Monday, April 27, 2009

The Melbourne Art Festival

This past weekend downtown Melbourne had a fantastic art fest. With over 250 artists this years art festival was a great success. There were tons of artists with a variety of styles and mediums there literally was something for everyone. It was wonderful to see all of the people out on the street supporting the arts! I know that I myself spent a good four hours wandering the booths, and I don't think I really "saw" everyone's exhibits. Having just moved to Melbourne, I was very excited about the art fest and had been looking forward to it since October's Masters of Art Festival. This fest surely did not disappoint. Most of the artists were offering smaller original pieces and small prints of their works for under $100 making the art works available for all socioeconomic backgrounds. I left with three small prints and some ceramics. Supporting the arts is something that we can all do, and art festivals across the country make it possible! Keep your eyes open for the Fall Master's of Art Fest downtown, and check out other art fests in your home towns.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Dark Dreams & Lighthearted Themes

We are very exited to hold our second show of the 2009 LoPressionism Gallery exhibition schedule.  This show will include the works of five very talent artists.  There is something for everyone in this show from the colorful cityscapes to the whimsical characters of to the darkened interiors.  In this group of artists we were looking for something that brought reality and the sublime together.  Escape.  That is something that all five of our "Dark Dreams..." artists have in common.  Escape into Sandra Bottinelli's world where giant purple ducks protect and watch over you.  That is a world I would love to live in!  Marina Koloeridi creates a mystical environments where the heavens and the terrestrial worlds swirl together in excitement and passion.  Escape to a land where the colors of the night are just as bright at the colors of the day in Luke Andrews' paintings.  Homes have a personality  of their own, they are as open and deep as the human soul.  Nicholas Bustamante's paintings make buildings come to life as they have minds of their own.  Then you can relax as you float down a river of the back of a bird, basking in the rays of the sun.  Laura Beatty's creations are full of fun and contemplative characters!  "Dark Dreams & Lighthearted Themes" is a fantastic show hung beautifully by the gallery staff.  It flows from one world to the next as if, perchance, you are dreaming. 

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Cultural Stimulus

For ages the government has barely recognized the arts as a viable sector of the economy.  However, in February, congress managed to get a $50 million for the arts in the stimulus package.  According to an article  in Art in America, "despite years of economic impact studies showing how the arts stimulate local economies, from tourism dollars to construction industry jobs, arts groups still had to mount a feverish campaign to preserve a $50 million line that the House had passed but that the Senate eliminated."  Although 50 million is measly compared to what other industries have received it is wonderful that the arts were even included.  What many fail to realize is that not only do the arts employ artists and performers, but also art handlers, stage crews, accountants, cooks, security guards, maintenance people and more.  The arts provide over 6 million jobs nation wide!  The money will go to the National Endowment for the Arts to distribute in the form of grants only to non-profit groups whose projects focus on the preservation of jobs in the arts.  These groups must also have been awarded NEA grants within the last 4 years.  Not to fret for those groups who have not received grants, they still may be eligible to get a sub-grant from a state or regional arts organization.  

This is not a new idea.  In 1930's, as part of the New Deal, the Federal Art Project was created with a goal of employing out of work artists and to provide art for non federal buildings.  Not only did all of this new art boost morale in a depression era, but provided much needed jobs.  Could this new stimulus plan be similar to Roosevelt's F.A.P.?  We can only hope.    Your thoughts...