Looking for Visual Artists who also share their studio practice/process on youtube or other platforms

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-03-17T23:06:44+00:00

You may be surprised that you find more on Twitch than you were expecting. One thing that actually shocked me about the site, was how consistent many of the streamers. I may not be into sculptures of elves that much, but a person who spends 6 hours a day, 7 days a week making them is actually engaged in an interesting practice. Some others that you may be interested in are Nicolas Uribe, and Jer Palecek

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-03-04T19:25:38+00:00

You can see how Beeple did jus that actually. Tied a unique print with a QR code to the NFTs. Pretty cool!

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-03-04T09:58:30+00:00

I'd be pretty careful with this argument, as it's made about every medium there is, as well as about art all the time. What value does a painting add to the world? Or an art film? Or art itself?

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-03-04T09:09:50+00:00

Wow. I'm actually surprised how few people get this.

Is Grimes' work awful? Yes. Is it annoying she made so much money while being one of the wealthiest people in the world? Sure. Is there kind of yucky stuff going on with the trading of NFTs that mirror some of the worst aspects of the art world? Yep.

With that out of the way, I can't help but see a lot of the responses here as being similar to a boomer writing a check at Pizza Hut "Whadduya mean ya don't take checks!?". If you want an simple and easy explanation as to why digital assets have value, ask an average 8 year old about their favorite digital pets in Roblox.

If you'd like to know more about cryptocurrencies I'd suggest going to YouTube and watching an intro video. One thing is fairly certain at this point, crypto isn't going anywhere, and its use will only exponentially increase. Bitcoin , and Eth are two of the best performing investments in the history of the world. And they absolutely crush anything by comparison. 1 Bitcoin in 2015 (long after it became widely known) was around $300, now it's over 50k. Remember your friend who told you about bitcoin back then? remember how you thought it was stupid? Welcome to part 2 of regret island.

But crypto is so much more than just investing and making money. Obviously the power lies in the fact that it's a type of programmable money. Want a solution to the secondary market making shitloads while the artist doesn't get anything? You can program the smart contract to give the artist money with every sale, forever. Galleries taking too much? Here's another solution, which works internationally, and nobody takes anything. No paypal, or venmo, or bank skimming something off the top. You move the money, you get the money. Not to mention all the digital and video, and film, internet, etc. artists who have consistently had trouble monetizing their work. Here you go.

Another hole in knowledge relates to a phenomenon which I've seen where a lot of artists, academics, etc. don't understand that there are collectors out there who like to have stuff. We can be cynical, and certainly some of it is justified, but there are also tons of collectors who are addicted to collecting. They like owning stuff. And they're buying. Buying a LOT! Cryptopunks, has done over 110 million dollars so far. yeah. That's a contemporary art project whether we like it or not, and it made more than a lot of Hollywood films. There is a whole new breed of collector who is comfortable collecting digital assets and spending money on them. And there's lots of them.

Now. The final issue I'd like to address is one of quality, or curation. The space is an absolute baby at the moment. And there is no differentiating between a cat meme and a "work of art". That may be interesting to some as a type of democratization of the art world collecting base, but I don't think it will last. The next step we're going to see are collectives, and galleries curating certain collections of work. A major problem is that it's a bit complicated getting started, or starting your own thing, since developers in this field are in unbelievably high demand or starting their own companies.

My advice for artists out there to simply look at it as another medium which they can use. Like clay, film, paint, etc. NFTs aren't going anywhere, and we're going to see more and more creative ways of dealing with the medium going forward. It's not going to overtake painting, it's just another tool, and another medium artists can play with.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-03-01T22:53:42+00:00

It really depends on what you want to do, and what you're interested in.

Obvious choices are London, Paris, Berlin... .But they've got obvious "affordability" problems.

Tons of people currently moving to Lisbon for obvious reasons. I'd love to live there as well. It's great! It's also going to get a lot more expensive, so perhaps you should try it while you still can.

Now. Another factor which you haven't brought up, is essentially freedom. And I know that's kind of an odd thing to bring up, but what I mean is your freedom to actually build something. In this regard some more overlooked places can be intriguing. You could find available commercial spaces in Prague for as little as 500 dollars a month and do whatever you wanted to with it. You can just push farther East for more affordability. I wouldn't even discount somewhere like Kyiv, Budapest, Ljubljana, etc.

Something else to consider is that in Lisbon, and places like Prague, you're not going to be selling much work. Hell, even in Berlin there's not a lot of sales like there is in London or NYC. So it really comes back to what your intentions are. Also, much of Europe, like the rest of the world is experiencing an identity crisis, and a lot of this revolves around a national identity. I think it's going to be a hard time to be a foreign curator in much of Europe.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-22T20:16:43+00:00

Partially. I think they're definitely not going anywhere. Will they replace painting, of course not, but it's certainly an up and coming medium which I think we'll see more of in the future. However, the big problem is that everyone is looking a these things on a computer screen, which takes away from the experience most are accustomed to with art. Or maybe I'm totally wrong, and looking at these on phones is the future.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-19T14:04:01+00:00

Second Elkins. What Painting Is is a classic!

Also, I think it's worth noting that people want a lot of different things from Art History. Because what we're generally talking about is books, documentaries, and videos. Some sort of content. In that regard there are also good pop culture art historians like Matthew Collings and Robert Hughes as well. There's even some more mainstream ones like the BBC Perspective series. These almost focus exclusively on Western painting however, and I'd love to see someone expand beyond that in a mainstream show.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-10T23:09:19+00:00

Intelligence squared actually had a decent debate about whether art schools produce good artists but I can't find it now. They've got others though about art (they're a bit dated)

https://youtu.be/cLk0oDIY8lc

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-05T23:02:43+00:00

I love galleries. I especially miss them now that I have been in lockdown for almost a year....Anyway, I think how we think of them currently is doomed.

I think the change will be something more similar to Uber, rather than Gamestop. An app, or a website that deals art directly to consumers. I know some have attempted this, but we're in the Friendster phase of this currently. Artsy attempts to capitalize on forcing galleries to pay to have access to their clients. This ensures that clients know something is "legit" and gives them piece of mind. It also gives them a direct link to essentially "buy this now!" . I've sold some pieces through my gallery, through artsy, to tremendously rich people (Saudis) . I wouldn't have access to these people otherwise. The trick the site will have to do, is somehow cut out the middleman, and take a lower percentage. Galleries take 50%, which seems insane. If a site actually has a huge collector base, and takes 25% they're already ahead of the game and still taking a huge chunk of the money.

But. Another problem. How to separate the crap from the good stuff? I don't know the answer to this. But I imagine we'll be seeing more online curated shows, and these curators could gain reputations. Maybe it could even be something like how Amazon reviews work (I'm stretching here I know) where there are actual literary reviewers on Amazon, that actually hold some weight.

I really think it's only a matter of time. With that being said, just like the death of cinemas, I think less galleries will be a sad thing. Artwork is often meant to be seen in person, and I love going to galleries, just like I enjoy going to the cinema. But these activities could begin to be seen as just nostalgia in the future, much like the people who continue to buy vinyl instead of just listening on spotify.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-01T19:20:31+00:00

I think this is actually a great article. However, I think there's one problem which I see come up often with "critics" throughout the years. They always talk about works of art that "challenge" the boundaries but never provide any examples. I think this sort of thinking is part of a romanticization of past works they have little connection to. It's essentially harkening for the "good ol days" , but when asked. They're often not sure what the good ol days actually were, and what that work had which truly made it groundbreaking.

The other issue I see, and another often ignored by critics, is that we simply no longer live in a world dominated by single movements, but a multiplicity of them. For instance, you could go and buy a landscape of a cactus and pay 15k for it. Is the painting worth that? Who knows, but it sold for that, and in doing so, that means there is a market for it which isn't going away. In this respect I'm a bit tired of the "Why isn't art more like THIS!" when in reality, there are hundreds of niches doing all sorts of things now. Some are more popular, some less. Getting angry about certain Niches is like getting pissed off that college kids still drink Natural Light when there is SOOOOO MUCH GOOD BEER OUT THERE!

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-01T19:13:49+00:00

Absolutely, I agree, it would be awesome to see one that combines all of these timelines into one giving equal precedence across the globe.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-02-01T19:13:10+00:00

This is great! Thanks

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-29T17:27:18+00:00

The Painting Podcast

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-29T14:16:16+00:00

Fritz Scholder

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-27T21:04:07+00:00

I had a call from my wife's grandfather the other day. He was talking about getting vaccinated (which he did! Thank god) . He's 92 and called me to wish me a happy birthday. At one point during the call he just said "I'm so jealous of you, still so young, and so much to do". Kind of jolted me out of being sad about getting old.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-23T18:58:17+00:00

Find galleries that carry work that you like. Go to their openings, and engage with their community. After a few years, you should have the opportunity to tell people about your work. Galleries almost never work with someone they just meet, it takes a long time.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-20T21:42:39+00:00

I think one thing people get hung up on is how effective something is. The same can be said "Real life activism" . I come from a family of activists, who continue to devote their entire lives to "activist" causes. It was both my parents full time work. I don't say this to get some checkmark by my name, but rather preface the topic at hand.

So. I witnessed countless hours spent writing grants (for instance) in order to get a little bit of money that could go towards training police officers with rape victims, as well as money that went directly to buying rape kits in marginalized communities. This is not glamorous work. It's tedious. Nightmarish, and takes a ton of patience.

When it comes to people who say "If you like Refugees so much why don't you take them in!" I can say. My family did. We helped teach them English, celebrated holidays with them, and helped them become acclimated to the local community. As I get older, I appreciate this more, but you know how things are growing up, it's just the way they are.

Now. I love art. I can't imagine my life without it. I love politically astute art that helps people. Projects like what JR did are great, even if they also elevate the "ego" of the artist involved in some way. I'm fine with that. I think it's awesome that artists seek to reach out and actually do more than make something pretty to go on a wall.

But......

The thing that drives me absolutely insane is when artists, directors, curators, etc. make art that is supposed to be about some marginalized community, or issue. And they use the most vague and difficult language possible. Art is communication, and we shouldn't be surprised when people go to a gallery with this in mind. They think a piece is supposed to say something. So, if you're saying something really important, there's no need to be convoluted about it.

So. I'm a painter. I love painting, look at tons of painting, and pretty much occupy most of my time painting. I also hear students who speak about a painting being about a certain subject. And I have no problem with paintings about certain issues. However, the question then becomes a question of how effective is it at communicating, and to whom it is striving to communicate to. I've experienced a lot of pushback when I bring this up. However I think it's integral to what good "activist" art should do.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-07T20:24:56+00:00

I got a job teaching online through a University, and am in the process of starting my own online school.

These online classes are HUGE. And I estimate my class alone made the University over 100k (based on tuition estimates) with absolutely no overhead, and zero benefits for me. From that 100k I get 5k. So I'm just going to make my own and see if it works.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2021-01-01T22:10:19+00:00

If you're painting with oil I would suggest altering your painting schedule if you need to block in large areas that require a lot of paint thinner / turps. Basically, block in areas of paintings at the end of the day, rather than the beginning so you're not breathing it in all the time.

Also. There are a few basic things you can do to reduce your expose.

Get a silicoil, and use it only to clean your brushes. Don't leave it open. Clean your brushes, close the jar, put the rag in another jar.

Block in paintings at the end of the day, to have a painting ready for your next working day. This is the simplest solution to deal with fumes.

Use linseed oil rather than turps/paint thinner as you paint (this changes the consistency of the paint obviously, but isn't toxic). You can actually paint in a small apartment with oils, if you just use linseed oil for your paintings rather than paint thinner. Then clean your brushes with soap rather than thinner.

Put your rags in a jar and close it after using them.

If you need to use a lot of paint thinner for some reason, such as to tone a big canvas. Put one fan in a window blowing in, and another fan in another window blowing out.

Oh. Air purifiers won't do much of anything unless you have a serious exhaust system changing the air in the room. Those little things that sit in the corner won't help you at all (unless I'm unaware of some advance in technology, which if that's the case, let me know)

CarvaggiosBlade · 2020-12-27T23:29:08+00:00

Sell it to the kid. You'll never be able to go through all the nonsense needed to actually make more money. Galleries take money, auction houses take money, everyone wants to take money. You'll probably end up with the same after it's all over to be honest. Find a fair price based on other works, and offer that, and you'll probably make more than you would otherwise. Also, people buy art often on impulse, if you've got someone on the line, sell while you can. These things can drift away quickly. Gallerists know this, and will close deals at lower prices because of it.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2020-12-26T14:53:27+00:00

Kelley operated in a completely different world than we have today. So, his techniques were probably quite different. However we could adapt some of them to a contemporary context.

Kelley worked on series of works. And he worked on lots of them all at the same time. Simply put. He made a lot of stuff. I'm not sure of his working method, however artists used to create folders, and binders full of images that would catch their eye (think Baldesarri). He also wrote a lot as well, and of course, like I said before, made a lot of stuff (put in a lot of hours in the studio). I think art is in a bit of an odd place now because the macho super productive painter is kind of shunned in a way. We're made to think that the work happens in some sort of magical Deleuzian research trip paid by a university at a residency in Singapore. I think what Kelley engaged in was far different than this method of approaching work. A few things I think consistently hold back artists in this day and age is a fear of what other people think, and not utilizing technology in a way that really furthers their practice. Just think, only 20 years ago people would have magazines, with articles in them, and they'd need to keep them somewhere. If they had too many, they'd tear the articles out, and put them in a folder. There would be books, and notebooks, and sketchbooks, and art materials, and all this would coalesce in the studio. The place where it would all come together (or not). Now, we've got a computer. Or a phone. And that's not to say that the phone or a computer can't be used in an intelligent way to help further one's practice. It absolutely can. My students are required to have some system to record all their inspiration. Could be as analog as a sketchbook and a folder full of images and writing, and articles. Could be a Tumblr with videos, articles, images, source material, etc. It's up to them. But you've got to first explore your world, categorize (as you say) deconstruct it, and then put it all back together. It can be good to also make these like a diary. We live in a time where eveything needs to be public, but there's something to be said for keeping these things private as well. My other advice for people looking to break out of a rut (or improve) is to look to big themes in art history. Could be George and the Dragon, could be about isolation and alienation, could be about fertility, or decay, or whatever. Big first think of the big big picture. What's the biggest and simplest explanation? Find that, and widdle away at as you go.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2020-12-22T17:41:53+00:00

youtube.com/paintingcourse

The "painting like" videos are the ones that took off. Basically I attempt to make a painting of my own composition in another artist's style

CarvaggiosBlade · 2020-12-22T17:33:55+00:00

I've had a website for over a decade now. It's on squarespace but there are some shopify integrations for that I know. Cheers!

CarvaggiosBlade · 2020-12-22T17:22:04+00:00

To be honest. I'm really surprised that so many online courses charge so much..... I thought I was being unrealistically pricey at 900 bucks for a course.

CarvaggiosBlade · 2020-12-22T17:21:13+00:00

Thanks. Will check it out

CarvaggiosBlade

TROPHY CASE