Working on an Art Show
As I’ve mentioned before, I had an art gallery in San Francisco for four years. I absolutely loved it! We represented 22 mostly emerging artists, and showed contemporary work. It was located in San Francisco (steel gallery), and the artists we represented were local, and also from all over the United States, and from around the world. It was one of the happiest experiences of my life, and a richly exciting four years that taught me a great deal. I learned a lot about the business, the art, the process, and the wonderful people whose work we showed. And I was enormously sad when we decided to close two years ago. In light of the current economy, it was probably a wise decision, but I still miss it.
Many of our artists moved on to other galleries when we closed, and a very good San Francisco gallery took on representation of several of our artists. And several months later (as I moaned about how much I miss my gallery, over lunch) the gallery owner made me a fantastic offer: to curate a show for her at her wonderful gallery. I loved the idea!
Together, we put together a beautiful show of contemporary work (some abstract, some figurative) by artists she represented, some she knew of but didn’t represent, some of my old artists that she didn’t represent, and a few others whose work I knew and liked as well. The show looked great and I was so excited to be working in a gallery again and curating a show. (Curating means that you choose the artists, pick which pieces of their work you want to exhibit, and then decide where to hang the pieces on the gallery walls, to create the show). We spent many months working on it, and the woman who owns the gallery was a joy to work with and gave me a lot of artistic license with the show. I had a ball!
Recently, she asked me to do another show with her. The previous one was last year. The new show will be in August, and we started working on it in February. We selected 14 artists, and a theme that seems like fun. The title of the show is ‘Word’, and the work we’ll show, both paintings and sculpture, will all be pieces that have words or text in them. And once again, I am thrilled to be curating a show. It is so exciting to be in the art world again! I’m thrilled!
Over the coming months, we’ll stay in touch with the artists, visit their studios, and select the work that we include in the show. I’m really looking forward to it. I love my day job (writing), but I love the art world too, and am grateful to have the opportunity to keep my hand in and work in the world of contemporary art as well. It is soooooo much fun!
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I’m smiling just reading this —
Quelle chance de pouvoir travailler avec ses passions !! Nous n avons pas tous cette chance malheureusement …
J ai une petite question pour vous : etes vous déja allez dans le nord ouest de la France ? Vers la Bretagne , la normandie , la vendée … ??
Quel plaisir de vous lire sur votre blog …
I think this would be very exciting. I love the show’s title! Excellent choice! Enjoy.
speaking of art…
hello danielle, I contacted you awhile back..under a different email, telling you about how much I enjoyed reading his bright light, and it has been a constant inspiration to me. I am re reading the book again, and I admire you and your family so much for the courage and love you guys had throughout those years. I struggle daily with major depression..the doctors thought I was bipolar II for awhile, but that is still un clear. I take lamictal and paxil everyday.
I am an artist, and I did a quick sketch of Nick the other day and I thought I would share it with you. It’s not perfect, but I really enjoyed drawing it–drawing is one of the things that gives me complete joy when I am living in the moment with my art.
I hope you are doing well in life and thank you for writing novels for people who enjoy reading them so much (my mother was one of them, she passed away 3 years ago).
Here is the link to the drawing:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v252/ydu27/?action=view¤t=3198_502943490919_86800106_30038299.jpg
It is not growing like a tree
In bulk, doth make men better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere:
A lily of the day,
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night;
It was the plant and flower of light.
Ben Jonson
I don’t think that link works..let me try this one:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v252/ydu27/?action=view¤t=3198_502943490919_86800106_30038299.jpg
hm..that’s the same link..o well
I am a fine art / illustration major at the laguna college of art and design and am starting my 4th year there, although I am still a junior. I love art, it is my passion..and it sounds like you are having much fun curating..that sounds like something I would like doing as well. Anyways, good luck with the show and heres to many more that will come.
please write me back and let me know what you think of the drawing, I know you are a busy woman but you seem sooo down to earth, I love it..and love your blogz
sarahcreek@lagunacollege.edu
sarah