Nickolas Conlon NOW and THEN

WWW.nicholasconlon.com  $25 Signed Edition- purchase at the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network, 440 E. 47th Street, Chicago IL  60653.  

   Volume two will be available in March 2014, Amazon.
Nicholas learned everything on the streets in a meat and potato beer and shotguns games and let it type of atmosphere.

Amiri Baraka (1934-2014): Poet-Playwright-Activist Who Shaped Revolutionary Politics, Black Culture

Amiri Baraka (1934-2014): Poet-Playwright-Activist Who Shaped Revolutionary Politics, Black Culture

"Art is Business"

Phantom Galleries LA | PGLA revitalizes and energizes communities and pedestrian thoroughfares by transforming unoccupied properties throughout Los Angeles County into vibrant cultural hubs through the 24/7 public presentation of art.

"Art is Business"

Phantom Galleries LA | PGLA revitalizes and energizes communities and pedestrian thoroughfares by transforming unoccupied properties throughout Los Angeles County into vibrant cultural hubs through the 24/7 public presentation of art.

A Message for the Phantom Gallery Curators

SUBMITTING DOCUMENTATION and ARTIST IMAGES:

Curators, please make a note of the submission requirements. 

In order for the marketing consultant to load images the following format must be submitted. Submitting only website links, will not surface, and becomes time-consuming to search, and format for usability. This is also resourceful when our developers are submitting documentation to funding institutions. This will also help you in your future endeavors.

1. Submit the entry fee of $40 per artist (membership fee) online payable to  Phantom Gallery Chicago Network, use the PayPal button on this blog to make payments online.

2. Create a folder with 4 images per artist, including a logo if a group.

 List your name, address, telephone number, email, and web link; this must be done per artist in your group. Save as a  “JPEG” format at 72 dpi, approximately 1200 X 1800 pixels.

Images should be labeled with the first word of the title, e.g., images of artwork titled “Phantom Gallery” should be labeled with your last name phantomgallery.jpeg .

A description of the work and size. If installation what is the square foot of the space. 

No CD entries will be accepted (email zip entries are accepted online only.

Create a bio/resume

Artist Inventory list that includes the name, medium, and size of each entry in the same order as the images appearing on the file and value. 

Group applications must include a statement on how the works are selected by the group to ensure the quality of works submitted.

This information will be used by the marketing consultant when posting to  ARTslant, Blogger, Facebook groups, and other publications.

This price list will also be used for insurance purposes. CNA 

List sponsor information, and logo if applicable, this will be listed on the  Phantom Gallery Blogspot , and WordPress web-link. 

International Art Group Phantom Gallery 2012

Collection Management: The First Step

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AXA Art Collection- page image

I am providing this information to artists, collectors, and curators doing business with the Phantom Galleries. As galleries, it is invaluable that we continue to gather information and advice from experts in the field. I am currently taking an inventory of my collection and personal artwork as part of my estate planning—artwork that was entrusted to me for my collection prior to incorporation.  

Collection management is an ongoing process. Start by documenting and tracking relevant information.

Maintain a file for each work. Records can be paper, electronic, or a mixture. Attend the exhibitions of the artists you collect. Clip their reviews. Turn to a certified appraiser when you need specific information about value.  Decide whether you need Fair Market Value or Insurance Replacement Value. 

If you send a work for conservation, obtain the conservator’s report for your file.

Research

Documenting each work

Tracking

Checklist

You’ve assembled a collection. How do you look after it?

First, this ongoing process extends from proper installation and the right inns coverage to planning for subsequent stewardship. A conservator, appraiser, and attorney may all play a role.

Documenting each work

A good first step is documenting and tracking relevant information. Maintain a separate file for each work. Include the purchase invoice with the date and seller. Ask the gallery or auction house for available photographs as well as exhibition and conservation histories. Take color photographs of the back and front of a painting and several angles of a three-dimensional object.

Record information on the back of the photograph as it will be hidden once the painting is framed. Train your eye to detect all nuances about the baseline condition of each object is there an anomalous patch of paint? Do striations appear in the patina of a bronze sculpture? Date all observations. Finish by completing the checklist on the next page.

 Your records can be paper, electronic, or a mixture. With a simple spreadsheet, a Microsoft Access database, or off-the-shelf collection management software. You can create reports with ease. Plan to store a copy of your data in a separate location.  Although you may prune works from your collection, keep the records. They are a valuable part of your collection history.

Research

Learn all you can about the content or meaning of each work and the times it was made. Research the artist’s biography. Make it a goal to visit exhibitions of artists you collect. Clip and save their reviews from newspapers, magazines, and online. Follow their stylistic development. Whose works are like theirs? What periods within their work are considered most important? Challenge yourself to grasp the details as well as the larger picture.

Tracking

You will want to be aware of the market conditions for the areas in which you collect. Are values climbing, falling, or remaining stable? This information will guide many decisions, from insurance and gifting to security and estate planning. Auction catalogues and online auction databases such as Artnet.com, artprice.com, or AskART.com provide a useful range of pricing for paintings and sculptures. Artfact.com follows furniture and decorative arts as well.

 For a more precise figure, turn to a certified appraiser. Specify whether you require fair market value (the basis – with adjustments—for taxes, gifts, and donations) or replacement value (for insurance). Fair Market Value equals the price likely to be received at auction. Replacement value is usually higher and can be considered an object’s retail price. It is wise to have a collection reappraised every five years or so. As the foregoing suggests, good collection management is the rational side of collecting. Yet its rewards are also satisfying, yielding an acceptable result: a collection secured for the ages.

Checklist

Below is essential information to record about each item in your collection. Find a similar checklist at AXA-ART. 

Artist/Maker

Dates of Artist/Maker

Title of Work

Description of Subject Matter or Type of Work

Date of Work

Materials

Dimensions

Condition: Describe the object’s surface and carefully note any changes during periodic re-examinations. If you send a work for conservation, obtain the conservator’s report and file it. Note in your record the date of the report and that you have added it to the file.

Inscriptions and Markings: Examine the back and front of every two-dimensional work. Record earlier labels, inventory numbers, artist signatures, and all other writing.

Distinguishing Features

Location of object: Especially important if you have more than one residence.

Display: Who framed or mounted it? How is it secured?

Provenance: What is the collection history of the object? To whom did it previously belong? Pay special attention to antiquities and any work created before 1946 that was considered in Europe after 1932.

Bibliography: Is your work cited in the catalogue raisonne (a systematic annotated catalog; especially: a critical bibliography) of the artist? This will affect valuation, as authentication frequently depends on a work’s inclusion in the accepted catalogue raisonne. Are there other citations?

Exhibition History: Please file a copy of the catalogue of any show in which a work has appeared. Otherwise, copy the complete reference, including dates and location.

Purchase Price and Date

Appraisal History

Loan History: Record exhibition dates, venues, and the value placed on the work at the time of the loan. Make notes about the condition report from each location.

Art is Business"- Reference: ART News/Summer 2005 Collection Management Checklist   by Vivian Ebersman, Director of Art Expertise AXA ART Collection Management Series

Live Painting with Live Music - Tali Farchi & Royce Deans with Reneé Bak...

Frequently Asked Questions Toolkit- 2010

"Art is Business"

Toolkit- 2010

Here are some questions that people have asked us so that they can start their own storefront program.

If you're a city entity

• How did you recruit property owners to participate in the program, and approximately how many individual property owners are you working with?
• Are the property owners receiving any compensation for their loan of vacant space?
• How did you handle liability issues?
• How much did the extra insurance cost?
• How did you recruit artists?
• What kind of art was selected, and is it viewed solely from the street?
• How often do you plan to change out exhibits/artwork? Do you have your schedule already set for the duration of the pilot program?
• What was your budget?
• Do you have samples of your contracts?

If you're a property owner

• How do I find an artist or artist collective?
• What is the minimum the property owner should provide?
• Should the property owner select the specific art?
• Who pays for what?
• How long doe the artwork stays in the window?
• What if the artist doesn't want to remove the art?
• What if the property owner wants the art to stay longer?
• What should be included in a letter of agreement between an artist and a property owner?

If you're an artist

• How do I find a property owner to work with?
• How do you establish the value of your artwork for insurance purposes?
• NEW What have you found to be successful to light the art installations at night?

IF YOU'RE A CITY AGENCY LOOKING TO START A PROGRAM:
How did you recruit property owners to participate in the program, and approximately how many individual property owners are you working with?

Our goal was to have 26 storefront installations in vacant storefronts in four neighborhoods. We worked with an economic development nonprofit organization in each neighborhood with pre-existing and deep connections with local merchants and property owners.

It was still difficult to get property owners to participate for several reasons.
Some property managers we approached thought it was a great idea but the owners, many of whom didn't live in the neighborhood or City, declined.

Some property owners thought it was a great idea until they had to sign the contract. Then, a few property owners dropped out because we asked them to carry general liability insurance.
Even though we offered to clean up properties in return for their willingness to use the space, property owners didn't jump at the opportunity.

We expanded our initial concept and included under-utilized storefronts and businesses where the display windows were not utilized. We also had the creation of two exterior murals running along the north and south side of our busiest commercial corridor to add additional impact to the Art in Storefronts visual element. That proved to be a very successful decision.

In the end, one property owner provided five windows along a critical commercial corridor.

Are the property owners receiving any compensation for their loan of vacant space?
The property owners received several benefits for providing use of their storefront, but they were not paid to participate. We cleaned their space before installation and left the space cleaner than how we received it. Property owners noted a decrease in graffiti on the properties where artists painted the exterior. And increased attention led to the rental of two properties.

How did you handle liability issues?
We required the property owner to carry general liability insurance. Our project managers, Triple Base, also named the City and the individual artists as additionally insured. The City used its own self-insured policy to cover the value of the art if it was damaged or stolen from the storefront. The art insurance was valued at $500, and the honorarium was paid to participating artists, even though the work had more excellent monetary value. For example, the cost of replacing video equipment would exceed $500. The artists were advised to carry their own liability insurance and additional art insurance.

How much did the extra insurance cost?
The cost of naming additionally insured is minimal. Property owners and the project management team found that each insurance agent dealt with it differently. In some instances, it costs nothing extra. In other cases, it costs between $25 and $100.

How did you recruit artists?
Artists seemed hungry for a program like this, and we received almost 200 applications for only 26 slots.
We issued a press release in conjunction with the Mayor's office to announce the project and posted guidelines online to coincide with the media announcement. We then put the word out through our agency's various e-Newsletters, with a lot of traffic coming from our Gallery Program, Community Art and Education Program, and our Cultural Equity Grants Program. Triple Base also reached out to their extensive roster of artists.

Some feedback we received from the Mission District was that the artists who knew about the program application were those already involved with the Arts Commission. So, for our Chinatown program, we will send out a press release (to both English and Chinese language press) when the application is posted, and we will hold an information session in Chinatown to answer questions about the program and discuss how to make a competitive proposal.

What kind of art was selected, and is it viewed solely from the street?
We prioritized selecting artists who lived or worked in the neighborhood and whose proposals were to create new work that celebrated the surrounding community. The most substantial submissions employed inventive media or full-scale installations and engaged people innovatively and dynamically.
The installations were only seen from the street to maximize viewership and minimize liability issues.

How often do you plan to change out exhibits/artwork? Do you have your schedule already set for the duration of the pilot program?
Since this was a pilot program, we did not plan to install future work in the space. Some property owners have arranged with the artists to keep the installations in the space longer than the extent of our program.
Some artists created programming that corresponded with their installation by holding an art opening at their nearby studio the same night as the launch.

What was your budget?
The entire project was created for $55,000, which covered project management, design and printing of marketing collateral, web design, artist stipends ($500 each), cleaning fees to prepare the windows for installation, and minimal installation and de-installation expenses. The project budget does not include City staff time.

Do you have samples of your contracts?
Yes. Here is a link to a sample artist agreement (Word, 38 K) and a link to a sample property owner agreement (Word, 33 K)

IF YOU'RE A PROPERTY OWNER:
How do I find an artist or artist collective?
Look around at local flyers and marketing materials to find artists who may live or work in your neighborhood. Check out art websites such as Open Studios/Art Span, SFAC or GFTA, Bayview Artists Shipyard, and Fecal Face. Go to local galleries and artist workspaces and inquire.

What is the minimum the property owner should provide?
The property owner should provide a clean, accessible storefront with electricity and a secure door with a lock. The property owner should also provide general liability insurance and a set of keys to allow the artist to enter the space necessary to install their artwork. It is also helpful if the artists can store supplies in the storefront until the installation is complete.

Should the property owner select the specific art?
Many artists want to install work they already have completed and want a place to display it. If an artist wants to create an original work or installation to be placed in the window, then the property owner should be provided with a sketch of the proposal.

Who pays for what?
The property owner should cover the cost of the window and site clean-up and utilities. The artist should cover the cost of creating the art and installation unless the property owner wants to help pay for some of these expenses. No matter how much the property owner agrees to pay to support the project, the artwork belongs to the artist.

How long doe the artwork stays in the window?
The work should stay up as long as it is agreed upon and written into the contract.

What if the artist doesn't want to remove the art?
The artwork should be removed on the date stated in the contract.

What if the property owner wants the art to stay longer?
The property owner should discuss this as an option with the artist and if both parties agree to extend the exhibition time, change the dates in the contract.

What should be included in a letter of agreement between an artist and a property owner?
All agreements should be put into writing and signed by both parties. This includes installation and removal dates, when the property will be cleaned and ready for installation, when the artist can pick up keys to the property, contact information for all parties and participants, insurance coverage, and fees.

IF YOU'REYOU'RETIST: How do I find a property owner to work with?
Walk around your neighborhood and find the vacant storefronts that provide contact information for leasing or renting. In some instances, it may be a property management company. Be sure you have the exact address.

You can also search public records at your local tax collectors office, but storefronts with signage indicate a property owner interested in using the space. Be persistent once you make contact. Provide documentation of Art in Storefronts. They know you're straightforward and have their interests in mind.

If you live or work in a neighborhood, you may also know an under-utilized window, which could work as well, like an insurance or accounting office.

How do you establish the value of your artwork for insurance purposes?
The best way to establish a set value for your artwork is to list all your materials and hours of labor. Also, be sure to take ample photos of the work for your own record.

What have you found successful in lighting the art installations at night?
Lighting the storefronts is a huge benefit, so the installations are visible at night. For several of the Chinatown sites, artists used simple spotlighting. Clamp lights with hoods were the most cost-effective, easy to install, and efficient lighting. The lights can also be placed on the floor to light upwards.

Jamin in Logan Square-PopUp Culture Coach

"Art is Business"

 

Patron's jamming at the market -

Whether one word or an intricate design, your flag will blow and be witnessed by many.
We were asked to return the flags by October 10^th. They will be part of a Chicago Artists Month installation at the Chicago Green Technology Center in East Garfield Park.

For information on where to mail/drop completed flags, a.is.for.evil@gmail.com, www.andreajablonski.blogspot.com

One night I was at the Farmers Night Market in Logan Square. Susan Fox gave me one of the vertical fabrics to create my own prayer flag. I was asked to write, draw, paint, sew, dye, and collage a message about goodwill and community. I was allowed to involve my family and friends – there was no limit to the number of flags I was to paint.

 

   A prayer flag is a colorful rectangular found along mountain ridges in the Himalayas.

Darchor  (vertical) prayer flags promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers up to the gods, a common misconception, but spread these messages on the wind to the world. Darchor is raised by communities and is often found along walkways or paths as a colorful reminder of goodwill.

Gretchen Hasse Featured Artist

"Art is Business"

“I wrote stories before I ever started to draw, and since then my work has been narrative. Currently, I create stories with writing, video, sculpture, photography, and drawing alone or in combination. My inspiration includes travel journals, videos. I produce for social justice groups and life lessons that take a really long time to learn."

Gretchen is currently a key holder at the B13 Gallery in Rogers Park, she was recently gallery sitting during the Glenwood Arts Festival in Rogers Park, where she and I caught up on project we are both doing. We are both members of Borderbend Arts Collective, and
often run into each other during AnySquare open studio, in Logan Square. I first met her at a forth of July party, where she introduced herself and we have been run in and out of art circles together. In 2014 we will be working together on a multi-media project, or installation we have not planned yet, but said yes to it, what ever it maybe.

 Common Ground on Damen/Devon

 

Gretchen frequently incorporates recycled materials into her two dimensional work, and I is beginning to draw on her  own consideration catalog of older work for ideas and elements in multimedia.

 

 

Adjunct Instructor Chicago Area Schools where she taught video production/post production, traditional animation and comic book design at Chicago schools and educational programs, including: • The School of the Art Institute of Chicago• Columbia College, Chicago, • University of Illinois / Chicago Alternative School Network• Chicago Humanities Festival• Chicago Filmmakers,• International Academy of Design and Technology I• SOAR/DCFS After School Program,• Facets Cinematheque, • After School Matters,• Digital Boot Camp.

Excerpt from Gretchen's Blog can be found at   http://gretchenhasse.tumblr.com/

I’m using a lot of recycled material these days. So imagine my delight (actually, you can see it right above) when I found this great packing box in the alley dumpster near my house. Bonus, I can use the top and the bottom for two separate pieces.

One thing about recycled materials is knowing how to prep them so they’re sellable, but not so over-prepped that they lose their trashy charm. With this box, one obvious thing was to deal with the dangerous nails. They wouldn’t come out without ruining the top of the box, so I just bent them back. I’ll probably cover the bent nails with something else when I’m finished with the painting.
I live in a three story house (a co-op) with ten other people. We have gallons of leftover paint, in all colors, inhabiting our basement storage room. So I am set on recycled paint as well. The background for the painting on the front of this is going to be the same color as our front sitting room.

 

Gretchen@gretchenhasse.com

Gretchenhasse.com
872-216-0570

Paul Lorenz - 14 Pianos and a Pencil

Phillip Bernal Design and Fine Art Consultant

"Art is Business"

The following is lists of organizations that I have learned my talents. I will start from the most recent and backtrack. I am currently working the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network in developing an initiative for the 47th Wall, Pop Up galleries, 2013 Miller Beach Arts & Business District, in Miller Beach Indiana, a group of artists, and art organization that has formed an ad hoc committee formulated to develop art incubators for the City of Gary Indiana. Red Dress Foundation: creating elegant parties to support HIV education and prevention. Lakeside Development CDC: An affordable housing advocacy organization in the Rodgers Park area a Ville Pop-up gallery in Andersonville for the holiday season of 2011, TPAN; Test positive awareness: and HIV prevention and healthcare.org serving the inner city. Guild Complex: a literary or furthering the benefits of literature to youth. Unity in Chicago: curated private art gallery with sales funding outreach programs. Alternatives: an org committee to helping at-risk inner-city your and women’s shelter. Leather Archives: a museum and depository dedicated to the sexual history of urban populations. Art against Aids: an annual black-tie art auction at the Drake Hotel to fund Weiss Hospital Aids care programs. Stop Aids Chicago: an A HIV prevention and outreach organization. BNI: Business Network International. a business networking org that helps small businesses gain a foothold in their market.

"Art is Business"

Phantom Gallery Chicago welcomes Phillip Bernal- Owner, Phillip Bernal Design and Fine Art Consultant http://facebook.com/bernaldesign. Phil and I met through Ernie Constantino, Director of Constituent Services, 47th Ward Alderman Pawar’s Office, we serve on the OpenWall Committee, and the subcommittee for Popup Storefront's in the 47thWard: Irving Park, N. Lincoln, Damen, and Lawrence Corridors.  

The 47th Ward has Community Day on Wednesdays from 3pm - 8pm, at 4243 N. Lincoln Avenue, 60618, call ahead for an appointment at 773-549-4555.  Our subcommittee volunteer office hours are on Wednesday from 11am - 3pm in the Ward office.es, this is an advertisement for Phil, he comes on board to coordinate artists and curators this Fall, look for him and our new gallery development on the N. Sheridan area of Edgewater this coming August - September. got a great idea for exhibiting you can contact Phil.

Mobile Phones (773) 370-9499

Website http://www.phillipbernaldesign.com

Email bernaldesign@facebook.com

Facebook http://facebook.com/bernaldesign

Can I say more about him? Sure but look for him in the coming months, proposals for installations can be submitted to the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network for Chicago Artists Month 5' x 5'. at phantomgallerychicago@gmail.com

The successful curatorial candidates will ensure that the following goals of the project are met:

Creatively activate spaces and sites to attract residents and visitors to explore Chicago's visual arts scene.

Showcase works of art that are innovative and engage participants and audiences in dynamic, interactive, and creative ways

Provide opportunities for artists to experiment with approaches not possible through permanent public art commissions.

Tarble Museum Artist in Residency

"Art is Business"

Urban Gateways Center for Arts Education, at South Shore Cultural Center

The Tarble Arts Center, Eastern Illinois University, is applying for an Illinois Arts Council AIE grant to host artist Alpha Bruton for a four-week visual art residency focusing on textile arts and a collaborative installation. The core group, meeting at the Tarble Arts Center, will have a more in-depth exploration of textiles arts and will collaborate with Bruton on her installation at the Tarble. The core group will be youths in grades 6-12. If space allows, older community members may attend core group sessions as well, allowing for intergenerational exchanges.

 

Crystal City Virginia, Workshop during Art-O-matic . 2012

The Tarble has offered numerous activities involving professional artists in the past three years: exhibitions of contemporary art, artist residencies in area schools (most recent IAC funded residency was fall 2012) and co-sponsorship of artists’ lectures with the E.I.U. Art Department.  

Other arts programming offered at the Center include the three annual Enrichment Programs for area schools, professional development opportunities for teachers, docent-led tours of exhibitions, and year-round community art instruction led by practicing artists. The Tarble also hosts Charleston Community Theatre productions, Embarras Valley Film Festival events co-sponsored with the E.I.U. College of Arts and Humanities, and poetry and fiction readings co-sponsored with the E.I.U. English Department.

 

Arts in Health Care, Oak Forest Hospital AIR. 2002

 

The proposed fall 2013 residency will enhance visual arts programming in area schools by hosting Bruton to work with a variety of populations (students, teachers, and community members) in individual textile projects and a collaborative installation. Hands-on studio experiences involving professional artists, teachers, students, and others address the Tarble’s ongoing mission to provide unique arts education programs engaging rural area school populations and the community.

  

Beidler Elementary CPS, AIR Stagecraft, 2010

 

A residency involving area schools and community members was included in the Tarble’s education plan for the fall 2013 schedule. In consultation between Curator of Education Kit Morice and the Steering Committee, Alpha Bruton was selected from the AIE Artists Roster to serve as artist-in-residence. Her vast experience facilitating collaborations between professional artists and a variety of populations made her a good fit for the site.

 

The Steering Committee is comprised of Kit Morice, Tarble Curator of Education, teachers Dirk Muffler/Pathways; Penny Hess/Jefferson School, Kris Marsland/Windsor Jr.-Sr. High School, Judith Hagen, Principal/TLC, Humboldt (On-Site Coordinators, non-core groups); Shannon Johnson, Fine Arts Chair, Coles County Arts Council (Community Coordinator); Amy Borregine (parent volunteer) and Lydia McCollum (student).

 

Newberry Math and Science Academy, AIR 8th Grade Students 2012

 

Bruton was selected because she has involved communities in collaborative projects with exciting results. Residency activities will complement and enhance the art curricula in the co-sponsoring schools and complement the Tarble’s long-range plan by encouraging the active involvement of arts organizations, schools, and community members with the Tarble, expanding and enriching the existing arts education programs. The residency also provides continuing education opportunities for teachers through the Teacher In-Service as well as the core and non-core classroom activities.

 

 

 Chicago Public Library, SAIC Textile Fiber Arts Department and Community Artists