Opportunity at ART Basel Satilite

We are in the middle of getting ready for 'Our Regonal Treasure" reception and lets not forget about Art Basel and all the 100's of satellite art happenings. This is Miami in the first week of December! I get a call from a person who also belongs to the Woman's Club of Coconut Grove offering me this opportunity, an opportunity artists only dream about. Be seen during Art Basel in the Wynwood District. I said OK, I am busy and do not return the call. If it is going to happen it will. The next phone call came. An hour later I drive over there and she tells me who the other artists are that have accepted. Lynn Facteau, Freda Tschumy all friends and artists whos work has been exhibited in our gallery.This is it. No one had come by yet to view, so I pick my space considering the location to the door I already know what is hanging where. I have always pre visualized all the shows I've curated, no problem. The light is good and I write on the wall "This wall is taken"Back at the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery I layout the work as I visualized it. I measure the space I measure the art I measure twice even the hight. It's a go. Fred gives me his approval. Looks a bit different. What seemed an ongoing long wall shrunk I remeasure knowing I want one more work of art in and I need inches. Started out with 20 inches between the paintings down to 16 for breathing space and ended up with only 10. The next consideration was the lightswitch, it is in wrong place, never noticed it before. The work of art is on silverleaf and way to delicate to be handled daily by moving it by just anyone. Ok thats not going to work. When it all came together we were happy we compromised and it's what we do to make things happen.

Busy working gallery

You can see, the mermaid from the Miami Watercolor demo is now finished and hanging . We posted a few videos below of it's progress. This photo is from the outside of the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery. All the artists in the gallery have something of theirs in the window. We try to be democratic. We always stay busy. Had a person stop by and tell me how satisfying it was to watch the work in progress.
Hans Feyerabend is returning a painting by Yana Bem which he framed for her, at my request. I love Yana's work and at first meeting her I asked her "Do you know who Richard Lindner is" She did, she also worked in NY for a while. Her women are bold strong much like Lindners. I have always admired his work.

Here is the gapping hole in the wall. It's the leak that I wrote about in an earlier post. They assured me it would not impede, the opening. What we did not recon with was the fact that during that period of time, Thanksgiving falls right into the middle of the week, and we loose two work days. Panic! not yet, my motto go with the flo. I have the "Our Regional Treasures" reception to plan still.
The workmen are tinkering with their copper pipes and we proceed with gallery business. Here is Yana with Barries and Beer on her left. This is going her Holiday greeting card.
Fred Hunt is building stretcher bars for his oversized watercolors. Garland one of our gifted Sat. morning students is hanging out because her mother works in the gallery just two doors down and it is always much more fun elsewhere. So I put her to work documenting Fred via my newest toy the Flip camera. She did a great job and he finds her presence less intrusive than mine.
Hi Fidelity is blastin away in the gallery and the mood upbeat along the riff. Six artists are painting away on their own project. Saturday morning was the art class which ended and a new project was introduced so that what the students learned in the past six weeks, now has application. A house for the Christmas Village that will travel through Coconut Grove during the snow days. They learned about fresco and how to achieve this faux finish.

Success Story - Sale

Boca Chica Light House

Artist Linda Apriletti
She has been working extremely diligently. Her day job is as an accountant. I have to tell you, of all the artists I have worked with she is the most dedicated. She has free time, she paints. She makes time to paint! She invests in herself: she takes workshops, saves her money and plans vacation time to coordinate with workshops with artists she admires. To be honest, I know of no other artist this passionate, other than my husband. So, I admire artist Linda Apriletti a great deal and am delighted to have her in the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery. She also listens to advice which is given freely and implements them. As her background is business she has the advantage of handling her art as a business. Does things we tend to be to busy to do. I advised her when I thought it was time for her to paint larger pieces and she did.
She keeps me posted, here is something she sent me and I am glad to share and let other artists see.
"I just had a great sale today. The "elevator man" as I call him (he's seen me in the elevator in my building bringing a painting to my office or back home now and then) came to the Palm sale the past 2 sales, this last one with his wife to show her my work. She liked it so they made an appointment and came to my house htis morning. And went home with 5 paintings, and a 6th on loan to see if it fits on their wall. The largest was the 20x20 Palm Island with the backlit cloud for their house in the Keys, the others ranged from 10x12 to 8x10 to group around the larger painting and to save for gifts for their children. The man loves my paintings and was telling some other people I'm the next "Beanie Backus". They were going to buy a large photo from Clyde Butcher and instead decided they wanted my paintings instead. If they have room, there's a likelihood of another sale of an 18x24 or this brand new painting 24x20 that I painted this week.

Miami 's Surrounded Islands

Jean Claude part of the creative team of "Christo and Jeanne-Claude"
Passed away on Wednesday of a brain aneurysm. She raised the funds for his ideas and they worked together. Miami is now side by side with the Ponte Neuf and the Reichstag and many other environmental projects that were touched by them. No one will ever forget her contribution.

“Surrounded Islands" 1983

Politics in ART

I think I owe my en plein air artists an explanation of how it is that we were to have an exhibition at the Mayors Gallery at Miami City Hall. Perhaps if I cannot bring this off I will post the Cliff Notes version of who did what to whom and what was said. At this junctore they, the City of Miami doesn't even realize they have a Mayors Gallery, yet every small town celebrates it's culture and has call for art in their public spaces. Even our State House in Tallahassee. Perhaps that is where this show should go.

Gallery Representation

Getting there for ART Basel

I am always on the look out for new work, fabulous artists who will help me make my gallery more successful. We should have a symbiotic relationship. I don't expect you to go back in my archives and read what I had to say, even though the information is plainly stated and valuable. I have artists come in daily looking for it. Gallery representation is an important topic. Why pick Windisch-Hunt Fine Art? You do not know me, as a matter of fact, I have never seen your here before. Have I made my point? I do portfolio reviews every Saturday (not during ArtBasel please). You should also be looking at Miami Beach galleries or in Wynnwood. Now is a real good time. After Art Basel most galleries disappear. Here is what I want from you when I take my time to visit with you: One portfolio, one original work of art, a CV, and a "thank you for your time" a week later. I find I'm assisting those artists who have the time to say thank you and stay on my radar.

Coconut Grove doing what it does best

This is what a Grove Buck looks like, much prettier than the BerkShares.

Picture perfect weekend for this Mad Hatter here our own version of the cast of characters, borrowed from our Sat. morning art class, today's class was performance art. What fun!
Here are just some of the tasks we take on as part of the committee. Tom Falco our own news beacon via the coconutgrovegrapevine and Stephen Licata head of the Merchants Assoc. and owner of Palm Produce. Go to the grapevine for more stories and photos of the event.
Now this hat of mine has a story. I knew I wanted a traditional hat a"Lampshade", We had a hat making party in the gallery. Night before I had created some of the committee's hats. Mine had to wait till the eleventh hour. This lovely lady come in, spend time, chatted, I lamenting that I had not found a bird and needed to run out to a craft store. She saw my had and said wait here I have just the thing. She returned with THE PERFECT PEACOCK ornament. It worked on all levels. Right now CVoconut Grove is in a controversy about them, the issue made the N.Y. Times. We are going to have Peacocks on Parade, and the colours complemented the shade, well you can see how this all came together.
I have advocated drumming for all sorts of reasons. Soon it may become a reality in the Grove. This is one of our gallery artists Karen Deilke with an authentic Indian drum.
The spirit of the Mad Hatter was embraced wholeheartedly as Grove Bucks were given out to the most outlandish creative hats. Grove bucks are legal tender in Coconut Grove.
One hour before closing, part of the committee seen here are all happy. Tom Faclo, Barbara Tejada, Daisy Lewis, Pauline Goldsmith. Lovely turnout for this event.
The first day was slow but on the Sunday the crowds tripled on our tree lined streets. Word of mouth was out. Both Pauline and I sent additional e mail reminders out as we had a vested interest in making this a success.
Here again hats were worn for fashion and for shade. As happens when you do art shows there will be people who are looking at the art for possible inclusion for upcoming art events. This was the case here. Center is Debra Cortese who will be doing a Holiday Bazaar and is visiting with artists who will suit her event.
Right in front of the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art gallery we had this scene. How wonderful to see such meticulously done crafts by Lisa Kundle seen here with her sister.

Festivals of all sorts do not happen on their own. Periodically you've read about the meetings on this blog. I attend, Coconut Grove community meetings as part of creating a network. This weekend I did not post as I was busy with the Mad Hatter art event. What stood out this weekend, the fun everyone had taking on the theme of Mad Hatter. Ascot would rival some of our creations.On Sunday I opted for a decorated sailor hat. This was one of the things I was asked to do. The peacock hat was difficult to wear.

Photographers pay attention

"Laura" A digital Print by photographer Dave Woody

Every two years the Smithsonian National Gallery sponsors a portrait exhibition. It is a very prestigious show, what could be more important than to be affiliated with the likes of the Smithsonian! It always surprises me and every artist ( our ego), who participate in juried venues, when we do not win. In this particular show the variety of wins was astounding. A lot of photography placed very high..... Hello Photographers -- those of you who still think you are stepchildren of art....Look at this 1st place photograph!! Congratulations Dave Woody!
And here is what we entered and didn't even place.

"Fur Elise" oil By Fred Hunt

I congratulate all the artists who put their best work forward to be juried by such a distinguished panel of judges. You would not have done so if you did not think there was an inkling of chance you would be in the shoes of Dave Woody.

Linda Wellens checks WC progress

I purchased my new toy only minutes before the Miami Watercolor Society demonstration. This was long time in coming. For several years now I had wanted to document Fred Hunt at the easel. You will see he is not exactly happy about this. Years ago when I started the One Ear Society I made a five year plan and it was to video tape artists I knew. I knew of no more interesting people than artists. What makes them so special, what is behind the drive, behind the creativity. There was a moment when I assisted Fred at U of M as he was painting a mural. I watched him load the brush and with one sweep he had painted a completed tree trunk. This is hard to explain, it was one of those magical moments that only a camera could do justice. I witnessed this and am still awe struck with no words to express what I witnessed. I knew this was no ordinary artist. We were not married then. So as not to digress to far, I'd been told that this was a fail proof camera and I had just enough money,for this advertised Sunday special. I had to have it or there would be no demo.
I am so glad, I got it. Now I can report via show and tell. This afternoon Linda Wellens came by to check on the progress of this watercolor demo piece . So, I took the time to record the interchange. The Miami Watercolor Society is going to get their money's worth.


I'm actually spending more time trying to download it and figure out which clip to show. Enjoy and give me feed back. This is another learning curve to hurdle,
Linda came back twice. I include this last image. It is important as you heard what Fred"s plans are for this area and this is when the magic begins. Now you see it, but will you recognize it when it is done.

Street Festival Jury duty

Took this challenge very seriously. For many years I was on the other end of this process, and don't you know we never ever agreed on the winning pick, by the jurors. Now my process was not to choose the winner, merely to select the artists who applied to participate and narrow the field. I felt it my duty to represent all the artists fairly. I went in with specific questions which may be the same ones you would have asked, after attending or participating in Street Festivals.

I've been there.

My questions

Is this process different from last year? No, however Zapplication has gotten better.
Have you already accepted artists? No the only ones not being juried are last years winners.
Are you promising locations? No
How many are we selecting? 160
Are we able to revisit artists if there are questions? No, but we did decide to add extra time by previewing each category prior to selection. This was a way of not choosing the first few who looked good only to find the best artists were at the end.
How have they been filtered to this point? Zapplication is the process we use and these artists notified them that they wanted to be in this show.

My poster was one of the best selling T shirts design s, they ran out before I got mine.

We were 3 jurors assembled in a school room equipped with Mac computers, all color calibrated so that we all saw the exact same image. The largest category was painting with 75 applicants, the next was 74 for photography. To my surprise, only 15 water color painters submitted. Historically they make the best posters. I was also very surprised that one of my friends who is always there did not submit this year. Carol Garvin what a shame.
We all had our own computer and sat in different areas of the room. First we previewed all the images together then went back to our stations to individually rate what we saw, from 1 to 10. The images on the whole were clear, what became somewhat confusing, were the artists

descriptions of their craft. We were able to read what the artist had to say abut their work not the artist statement. One artist had a very obtuse description making it difficult to decide was this the category, that they should be in. Another artist in their tent shot, showed their hand crafted work plus purses hanging on the wall, yet they showed no close up of purses. Purses go into the vendor part of the show not fine art. Another artist had lovely work then on their booth shot showed their name indicating this was not an individual artist. Also we had several people standing in their booth, now you all tell me why? That's the same as putting your name in bold letters somewhere on the image. I did ask to be recused on one as not only did I know the work well, I love it, I liked it so much that I featured her in a one woman show at one of my my galleries. She also had her pix in front of her booth with her husband. Doing these shows most artists already know each other and the jurors also have come to know street artists particularly if the style is distinct. My Key to the City of Miami Beach what a surprise.!

We three were there to make sure that they had the best show ever with a diverse collection of

beautiful art. The process was gruesome, I thought it would be a walk in the park. The fact that I asked to previewed each category before facing our Macs added more than two hours to the process. Breakfast was promised and was the usual, we did much better with lunch. We never left the premises. We had carry out lunch from Greenstreet Cafe, wraps. Now I didn't even know they had wraps on the menu, they was delicious that was a unanimous vote. So when your in the Grove for any kind of show, definitely try Green Street Cafe. I had the shredded chicken it was easy to eat and tasty. The wraps made it easy to continued through lunch. The entire process has become easier from the past. There are no slides to send back no trays to fill with slides. No abacus it all is digital. Click on the computer scroll through the images, take a moment to read what the artists has to say, rate them, continue. I was there approx 8 hours. No pay, just worked for food just like most artists are known to do. I admire the artists who still travel pay the submission fee, booth fee, hotel, food, travel. You all are in a league of your own. Now the process is left to the administrator to put everyone into the area that they said they belonged in. Vendors with vendors and the others all rotated throughout the show to make it interesting and enjoyable and the best to date. It was gruesome sitting in little chairs for 8 hours.

Miami Watercolor Society Demo

This afternoon one of our premier gallery artists did a demonstration for the Miami Watercolor Society. The demonstration basically invited the Miami Watercolor Society artists to expand the scope of what is normally the typical size for a watercolor painting. Fred Hunt at age 82 has not lost his touch. He is still witty and charming and made what could have been a dull demo interactive.Click on image to enlarge

Fred W. Hunt no longer paints with watermedia due to the physical demands of a traditional watercolor painting (bending over a flat surface) he is still investing in rolls of Fabriano paper with anticipation of going back to watercolor, a media he loves. He also sculps. Oil is now his preferred painting medium which is more suitable for a man of his age. Come and visit Fred as he is painting daily in the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery. See the progress of this painting,

we are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Did you catch the quip about painting with a dry brush like the English.

Boggie and we

artist Theresa Calluori and photographer Lynn Latham

Here once again doing a benefit for whom, you might ask. No sales, but a great deal of interest. What happens at this select events is that we showcase our work with the hope of making a sales. It is almost impossible with such romantic lighting, as you see in these pix. But everyone agreed unilaterally, that we had a very fine time. When was the last time anyone of us had such authentic delicious faire provided by Chef Andre. What a treat. The world knows that the Austro-Hungarian empire produces the finest in the culinary arts. Chef Andre hails from Linz, Osterreich. I went in the spirit of Morocco and dressed accordingly, after all this was a Bazaar. I pulled out art that was small and that had been around for a bit and some very new things. We did get a nibble, and she was at the gallery the very next day. THAT is why these events are important but not on your resume.

Casablanca for a night

Bank Event

Karen Deilke with what I consider Feng Shui correct art.

Here at the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery we are asked to participate via volunteering time, allowing for neutral territory meetings to take place in the gallery, and the list goes on. That is part of being in a community. So it was my pleasure to recommend artist Karen Deilke when I was approached by the local bank to recommend some artists who might want to showcase work. There were stipulations and even then, not everyone I recommended made the cut. The exposure is priceless, we handed out cards for the gallery and personal artist business cards. Even though we sometimes feel we are part of a unique small community like Coconut Grove and everyone should know us. Many business people attending had no idea that we were just around the corner. The bank was wonderful as they encouraged the purchase of the art on display.

Transitioning into ARt Basel mode

Fred Hunt getting ready to do a demo for the Miami Water Color Society on Sunday

NOVEMBER
Every month we go though a change up, but during this time (Nov. Dec.) we consider it a major transition as the competition in Miami gets stiff. Here in Coconut Grove at Windisch-Hunt Fine Art we take it personally. We don't get the crowds even though we are on the water and are part of Miami. The lucky thing for us is we are surrounded by five 4 star hotels all less than 7 min. strolling distance. So it stands to reason that if somethings goes wrong it will, and that just happened and it was funny.

Not a pretty picture but reality

I've had a leak which we discovered did not come from our space but from the Mayfair House Hotel above us. As we do monthly shows it's difficult to schedule a good time to have the work done, the same for the Hotel. Well we are transitioning and gaining one week because of Art Basel so we have workers tearing out a 8 ft. section of our gallery. I moved my desk area to the other side of the gallery and had not had the time to complete the move. ( I have something every single night for the next 5 nights and none in the gallery) One of the workmen said something to me, I neither speak Creole or Spanish so I just nodded after all her does our windows. I took a break for coffee with Fred Hunt to discuss our move to the Coconut Grove Bank's Event this evening. Something special for their large depositors. I look over and the workman had put everything that was left not tied down in a large trash container. My bills, my list of last months participants, print outs that are numerous. my shoes, DVDs, my change of clothes. amd some actual trash. I guess using LOL is appropriate here.

pay the piper!

Had a photographer come by and lament his good fortune. Seems to resents the fact, now that he is no longer in the Wynnwod District Gallery, he still has to pay a % for the sales that are generated out of that space. They had his work for a month and it didn't not move. It did start to sell however after he left. This has happened at our gallery as well. That is why a gallery will hold the artist to a 3 mo. clause from the start of the exhibit.
The fact that he was in a prime space with a reception, press, on going marketing escaped him and someone has to pay the staff, hello! I wrote this in the middle of the night and today I am changing out the art for a new show. Lo and behold the same question arises. "How do you know that the sale comes from here. " This one was eas from the departing. Because, the art in question hadn't seen the light of day as it was all collectible. I turned the question around. "When was the last time you exhibited this work?" He went on to tell me it had been in his High Rise Condo. I said "so how many people come through there to see the work". It was his private residence and not open to the public. " Well I had Dr. so and so and one other person." I responded "and they didn't buy it then possible if they buy it now it is because the Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery has cachet" and now in my e mail I have "Fine Art Views" by Clint Watson The Benefits of Gallery Representation by guest columnist Lori Woodward Simons. Haven't read it yet but I'm sure their not to far off on what I just wrote.

Blow a hole in adj.

Astrid Galan with her work.
She will have a reception at the Colombian Consulate Nov. 6th 7 to 9 p.m. Good Luck

Now I've seen it all. Termites? Big holes, big ones. She dropped by, all the way from Colombia. I'm looking at her work and am reaching to touch her frame, to have a closer look, I see specks of silver or light something not right? Filtering through the frame was light. Can you believe this, charming

Can't imagine what some of the imports for Art Basel will look like this year. There is not enough structure left to hang this work of art for any period of time. It cost the young artist to have her work framed and look at her size, she is definitely a petite.