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Early Winter 2006 Newsletter

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Early Winter 2006 Newsletter NNNeNeeewwwwssss &&& VVViViiieeeewwwwssss fffrfrrroooommmm JJJUJUUUSSSSTTTT LLLOLOOOOOKKKKIIIINNNN'''' GGGAGAAALLLLLLEEEERRRRYYYY Published for Ethnic Art Lovers Everywhere Early Winter 2006 HAPPY NEW YEAR! After a 2005 plagued with non- ending computer woes and personally being sidelined with the AAA SSShShhhoooorrrrtttt TTTiTiiimmmmeeeelllliiiinnnneeee VVViViiieeeewwwssss pain of tendonitis, we are happy to welcome this new year! As our In the last thirty years we have lost many of the yearlong celebration of 10 years in major forces & names in the world of black art. You our Hagerstown location draws to a close (11th know, the ones we all owe a debt of gratitude - the Anniversary party is March 24-25 - see calendar) and we folks that carved the way, opened the doors and prepare for the 10th Anniversary National Black Fine Art are directly and indirectly responsible for me writing Show (our 8th time!) I have decided to devote this news this newsletter. Many of us don't think about how column to the changes I believe have occurred in the few years art created by black American artists has world of black art in the last 10 years and some things I actually been in the public eye outside of a few hope change soon. Needless to say, these are my opinions major cities - most notably New York. Here (in no and I'm sure some of you will disagree. E-mail your particular order) are just a few of the artists whose opinions and we will give you space in the next issue. But contributions to the Black Art Movement go well for now - here goes: beyond their art: The Good - Ernest Crichlow (1914-2005) - studied with The Internet - The worldwide web has increased Augusta Savage, exhibited at the 1939 World's Fair, exposure, education and collecting. co-founded Cinque Gallery in 1969. More Collectors of all ethnicity's discovering the Reginald Gammon (1921-2005) - Civil rights power, beauty and value of black art. activist, professor, printmaker, founding member Younger Collectors - when we got into the business Spiral. in 1990 the average age of our originals buyers (most Jeff Donaldson (1932-2004) - founding member folks were still feeding the print explosion that started in the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) the mid-80s) was early 40's to mid 50's. Many of our in Chicago, and the African Commune of Bad clients now are in their late 20's - early 30's! Relevant Artists (AfriCobra), book and album cover More Galleries devoted to art by black artists. While illustrator, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at many of them seem to have the same 150 reproductions, Howard University. at least black art is being shown across the nation. Robert Blackburn (1920-2003) - professor, The National Black Fine Art Show - for promoting founder Blackburn Printmaking Workshop (1948), and creating an accessible atmosphere for original art. taught the art of printmaking to hundreds of artists. The Bad - John Biggers (1924-2001) - muralist, professor, The Internet - mediocre art abounds. I have seen activist, recipient UNESCO fellowship (1957), many misrepresentations and a few total lies. established the art department at Texas Southern All the Artists We Have Lost (Continued Page 4, Column 2) University. (Continued Page 3, Column 2) JUST LOOKIN' w 40 Summit Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21740 w 301 714-2278 w 800 717-4 ART w Page 1 Fooled by Fakes VVViViiissssiiiitttt uuususss ooononnn ttththhheeee wwweweeebbbb or why a magnifying loupe is www.justlookin.com a collector's best friend How can you tell if what you think you are buying is what you really WWWeWeee dddodooonnnn''''tttt ccclclllaaaaiiiimmmm ooououuurrrr vvviviiirrrrttttuuuuaaaallll gggagaaalllllleeeerrrryyyy iiisisss are getting? bbbebeeetttttteeeerrrr ttththhhaaaannnn aaa pppepeeerrrrssssoooonnnnaaaallll vvviviiissssiiiitttt bbbubuuutttt yyyoyooouuuu cccacaaannnn vvviviiissssiiiitttt 22242444////7777!!!! OOOuOuuurrrr wwwawaaallllkkkkiiiinnnngggg tttotooouuuurrrr wwwiwiiillllll In an Art Gallery: gggigiiivvvveeee yyyoyooouuuu aaanannn iiininnnssssiiiiddddeeee llloloooookkkk aaatattt ooououuurrrr Most dealers are reputable but it's easy to be overwhelmed in art 222,2,,,00000000++++ sssqsqqquuuuaaaarrrreeee fffefeeeeetttt ooofofff ssspspppaaaacccceeee.... GGGoGooo tttotooo galleries. And some of them can be a little cold and intimidating. '''s'ssseeeeaaaarrrrcccchhhh'''' aaanannndddd ssseseeeee ooovovvveeeerrrr 9990900000 ooororrriiiiggggiiiinnnnaaaallllssss But it's your money and galleries have an obligation to collectors bbbybyyy aaararrrttttiiiisssstttt,,,, sssusuuubbbbjjjjeeeecccctttt,,,, ssststttyyyylllleeee ooororrr mmmemeeeddddiiiiuuuummmm.... (even first-timers!) to answer questions. What should you ask? If OOOuOuuurrrr eeexexxxppppaaaannnnddddeeeedddd aaararrrtttt ttteteeerrrrmmmmssss ssseseeeccccttttiiiioooonnnn iiisisss you see a piece you like - ask about the artist. Ask about the cccocooommmmiiiinnnngggg sssosooooonnnn.... WWWeWeee uuupupppddddaaaatttteeee iiimimmmaaaaggggeeeessss medium - how it was produced. Ask if they have payment fffrfrrreeeeqqqquuuueeeennnnttttllllyyyy,,,, aaadaddddd mmmomooorrrreeee fffefeeeaaaattttuuuurrrreeeessss aaanannndddd options. Don't be afraid to pull out your loupe to look at a work closer. On hand-pulled prints, look for how the colors overlay. tttrtrrryyyy tttotooo mmmamaaakkkkeeee iiitittt eeeaeaaassssiiiieeeerrrr tttotooo nnnanaaavvvviiiiggggaaaatttteeee Look for the plate mark on etchings. Look for a slightly uneven aaanannndddd mmmomooorrrreeee fffufuuunnnn tttotooo vvviviiissssiiiitttt.... AAAnAnnndddd ppplpllleeeeaaaasssseeee,,,, edge on hand-pulled lithographs and serigraphs - it is hard to ssshshhhaaaarrrreeee uuususss wwwiwiiitttthhhh yyyoyooouuuurrrr fffrfrrriiiieeeennnnddddssss.... hold perfect registration while printing each color one at a time. A reputable dealer will guarantee the authenticity of a piece in Pain is h nly w ap n I hav writing. " t t e o e o e On the Internet: with which to fight what I resent. If Buyer beware!!! I have seen many misrepresentations about just I could write I would write about it. how pieces are made. I have seen giclees called originals. I have seen reproductions called hand-pulled prints. I have seen "oil ... Since I paint, I must paint about it" paintings" that are reproductions. Recently on Ebay I saw an Charles White "original pencil drawing" with a signature in both the image and the margin. I could be wrong, but the artists we know don't sign their original work twice unless it is a hand-pulled print that was signed once in the plate and again on the edition. """A"AAA BBBrrr uuu sss hhh ooofff CCCuuu lll ttt uuu rrr eee """ At Home Shows: Home Art Parties Some of the worst misinformation I have encountered has been at home shows. I'm really confused that they are selling me an Get a few friends together and enjoy "original painting" but I can only get it framed, they don't have the latest original art in the comfort biographical information on the artist and they can sell my of your home. girlfriend the same piece. When Just Lookin' is invited to do a home show we give mini seminars on art mediums and All you have to do is invite at least collecting, we have lots of information (and usually, pictures!) of 25 and no more than 100 friends, and provide light refreshments. all our artist and we can only sell you one of an original painting because that is the true definition of an original. When we got Just Lookin' provides invitations, into the art business in 1990, we used to see hand-painted promotional materials and a great versions of some of the more popular prints of the time like host/hostess incentive package. If "Funeral Procession" by Ellis Wilson signed by somebody named you would like, we will also give an 'Ida Mae Jackson.' We also saw painted copies of pieces by informal talk on collecting. Brenda Joysmith, Annie Lee and other print artists that were We are currently reserving dates for selling well at that time. If you are thinking about buying a piece Spring and Summer 2006. Don't miss at one of these shows, you want to ask lots of questions. The the chance to have the first thing to ask is if they have a physical gallery location. Many luxury of a "gallery for a day" of these type of shows are sponsored by 'independent agents' for in your home. large companies. These 'agents' are given a book that tells them how to talk about art - complete with all the proper buzzwords. But it doesn't give them information about mediums, investment Don't Miss An Issue! potential, or a lot of other things that collectors need to know. To stay on our mailing list: Make a Purchase - OR This is where a magnifying loupe is your best friend. Put it on Call and tell us you would like to receive the next the "original." If you see lots of dots - it is an offset reproduction issue - OR Email [email protected] and you are probably going to seriously overpay for it. JUST LOOKIN' w 40 Summit Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21740 w 301 714-2278 w 800 717-4 ART w Page 2 Spotlight (Continued from Page 1, Column 2) Alvin Hollingsworth (1928-2000) - educator, muralist, printmaker, collaborator with Edgar In the last issue, we talked about the different elements within a piece Varese on sensory musical project, television of art and using these same elements as principals of wall arranging. For show host. those that didn't read the last issue - the elements are: asymmetry, Norman Lewis (1909-1979) - political activist, balance, color, composition, density/mass, direction, energy, harmony, proportion, rhythm, scale, sequence, symmetry, and weight. teacher, cofounder of Spiral and Cinque Gallery. Perhaps the easiest way to begin is decide upon (and measure) the Tom Feelings (1913-2003) - author, historian, first wall you want to 'arrange' and gather the pieces of art and/or objects you would like to see displayed in that space. Most of us have illustrator, visual storyteller. a variety of sizes, mediums and art styles to contend with. Where do Alma Thomas (1891-1978) 1st African we start? I'm really fond of leaning the pieces against the wall I want to American female artist to have a solo show design and then sitting on the floor to look closely at the art.
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