Child Labor in U.S. History - The Child Labor Education Project

Child Labor in U.S. History - The Child Labor Education Project: "By then, American children worked in large numbers in mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, and as newsboys, messengers, bootblacks, and peddlers."

My Grandmother worked in mills when she was 12 years old. Her life was not fancy but she created a good life for her family. She kept a small house and cooked a very good Sunday dinner. She was devout and studied the Bible. She knitted and crocheted beautifully. Her sons were leaders who gave much to learning and the defense of the country. When she died in 1981 few took notice. How far we get in our lives depends not on the quality of what we do but, it seems, on what people see us as.

artblog: Sam Maitin

artblog: "Christmas Day that Philadelphia artist Sam Maitin had died. He was 76"

This is a sad loss for the Philadelphia art community. Sam Maitin brought joy for many through his art.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/27/2004 | On Barnes plans, lessons in success and failure

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/27/2004 | On Barnes plans, lessons in success and failure: "Also, Bailey said it was important for supporters of the move to make sure an artistic vision - not just a financial one - is central to the planning. The foundation's backers, he said, need to answer these questions: 'Why are we doing this? Why does the world need the Barnes collection to be preserved and interpreted and presented to the world?'" wrote Horn.

My desire to see the paintings at the Barnes is small. Why? There are many artists whose work I love to look at and they are not in the Barnes collection. It seems to me that there is a kind of art watching that some people go through that makes them feel cultured, like bird watching, they need to fill their life lists of artists and museums that are recognized as "important". This gives them a social status that can be shared at dinner parties.

I have sat in front of "Spring" for two hours. I have been stopped in my tracks by Titan. I marvel at a Dan Dallmann. I love the complexity of Jack Beals' mural in the 42nd St. subway station. I love the form of Rodin and have spent many hours following the rhythms he created. I look at art the same way others read a good novel. It takes time, not what the "New Barnes" seems to want to offer.

Christmas Wish

I hope that all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

While your friends are spending their savings at Walmart and
Lowes just think about what a great gift you are to those who take the
time to know you.

Peace

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 12/19/2004 | U.K. contrast shows pitiful state of arts funding

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 12/19/2004 | U.K. contrast shows pitiful state of arts funding: "Over here, meanwhile, the NEA receives $123 million a year — that's assuming it gets the $2 million bump for next year. Let's be generous and add in the roughly $36 million that the Department of Education earmarks for its Arts in Education program (money that the Bush administration wanted to eliminate but that Congress retained in its recent budget bill). That makes for a total of $159 million in federal support for the arts." wrote Papatola.

Compare this to the promise to fund the New Barnes Art Museum with $150 million. People act like artists are well off. Why? The value of a bunch of dead artists paintings make it seem like Americans care about art. The only people who will benefit will be the construction workers, and the museum staff. Where are the great American artists? Showing in commercial galleries and working at Home Depot or teaching other artists without any hope of making a living from their talent.

Artists don't need welfare just honest pay for their contribution to the American culture. The irony of the Barnes Art theft is that those who look at such a great synergy for the Parkway surely understand that they could never afford to go out and buy ten of the paintings Barnes collected. The only way they could get them was by moving them.

CPI Inflation Calculator

CPI Inflation Calculator: "This is an inflation calculator for adjusting costs from one year"

This web site gives the ability to calculate the inflation of anything by year in the US. If the Barnes endowment was 10 million in 1951 by just matching the 7.077% inflation it would be worth 70.8 million in 2003. Who knows what the real value of the art is but why trust that those charged with the management of it?

If you want to know why you feel like your not earning enough just calculate what you earned as a teenager.

Yahoo! News - Group Tries to Save Statehouse Nude Statue

Yahoo! News - Group Tries to Save Statehouse Nude Statue
: "Powers sculpted six versions of 'The Greek Slave' between the early 1840s and the late 1860s. The work became a symbol of the abolitionist movement before the Civil War" wrote Ring.

This is about the conservitives stupid idea that nudity is a sin. This is the same debate that got Eakins fired from PAFA in his day. When will the Christian right stop using children as an excuse to impose their evil ideas?

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/14/2004 | Art | It can move, but it won't be the Barnes anymore

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/14/2004 | Art | It can move, but it won't be the Barnes anymore: "In short, Ott swallowed a combination sob story and fairy tale" wrote Solzanski.

The reality is that the art is more important as a symbol of power and wealth to the cultural elite of Philadelphia. They don't care about art or artists but rather want to bask in the glow of the institution. Fame without doing the work of developing culture. It is ironic that the same people (GPCA) would complain about funding a small realist art school (see below) while supporting a truly artistic boondoggle.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/13/2004 | Judge: Barnes can move multibillion-dollar art collection downtown

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/13/2004 | Judge: Barnes can move multibillion-dollar art collection downtown: "'History and the evidence presented at these hearings shows this amount would not halt the foundation's downward financial spiral,' Ott wrote."

Done deal

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/12/2004 | Big grant for small art school

Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/12/2004 | Big grant for small art school: "n a letter sent in September to the authority, Peggy Amsterdam, GPCA president, said she was concerned about the size of the grant and the fact the new school's board had only three members, two of whom were Shanks and his wife, when the application was made." wrote Elisa Ung.

The rub is that a realist artist could be more sucessful than the majority of the artists showing in Philadelphia. Talent, skill and hard work should be rewarded. Perhaps we should look at the way all the other grants are made. The art world is full of those who only support their friends.

Report on creativity from Fast Company

The Artful Manager: Andrew Taylor on the Business of Arts and Culture: "where creativity is supported, valued, and recognized. People want the opportunity to deeply engage in their work and make real progress.'' wrote Amabile.

What is the level of creativity in the visual art community of America. Funding is low, art is attacked, and there is little recoginition for artists in the media. Creativity by its self is not art. The excuse that there are creative people working all over America is being used as a means to rationalize the removal of support from working artists. The idea that anyone can write plays or paint a painting is like saying anyone can be a doctor or design a bridge. It only allows the delusion of the value of the whole art profession.

Pennsylvania Aquatic Nuisance Species

Pennsylvania Aquatic Nuisance Species: "Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) are aquatic animals and plants that have been introduced into waterways in which they do not live naturally. They have harmful effects on the natural resources in these ecosystems and the human uses of these resources."

Artists need to be responsible for the earth also. When a concept is bad there is no reason for acting in an arrogant manner.

artblog- eels

artblog: "the local Korean market and then releasing them in the Skuykill River. This seemed like animal abuse to me, but Lowe was optimistic that the eels would return to their native lands with this 'knowledge,' which they will transfer to their other eel friends. "

What this does is show how dumb the art world can be. Why would any artist think it was a good idea to introduce a foreign species into our ecology? Perhaps they will all swim into the Delaware and die from the oil spill.

Fame

In Artblog there is a discussion about the lack of reviews in the Philadelphia media. It may be that the lack of print space given to artists, has everything to do with the fact that galleries tend to spend their advertising dollors on other marketing tools. Artists need for fame in the general press serves their egos more than it might lead to gallery sales. The key to marketing is to understand who the potential customers are. While it may seem that a review helps, who has done the research on the best way to get known? The art world is a small place. Word of mouth is the oldest and best way to get known. Just make good work and find those who aggree with what you do.

Barnes update

Today the Inqy has posted that the ruling will happen soon.

"Judge in Barnes case expects to rule by Dec. 15

Montgomery County Orphans' Court Judge Stanley Ott expects to issue a ruling by Dec. 15 on whether the Barnes Foundation can break with its founder's wishes and move its famed art collection from its home in Merion to a new gallery in Philadelphia. The trustees of the Barnes Foundation, along with three large Philadelphia foundations, want to build a new museum for the Barnes' art collection on the Parkway. The Barnes' trustees filed the case in Orphans' Court in September 2002.- Patricia Horn"

One can only wonder if the baby will be split in two. Will all sides be happy and will the Philadelphia region be served well?

This has nothing to do with makeing my life as an artist better. It will give those who are drawn to an Art Hall of Fame something to do.