Artist of Influence: Jung-Yeon Min

I recently discovered this artist via Synaptic Stimuli and I can’t get this work off my brain. Min’s paintings are surreal yet soft, ethereal yet rugged. I want to live in this world.

Her artist statement:

The main characteristic of my works is a kind of duality which finds many ways to express itself: abstract versus realism, ubiquity, diachronicity, microscopic and macroscopic, and so on. I’m always trying to engage in extreme or contrary dialogue. In abstract compositions, some hyperrealistic figures will make you try to find some kind of space, but you will keep wondering if you really have to see it that way, because something flat will try to empeach you. Somehow, you will feel like you are hanging between two worlds.

This may very well be a reflection of my background . Born in Korea — a divided country — I live in France, and feel like I exist between two worlds. In my daily life, I often serve as a link of sorts between members of the Korean community and other groups, and somehow, this interesting condition also reveals another side : the sense of being nowhere. That feeling has made its way into my paintings regardless of my intentions.

 

Untitled, Acrylic on Canvas

 

 

Passages #2, Acrylic on Canvas

 

 

Au bord du lit, Acrylic on Canvas

 

Jung-Yeon Min is represented by Kashya Hildebrand.

Art Collected 2010 – Part Four

As I was saying in Part Three, you can collect art without a huge budget. Along with that, you can also collect art without any money exchange at all. I’ve actually acquired some great pieces this way over the last few years. Here are a few ways to go about this:

Be really nice to your artist friends

Okay, you’re not going to build up a vast, intense collection just by waiting around for gifts, but this year my lovely friend Brittany Peterson gave me a beautiful blown glass ball that she created, and it’s a great addition to my art collection. So remember to appreciate any art gifts you receive!

Trade Art

If you are an artist or maker yourself, trading work is also a fun collecting option! Talk to your artist friends and see who would be interested in swapping art. Or even if you’re not an artist, there is bound to be something that one of your artist friends wants and that you could give them/do for them in exchange for an artwork. I know I would definitely give up one of my paintings for someone to come in and help me paint a room or something.

Here’s a piece my friend Tashana Kjelland traded for a zine and some mail art I sent her:

Mail Art

When I first started feeling the acute desire to fill my home with artwork, I didn’t have any money whatsoever and so I got really into Mail Art. If you haven’t heard of this phenomenon, basically you send art in the mail to a participant and then they send you something back. Simple and effective. It’s fun to make, because there is absolutely no pressure, and it’s fun to get something in the mail besides bills. Plus, you’ll be surprised at the quality of work that abounds in the Mail Art community. A great place to start is the International Union of Mail Artists (IUOMA) website.

Unfortunately, in 2010 I was too busy to participate with my mail artist friends. This year, I’ve already made something that I’m sending to Jennifer Kosharek for her Utopia/Dystopia exhibition.

 

Here are some of my favorite collected Mail Art pieces from recent years:

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Read Art Collected 2010 – Part Three (collecting on a budget)

Part Two (documenting/insuring your collection)

and Part One (selected pieces collected in 2010)

Happy Collecting!

Art Collected 2010 – Part Three

Who says that collecting art has to be expensive? Whether you look in an unexpected place, buy a print instead of the original, or just get lucky — keep your mind open and it will only improve your collection and enhance your life. Even if the piece doesn’t have the most expensive price tag or the biggest name attached to it, the only thing that really matters is that the art speaks to you and that you find it interesting.

What do you want to look at day after day?

 

You could buy something little for that weird blank spot in your home:

Mini Clay Tile by Karen Kohtz, $9

 

Or a handmade treasure from a thrift shop (this was $4.95):

 

Art Collected 2010 – Part Two

Welcome to Part Two of the art I’ve collected in 2010.

A couple tips for art collecting:

Keep detailed  records – When you purchase an artwork, ask for an artist statement and/or biography. Make sure you know the title and year it was made (sounds obvious, but is a detail that can easily get overlooked). Keep a file for each artist that includes any information you have about them, and a listing of the works in your collection (including certificate of authenticity or purchase receipt).

Have a master list of all artwork in your collection that includes the following information (I do mine on an Excel spreadsheet): Artist name, Title of Work, Medium, Dimensions, Year Created, Where Purchased, Date Purchased, Purchase Price, and Current Value (if applicable).  If you just bought the work, the purchase price is the current value (unless you got a discount for some reason). But this may change in the future (see below). Make sure you back this file up and print out a hard copy periodically.

Insure the work – Call your insurance agent for more info, but make sure to insure your art collection for what it would cost to replace all of the work. This is where your master list comes in handy, because you can send it to your insurance agent so they can see the entire value of your collection. Also make sure you update the current value of your artwork every few years to allow for increases in value, inflation, the artist become an international art star, etc. If you’re not sure of the value, get appraisals from an expert (and keep these in your records).

Do this to make your life easier later on (or your kid’s life, after you’re gone – they will thank you!) — artwork  increases in value over time (sometimes by a lot)! Doing all of this makes sure that your artwork can be easily authenticated and valued in the future. Not to mention that every time somebody asks you about a piece in your collection, you can easily pull out information about the artist without relying on your memory (which, if it’s anything like mine, is a very good thing)!

Here are a few more newly acquired pieces from artists whose work I enjoy and find interesting day after day:

Mindy Sue Wittock, Cupcakes, Textiles

 

Different View: Mindy Sue Wittock, Cupcakes, Textiles

 

Tashana Kjelland, Showers, Pen on Paper (trade with the artist)

 

Sarah Neuburger (aka The Small Object), A is for Artistamps, Limited edition print on gummed perforated paper (56/100)

 

Detail: Sarah Neuburger (aka The Small Object), A is for Artistamps

If you enjoyed this post, read Art Collected 2010 – Part One.
and subscribe to our RSS Feed — coming up Art Collected 2010: Parts Three – Five.

Also, Today is the LAST day to enter the art GIVEAWAY I have going on a few posts down. Simply comment on the giveaway post to enter! You have until Midnight.

Art Collected 2010 – Part One

I love making art, exhibiting art, and writing about art — I also LOVE collecting art. Not only for my own pleasure but it also feels so good to support the artists. A common misconception is that you have to be rich to collect art — but that is not the case at all. Just buy what you love, spend what you can, and you can find great work at affordable prices. Not that I wouldn’t love to have a bigger collecting budget! Especially with today’s economy, it’s important for us artists to stick together and support each other. This is how our art will survive, and hopefully will keep us all from having to work at Applebees or something.

So to wrap up 2010 I will be doing a series of posts on the art that my husband and I have collected this year. Looking back, we’ve added quite a few pieces to our collection – more than I had thought! I guess that’s what happens when you sit around in an art gallery all day.

If you are interested in any of these artists, click on their names to visit their websites. Obviously, I would highly recommend their work!

Andrew Linskens, Bee Balloon, Original Print (6/22)

 

Unknown Mexican Artist, Untitled, Colored String on Board
This was a birthday present from my mom, who had just visited Mexico.

 

Adam Wiesner, 4-9-10 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, 4-11-10 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Generated Drawing

 

Adam Wiesner, 4-9-10 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm, 4-11-10 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (detail), Generated Drawing

This is one of my favorites from this year. The drawing was created automatically/randomly by a drawing machine. To see the machine in action, visit Adam’s blog here.

Look for Part Two coming up soon and happy collecting!

What do you think? Comments welcome.
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Just a reminder — scroll down a couple posts and check out my giveaway – you have until 12-20 at midnight to leave a comment and be entered to win one of my original paintings!

Curating: Salon 100

My current curatorial project at The Eclipse Gallery is Salon 100 — a variety of artwork priced at $100 each. You’ll be surprised at the quality of work you will find at this price point.

work by adam koenig, stephanie st. john, andrew linskens, and lynn gilchrist

carolyn phillips

 

wendy wimmer

The nice thing about this show is buyers can take purchased work home with them right away. I thought that would be convenient for people giving art as holiday gifts. This show is only up until December 23, so stop by and check it out if you are in the Northeast Wisconsin area!

Coming up next — a textile show that I’m super excited about. More details on that later.

 

Make sure you check out the GIVEAWAY we have going on right now in the post below! All you have to do is comment on that post for a chance to win one of my ORIGINAL paintings!

Gifts for the Hard-to-Buy-Handmade-For

This time of year I’m always perplexed about how much money is spent on holiday presents that are essentially cheap pieces of crap. The holidays have become so overtly commercialized, and most of the stuff people buy is from a big-box store and made in China. It’s just gross. Bad for the environment, bad for people, and actually makes for bad gifts. (not convinced? read this)

So I always try to buy handmade gifts, or when that fails at least “smart gifts” (will explain more below) for my friends and family. As far as my kids go (ages 7 and 8), it is getting harder every year to do this. There are a lot of handmade baby and toddler items available, but not so much for the school agers. Another group that can be hard to buy for are the teenagers/young adults. But there is hope! Here are a few cool things I found:

Mandala Wooden Puzzle by PuzzleOne

This would make a great gift for a wide age range of kids. I have something similar that my kids received as a gift when they were 3/4, and they still play with it–plus it’s still in such great shape my new little one will enjoy it too!

Socktopus by blackbirdfashion

This is another great gift for a wide age range of kids. I’m getting this for my 8 year old son for Xmas. He collects sock monkeys so this whimsical version will be perfect. They also had a punk rock sock monkey–I’ll save that for when he’s a teenager :)

I Spy Bag by aebaby

I LOVE these toys! I’ve seen these capture the attention of toddlers up to 3rd graders!

When buying handmade for your school-aged child or grandchild just isn’t enough-buy them “smart toys” instead of the plastic junk. Art supplies, science kits, musical instruments, books (the Klutz books/kits are always awesome), etc.

Another hard group to buy for are the teenagers and young adults!!!

Bunny Loves Kitty Pendant by Gingerdead

I have items by this artist at The Eclipse Gallery, and you can click the link above for her online shop. I bought one of these necklaces for my 16 year old niece for her birthday and she loved it.

Circut Board Geek Shirt by nonfictiontees

Getting clothes as a gift is definitely NOT lame when they’re like this.  There is a huge selection of handmade clothing for all ages on Etsy.

Vulture Silkscreen Moleskin Journal by The Crafty Hag.

Every teenager (and adult for that matter)  needs a journal to vent into and sketch in. I have a good selection of this artist’s journals, magnets, pillows, note cards, and more at The Eclipse Gallery–or click the link above for her online shop.

Smart gifts for teens and young adults could include books, art supplies (for example, a screen printing kit would be an awesome gift for art types), or gift cards to a cool handmade shop in your area.

If you live or are visiting Northeast Wisconsin, stop by The Eclipse Gallery for a wide variety of handmade gifts–we have something for every age–from birth to 100.  Buy Local and Buy Handmade this year!

newness

Wow it has been way too long since I’ve blogged. I’ve thought about things that I’ve wanted to blog, but never quite got that far.

Of course, like everyone, I’ve been uber busy. We have a new show at The Eclipse Gallery — a solo show of Andrew Linskens work. It is really exciting.

I am also getting married in 6 weeks. Yikes. We are making a lot of things ourselves so stay tuned for a blog about my handmade wedding.

On top of that, I am working on two new websites, Hemm Handmade and a new portfolio site for myself. Did I mention I’m trying to start a print magazine too?

Yes, I know, I’m crazy….but I can sleep when I’m dead. Or when I fall asleep on the couch at 9:00 pm.

And now, images:

installation view of Andrew Linskens show — Abstract Intuitive Tessellation Illustrations & Other 3D Explorations

My newest work — “Nervous Cloud”
knitting and removed plaster, site specific installation

in my next series I will be using textile elements to create unique environments.

stay tuned….

collected quotes

I collect quotes.  Here are some good ones I’ve come across recently that I think you’ll enjoy

“I am not careful to justify myself…but lest I should mislead any when I have my own head and obey my own whims, let me remind the reader that I am only an experimenter. Do not set the least value on what I do, or the least discredit on what I do not, as if I pretend to settle anything as true or false. I unsettle all things. No facts are to me sacred; none are profane; I simply experiment, an endless seeker, with no Past at my back.” –Emerson

on Public art: “good artists…are going to be frightened away from public projects by correctness, because correctness is a kind of collaboration, and really has nothing to do with art, and in the end the public will have to live with art that is not just wrong but dull.” –Jane Kramer

“Criticality is a strategy for the production of knowledge. Our view is that art should interrogate the social and cultural ideas of its time. Other places might want a work to produce pleasure or feelings” –Charles Gaines

“Talent is a double-edged sword. What you are given is not really yours. What you work at, what you struggle for, what you have to take command of–that often makes for very good art” –curator Paul Schimmel

Nicholas Logsdail likes artists “who are on a slow burn, very good, very serious, not in the fast track, but pursuing their own artistic interests with tenacity, quirkiness, and confidence”. He says, “the art world has no rules. So I attribute the longevity of my gallery to the fact that I wrote my own”

“I found art school to be liberating, but the commercial art world…is there anywhere you could possibly feel smaller? It’s the only place where you can give away free booze and no one turns up” -artist Phil Collins (not the, but a)

“Award-winning art? The category doesn’t apply. You might find a great work of art in someone falling over in a supermarket. That might be the most extraordinary visual encounter of your day.” -artist Phil Collins

“I want the viewer to expect art to be more than stylized leisure and to be ready to exercise eyes and mind, consciousness and empathy” –curator Yasmil Raymond

MOMA acquires A Book About Death postcards

The recent show, A Book About Death, organized by Matthew Rose and exhibited at the Emily Harvey Foundation in NYC proved to be a great success! It was an open call for artists–many of my mail artist friends were involved, and the image above is the front of the postcard that I sent in for the show.

It was really a tribute to Ray Johnson (his original Book About Death), and a “global exploration of death”. Each artist contributed 500 postcards to the show, which created an “unbound Book About Death”. Visitors to the gallery were then able to select some or all of each postcards to create their own book about death.

The reason I claim that this show is a success is because MOMA (New York) just acquired a complete set of postcards from the show! So in a small way, I can say that I’ve been “collected” by MOMA, and that makes life pretty good! I think the artists involved in the show are excited about this–because even though mail art operates mostly outside traditional establishments, isn’t it true that we all want our artwork to be seen, we all have a voice we want heard, and isn’t it nice to be recognized a little?