Add-Art Makes Your World a More Aesthetic Place

Add-Art is a free FireFox add-on which replaces advertising on websites with curated art images. The art shows are updated every two weeks and feature contemporary artists and curators. Imagine getting rid of incessant sell —does anyone else want to put a foot through the taxi tv?— learn more about Add-Art . Another project by the amazing Steve Lambert with support from Eyebeam and Rhizome.

An example of the new order below:

Instant Grants!

They raised $100 each.Together they had $1000 in cash. They gave it all away to artists in the park.

The generosity foundation FSNUA aims to re-inspire creative thinking and action in everyday people by removing small barriers and providing encouragement. They give small, unsecured grants in the form of $10-$60 for creative projects thought up on the spot by everyday people. In the past this has included a merchant marine, two 10 year old girls, a US soldier on leave from Iraq, an accordion player from Alaska, and around 40 others. They funded their new paintings, drawings, knitting, and photojournalism projects, and the repair of one accordion. Projects that might not have happened.

Beyond the small amount of money, the project encourages people to see themselves as something other than workers or consumers even if it just for the length of time required to apply for a FSNUA grant. We also hope to re-inspire dormant desires to create while presenting an example of generosity without an ulterior motive.The members of the federation each raise $100, pool the money, and give it away. The result is a beautiful, motivating, friendly experience.













Original info via Steve Lambert

Getting by with a little help from my Friends

A video valentine for all my good friends. This year has been a bumpy one and I am grateful for their unwavering support and kindness. Today's post is a pass-a-long from Bonnie and Wayde. I love the sweetness—it seemed appropriate as a valentine for you!

Hard Times for Artists

With the current flap about arts institutions getting cut out of the stimulus package, I'd like to offer these videos as advice to starving artists. Paint with Ketchup Fries and Chocolate. You can eat it and and have your dessert too.

Copyright in the Grab and Go Era

Someone I know recently posted an album of photographs on Facebook to share. They had found them on the Facebook page of Joao Batista. They shared the album and it came up on my facebook page as "By Joao Batista." The problem was that whoever Joao Batista is, he was doing a disservice to the original artist/photographer by not posting an attribution of the photos he put in his album. The photos are by Peter Menzel and are contained in his book, Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.
I don't know Peter, I'm just a fellow artist who's thinking a lot about the ease of sharing with a digital copy and paste. I'm not against sharing, in fact with the ego of an artist, I'd like as many people as possible to see my work. What I do want; is to keep any and all of my rights, to make money if appropriate to do so, and to have full attribution whenever it's used.

We should all be using some form of the new Creative Commons copyright. It's easy to do, you just go to their website and fill out an online form which generates a piece of code you just cut and paste—see below:


www.susanandkurt.blogspot.com by Susan L Shaw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at creativecommons.org.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.menzelphoto.com/books/hp.html.

Desktop List #1

I've been getting a slew of lists on Facebook—where people state 25 things about them. I know the people and have reflected about; the need to make lists, the untruthfulness of some statements—perhaps kindly aspirational, first date topic prep in a capsule, insidious chain letters AND how these things would look as a visual list. To that end I turned the camera on myself, or more specifically my desk. Like the text some things are revealed, some hidden. Contained within are my mother, my children, my work life, my friends and a reflection of self, truthful but oblique, shorthand notes constrained by frame.

Art $$$ in a Down Economy

Several of you have responded to me personally on my blog post about art and commerce for which I thank you. These days I've been thinking a lot about money too. To that end I've been trying to educate myself as much as possible, so here a list of some places you should check out.

Internet for Artsts is one of the Creative Capital workshops that addresses the issue (among other valuable and relevant topics). Check for their workshops, not offered frequently but great. Some of the workshop leaders use the internet to raise money in different ways, as do other unconnected artists like Carter Kustera. Eve Mosher raises money via internet by contribution for her public art works; Steve Lambert sells art for the price painted on the front; some artists sell books of their works on specific topics like techniques and/or themes on Blurb; some sell limited editions of prints; Carter sells portraits through Jonathan Adler the designer and so on. I own a beautiful modern dollhouse designed by architect Peter Wheelwright and Laurie Simmons who designs lots of related things.

Also check for anything taught by Jackie Battenfield (she recently gave a FREE workshop as part of Queens Council on the Arts.) Check the CUE art foundation's professional development series, check out NYFA and each boroughs Cultural Council.

In addition, two thoughts to leave you with:
1. I bought Ed Rucha's self printed "Nine Swimming Pools and a Broken Glass" for $3 many years ago. It was a limited edition artist book. I enjoyed looking at it the years it was in my possession. It left my hands 2 years ago for $1200.
2. I'm checking this out in lots of ways myself. Here's your chance to get one of my very own limited edition artist books. If you buy one, I'll personally autograph it for you at one of my exhibitions, someone else's exhibition, a membership breakfast, etc. and who knows...

Coney Island's...

By Susan Shaw

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