The Affordable Art Fair 2009 this year moved into their new location at 7 W 34th, in Manhattan. The area was clean and organized albeit a little crowded due to the cramped nature of the booths and little room for perspective viewing. Of course, most of the deficiencies were made up by the quality artwork. My paintings were received well and even if it did not find a home at the end of the day, the gallery told me that the piece did generate a lot of attention. Of course, a common refrain heard amongst people who explicitly commented on the piece was that 'the subject was a little too stark/dark'. A number of pieces at the fair were exceptional and talent was clearly on display (this year more so than last). Maybe with the economy in the doldrums, artists took it upon themselves to improve quality lest they not catch the eye of the more discerning/picky visitor. Or maybe, it was the gallery owners who were more circumspect with their choice given the low times - one really never knows. Even if my work did not sell, the gallery representing me (Ugallery.com) did manage a good showing in the three days they were holed out in midtown Manhattan. A satisfying end to a satisfying week… A shout-out to Stephen Tanenbaum, Alex Farkas, and Greg Rosborough of Ugallery in letting me be a part of this…
A view of the space.
My oil painting 'Battery No. 1' (36" X 48") at the UGallery stall. The story behind this painting is covered in detail here. We finally ended up buying a small 'affordable' work of Lana Williams' from the UGallery stall. 
David Michael Hollander, 'Ganesha on the Road', oil on canvas. Western artist - typical Indian religious theme
Linda Ingraham, 'Datura on Red #1', 3/8, archival pigment print, paint and resin on panel. She takes a close up photograph, layers it with resin, overpaints and then more resin scraping and working. Visually stunning.
Natalie Majaba Waldburger, 'Tied 2', An encaustic on panel work, 36" X 48". Very demanding medium. Flawless execution.
Christiaan Lieverse, 'Dutch Girl III', graphic and oil on canvas. Classic works. Simple elegant lines.
Michele Del Campo, 'The calm sea behind', Oil on canvas, 120 cm X 120 cm. Bold, urban themed oils from Italy.
Shannon Cannings, 'Trigger Happy', 38" X 40", Oil on canvas, 2008. Very interesting work. It is said that the child in the painting was Shannon's daughter. Guess the artist wanted to make a statement on gun violence. Wondered if the hands depicted were an adult's or those of the child's...
Michele Mikesell's small sized but exquisite oil and enamel on canvas paintings. Otherworldly quality about these alien like forms.
Tracy Helgeson's lush landscapes and barns stood out from quite a distance. I have been so used to seeing her works on the web, but looking at it in person is quite an experience.
Note: The photographs above covered a very small percentage of the extremely inspired artwork we found there. In the interests of brevity and time, I need to end here. More of the artists and their works here.... (Also, some pictures were cropped for clarity and focus).
2 comments:
Wow really enjoyed reading your blog..also your insight about the fact that people are also looking for some hope and positive aspects in art is totally fair given the current times..loved some of the other paintings as well...wow amazing works!! really great that your works are so well received!
Some of the paintings you shot are amazing. I wish I could have been there.
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