James Schot Gallery Photo Studio News

We’ve all heard about keeping it simple.  The simple fact is, for a true artist to promote their art means promoting all art and supporting all art galleries. 

Don’t expect a hamburger stand to promote art – your art.  Galleries are diminishing in number, while hamburger stands are on the rise, and that’s a fact.

If the “artists” out there would like to see the James Schot Gallery and Photo Studio become Hamburger Haven, well, keep doing what many artists are doing.

And what is that?  I’m amazed (should I be) at how many artists come through my door to promote their art work and bee line straight for me without glancing at any of the fine art being exhibited.  I get all the strokes about how wonderful the place is (which is true), and how they know people, and how they’ll promote the gallery (if I show them), and on and on and on.

I am puzzled.  I’m aware of several artists groups and not aware of one member who ventured to stop in.  My gallery’s niche is photography.  How many people have told me in passing how they “love” photography, but they never visit this venue.  Similar are the experiences with photo clubs, schools and institutions, (and cultural organizations under banners of supporting the arts) with people representing or involved with them - not supporting a broader vision of the art community.  

The fact is, or should I say, from my point of view as a gallery owner, I find that many artists seem to only like and look at their work, and their allegiances and interest last as long as they exhibit, after which they are long gone.

Naturally, we all are busy and have our own concerns, but the fact is we in the art world will never engage the interest of the general public in art, if we can’t get past our own self-indulgence.  We can pass it off as “that’s the way it is”, but then we should not expect much to change.  We need to give and devote a healthy part of our time and efforts to promoting all art, all artists, and the galleries that provide real-live venues for showing your art …and these, again, are the facts.

You might retort that “a” gallery does not show your art.  So..?  I see the work of artists in galleries that do not show my work or use any of the services I can provide.  It is about supporting the overall art scene of an area that will in turn engage the general public.  We, in the “arts”, have to create and establish the art scene for them!

You might retort that you just sell your work on the Internet.  In talking to an artist at an Opening last evening, he commented to me that the Internet is like a business or calling card.  He’s right, that’s about it.  His magical oil based photo realistic work (Ken Orton) and the fabulous acrylic pieces exhibited (by Carlos Cesar Alves) will never begin to translate their impact over the Internet. 

This is why, to exhibit the physical works of art, galleries are essential.  This is why in Fort Lauderdale we have started the Essential Gallery Network.  Art in principle has great value in adding to the fullness of living.  Validating our sincere understanding and promoting believe in this principle begins with the artists.

I know galleries today that are on the brink of closing their doors.  I can fail to maintain my presence in the future.  Should that happen I will not feel the failure will simply be mine alone.  The fact is, it would be a failure for the entire local art scene and all artists, as there will only be another Hamburger Haven to go to.

Making it in “Visual Arts” is a difficult endeavor and we in the arts need to hang together….. said with a little humor at the end.  

 
Postscript:
Immediately after writing this and sending it to a few friends and associates I received two responses.

One came from Tim Stockman, one of the more successful gallery owners in Ft. Lauderdale, wrote he agreed with every word, except for one he felt was misspelled.

Another came from Marilyn Cole and Keith Knight, a wonderful couple and both independently exceptional artists.  They felt this piece was passionate, seemingly having some anger - initially, but ending with two positive closing paragraphs.

I replied no, no anger.  I have been reading a book suggested by Keith titled Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman.  In one of the dreams there is line Philosophers have argued that without a trend toward order, time would lack meaning.  This is my motive, to find order and meaning in time.

I know there is a desire to safely tip-pie-toe through life.  We do this to be politically correct, or not to make waves, or to be diplomatic and not burn bridges.  Such a path gives us ambiguity - not order.  Passion, which is defined as boundless enthusiasm, would be deprived of its true emotion by such a tip-pie-toe path.

Another of Einstein’s Dreams ends with: “And it is just the same in every hotel, in every house, in every town.  For in this world, time does pass, but little happens.  Just as little happens from year to year, little happens from month to month, day to day. If time and the passage of events are the same, then time moves barely at all. If time and events are not the same, then it is only people who barely move.  If a person holds no ambitions in this world, he suffers unknowingly.  If a person holds ambitions, he suffers knowingly, but very slowly.  Does this not mean that time is short, even shorter than we imagine or the clock indicates, making it more difficult to have time equal to meaning. And from within me a voice speaks to me, much like, if not the same voice that has inspired and challenged me to creativity; it tells, sometime yells to me - give meaning to time!