Code Art Fair 2017

If you happen to be in Copenhagen this summer (or you need an excuse to go), you must get to the Code Art Fair 2017. Held from August 31 until September 3 at the Bella Center in Kobenhavn S., Denmark, this fair is one of the world’s most vibrant and exciting. They want to showcase some of the best contemporary art from around the world.

Code Art Fair 2017, the only international art fair in Scandinavia, will be held in Copenhagen. As described at Blouinartinfo, “The fair will feature screenings of curated Film, Talks and Performance Program, ArtReacts, promoting to meet and discuss the cultural, intellectual, political, and economic forces currently shaping the contemporary art scene and market as well as our society as a whole.”

They are going to have a new initiative called “Code on Sunday” where people will be able to enjoy site-specific performances and special events held at different locations in Copenhagen.

 

2 Great Exhibits in Seattle

Seattle is booming this summer with fun and innovative ways to enjoy yourself and to enjoy the arts. Here are just a few ideas to get started.

Who didn’t love Jim Henson? Now, you can enjoy an exhibit all about his incredible creativity with the Jim Henson exhibit in Seattle. Check it out at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and relive the magic that made him and his creations so famous.

There is a David Bowie exhibit at the same museum this summer. As described on their website, “As you wander through this collection of 65 photographs of David Bowie taken by renowned British photographer Mick Rock, rare performance footage, and oral history interviews, you can love David Bowie deeply. Just because you want to.”

Have a great time in Seattle!

 

Unusual Art Fair in Amarillo, Texas

Here is something interesting that I’ve certainly never heard of. At the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas they will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of America’s Horse in Art show. The exhibit includes artwork from more than 40 of the world’s best Western artists and will take place from August 12 to October 14.

The artists at the show present their paintings, drawings and sculptures in the Scharbauer Gallery. They tell me that the signature piece this year is by artist Joni Monroe Beinborn of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Titled “Any Time…Any Place,” the piece should make a splash with guests.

It certainly sounds like an event worth putting on your calendar.

 

 

The Brewery as the Perfect Art Display Location

There are many ways to see and to appreciate art, and they don’t all have to take place in a museum. That’s what brewery owners in Colorado are starting to figure out, as they experiment with displaying artwork in their breweries.

As artist Amanda Willshire explained, “Brewers are artists themselves using a palette of hops, malts and other yummy ingredients to create their masterpieces. Since most of their time is spent perfecting their own craft, they look to visual and performance artists to bring something special to complement their space.”

Willshire, for instance, creates sculptures out of recycled beer bottle caps. Her work is featured in many breweries in Boulder and across Colorado. She displays her artwork in locations like Vindication, Upslope, Twisted Pine, Great Divide, and Odell.

Jesse Crock, another Colorado-based artist, also has her acrylic paintings in breweries around the state. He had his first big break with Eddyline Brewery in Buena Vista and has had his paintings featured on their Pumpkin, Raspberry and Red Chile beer labels.

The Taproom Manager at Odyssey Beerwerks, Jeremy Sisco, explains why he thinks that it’s so appropriate for artwork to be displayed at breweries. As he said,

 “The process of brewing can be so creative, just like visual art. Brewing may be more scientific, but without a creative mind neither would be very good.”

Certainly, this is an interesting trend that is worth thinking about and enjoying!

New ArtYard Exhibit

ArtYard is about to open a new art exhibit. ArtYard is also an artists’ residency complex is soon opening in Frenchtown, New Jersey. The show entitled Through the Unfrequented Sky, features Cecilia Paredes’ work. She is a Rockefeller fellow and an award winning artist.

The show will open on March 25 from 6-8pm and will run through June 11.

Don’t miss, as well, Paredes’ other photo-performance pieces where she uses her own body as a canvas and paints herself to blend in to the scene behind her.

L.A. Art Show Returned Recently

The L.A. Art Show returned recently with 90 galleries from more than 18 countries representing a huge range of paintings, sculpture, works on paper, photography and more. They estimated that 70,000 visitors enjoyed exhibits that focused on Latin American art at the “Pacific Standard Time LA/LA” show.

There were special exhibitions that included minimalist Korean form Dansaekwha by Kim Tae-Ho and Kim Tschang-Yeul. There were panel discussions as well that included CUBA: Behind the Wall and a talk on “Pacific Standard Time LA/LA.

There was an opening night gala that benefited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

As described by the Hollywood Reporter,

“Not just paintings but performance, soundworks and screenings all are part of Art Los Angeles Contemporary (ALAC). Featuring 60 local and international galleries, including newcomers from Asia and Latin America, this unusual mix will include composer William Basinski’s piece “Disintegration Loops” and performance artist Puppies Puppies employing readymade mascot costumes commenting on the commonplace from a queer perspective. Performance artist Todd Gray will recall a near-death experience involving rock icon Iggy Pop while the two were living in Laurel Canyon during the mid-’70s. And producer Roger Corman and actor Mary Woronov will discuss their work and its impact on counter-cultural esthetics from the ’60s onward. The event will take place Jan. 26-29 at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.”

 

FOG Design + Art Fair

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The FOG Design + Art took place in San Francisco from January 12-15 with the Gala opening on January 11. It swept viewers off their feet with its focus on art and design. There was a relaxed, small size atmosphere in the Bay Area at the event throughout the week.

The FOG Design+Art Preview Gala which took place on the 11th included vibrant rug patterns made of 200,000 roses that were designed by event planner Stanlee R. Gatti (who also oversaw the Kanye West proposal to Kim Kardashian in 2014). The VIPs who attended the evening included the likes of: former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, Creative Artists Agency co-founder Michael Ovitz , designer Yves Béhar and his wife, art advisor Sabrina Buell, and the artist John Waters.

Read all about the fair and enjoy seeing what the press had to say.

Great Places to Buy Holiday Gifts

If you happen to be in Athens, Georgia over the holiday, you won’t believe the opportunities to buy amazing items. Many of these places can ship as well, so you can enjoy their artistic wares even if you aren’t actually there. Here are some suggestions.

The Holiday Studio Sale is open at 170 Canady Drive and you can see some of their amazing work here: charlespinckney.com and elizabethbarton.com for examples of work.

Hip Vintage & Handmade opened its doors on December 2. They allow vendors to lease display options from a small shelf or space to a large booth. They will have a new artist showcased every month in their First Friday exhibition. Find more information with: hipvintagehandmade.com.

The local Athens Farmers Market also has a Holiday Craft Markets fair and you can get more details here: athensfarmersmarket.net.

Happy Shopping!

The Three Rivers Art Festival

The Three Rivers Art Festival attracted over 50,000 visitors to downtown Covington on November 12th and 13th. This was the 20th anniversary of the festival. On the first day, the judges spoke with each artist about their processes and their works. The Best of Show Award was given to Ronald Linton of Madrid, New Mexico for his jewelry made from shibuichi. There were an additional 4 main awards and 15 Awards of Distinction.
The Three Rivers Award went to Gary Curtis of Woodstock, Georgia for his watercolor paintings, whilt he City of Covington Award was given to Samual Yao of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
 There was also student art work on display. There was also food, children’s activities and more to make the weekend a full adventure for those who attended.

SOFA Chicago Starts Tomorrow!

If you are in, or near, Chicago, you should run to get there by tomorrow. The annual SOFA Chicago fair starts tomorrow and goes until the 6th. This is one of the Chicago’s longest running art fairs. It takes place at Navy Pier and includes sculptures, functional art and more from 80 galleries and dealers.

It’s called SOFA because it stands for Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design and it’s the premier fair for three-dimensional art and design. SOFA began in 1994 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers with 58 exhibitors and 14,000 people in attendance. It moved to the Festival Hall at the Navy Pier in 1995 and has grown to include 85-90 galleries a year and more than 35,000 people a year.