11.30.2007
Local art updates!
Click Clique added a zine section to thier site, showcasing a run of little photo books they recently made. Evereman has uploaded an album of new products to his myspace page with all kinds of Evereman stuff that you've only dreamed of. Atlanta Creatives Project has added an extended interview with Charlie Owens to their blog. MINT Gallery is still looking for artists to participate in next weeks post card show.
11.29.2007
Steven Dixey and Jason Murphy
Do yourself a favor and check out the openings at Eyedrum this Saturday. Steven Dixey, who was recently featured on Atlanta Creatives Project, will be showing seven new paintings while Jason Murphy also has eight or so new pieces.
Whoa! What is this?
Whoa! What is this?
11.28.2007
Atlanta art blogging and the history of ThoughtMarker
Around this time last year, I was attending art shows regularly at a handful of galleries. I had just watched Beep Beep Gallery move out of their house and into the real world and I was beginning to realize that the art scene in Atlanta was more than just a bunch of galleries in Buckhead serving champagne to people wearing shiny shirts. I was also reading magazines and blogs such as Juxtapoz and Wooster Collective that were exposing me to thriving scenes of street, lowbrow, and DIY art in New York and San Francisco. I knew their level of success couldn't be reached by the typical word of mouth/flyer strategy that underground art generally employs. I wanted to create an outlet for the promotion and celebration of art in the scene which interested me. Thus ThoughtMarker was born; a blog focusing on promoting upcoming local shows in particular venues or by certain artists, with the occasional street art photo, lowbrow observation, local film critique, or art journalism rebuttal. I started the kind of blog that I wanted to read, a combination of what I was interested in and what I thought Atlanta needed.
Since then a number of other atlanta art blogs have surfaced, each with a similar overall goal, but widely varying approaches. The most similar at first glance is Artlanta Artnews, utilizing the most obvious combination of the words art and Atlanta that I thankfully past up months before. This blog posts flyers and press releases for seemingly random shows and events with no apparent agenda or theme. Attempts to contact them have failed. As far as I can tell it's run by an arbitrary art post generator. [I just examined the site more closely and realized that it is more or less an open forum that posts it's access info so anyone to contribute. That certainly explains my observations but changes my thoughts completely. It provides a forum for promotion that is the most democratic and self sufficient possible.]
The next closest blog to ThoughtMarker showed up this May in the form of Local Ephemera. The goal here is not so much to promote the art shows, but to give the artwork a longer lifespan and more attention through documentation and discussion. The author is generally light on critique, but intelligent and analytical in his observations. He also veers towards a slightly higher class gallery than I do, but there is good deal of overlap. Overall an essential piece to the Atlanta art blog puzzle and a blog I was very happy to have discovered.
Even more recently, a handful of promotion websites have reared their heads. The most interesting of these is Plug Atlanta. The central idea and major strength of Plug Atlanta is the commitment to showcasing flyers as art. The only problem is that the site becomes an internet junk pile, littered with too many flyers to sift through visually, and many made by people who have forgotten that flyers should be art. Since its launch, the site has already been revamped once, so my hope is that with more tweaking, Plug Atlanta will find the balance between current flyer art gallery and open promotion forum that it aspires to be. The other two sites, Out of the Tube and Art Relish, are visual art focused and, in my opinion, too comprehensive in terms of listings. Out of the Tube is a blog that posts short (but not short enough) video features of gallery shows. Out of the Tube also features an event calendar, gallery listings, and links to other blogs etc. Art Relish is essentially the exact same site only it appeared later. It literally pulls content directly from Out of the Tube. Why somebody felt the need to make a duplicate site to accomplish the same thing, I know not.
In terms of photographically providing exposure for artists, there is a fine line between documentation/journalism and visual art. Atlanta Creatives Project is the only blog in Atlanta to stand firmly on the art side of the line. By doing photo shoots of local artists and bands, ACP (why did they have to end up with the same acronym as Atlanta Celebrates Photography?!) looks to connect local artists visually with the community. Name and face recognition will lead to a stronger and more supportive scene. I sometimes wonder if dragging the artist into the realm of celebrity won't have adverse effects as well, but that discussion is for another time. Apart from anything else, the idea of supporting art by creating art is one to be celebrated to no end.
We all have our role to play in shaping and exposing the growing and changing art scene in Atlanta. Blogging is but one of the factors that will determine the future of our community. If you made it through this whole thing, leave a comment, its what makes blogging a conversation and hence more effective in connecting with an audience than old world journalism. The posters of the first few comments will get free ThoughtMarker shirts that I will be unveiling and giving away throughout December. Thank you Atlanta, for everything.
Since then a number of other atlanta art blogs have surfaced, each with a similar overall goal, but widely varying approaches. The most similar at first glance is Artlanta Artnews, utilizing the most obvious combination of the words art and Atlanta that I thankfully past up months before. This blog posts flyers and press releases for seemingly random shows and events with no apparent agenda or theme. Attempts to contact them have failed. As far as I can tell it's run by an arbitrary art post generator. [I just examined the site more closely and realized that it is more or less an open forum that posts it's access info so anyone to contribute. That certainly explains my observations but changes my thoughts completely. It provides a forum for promotion that is the most democratic and self sufficient possible.]
The next closest blog to ThoughtMarker showed up this May in the form of Local Ephemera. The goal here is not so much to promote the art shows, but to give the artwork a longer lifespan and more attention through documentation and discussion. The author is generally light on critique, but intelligent and analytical in his observations. He also veers towards a slightly higher class gallery than I do, but there is good deal of overlap. Overall an essential piece to the Atlanta art blog puzzle and a blog I was very happy to have discovered.
Even more recently, a handful of promotion websites have reared their heads. The most interesting of these is Plug Atlanta. The central idea and major strength of Plug Atlanta is the commitment to showcasing flyers as art. The only problem is that the site becomes an internet junk pile, littered with too many flyers to sift through visually, and many made by people who have forgotten that flyers should be art. Since its launch, the site has already been revamped once, so my hope is that with more tweaking, Plug Atlanta will find the balance between current flyer art gallery and open promotion forum that it aspires to be. The other two sites, Out of the Tube and Art Relish, are visual art focused and, in my opinion, too comprehensive in terms of listings. Out of the Tube is a blog that posts short (but not short enough) video features of gallery shows. Out of the Tube also features an event calendar, gallery listings, and links to other blogs etc. Art Relish is essentially the exact same site only it appeared later. It literally pulls content directly from Out of the Tube. Why somebody felt the need to make a duplicate site to accomplish the same thing, I know not.
In terms of photographically providing exposure for artists, there is a fine line between documentation/journalism and visual art. Atlanta Creatives Project is the only blog in Atlanta to stand firmly on the art side of the line. By doing photo shoots of local artists and bands, ACP (why did they have to end up with the same acronym as Atlanta Celebrates Photography?!) looks to connect local artists visually with the community. Name and face recognition will lead to a stronger and more supportive scene. I sometimes wonder if dragging the artist into the realm of celebrity won't have adverse effects as well, but that discussion is for another time. Apart from anything else, the idea of supporting art by creating art is one to be celebrated to no end.
We all have our role to play in shaping and exposing the growing and changing art scene in Atlanta. Blogging is but one of the factors that will determine the future of our community. If you made it through this whole thing, leave a comment, its what makes blogging a conversation and hence more effective in connecting with an audience than old world journalism. The posters of the first few comments will get free ThoughtMarker shirts that I will be unveiling and giving away throughout December. Thank you Atlanta, for everything.
Young Blood Gallery: Seasons
As usual Youngblood Gallery packs in 40 artists for a themed, winter group show. Seasons opens December 1st from 7-11 and features some of my local favorites.
11.26.2007
Thief Warrior Gladiator King
Go to the Plaza Theater on Ponce this Tuesday (11/27/07) to see the cult classic "Conan The Barbarian" on the big screen at 9:30 for only $7. Preceding the screening will be an opening for the sword and sorcery inspired art of Shane Morton (aka Professor Morte of Silver Scream Spook Show fame). Then after the movie, if you can beat me at Galaga, I'll tell you how to get a free ThoughtMarker shirt.
11.23.2007
The Adventure
The Adventure is the newest short from Fake Wood Wallpaper, the film collective that brought you Bloodcar, which by the way is now available on DVD both from Blockbuster Online and Netflix. (Or purchase it from their website.) If you're a film festival person, be on the lookout. The Adventure is both eerily bizarre and beautifully shot, here's the trailer.
11.22.2007
11.20.2007
Bean: The Encyclopedia Studies
This Saturday, November 24th from 8-12, Beep Beep Gallery opens it's most conceptual and process based exhibit to date. The Encyclopedia Studies by Bean Summer (aka Ben Worley) is a documentation/assimilation project of endless scope. In this installment, images from volume "A" of a 1950's World Book Encyclopedia are overlaid in video form, then recaptured and printed sequentially or creatively. For an idea of the aesthetic, check the video and flyer below.
11.19.2007
MINT Call for Artists
Last December MINT hosted its first ever show, a Postcard Pinup Show at Tube with 60+ artists. Its almost a year later, MINT has its own space and The Postcard Pinup Show is back. Get off your ass and make some art. Here's the details:
MINT's 2nd Annual Postcard Pinup Show, a non-curated show open to all Georgia artists, takes place Saturday, December 8th at the MINT Gallery in the Virginia Cotton Dock Lofts. The exhibition will be from 7-11 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Artists must hand deliver their work to the MINT Gallery on Friday, December 7th between 7 and 9 p.m. or on Saturday, December 8th between 1 and 3 p.m. Artists may submit up to 4 pieces but none may exceed 4" x 6" and they must be delivered unframed and unmatted. Artists can price their work individually or as a series to be sold as a set. However no individual piece may be priced over $50 and no series may be priced over $125. Artists must agree to donate 40%, 60% or 100% of the selling price to MINT. Those who chose to donate 100% will be recognized and honored at the show. Unsold artwork may be picked up on Sunday, December 9th between 3 and 6 p.m. The required application/release form is available at the drop off or via email from mint@mintgallery.org
MINT's address is:
684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave.
Unit B
Atlanta, GA 30312
MINT's 2nd Annual Postcard Pinup Show, a non-curated show open to all Georgia artists, takes place Saturday, December 8th at the MINT Gallery in the Virginia Cotton Dock Lofts. The exhibition will be from 7-11 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Artists must hand deliver their work to the MINT Gallery on Friday, December 7th between 7 and 9 p.m. or on Saturday, December 8th between 1 and 3 p.m. Artists may submit up to 4 pieces but none may exceed 4" x 6" and they must be delivered unframed and unmatted. Artists can price their work individually or as a series to be sold as a set. However no individual piece may be priced over $50 and no series may be priced over $125. Artists must agree to donate 40%, 60% or 100% of the selling price to MINT. Those who chose to donate 100% will be recognized and honored at the show. Unsold artwork may be picked up on Sunday, December 9th between 3 and 6 p.m. The required application/release form is available at the drop off or via email from mint@mintgallery.org
MINT's address is:
684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave.
Unit B
Atlanta, GA 30312
11.14.2007
Look out for December!
There are still a couple of shows left in November, but December shows are beginning to pile up. Look for several big group shows at East Atlanta Tattoo, MINT, Youngblood, Foundation One, East Side Lounge, and Lenny's. Not to mention Steven Dixey and Jason Murphey at The Eye Drum. Flyers to come.
11.13.2007
New Photos at Atlanta Creatives Project
Check out The Atlanta Creatives Project for some new photographs of Atlanta artists Charlie Owens and Bethany Marchman taken by Atlanta Creatives sharpshooter, Neda Abghari.
11.12.2007
Pabst Blue Ribbon Commercial
My friend Chuck likes to make low tech animation and unsolicited commercials. Check out this one that he made for your favorite adult beverage. PBR!
11.09.2007
11.05.2007
400 Blows
If you have friends that went to film school, then I bet you've noticed that they won't shut up about 400 Blows playing at the Plaza:
"Only a few more chances to see THE 400 BLOWS on the big screen!
Monday at 7:30
Tuesday at 7:30 & 9:30
Then thats it! Gone forever and you'll be left with a crummy DVD on a tiny TV."
"Only a few more chances to see THE 400 BLOWS on the big screen!
Monday at 7:30
Tuesday at 7:30 & 9:30
Then thats it! Gone forever and you'll be left with a crummy DVD on a tiny TV."
11.01.2007
Sam Parker at Binders
Binders in Buckhead is hosting all kinds of demos and stuff this Saturday (nov.3) including a Montana spraypaint demo by local artist Sam Parker.
And more......
Aside from the ever amazing and fun Chomp N Stomp in Cabbagetown park Saturday, Tindel has a show at Sabra Gallery in East Atlanta, and thee's a show at Park Grounds in Reynoldstown:
Weekend Openings
Good stuff coming up. Alcove Gallery is back, but has moved to Decatur. Youngblood has a cool show opening up. Art.
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