1st cutting
Reflecting on the First Hay Cutting and Business Optimism
July in Minnesota means the first hay cutting of the season. In a normal year, most farms will have two cuttings and then leave some winter ground cover for the critters. The first cutting will have the most yield, but it isn't until the second cutting that the break-even point is reached.
For a farmer, the first hay cutting is an opportunity to reflect on the business (year-to-date), and also project the business going forward for the rest of the year. Stretching this metaphor to a near-absurdist level, it isn't that much different in the art industry.
Business is up, and the industry is cautiously optimistic. The nature of the business has changed, and the types of projects have also changed. Anticipating these changes and responding to them are some of the biggest challenges a small business owner will face.
We will continue to evolve, but we will also continue to provide the things we enjoy most about being in this business.
A new web-based product is under development and should be available before the end of the year (the evolving thing). There are also discussions taking place regarding an original art exhibit in the November/December timeframe (the enjoyment thing).
And of course, thank you for your patronage. Art is good.
Charley Harper, 1922-2007
Remembering Charley Harper
It was three years ago today that Charley Harper passed away.
Charley was a very unassuming artist from Ohio. He began his career as a book illustrator and over time transitioned to being a wildlife artist—but not the typical wildlife artist. Charley used his graphic art skills, his penchant for precision, and his sense of humor to portray the natural world like no other artist ever has.
One of his pieces, "Isle Royale," captures exactly what a birch tree forest feels like. You might think you are alone, but there are probably dozens of different eyes watching you at any given moment.
Goodbye Charley. You are missed.
A Bully Pulpit hiatus
This note is being added after the fact. May was a nearly overwhelming month between work, a mini-vacation, graduations and non-profit activity. In lieu of posting anything of substance, here is a photo that was taken in May.
Grand Marias, MN on May 24, 2010. The fog was very thick and the air was very gray. Probably not a good idea to stand in the middle of the road, but it was awesome.
Anatomy of an Exhibit
Catholic Charities USA Centennial Leadership Summit
Yesterday, on April 20, 2009, Catholic Charities USA held their Centennial Leadership Summit at the College of St. Catherine. This event marked the inaugural exhibit of the "In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21st Century" photojournalism awareness project. The summit kicked off Catholic Charities' ambitious goal to reduce poverty in the United States by 50% by the year 2020.
The entire exhibit process was meticulously documented, much like the television show '24', but instead of saving the country from terrorists, we were hanging art (perhaps the lamest metaphor ever).
T-2 weeks: Once the project was defined, the supply chain of raw materials started filling up. This exhibit required two cases of 4'x8'x1/2" black Gatorboard.
T-1 week: Each image was printed on premium luster photo paper (wide color gamut, scratch-resistant but susceptible to fingerprints), vacuum mounted to the Gatorboard, then trimmed to size and packaged. A total of 50 images were printed and mounted for this exhibit.
T-24 hours: The finished materials were delivered the day before the exhibit opening. The exhibit panels presented some challenges, with the image layout being the most critical.
T-12 hours: The image title blocks were completed, enhancing the storylines. I was delighted to see Carlos Gonzales from the Minneapolis Star Tribune participating, having known him from the Max Becherer exhibit.
T-4 hours: No exhibit is complete without a politician. In this case, it was the Honorable Mayor Chris Coleman of St. Paul.
T-0 hours: The exhibit generated a lot of discussion with its 'first person, photojournalistic' style.
T+x: From St. Paul, the exhibit moves to Portland, Oregon, and begins a nine-city nationwide tour, aiming to conclude at the White House in 2010.
Math, art, and a touch of drama—all in a single blog entry. Now that's efficient blogging.
The traveling photojournalism exhibit
Catholic Charities American Poverty Photojournalism Project: A Year in Review
It has been a full year since we became involved in the Catholic Charities American Poverty photojournalism project. It has been a rewarding and challenging year, and now a certain rhythm has taken hold as the exhibit crisscrosses the United States. This coming week, the exhibit presents itself in Nashville, Tennessee. The map above demonstrates where the exhibit has traveled (in red) and where it is yet to travel (in blue). Additional cities might still be added, and no final confirmation yet if the final exhibit will take place at the White House.
Steve Liss, the Project Director, travels to each city immediately prior to the exhibit reception, artfully and tastefully documenting the slices of poverty unique to each community. Our job involves image preparation—printing, mounting, and packaging all the images for each exhibit—and delivering them directly to the exhibit venue. Usually, there isn't a single day to spare, and thankfully, UPS has delivered each and every package on time and in perfect condition. Ideally, there would be a larger buffer of time for production, but then, what would be the challenge in that?
It is a challenge, and from every challenge, you hope to learn and improve from the experience.
Upon further review
The Creative and Real Estate Legacy of 312 West Avenue
By going backwards through telephone directories (this is known as 'doing a Jim Rockford') and speaking with Barb Tittle (the previous building owner), it was possible to stitch together a more complete history of this building. It has a very significant creative and real estate lineage.
312 West Avenue Chronology:
1894 - 1902: Lidberg Studio (original location)
1902 - 1920: Lidberg Studio (new location)
1920 - 1936: E. H. Lidberg Real Estate
1937 - 1947: Davison Studio
1948 - 1949: Wood's Studio
1950 - 1952: Hodge Studio
1953 - 1979: Chalet Studio
1980 - 2004: InComm Realty and Maas Realty (later Coldwell-Banker)
2005 - 2007: Gary-Donald Arts, a private art dealer
2008 - Present: Red Wing Framing Gallery
For 73 out of 115 years, this building has been home to six different creative studios. For 40 out of those same 115 years, it has been home to at least three real estate companies.
Put up or shut up!
Reflecting on the Artist's Journey: The 'Foot in the Door' Exhibit
Over the years and after working with countless artists, it's easy to forget the emotional journey they undergo when exhibiting their art. They open themselves up for critical review and significant exposure. They might appear nonchalant or even over-confident about exhibiting, but inside, their stomachs are churning. For me, it was time to put up or shut up.
The 'Foot in the Door' exhibit is different in this regard. It's completely democratic—if it fits in the box, it exhibits. Consequently, it becomes less about the art itself and more about the opportunity to exhibit and have fun. I submitted a photograph I took ten years ago, entitled "Midnight on Mason Street." It was taken in San Francisco, focusing the image exposure on a neon leg, which severely underexposed the rest of the image. The result is two illuminated signs on opposite sides of the street. It's a gimmick photo, but I'm partial to gimmicks. Growing up with comic books, my favorite part was always the Johnson-Smith page on the inside back cover (x-ray glasses and such)—the clearinghouse of gimmicks.
My favorite piece from the exhibit has to be the seed art tribute to wrestler Baron von Raschke. Classic.
