Art's economic impact on NY state

The Alliance for the Arts has released a report on the economic impact that the "Arts" industry has in NY state. The total impact of the various components that make up the Arts Industry is $25.7 billion. Of the 5 slices that make up the entire arts pie, the motion picture/television activities in the state account for the largest contributing segment, followed closely by the chunk represented by the "Non profit culture" which covers museums, performing and visual art entities, historical societies and all sorts other non profit activities. The third larges component is the "Arts motivated visitor," tourists coming in from elsewhere to experience the arts. Commercial theater and art galleries/ auction houses comprise the 2 smallest slices.

The numbers seem huge for certain, and the report seems to be rather thorough in regard to the data culled from the source surveys, but I think that it would be useful to place these findings in a very basic relation to the entire volume of NY's economic pie. $25 billion sounds huge, but how does that compare to other statewide industries? They couldn't fit just one additional pie chart into the report? Yes, I know I'm lazy...perhaps I'll indulge my own curiosity and look in to it.

A little later....

Ok, so Wikipedia says that NY's state gross state product from 2005 was $963.5billion. In 2006, NY produced $3.6billion in agricultural product, and NY is the second largest producer of cabbage in the US.
See how a little context can go along way. It's quite clear to me now that art is way, way more important than food.
Of course this simply an apple to art comparison. The calculated impact of the arts industry in the report seems to take into account not only the value of any product produced, but also the total expenditure made by the industry to create the product, or experience that it is pedalling, as well as the amount of tax revenue that's generated by the activity. There is a distinction among the slices of pie that constitute this total impact as well. Of the five sectors, four relate to the economic impact on the production side. The Arts-Motivated Visitor category is the only segment that fully encompasses the consumer side of this equation which equals 22%. So it seems that 78% of the total impact is in the mayking of the goods. Now, the report does state that NY is a cultural exporter, but 80% expenditure versus 20% income.....yeah that sounds about right. So, perhaps NY state is simply filled with hordes of compulsively creative people shoveling their hard earned money into doing things that, feed their compulsions, but not necessarily their pockets.

I am so not an economist, but it seems to me that as detailed a picture of the arts industry as these numbers create, it's simply floating in a vacuum without placing it in the big picture.

Finally, It also seems a stretch to me to continually pair the movie/tele industry so closely with the arts. It's beneficial for the smaller, non profit cultural activities to lash its dingy to the Film tug. Maybe the title of the report should be renamed The Economic Impact of Non-athletic Recreational and or Entertainment Diversion on New York State, or more accurately, The Nature and Scope of the Economic Components that Constitute the Non-athletic Recreational and or Entertainment/Diversion Industry in New York State, the Impact of which on the State Economy Exists, but we Chose not to Quantify the Nature of that Impact in Relation to the Entirety of the State Economy.

Skin Trade at Go North, Opening June 2

The next exhibit at Go North is called Skin Trade, and it consists of a recent group of small paintings that I have been working on. There will be an opening reception on June 2 from 6-9 pm.

(A few installation shots.)

The press release:

For Immediate
Release:
Christopher Albert: Skin Trade
June 2nd – July 1st, 2007
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 2nd, 6 – 9pm.
GO NORTH is pleased to present the opening of Christopher Albert’s exhibition “Skin Trade”. The work will be on exhibit from June 2nd through July 1st, 2007. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, June 2nd, from 6 - 9 pm.
Christopher Albert’s new paintings use images from pornographic magazines as the underlying structure for the formal elements of his paintings. Painting on top of the images, he transforms the graphic sexual images into a sensual blend of colors, forms textures, and lines. Leaving behind small traces of the original source material and the text associated with the sexual act. Literally and metaphorically “trading” the visual
pleasures associated with porn for the visual gratifications of painting.

Founded in September of 2006 by artists Gregory Slick and Karlos
Cárcamo, Go North’s mission is to support, exhibit, and promote art by
local, national, and international artists. Our focus is contemporary art
that is dedicated to exploring cutting edge cultural and artistic issues by
pushing the boundaries of traditional media. Staging monthly exhibitions on
a rotating basis gives artists the opportunity to expand and explore new
dimensions in their work. Enabling us to keep our exhibitions fresh and
updated, while providing a place in the Hudson Valley for contemplation,
dialog and exchange of ideas.

GO NORTH - A Space for Contemporary Art
469 Main St.,
Beacon,
NY 12508
gonorthgallery@hotmail.com
www.gonorthgallery.blogspot.com
Gallery hours: 12 - 6 pm, Friday - Sunday

Richard Bruce at LTMH Gallery

Richard Bruce's work will be included in a group show at Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller Gallery located at 22 E. 72 St. in NYC (212.249.7695.) There will be an opening reception on May 30 from 6-8pm. The exhibit will continue through July.

Bulldog Studios is now Beacon Studios

The workspace formerly known as Bulldog Studios is now, rather generically, being called Beacon Studios. The space has a new website that lists all of the tenants of the building. The building will be having an open studio on June 9 from 1-5pm.

Beacon Art Salon Meeting, May 22 6pm

The Beacon Art Salon will hold its second meeting at Chthonic Clash, 453 Main St. on Tuesday, May 22 from 6-7:30pm.

Organizer Stacey Ward Kelley said that the first meeting attracted about a dozen folks. The city wide open studio event scheduled for June 9 is being organized under the auspices of the Art Salon.

By way of describing the BAS and how it came about, Stacey wrote the following:

A dozen artists and art enthusiasts met at Chthonic Clash
coffeehouse last month for its first meeting. Many of our initial members
have moved to the Beacon area within the last six months and are excited to
become part of a group that promotes art and community. Stacey Ward Kelly,
president and director of the group, explained that her original idea for the
Salon came from a meeting with a friend and fellow artist, Eric Van Bean,
(www.beanworkshops.com) with whom she's shown her work alongside for a number of years. "Eric and I began meeting once a week on Monday mornings to discuss and support one another's art process. A few months later, we had our first show, entitled
"Monday Morning Coffee" and have since produced a number of projects and art
shows in the Boston area. I wanted to bring that same idea here, to my hometown of Beacon, New York. Since I moved back here two years ago, I've noticed a number of small art groups existing side by side but with very few interactions and community-wide projects. Many artists are associated with only the galleries that show their work. I began the Beacon Art Salon to be a place where every artist and art enthusiast
could come together, once a month, to discuss, create, support and connect. Our first meeting was a great success and we had more than enough ideas to get started on. Our first event, will be an open studios, where participating artists will open their studio space and get their contact info on a city-wide map that will be distributed to the public on June 9, 2007 from 1-5pm. We will be doing this event in conjunction with the Beacon Studios open studios held at the old high school building. Other ideas that were mentioned at this first meeting include public art projects, a city-wide art
festival, visual art workshops, and creative writing opportunities."

All artists (visual, literary, musical etc.) and art enthusiasts are encouraged to attend our second meeting to be held on Tuesday, May 22nd from 6-7:30 pm at the Chthonic Clash Coffeehouse located at 453 Main Street in Beacon, NY. Membership to the group is free. Attendees for the next meeting are encouraged to bring a sample of their artwork to share with the group and one question (to ask to the group) or resource (ie: some art related information that might be of interest to others). Also, the registration deadline for the open studios event is May 22nd and registration forms will be available at the meeting.

For more information about the Beacon Art Salon please visit www.giraffeandturtle.com

May's Second Saturday in images

May's Second Saturday events brought out all sorts last week.

Homespun's anniversary picnic.

We Started the evening at Homespun's Foods first anniversary celebration where artist Gary O'Connor's band Chicken Bone Beach played.

Christopher Staples' opening at bau.

Fovea Exhibitions Beacon Gallery

From bau, I met up with A. at Fovea Exhibition Beacon Gallery for the inaugural opening there. We then crossed the street to get some ice cream at the Beacon Creamery. While munching on our cones on the street, we met Laura Mott as she was installing a mailbox outside of the Creamery. Mott's graduate thesis exhibit at the Center Curatorial Studies at Bard College "Come on Pilgrim: A 110 Mile Exhibition" is comprised of various site specific, and many experiential pieces located between Tivoli and Brooklyn. The mailbox Mott installed outside of the Creamery is part of a story based piece by Marcy Freedman. One may pick up a copy of the story can be removed from the box and read as one walks to Quinn's Luncheonette (please return the story to the box after having your experience.) I imagine the piece will be available to experience through May 27.

The "mailbox" outside of the Beacon Creamery as part of the 110 Mile Exhibition.

Kathy Feighery with visitors in her studio.

We then headed down to Spire for the open studios, and exhibition by gallery attendants at Dia:Beacon. The crowd for this gathering filled with many new faces was skewed decidedly younger than the usual cast of old artfarts that inhabit Beacon's scene.

The hallway at Spire.

Installation by Chris Gay in his studio.

We cut out relatively early - being the crochety old farts that we are - so we missed out on the revelry that was to commence later that night at Spire and the Piggy Bank.

Flying Swine reading at Philipstown Depot Theater tomorrow

It's been a challenge keeping up with events lately. I missed last Saturday's reading by Flying Swine of McNally's "Dusk" and Shanley's"Kissing Christina" at the Howland Center.

The group will be at the Philipstown Depot Theater on Lower Station Rd. (845.424.3900) in Garrison on Friday, May 18 at 7:30pm.

Reservations, call the swineline 845.230.7010

Free to the public, donations gladly accepted.

The Swines will be putting on another of their Porcine Preview Readings in early June. Details will be posted shortly.

Call for artists, Beacon Open Studios, June 9

The newly formed Beacon Art Salon is organizing a city-wide open studio event scheduled for June 9th.
If you are an artist interested in participating, you can go to http://www.giraffeandturtle.com/BASOSREG.html to retrieve a registration form. A $10 registration fee will cover the printing of a map of participating artists' studios.

Deadline for artist registration is May 22, 2007.

For more information, visit our website at www.giraffeandturtle/BAS or contact Stacey Ward Kelly at 845-401-8798.

Van Brunt reviewed at Culture Catch.com

Van Brunt Gallery's April exhibit featuring work by Stanford Kay, Steven Nicholls and D.Dominick Lombardi is the subject of a review by Elizabeth Stevens published last week at CultureCatch.com.

HVCCA reception and talk, May 12

In the last several posts, I've listed some of the things that will be happening in Beacon on this upcoming Second Saturday.
But if you happen to be down in Peekskill on Saturday afternoon, the HVCCA will be hosting a closing reception for the First Look II exhibit from 4-6pm. Newly appointed Director, Paul Brewer will be moderating a discussion with exhibition artists Justin Allen, Michael Brown, Melissa Skluzack and Bryan Zanisnik.

Beacon Dance Revolution, May 12

Beacon will be a veritable South Beach on the Hudson with deuling DJ dance parties. Spire's open studio will have Keithe Zarriello of the Shivers performing at 10pm and DJ Jeff Caramegna spinning discs late into the night. Meanwhile, over the Piggy Bank, 448 Main St., will kick off its own shakedown session with DJ Jeff Ashey at 9:30.

I'm telling you now that I won't be able to make it everywhere, so if anyone has photos of any of Saturday's events, please let me know.

Premiere Opening: Fovea Exhibitions Beacon Gallery

I just received an email regarding the premiere exhibit of Fovea Editions Beacon Gallery at 143 Main St. The nonprofit organization is focused on photography and will feature Lori Grinker's "After war: Veteran's from a World in Conflict." Grinker's exhibit opens on May 12 and runs through July 8. Saturday's opening reception will run from 4-8pm.

A panel discussion and book signing accompanying the exhibit will soon be scheduled. For information, call 845.765.2199.

Open Studios @ Spire Studios, May 12

It's been over a year, but there will be another open studio and exhibit opening at Spire Studios this Saturday.

The exhibit "What We Do" is a selection of work created by artists that work as gallery attendants at Dia:Beacon.

It seems that after a month's run at Spire, the exhibit will move over to the Muddy Cup where art exhibits are organized by bau, but I haven't found any details on this other than the dates listed in the jpg above.

I'm wrapping up a month away and will be rolling back into Beacon on Saturday, so I plan to perpetuate the delusion that this open studio was fortuitously scheduled as a welcome home party for me.

Other openings happening on Sat., as far a I know.

Hedina Cristiner's works on paper will be opening at the Rear Views Gallery located in The Paper Presence stationary store located at 296 Main St. The reception hours are 6-8pm.

I believe Christopher Staples is having an opening at bau along with a guest artist.

My recollections are a bit fuzzy, and I can't find any current info on either bau's or BACA's website, so that'll have to suffice for now.

Call For Entries: Uncanny Hudson Valley at the Samuel Dorsky Museum

This opportunity comes by way of Sara Pasti:

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art is pleased to invite
emerging and mid-career artists living in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan,
Columbia, and Greene Counties to submit artwork documentation for this summer's
Hudson Valley Artists 2007: The Uncanny Valley, opening Saturday, June 23 with a
reception from 6 - 8:00 p.m. The exhibition will continue through September
9, 2007.

This year's exhibition takes as its theme the "uncanny” that
sense of unease brought on by contact with an image or thing at once familiar
and strange. Museum curator Brian Wallace will review all work submitted in
response to this call and organize an exhibition of recent artwork from diverse
viewpoints and including a wide range of media that explores psychological,
perceptual, historical, and literary aspects of the uncanny. Wallace
notes, "As I've familiarized myself with work by artists identified with the
region ranging from the anonymous (to us) early residents of the area to
19th-century painter Ralph Albert Blakelock to former resident Gary Hill to
contemporary photographer and Catskill resident Susan Wides (whose work was on
view at the SDMA last fall), I've come to realize that there's something both
strange and strangely familiar about this part of the world and about much of
the artwork made here, whether or not it responds directly to the physical
landscape. I hope my curiosity about this sense of the uncanny resonates with
emerging and established artists in this area: I look forward to the chance to
review documentation of art in all media (photography, painting, video, sound,
installation, sculpture, etc.) submitted in response to this call for
work." Artists are invited to submit documentation of up to six (6)
works created within the past five years: all media painting, photography,
sculpture, installation, printmaking as well as audio, video, digital, film,
etc. The Uncanny Valley is open to professional artists who have not yet had a
major one-person museum show and are not currently represented by a commercial
gallery. Students and employees of SUNY New Paltz are not eligible.
Submission guidelines are in the pdf. documents below or
can be downloaded from the museum's web site at www.newpaltz.edu/museum under
Exhibitions/Future.
The completed application and other materials are due
Tuesday, May 15. Notifications of acceptance will be mailed to artists Friday,
May 25.
For additional information call (845)
257-3844.

May 5th gallery openings at Go North and Van Brunt

Go North Gallery and Van Brunt Gallery will be hosting opening receptions for their new exhibits this coming saturday.
Go North is featuring the work of Monica D. Church.

Van Brunt will be showing the work of Grace Knowlton, Stephen Spacarelli and John Allen.
Both openings will be happening from 6-9pm.

1 Degree of Simon Draper

Late last year, Simon Draper mentioned that he had a friend that was about to open an art materials store in Denver. This past Saturday, As I was leaving the Denver Art Museum, I was given a card by a man promoting a new art supply store that was holding a grand opening over the weekend. I continued on my way, but then I returned to the man, and asked if the owner of the store might be from NY. He said, not directly and that she moved to Denver from Steamboat(Springs, CO.) I told him that I now live in NY state, and blah blah blah. He asked whereabouts in NY. “Beacon”, said I. He said “Oh, do you know Simon Draper?” And I was like, “Tchyah!”