[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest                Monday, 6 April 1998        Volume 03 : Number 118

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From: Patrick Robinson <psyberdude@compuserve.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 13:14:47 -0400
Subject: [Baren 560] Re: Exhibition idea 

Aloha Everyone:

Seems to me that Art wants to be seen, and appreciated (by those other 
than the artist). In this regard such an exhibition as proposed by Ray 
would serve a good purpose. But any of us who have ever mounted an "art 
show" will tell you how truly difficult it is to pull
 off . . . at even one  location, let alone a multi-site exhibition.

Such an undertaking is first and foremost VERY time-consuming! There are 
a myriad of details that have to be attended to, from typing out the 
title/price cards to hanging the art to crating and shipping from 
location to location, etc. etc. etc. This is what "curators" do.
And a multi-site exhibition demands strict scheduling. It's not something 
that can be put off for a month or so if other time constraints (such as 
the "Kids") demand. Depending where these exhibitions are to held (art 
galleries, community centers, a corporate lobby), dates have to be nailed 
down ahead of time, and the schedules adhered to without fail.

It's one thing for an individual artist to "show" his or her work at a 
single location, and assume complete responsibility for the important 
exhibition details. However, I'm just a little worried about someone with 
an already full plate taking on this kind of job . . . even if it is 
indeed a labor of love. But then that's just my opinion.

Patrick Robinson

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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com (James G Mundie)
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1998 16:46:08 -0400
Subject: [Baren 561] moldy water, Posada, Ray's MPBaren idea 

Greetings to all (including wise Canadians),

April:
	The Dover Posada book may very well have been the one of which I
was thinking.  It's been several years since I last saw it, and my memory
is shot to hell of late due to too many things going on at once.  But
there are at least two or there other books collecting the works of
Mexican leadcut artists out there.  I'll look into the titles and get
back to everyone with them.   Thanks also for the fiber distinctions.  I
admit that I go more by instinct with the papers I like rather than
knowing precisely of what they are composed; but it's always good to know
the difference!

Ray:
	More power to you if you want to take on the curatorial and
preparator duties for a MPBaren show!
	How _should_ sales be handled?  Will all these various venues be
expecting a percentage?  More questions will pop up as It gets under way,
I'm sure.
	To echo Dave's concerns somewhat, I think the undertaking should
be streamlined from the participants' end to make it as easy as possible
for you to hang the show, etc.  If we can all agree on a particular size
or maximum size for frames, for instance, that would make it easier for
you to hang, move and store everything (having myself packed and unpacked
many a vanload of framed art, I can attest that it all goes smoother if
the frames are the same size).  I, for one, recommend uniform framing
because it presents a pleasing over-all impression and focuses attention
on the prints rather than the frame they're in.  Perhaps we could all use
a standard matte black square-edged frame, as they are elegantly simple,
strong, inexpensive, and easy to obtain and replace (it isn't what I
normally use, but looks nice).  The works could be shipped to Ray framed
under plexiglass (to save you the trouble of having glass cut for
everyone's prints and then having to pop it out of the frame between
shows-- a colossal pain in the neck).
	There's my two cents for the moment.  Consider me "in" for this
venture.

Dave:
	Every time I catch a whiff of formalin it brings to mind
unpleasant memories of the five-gallon tubs of embalmed frogs my junior
high school biology teachers had us dip into to select a likely candidate
for dissection.
	There is a product you might want to consider for your mold
problem as an alternative for formalin.  Shaklee Corporation (my mother
is a distributor) out of San Francisco makes a biodegradable concentrated
disinfectant/germicide called "Basic-G" that might fit the bill (the
label says "psueodomonacidal, staphylocidal, salmonellacidal,
fungicidal...").  I use it around the house for various cleaning chores. 
It's harmful to skin in it's concentrated form, but one generally uses
only a few drops to a litre of water.
It's pH is neutral, so it probably would not have any detrimental effects
on the printing process.  If you'd like any more info on the product, I
can provide it for you.

Mise le meas,
James Mundie, Philadelphia USA

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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 1998 23:25:14 -0400
Subject: [Baren 562] Re: Exhibition idea 

Patrick wrote:
>Seems to me that Art wants to be seen ... etc.

Your comments are appreciated and I hope will lead to others jumping in.  I
must disagree however with most of your comments.  For one thing, the
analogy to curators is not accurate.  A curator is a paid professional
whose career depends on the shows they put together.  They are paid to
spend the time to come up with shows that make museums money.  In most
cases, that is the bottom line and how they are judged.  There are no such
pressures on me.  In fact, the ONLY pressure on me is the safety of your art.

Perhaps I am not being clear about this project.  Permit me to do so by
taking it by the numbers.  Assume....

At least eleven Baren members join in, lending two prints.  These prints
are sent to Ray Esposito in Florida.  Twenty two prints, each separated and
protected by intervening papers, is less than 3" thick.  Assume also that a
framing system is agreed upon, the key to which is that they be quick snap
frames.  What do we have?

Ray Esposito is now sitting on a case of matted prints and a box of frames.
 Ray Esposito approaches places as listed in the original memo for show
opportunities.  Since most such establishments require long lead times, do
not expect any immediate showing although it is possible.  (Obviously
initial contacts have already been made and would continue if we decide to
do this.)

While waiting for the first show, there will be a period of preparation.
Pat wrote above "from typing out the title/price cards".  Unless the
location, amuseum for example, requires it, this is a waste of time.

I would make the necessary signs and print tags, all of which will eb
designed to install in seconds and remove just as fast.  But in most cases
a list of the art, artists, prices and information about Baren will be on 8
x 11 1/2 standard bond paper, copies made and left at the location is all
that is needed.  The last six shows I have been to did it exactly this way.
 What is wrong with this?

Let's say the Daytona Museum decides to put the show in their print
gallery.  I would load the boxes (just two mind you) into my car and drive
to Daytona.  Is this time consuming?  Of course.  Is it something out of
the ordinary for me?  Of course not.  I drive to Daytona Beach a number of
times a month.  For that matter I drive to most of Florida over the period
of a year.  Driving to Miami and back is routine for me.  Let's leave
travel time aside.

I arrive at the museum and put up the 22 prints.  How long did it take...2
hours?....4 hours?.....the entire day?  Who cares?  Since I am marketing my
own prints along with yours, I love the work.  Besides, we are talking
about snapping together 22 identical frames and mounting them to the wall.
I grant you that different museums have different requirements but these
can be determined and worked around.

The show lasts 45 days.  What am I doing in the meantime?  I am working for
The Brass Ring Society and creating more art.

At the end of 45 days I drive back to Daytona Beach (which I plan as my
standard day at the beach), take down the prints, storing them carefully in
their box and taking apart the frames and packing them.  The TWO boxes are
placed in my car and I return them to storage to await another show.

Will someone tell me what I missed here?  I do not underplay the fact that
nothing works as well as this but even taking into account all of the
things that could go wrong, we are talking two days for each show.

Pat, you ta\lk about crating and shipping to the next show.  This is not
that kind of operation.  Perhaps what seems to be confusing many of you is
that you are linking this to more traditional shows.  This idea is simplicy
itself.  The art goes into my trunk.  The art goes on the wall.  The art
comes off the wall.  The art goes into my trunk.  The art goes into
storage.  I'm sorry folks, but I'll be darn if I can see the complexity of
all this.

What makes the Maryland Printmakers show so successful is that all prints
are limited to the same size (which I do not like) and the same simple snap
together frame (which I do).  Their entire show goes up in less than two
hours and they have around 30 prints.  For Baren I would suggest a standard
size frame.   Each artist would then mat their work to the frame giving
maximum freedom for actual print size..

To those who might suggest that their works whould not look good in a
simple metal snap together frame, there are just two answers to this.  You
can opt out since I would never ask you to display your art in a way that
does not please you, or I would suggest, is it not better to get  the
exposure than worry about if someone will comment on the frame?  Without
simple framing, this project does in fact get more complicated and I want
to keep it simple.

Pat wrote:
>And a multi-site exhibition demands strict scheduling. It's not something 
>that can be put off for a month or so if other time constraints (such as 
>the "Kids") demand. Depending where these exhibitions are to held (art 
>galleries, community centers, a corporate lobby), dates have to be nailed 
>down ahead of time, and the schedules adhered to without fail.

On the contrary, it IS something that can be put off for a month or two.  I
have not suggested we will not have schedules.  Of course we will.  And
those schedules will be adhered to faithfully and without fail.  But there
will never be two shows at the same time.  Open dates will be planned.
Since everyone admits this could be a time consumer for me, than no one
will object if I schedule a few months between shows.  

To those locations I have already approched, a number are booking into
2000.  Let's not make this any more complicated than it really is.  The
whole idea is to get some exposure for wood block prints, Baren and its
members.  It need not be complicated.  I have put together things like this
for 35 years.  It makes not a wit of difference if it is art, rare books or
dyed eggs.  You develop a good marketing plan, you determine how to cover
expenses, than you get someone really crazy to run the show and turn them
loose.

Faith is a wonderful thing.

If we decide to do this, and that is far from determined, I will reserve
the right to say enough is enough, return everything to you and take all of
the heat for cancellations.  Except for some shipping expense, what have
you lost?

I appreciate the comments and look forward to hearing from more of you.

Cheers

Ray Esposito

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From: Matthew.W.Brown@VALLEY.NET (Matthew W Brown)
Date: 06 Apr 98 03:12:36 EDT
Subject: [Baren 563] Exhibit, etc. 

James,
	Can you speak of some of the inexpensive proofing papers you've used?
(Reminding us all you are printing on them with oil inks, no?)

Ray,
	I think I follow in behind Dave on the exhibit idea. No reason to
discourage enthusiasm, but it might be you would want to start small at the art
exhibit stuff. I have trouble getting prints out to where they have to go as it
is and am somewhat jealous of commitments along these lines; would be most
interested if you took on something short and small and local for you.

April,
	Can you remind us of where you got your methyl cellulose?

Matt

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From: David Bull <davebull@asahi-net.email.ne.jp>
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 16:06:02 +0900
Subject: [Baren 564] 'New' member ... 

I'd like to introduce a new member to [Baren] today - Ms. Gayle
Wohlken.  

She maybe thought she introduced herself a few weeks ago, and so did I. 
We were wrong.

I got a package in the mail from her today, and about ten seconds after
opening it, what I saw made me jump into the computer room to get my
scanner charged up.

Please head on over the the Encyclopedia, look into the 'Letter from the
Studio' section, and then join me in welcoming our 'new' member.

Welcome to [Baren] Gayle!

Dave

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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 06:31:46 -0400
Subject: [Baren 565] Re: Exhibit, etc. 

Matt wrote:
>	I think I follow in behind Dave on the exhibit idea. No reason to
> discourage enthusiasm, but it might be you would want to start small at
> the art exhibit stuff. I have trouble getting prints out to where they have to go
> as it is and am somewhat jealous of commitments along these lines; would be 
> most interested if you took on something short and small and local for you.

As always thanks for your thoughts.  But for some reason I do not seem to
be getting my message across.  Where did I impart the idea that this was
anything BUT a small program?  The area I am thinking about is Central
Florida to Jacksonville.  That area is considered local around here.

Cheers

Ray Esposito

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From: Ray Esposito <brassring@brassring.org>
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 1998 06:39:32 -0400
Subject: [Baren 566] Re: 'New' member ... 

Dave wrote:
>I'd like to introduce a new member to [Baren] today - Ms. Gayle Wohlken.  

When I jump over to view Letter from the Studio section, it is still empty.
 Any idea what I am doing wrong?

Cheers

Ray Esposito

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End of Baren Digest V3 #118
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