The View from the Edge of the Universe

I Told You So....Many Times!

I discovered this little blurb in Artnet's article about the super booming art market:

"Technological advances -- notably the internet -- have made the art market more liquid and more efficient than ever before. Once focused largely to the U.S. and Europe, the art market has spread like wildfire into Latin America, China, India and the Middle East. The result is an art boom that -- dare we say it, even in folly? -- might never quit."

If you read my blog, this comment will sound awfully familiar.

Just watch, there will be an old-school art dealer or consultant who soon will admit that the private art club that they've been clinging to now has a much broader membership. 

Let Me Show You My Baby Pictures

A Quotable Quote from Chris Verene

Chris spoke at Evergreen State College last week as part of the Gallery's grand opening events.  During the lecture, Chris made one of the more memorable comments on photography that I've heard in quite a while:

"Cameras don't take great pictures; cameras take faulty pictures. Editing makes pictures great."

In a nutshell.....you have to kiss a lot of frogs....

Quality Pictures is Open for Business

Believe it or not, this is the first spare moment I've had to breathe and really enjoy the opening of Quality Pictures.  Opening day was insane! We had art coming in for the show as late as Wednesday night.  Of course, it needed to be framed by 4pm the next day.  Thursday morning found the electrician and the furniture maker still winding up their projects.  We got our electrical approval at 10am. The inspector who came to give us final approval showed up at 3 hours before we opened only to tell me that I was one EXIT sign short!  Luckily, he gave us final approval anyway, so we were ready to go!
I showed up late (only a few minutes) for my own grand opening.  I'll be late for my funeral too.  Just watch.
The opening gala was a great night.  The art was wonderful, Chris Verene was effervescent and the food (by my parter Bryan) almost stole the show it was so marvelous.  Sorry for gushing so much, but if I'm going to allow myself to gush on my blog, its going to be over opening night.
The crowds were steady and huge.  At least 2000 people came through to see what I had brought to Portland. I shook tons of hands and remembered no names (okay, I remembered a few names).
Our DJ, Solovox, played and spun a perfect vibe.  Incidentally, he was a childhood friend of Chris' wife Ani and totally freaked out when I pointed out Ani in many of Chris' photos.  After Solovox, Trashcan Joe closed the night with original and jazz standards filtered through Portland's hip, hippie aura.
I locked the doors at 11:30 and looked forward to my first desk job in 10 years.  Come by and see me!