around the world.
Inaugural Seattle Art Fair, 2015
A few things to remember:
- Buy what you love (of course) and buy local if you can
- Your support makes it possible for the artist to make MORE art (and pay their bills)
- You can always pay for the work in installments -- just ask
One last thing: Wear comfortable shoes if you're going to the art fair. Wouldn't it be a shame if you had to leave your favorite new artwork at the booth/artist studio just because your poor feet couldn't support you for one more minute?