Art Print Issues

Jen Bekman's Hip Happening 20X200 Art Print Gallery & Website

One of the most highly promoted and talked about art print ventures this year was the launch of Artaissance. With the ownership and accompanying marketing muscle and budget of the world's largest picture framing company, Berkshire Hathaway owned Larson-Juhl, it was certain to make an impact on the business. It's still too early to know just how extensive the impact will be. But, it's a corporate play and while there is nothing inherently wrong with it as the art business needs captial injection from that sector, what the art print market most needs to move the market and stir things is energy that comes from entrepreurial innovation and investment.

Jen Bekman is the kind of artrepreneur that gets your attention. One you instantly root for and admire for doing what she does. For the past four years, she has championed emerging artists in photography, art on paper and original works promoting them in her pocket-sized Lower East Side Manhattan jen bekman gallery. In an effort to help more artists find collectors and get to market, she acted on a brainstorm and launched the 20X200 Web site based on this proposition:

large editions + low prices + the internet = art for everyone

The art print market could use many more innovators like Jen Bekman, especially ones with her vigor and drive. She also produces the Hey, Hot Shot! photography competition and publishes the influential design blog Personism. We wish much success with the gallery, Web site, competition, blogs and any other worthy projects she finds herself doing.

Rather than rehash her story, the copy below is straight from the OUR STORY page of her Web site. She can tell in her own words better than I to let you in on what a great idea she has developed:

50 Top Tips for Visual Artists

Sometimes the best thing a blogger can do is to use the forum to pass along information to let readers know about wonderful resources available elsewhere. The Australia Business Arts Foundation just published on its Web site one such resource. The ABAF asked 50 industry leaders for tips to publish as 50 Top Tips for Visual Artists. The results are broken into these five categories. Each is a downloadable PDF file:

1. Developing and maintaining a client base
2. Documenting artwork
3. Exhibiting artwork
4. Marketing
5. Media Relations

There are some very good ideas presented. Each of the 50 come from different art industry professionals. Of course, I'm biased to the Marketing section and was pleased to see a distant Davey (we Daveys all seem to be related one way or the other) relative added item #10 to that particular section.

The ABAF programs offer tremendous support and resources for artists. It is to be commended for the scope and depth of the services it provides the Australian Arts Community.

Do You Have a Second Life? Do You Need a Second Life?

If you want to be somebody else,
If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself.
If you want to be somebody else
Change your mind, change your mind. - lyrics to Change Your Mind by Sister Hazel

If you answer is yes, you likely are one of the 8.5 million plus people who have created a virtual alter ego on Second Life. Here is the description of what Second Life is from its Web site:

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 8,558,745 Residents from around the globe.

There are who find it hard to imagine one having enough time for a rich involved second life when their real life is so hectic already, while for others the escape from the clamor of reality is the lure. Me, I signed up and got an avatar, but was fairly bored before I got off Help Island where you learn to walk, talk, drive and fly and get an appearrance and find and move stuff. I did go to some galleries and cafes, but still was anxious to get back to RL (real life) in SL parlance.

Despite my personal experience, I don't underestimate the power of such software to transform people's lives and businesses. That actual countries are setting up consulates on Diplomacy Island gives you another glimpse of the depth of involvement and the potential others see in the virtual world. If you can find a way to make this work for you, go for it and please report back here when you do or if you already have.

Before you think I'm crazy and wonder why I'm posting about Second Life, you should know it is in the press for many reasons. For example, it was featured as a cover story in the May 6, 2006 BusinessWeek magazine with this headline: My Virtual Life - A journey into a place in cyberspace where thousands of people have imaginary lives. Some even make a good living. Big advertisers are taking notice.

The July 4, 2007 edition of The Art Newspaper carried this article: Art Makes a Scene on Second Life - The online virtual world is becoming one of the best places for for artists, curators and dealers to meet. The article mentions the island of Artropolis where artists have set up galleries that sell both virtual and actual art online. One artist claims to have made more than $10,000 offline from contacts made in Second life.

The blog, Business Communicators of Second Life recently announced Sanpellegrino's pool party launch for those whoever wanted to be part of the high brow Italian art and club scene. Wow and darnit! I missed it on July 25. Before you laugh, consider its sponsor is international consulting firm Accenture. So, if you are just bored, want to kill some time in a virtual world and perhaps pick up some sales and contacts you would not otherwise get, Second Life just might be the ticket for you. 

Terry Redlin's Retirement Announced

One of the most successful print artists ever is Terry Redlin. According to his www.redlinart.com Web site, he's sold more than 2 million prints and even more licensed images of his work over the past 25 years. Those are achievements few artists ever enjoy.

Enjoyment is at the heart of Redlin's immediately recognizable work, as is nostalgia. The "Spring Fever" piece shown here captures both sentiments and embodies Redlin's enormous talent. With sales totaling nearly 30,000 images, the image illustrates his reach into the marketplace.

His hometown newspaper recently ran an article on him titled, Demand for Redlin's work spikes - Artist's retirement increases interest in prints, but not value. The article provides insights and praise along with some criticism and discourse regarding the terms "limited edition",  and prints vs. reproductions. The arguments are not new, but it's interesting to see them covered in a daily newspaper, especially the hometown paper in a relatively small community. One would have expected the rah-rah homer attitude to be in play. Go figure.

Redlin will turn 70 this year and he plans to enjoy his retirement. He'll do so with a legacy firmly in place courtesy of the Redlin Art Center in Watertown, South Dakota. A place he has always called home. Redlin's son, Charles, designed and spearheaded the center.

Whose Art Is It Anyway?

Some of you may already know I occasionally blog on Absolute Arts, one of the more heavily trafficked sites for visual art. My latest post there has the same title as this post. It talks about some interesting observations regarding money and art, throws in a dash of politics and a flourish of acknowledgment for the accomplishments of one determined person to do good by following through on a good idea. Here's the link: http://blog.absolutearts.com/blogs/archives/00000344.html