ItÕs all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Well, PetArt 5 has come and gone for 2003. IÕll be interested in finding out how much PAWS/LA made from last nights auction of ŅpetÓ art, but unfortunately they didnÕt make anything from my donated piece. There Fanny was, my portrait of a German Shepard, in a prime location on one of the temporary gallery walls, well lit and looking bright and beautiful. She really stood out Š alas, she was not to be bid on. I wasnÕt the only one whose art did not get any bidders. In fact, during the live auction, which offered several well-known artists including Ed Rusche, Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, a wonderful photograph by Mary Ellen Mark went unsold. It was an odd auction it seemed. There was little to no advertising in the week leading up to it. I figured they had a big enough Rolodex that they didnÕt need to advertise, but then it wasnÕt all that crowded and the crowd not that savvy. Sure there were some colorful people but they were mostly the artists themselves. I only sighted one celeb, the English actress from E.R. and someone who looked like Kenny G. It seems to me that if people who are interested in buying art, that the word should be out that they can get some really great stuff for not a lot of money. The big name stuff went for 1500 to maybe 3500 on average. Most of it way under the market value.
The funny thing is Š I chose to use my lunchbox, which sports another of my dog paintings on it Š as my purse that night. It got more attention than a lot of things on display. For a time I had it on a table near some small sculptures and about five people thought it was up for auction. I looked away a couple times and then turned just in time to see people opening it up to find stuff in it, embarrassed that they had thought it was art. I assured them that it was and that next year it would be in the auction. One guy said, Ņdamn, I wouldÕve given ten thousand dollars for that. ItÕs the most functional piece here.Ó I tried to tell a few people that they could find them on my web store but they were too fired up on the free Vox Vodka to really care. Well, that Vox Vodka was tasting pretty good for squelching the woe-is-meÕs. David James kept reminding me that I am selling my dog paintings anyway and that I was in good company Š Mary Ellen Mark, remember? And Van Gogh didnÕt sell anything till he was deadÉ
Yeah, hmm. They had a caricature artist there last night doing his bit. Maybe next time theyÕd be willing to have performance art too. I only need one good ear.
Posted by nora murphy at November 10, 2003 01:55 PM | TrackBack