ARTIST PROSPECTUS 2013 TRASK Art Show & Sale
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ARTIST PROSPECTUS 2013 TRASK Art Show & Sale To benefit The Spirit of Life & Spencer Trask Memorial Restoration Campaign I.ARTIST PROSPECTUS Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation and invite artists 18 years of age and up to submit original artwork to the TRASK 2013 Art Show & Sale: Preserving Saratoga Springs Through Art, an innovative juried art show and fundraiser on Thursday, June 27, 2013. Proceeds from art sales and ticket sales will benefit the restoration of the Spirit of Life & Spencer Trask Memorial located in Congress Park. Works submitted to the exhibition should interpret the spirit of life in Saratoga Springs by addressing local history, architecture, landscapes, culture, preservation, concepts of philanthropy, and generally the spirit of Saratoga Springs. In addition, to celebrate and honor the 150 year anniversary of the Saratoga Race Track, works that highlight and commemorate the importance and influence of horse racing will be included. Interpretation can be broad or literal. Each artist may submit up to three works to TRASK. The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, in partnership with the City of Saratoga Springs, is undertaking a thorough restoration of the Memorial. Following a successful TRASK fundraising campaign and event last June, the Foundation is continuing its four-year campaign in which approximately $250,000 need to be raised to preserve this landmark for future generations. Proceeds of the campaign will go to the conservation and restoration of the Memorial and toward developing a plan for future care and maintenance. 2 Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation 112 Spring Street, Suite 203 / Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-5030 www.saratogapreservation.org A. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Entry Deadline Monday, June 10, 2013, 5:00PM Artists Notification of Selection Monday, June 17, 2013 Artists Deliver Accepted Works Wednesday, June 26, 2013 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM Canfield Casino Congress Park, Saratoga Springs Art Show Event Thursday, June 27, 2013, 6:30-9:30 PM Canfield Casino Congress Park, Saratoga Springs Contact Information Michele DeRossi, TRASK Event Coordinator Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation (518)-587-5030 [email protected] www.saratogapreservation.org B. ORGANIZERS Founded in 1977, the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has been the leading advocate for the preservation of Saratoga Springs’ unique architectural, cultural and landscaped heritage. The Foundation shines a spotlight on new opportunities for community growth and economic development through preservation. For more information about the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, please visit www.saratogapreservation.org. 3 Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation 112 Spring Street, Suite 203 / Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-5030 www.saratogapreservation.org C. ART SHOW EVENT TRASK: Preserving Saratoga Springs Through Art, is a one-night only event at the historic Canfield Casino in Saratoga Springs' Congress Park on Thursday, June 27, 2013 from 6:30- 9:30PM. Works will be displayed for the duration of the event only. All works submitted must be available to be sold as part of the silent auction that evening. Artists will receive 50% of proceeds from the sale of their works displayed and purchased at the event, with the other half directly benefitting the Restoration Campaign. Artists may also choose to donate 100% of the proceeds of the sale of artwork to the Restoration Campaign. Sale of the artwork will take place through silent auction bids during a benefit cocktail reception featuring live entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and the opportunity for guest to mingle with the artists. Accepted artists will receive one complimentary ticket and one discounted ticket and are encouraged to attend the event. During the evening, judges will announce awards, cash prizes, and honorable mentions. The show will be hung and supervised by Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation volunteers and staff. 4 Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation 112 Spring Street, Suite 203 / Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-5030 www.saratogapreservation.org D. JUDGES Anne Diggory is an artist living and working in Saratoga Springs, often painting the Adirondacks, Hudson River Valley, and various other scenic areas throughout the United States. After graduating from Yale, Anne received a Master of Fine Arts from Indiana University. Anne is currently represented in a solo show by the Blue Mountain Gallery in New York City and her work is also featured by Phoenix Home Life in Albany, Bessemer Trust in San Francisco, and AYCO in Saratoga Springs. Anne designed and completed “The Flume”, a 22x9-foot mural to commemorate 100 years of business at The Adirondack Trust Company in Saratoga Springs. Combining painting, drawing, photography, Photoshop and mixed media, Anne’s work focuses on subtle wonders in nature and life for various studies and series. In addition to various galleries, Anne’s work has been highlighted in prestigious publications such as American Artist, Adirondack Life, and The New York Times. http://www.diggory.com/ Erik Laffer originally hails from Smithtown, New York but ever since the age of three has been leading a nomadic lifestyle, moving from place to place cultivating his artistic style. Inspired by the travels of his young life, Erik’s current work uses cartography and maps as representational abstracts in his contemporary pieces. In 2008, Laffer was one of the top selling artists of the SOLO section at Artexpo New York and in 2011 Erik was featured as one of three artists chosen as "Up and Coming Artists to Watch" by the Paradise City Art Fair. In addition, Erik was invited to join Albanys’ exclusive art group Oakroom as their newest and youngest member. In 2012, Erik opened his own fine art gallery and custom frame shop in Schuylerville dedicated to contemporary art in a variety of mediums as well as hosting lectures and demonstrations to further educate on the importance and impact of art. http://eriklaffer.com/ and http://thelaffergallery.com E. AWARDS Best in Show Award with a cash award of $500, other awards and cash prizes, and honorable mentions will be given to top artists by the judges at the reception. Media exposure will highlight participants and winners, including print, TV, websites and social media. 5 Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation 112 Spring Street, Suite 203 / Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-5030 www.saratogapreservation.org G. BACKGROUND In 1913, Katrina Trask, philanthropist, co-founder of Yaddo, and Saratoga Springs resident, along with George Foster Peabody, commissioned the Memorial to honor her late husband, Spencer Trask and his efforts to protect and preserve Saratoga’s natural springs while further beautifying Congress Park. The work for the Memorial was completed through the artistic collaboration of two significant Americans, sculptor Daniel Chester French and architect Henry Bacon. The Spencer Trask Memorial was a true partnership during the early career of these two friends, who also designed and executed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. French created the bronze sculpture, The Spirit of Life, while Bacon designed the architectural and landscaped surrounds. The Memorial was completed in 1915, the same year the City of Saratoga Springs was incorporated. The Spencer Trask Memorial serves as a constant reminder of our civic responsibility to preserve our nationally and locally significant resources, to give back to the community, to have pride in creative partnerships, and find comfort in respite and beauty. The Spencer Trask Memorial inscription reads, “His one object in life was to do right and to serve his fellow men,” a simple, powerful and enduring sentiment that is directly aligned with the philanthropic spirit of the Saratoga Springs community. As The Saratoga Sun published in June, 1915, “The sun shining upon it gave added beauty and effectiveness and the statue will always be, besides being a memorial to Mr. Trask, one of the beauties of the parks, which will attract the eye of all who come to this city.” The same holds true for today’s visitors since the Spirit of Life has become the symbol of the city, as the winged-figure returns the once endangered waters from her bowl to the springs of Saratoga. Yet contemporary residents and tourists will not have the opportunity to enjoy the meaning of the sculpture, the once beautiful surroundings, or appreciate its national significance if the Memorial is not fully restored to its former glory and maintained for years to come. The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, in partnership with the City of Saratoga Springs, has been leading the charge in preserving and caring for the Memorial. In 2011, the Foundation kicked off a four-year campaign in which they will strive to raise approximately $250,000. The proceeds of this campaign will go towards the conservation and restoration of the Memorial as well as developing a plan for future maintenance. 6 Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation 112 Spring Street, Suite 203 / Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518) 587-5030 www.saratogapreservation.org II. RULES A. ELIGIBILITY Artists of all abilities, ages 18 years or older, are eligible to enter. All entries must be original works for sale to be considered. Each artist may submit up to three (3) entries in accordance with the Entry Requirements outlined below. Artwork should interpret the spirit of life in Saratoga Springs, by addressing local history, architecture, landscapes, culture, preservation, concepts of philanthropy, and generally the spirit of Saratoga Springs. In addition, to celebrate and honor the 150 year anniversary of the Saratoga Race Course, works that highlight and commemorate the importance and influence of horse racing will be included. Interpretation of the theme may be broad or literal. Artwork in any media will be considered, however, due to the limitations of the venue, video and performance art cannot be accommodated. Please consider that while there is no maximum size for submitted entries, extremely large or heavy works may be difficult to accommodate and therefore may not be included in the show.