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 . 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 , 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 BBB rrr uuu sss hhh ooo fff CCC uuu 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. (1972) at the Whitney Museum. - Now we need to analyze the art. This is easier than it sounds. Look James Lesesne Wells (1902-1993) - first at the scale of your pieces in relation to each other. If one piece innovative printmaker, civil rights activist, is much larger than the others, use it as your main anchor piece and build outward and around it. This doesn't mean it needs to hang in the professor at Howard University (1929-1968). center of the wall - just balance it with your smaller pieces. Take a look (1914?-1988) - social at each piece - what colors or textures do they share? Great wall worker, author, cofounder Spiral and Cinque arrangements have a sense of harmony. Gallery. - What number of pieces should we use? Depends on the size of your Charles Alston (1907-1977) - teacher, 1st collection and your wall. I like to use an odd number of pieces. Make black supervisor for the WPA Arts Project, sure you leave enough space between pieces for your eye to rest and muralist, sculptor, co-founder Spiral. be able to focus on an individual piece. I like walls hung fairly tight but I have a lot of pieces and not enough walls. There are no rules, if you Allen Stringfellow (1923-2004) - founding feel pieces look cramped - spread them out. member South Side Community Art Center, activist, teacher, gallery owner. - Decide how high up on the wall you want your display to go. If the wall is in a room where you usually sit, start your display lower on the Charles White (1918-1979) - historian, wall. If it is a wall you usually see standing, like a foyer or a hallway, you activist, muralist, professor. can start hanging pieces at eye level and go towards the ceiling. Bolder Hale Woodruff (1900-1980) - teacher, pieces can hang higher. Save pieces with really fine detail (drawings, etchings, etc.) for spots where you can see them best. Art with sculptor, civil rights activist, co-founder Spiral. 'upward' energy (motion) can help visually 'raise' lower ceilings. Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) - narrative painter, historian, teacher. - Next we need to get a feel for where on the wall certain pieces will Augusta Savage (1892-1962) - sculptor, look best. I like to hang pieces that face outward near the center of the space. If I have a piece that faces strongly to the right - I hang it to teacher, mentor, founded Savage Studio of the left and vice versa. If a piece flows downward (the bottom of the Arts and Crafts (1932), helped to establish piece is 'heavier' than the top) I hang it higher on the wall. This helps the Harlem Artists Guild (1935), 1st director balance the arrangement. of the Harlem Community Art Center (1937), If you propped your art against the wall - shuffle it around. Try different influenced countless artists. pieces next to each other. Take a couple of smaller pieces and see if I know I have missed many artists. I hope you will they work next to a larger piece. If you have two large pieces - try using them right and left with smaller pieces between them. Keep shifting take time to learn more about these trailblazers pieces around until you find an attractive arrangement. There is no right that have influenced so many of today's or wrong. It doesn't matter if you have two pieces on it or twenty, just contemporary artists. like great art, a great wall arrangement should make you feel good every oun ou ay h ng w h o or an time you look at it! "I f d I c ld s t i s it c l d shapes that I couldn't say any other way -- things I had no words for." Next issue I'll show some examples of both good and not-so-good walls. If I can answer any questions, call or e-mail me. Georgia O'Keeffe JUST LOOKIN' w 40 Summit Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21740 w 301 714-2278 w 800 717-4 ART w Page 3  Huge Editions - Do 2,500 piece editions ever sell out?  Copycat artists - imitation is not flattery!  Shows - my pet peeve are shows that claim to be 'fine art' shows but allow giclees and offset reproductions to be shown.  People that own expensive houses and National Black Fine Art Show cars but don't have even one piece of art on Thursday February 2 - Sunday February 5 their walls. (Watch 'Cribs' on MTV) Don't miss the 10th Anniversary of the  Galleries that seem to enjoy intimidating premier show for original art!!! patrons. Sunday - March 12 Meet Michael Escoffery  All the folks that don't go to galleries for that reason. March 25-26 "Rites of Spring" And Finally - The UGLY Join us in a champagne celebration of art,  Canvas transfers (complete with our anniversary and Spring brushstrokes) being sold as "originals."  Seeing giclees labeled as originals. Friday May 19 - Saturday May 20  Certificates of authenticity worded in a Annual New York way to dupe the public. We have seen many Spring Fling that say "you have purchased a (fill in the We'll be in Midtown Manhattan with great art. Preview "Sisters Speak" before it opens at Just company name) original." No title for the Lookin' and attend our informal seminar on piece is given, no artist name but the buyer collecting, cataloging and insuring art! is led to believe that this is a proper June 2 - August 27 certificate of authenticity for an original work """S"SSSiiiisssstttteeeerrrrssss SSSpSpppeeeeaaaakkkk"""" of art. We have come far but perhaps not nearly 14 Lady artists, working in every medium and style, are featured in this show. far enough. What's your view? Different artists will be visiting on weekends during the show to discuss their work and views. Full show "I am considered a Black artist, but I'm fighting schedule will be posted in May. that. ...In the '60s and '70s it was very important Saturday - September 30 to make a strong statement, to bring Black artists The Pehl Collection and Black art out into open. But now we are Annual Artist Open House featuring faced with the next step. Now Black artists GRACE KISA Invitation Only - call or e-mail to be need to be included in thematic exhibitions. added to guest list That's the kind of thing I'm fighting now." October 1 - October 29 Benny Andrews 1988 "GLANCES OF GRACE" GGGaGaaalllllleeeerrrryyyy HHHoHooouuuurrrrssss Grace Kisa will kick off her show Sunday October 1st at Just Lookin' Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM Noon to 6 pm Sunday Noon to 5 PM November 3 - 4 Mondays and Holidays by appointment Eli Kince Studio Show - Harlem Dates are tentative for this invitation only show. © 2006 Just Lookin'. Published three times a year (usually!) by Just Lookin' Gallery. Distributed free to clients, friends Check www.justlookin.com for show updates and artists of Just Lookin'. 3 issue subscription $10.00. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. JUST LOOKIN' w 40 Summit Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21740 w 301 714-2278 w 800 717-4 ART w Page 4