Greetings 20x200 collectors and Happy Canada Day! (My Canadian friends so totally love me now, score.) This week's editions are also cause for celebration. We've got some (admittedly perverse) Ornithological goodness today and you should prepare yourselves for some fireworks in honor of the birth of our nation in the days ahead.

Speaking of fire... Lamar Peterson is burning down the (bird) house with today's We Live in Air. The edition is based on a giant original painting by Lamar that's part of the Ornithology exhibition. (Giant by our small gallery's standards at least.) It's so impressive! And perfect for the show in the ways that it is so different than the other pieces in the exhibition, and from the type of work I show in general.

Lamar's paintings are all about tension and the recalibration of expectations. Their candy-colored brightness seems so cheery but... well, in this case, the bird house set against the blue sky is on fire.

Looking at this painting, I can't help but think about recent gossip headlines regarding 50 cent's house being set ablaze. But, but, but the question is (was) can I, which led me to this conversation with my Art Critic Friend:

JenBekman: I don't suppose I can talk about 50 cent's girlfriend burning down his mansion [ed. note: ALLEGEDLY that is.] in this newsletter can I?

ArtCriticFriend: I don't see why not.

JB: Well, it would be funny

ACF: It's topical. I guess it depends what you're going to say.

JB: I just can't stop thinking about that story when I look at the painting. Because you know, when I first looked at it, I imagined the bird above being heroic somehow and fighting to save the house, but actually it looks like he (she?) is dropping bombs.

ACF: That all sounds like good material to write about.

JB: But of course there is that uncomfortableness of not wanting to seem racist, or rather be racist. Although, to an extent, I feel like that's what Lamar's work is about, in part. (I am totally using you, I'm going to put an IM transcript in the newsletter.)

ACF: I had a feeling this is where this was going

JB: LOL

ACF: It never occurred to me that commenting on 50 cent's house burning down would seem racist. It's a current news event, and it does have some very literal connections to the birdhouse. Also, the bird dropping that little glowing cherry bomb is hilarious.

ACF: Is Lamar black by the way?

JB: Yes, and as I said, much of his work deals with race.

ACF: I mean, if you know the race of the artist and that his body of work tends to explore identity politics, then somehow speaking about 50 cent's house burning down seems like an indictment of black culture, which makes the reference difficult.

JB: It's also possible that Lamar had it in mind when he did the painting

JB: I'm not quite sure when he finished it. So he's either capable of eerie foreshadowing

ACF: But that's the thing

JB: or wry yet uncomfortable ambiguous cultural commentary. (The latter actually being a given...)

ACF: Well, exactly.

JB: There you have it then!

ACF: And again, the purpose of art - I've always thought - is to inspire dialogue difficult as it may be. I don't know, it's sort of a cheesy thing to say but it's true!

JB: Totally true, and thank you for helping me write my newsletter! :)

And with the newsletter thusly written, I am off to attend to the other duties of the day. One of those duties being the perusing of resumes. I've started the search for an assistant director to work at the gallery, quite possibly the best job ever. Next to mine, that is.

I'll be back at work on another newsletter tomorrow, so watch this space for the fruits of my labors.

Minds/Mines Don't Care, 2008. Photogram C-Print by Rebecca Loyche

Rebecca Loyche is part of an all female artist collective called tART who have organized a salon show opening tomorrow evening. If you happen to be in New York, hop on over to Rabbit Hole Studio in DUMBO. An added bonus: you'll also be able to see two of Olafur Eliasson's wonderful waterfalls on your way.

Rabbit Hole Studio
33 Washington Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201
718.852.1500
July 3 - August 1, 2008
Opening: Thursday, July 3, 6-8pm

Gas Station by Tema Stauffer

For those of you nearer to the Potomac than the Hudson, Tema Stauffer will be showing work in DC at Randall Scott Gallery. The show will be up for two weeks, opening July 12th.

Randall Scott Gallery
1326 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
202.332.0806
Gallery hours:
Tuesday by appointment
Wednesday-Saturday 11am-6pm

Left: Lazuli Bunting, 2008, gouache on paper
Right: Yellow Headed Blackbird, 2008, gouache on paper

Lastly, for all of you Texas roses, Carrie Marill is showing new gouache paintings she made while on an artist residency, cleverly titled Resident Birds. The work is up now through July 19, 2008 at Conduit Gallery in Dallas.

Conduit Gallery
1626 C Hi Line Dr.
Dallas, TX 75207
214.939.0064
Gallery hours: Tue-Sat 10-5

UPDATE: Carrie Marill just got a nice write up about this show in the Dallas Morning News. Read the article here. Congrats to you, Ms Marill!

Wednesday that feels like Thursday greetings, collectors! Things are already winding down for the long weekend here in NYC. Ollie and I saw many beachward-bound citizens on our morning walk today. (The flip-flops and Le Sportsac weekend totes are a dead giveaway.) We're staying put however, which means that we'll have time for a special holiday bonus 20x200 tomorrow. And while I do suggest that you don't stop thinking about tomorrow, it's time to get on with the business of today.

Recollection of the Battles Fought Maintaining the Home Front is our second edition from the verbose and talented Colin Blakely. A fitting image for the season, wouldn't you say?

When I was a kid, my grandfather always managed to scare up a good assortment of firecrackers for the 4th. Nothing too too crazy - mostly the little guys and some sparklers, which were plenty. Being a New York City family, we were content to leave the major pyrotechnics in the hands of the the experts. Virtuosic East River displays aside, blowing stuff up is cool when you're young and bored, so my grandfather's resourcefulness was met with great enthusiasm by my brother and me.

As a grown-up I usually prefer to get outta dodge on the holidays that involve a lot of public revelry, but since I'm gearing up for an epic West Coast trip, it seemed best to stay in town for the weekend. Fortunately, I'm not alone and am looking forward to some local backyard grilling and rooftop fireworks watching. Like I said though, I'll be back tomorrow to launch another explosive 20x200 edition, so look for me then.

Hi there, yes, it's me again, back with a bonus edition for all you faithful 20x200 collectors. I thought I'd drop in on list subscribers a little on the early side, seeing as how lots of you probably have one foot out the door and are heading towards a weekend of summer fun.

This week's Grand Finale is our second edition from the talented Rachell Sumpter. I am pretty smitten with its seasonal appropriateness, not to mention its adorable yet enigmatic little people. Plus it's a fitting finale indeed for the week behind us, which included Colin's more modest pyrotechnic display and Lamar's avian pyromaniac. We are on fire!

Rachell's art career: also white hot. She's currently got work on view just around the corner from JBHQ at Sunday, a gallery most friendly and most fine. Echo Eggebrecht also has work in the show, titled Tenderly. You need to act fast if you want to see it though, since today is the very last day of the exhibition.

Rachell's 20x200 intersections hardly stop at that — she's married to Jacob Magraw and both of them show at Richard Heller Gallery in LA, which hosted an exhibition of Lamar's new works just a few short months ago.

That's a whole lot of interconnectedness to contemplate, and I will leave you to do just that. Hopefully you're planning on unplugging soon though, just like we are. Team 20x200 is getting the weekend party started right with a field trip to Shake Shack.

I'll be back on Tuesday, rested and ready, with additional editions that are sure to delight. Until then, bon weekend to all of you!

Left: Artist Tommy Perman
Right: Traffic Mirror, Eindhoven Screenprint on paper, 2006

Hello! Today, many of us will be celebrating our independence from Britain, and I though it fitting to feature an artist from the UK, Tommy Perman, just to show that we've no hard feelings remaining. In fact, I am quite sure our founding fathers would be pleased with my decision to celebrate Tommy, as he is a man of many talents. While it's true that Tommy Perman did not discover electricity, he is indeed worthy of a seat at Ben Franklin's table of industrious young men. Not content to wear just one hat, Perman designs, writes and plays music, DJ's, makes art, shows his work and collaborates frequently with others.

Which came first for you--art or music?

Art came first – I was drawing from a very early age. My parent's still have drawings on the walls of their house from when I was three.

Music followed on soon after though. I come from a musical family. My dad plays bass in a blues band and my mum is a percussionist. My folks were always playing a diverse selection of music in the house when I was growing up. Mum used to review records for the Oxford Mail in the 60's and she still has some great vinyl from then. She almost interviewed Jimi Hendrix but passed it on to a friend because she was too nervous.

How does your music influence/inform your art and vice versa?

Since my early teens I've been interested in the boundaries between art and music. For me the two activities are inseparable. I am fascinated with the areas where disciplines cross over into each other and a lot of my work concerns this. With my band / arts collective, FOUND, we have done many projects that involve sound and visual art in equal parts.

Last year FOUND were commissioned to produce a piece of music to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. Rather than just composing a song for them, we decided we wanted to build an interactive audio installation. What we came up with was a piece called Etiquette . It was an interactive table that allowed the user to move small boxes around and create their own interpretation of music we had composed. The best way to get explain it is to watch this video.

In 2006 I undertook an artist's residency in Eindhoven, Holland with my friend and collaborator Roel Knappstein. We spent two months examining the connections between the making of visual art and music through a project called Synchronicity. We share a keen interest for all forms of music and were particularly interested in the structures of contemporary music. We began by taking visual 'samples' – extracting small objects or areas of photographs that interested us. We gathered a large set of these samples and then 'composed' pictures with them.

I'm extremely interested in the idea of remixing and do a lot of audio remixes for other bands but I've also tried to cross these ideas over into my visual artwork. Possibly the best example of this is a two panel painting called Town & Country:
The second panel is a remix of the first; it is constructed using all the same constituent parts but composed in a different order.

Another of my passions is record sleeve art, as it brings together my three main interests: art, design and music.

It's clear from your participation in 20x200 and in your music endeavors that you're interested in making art available in affordable ways--what is your philosophy on this?

My involvement in both the art and music worlds has developed a dislike for exclusivity. In Scotland a great deal of the art community is very much like a private members club who seem to enjoy alienating people through their use of impenetrable jargon. I have no interest in alienating people and I create work in order to reach as wide an audience as possible – but I still wish to create work that is multi-layered, thought provoking and experimental. I believe that it is possible to produce accessible art without comprising it's integrity. Part of this ideology includes realistic pricing – obviously I want to earn a fair amount for my efforts but I also want my work to reach people. Multiples are a great way of achieving this and that's why I'm a fan of making my art available as prints, on tees and record sleeves.

However as I'm an artist I'm also slightly contrary! I like to make multiples in limited editions – I think it's a really nice feeling to know that you are one of only a small group of people who owns a copy of a particular piece of art.

Do you collect art?
Yes. I have a nice collection of small works by good friends of mine and people I studied with. I have several gigantic Bauhaus design posters that my folks gave me. I recently purchased two Evan Hecox screenprints. I love them.

Which fellow 20x200 artists do you dig?
I've just been looking at Tema Stauffer's work and I really like it. I'm very interested in her American Stills and Water Park series. She seems to share my eye for unusual detail. Like me, she has chosen to depict urban settings devoid of people which I find very intriguing – it adds a feeling of calm, stillness to the locations as if time stood still while she took the photos.

Who are your favorite heros / heroines?

My parents and my brothers. Ed Ruscha, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones.

Who is you favorite painter, photographer, musician, author?

Toby Paterson, Andreas Gursky, Bobby Perman (my brother), Bill Waterson

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
A comfy sofa, some tapas or dim sum, some Belgian beer and some great music.

What are you working on?
I am very busy, doing a lot of music and design work at the moment.

I've just finished teaching a 10 week course in Creative Digital Drawing at Edinburgh Art College. It was fun and I hope to go on to do more teaching.

I am currently preparing for a big performance event called Dialogues of Wind and Bamboo at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. It's a multicultural, multi-art-form event that is the brain child of my friend and collaborator, Chinese musician / composer, Kimho Ip. I designed the website and all printed materials for the project and I've been heavily involved since it's conception a year ago.

Once that's over I will be working on lots of new material with the band and playing at a handful of interesting summer festivals. I'm doing a lot of remix work at the moment and I've just completed a remix for fellow Scottish band Attic Lights and it will be coming out on limited 10" vinyl very soon.

I've recently produced a special one-off radio show for Red Bull Music Academy in which I selected some of my favourite contemporary Scottish music. You can listen to it here.

I've also just completed designs for a range of skateboards for local skate company Focus. The designs depict Edinburgh and Glasgow skate spots, some well known, some very unknown. The decks will be released later in the summer.

And I'm very excited as I've just found out that my band will be touring the Scottish Highlands and Islands in October as part of a Scottish Arts Council funded initiative called Tune Up. I can't wait!

Tommy's 20x200 edition print: Trucks, Seattle
Tommy's websites are numerous, but start here, I know one could spend the better part of a day exploring his projects.

PS
If reading about how wonderful life as an artist in Scotland makes you yearn for a visit, Tommy has given me a very nice list of his favorite places which I will post here very soon.

I bet he'd even meet you for a pint once you're there.

20x200's Linzie Hunter has a book of postcards, Secret Weapon: 30 Hand-Painted Spam Postcards, available here. Well, actually they aren't really available just yet, but you can pre-order a set now, and I suggest that you do. Recently I wanted to let you know about some adorable tea towels Linzie made for PataPri but by the time I was ready to post (less than 24 hours!) they were sold out.

Linzie is just delightful.
It's impossible to look at her website without smiling.
We still have a few of her edition prints available:
Boundless
Say Goodbye

Brazil (try again), 2008
Ink and gouache on paper
30 x 22 in.

20x200 artist Ann Tarantino has work in a benefit show for Doctors Without Borders. The show, Mixology I: Paintings and Works on Paper, opens this weekend at Curator's Office in Washington, DC.

Curator's Office
1515 14th Street NW Suite 201
Washington, DC 20005
12 July 2008 to 19 July 2008
Opening: Saturday, July 12, 6:00 - 8:30

Ann's edition print: Breath Portrait (favorite colors)
Ann's website

Sweltering Summer Tuesday greetings, collectors. I hope you all had weekends full of poolside barbeques and beach bumming good times. It can be tough to get back to the day-to-day after living the life of leisure, so I'm hoping that some refreshing art from a 20x200 favorite will brighten your day.

AA is our second edition from the talented and 20x200-super-connected Jacob Magraw. As a reader of last week's Grand Finale, you already know that Jacob is married to Rachell Sumpter.

There's even more interconnectedness beyond what I previously mentioned, if you can believe it. Rachell and Jacob are working on a book together, to be published by the fine folks at McSweeney's in the very near future. Which brings us to 20x200 artists who've done work with McSweeney's, like Echo Eggebrecht, Wendy Heldmann and Jason Polan.

And speaking of Jason, he's got all kinds of things upcoming with both McSweeney's and 20x200, and there's some other interconnectedness there that I can't even talk about yet. Suffice to say that we've got big plans, which we further refined over strawberry ice cream yesterday evening. (Yes, making plans with Jason Polan while sitting on a bench on East 10th during a warm but not too hot Summer evening was as fun as it sounds.)

It's also worth noting that while Rachell's Finale was gone in a flash, our archives are full of hidden gems, including a few Cave Dwellers from her previous edition along with many other goodies from the talented clan of 20x200 artists.

A 20x200 treasure hunt should tide you over till this week's photo edition blossoms in your inboxes at approximately this time tomorrow. There's a garden of earthly delights in store, rain or shine. See you then!

Greetings, collectors! I say it all the time, but today is off-the-hook, insane busy here at JBHQ. We just announced the winners of the first edition of Hey, Hot Shot! 2008 and there are about a million other things going on AND I am getting on a plane tomorrow morning, kicking off my epic tour of the west coast. (More on all that next week.)

You're not reading anymore are you? If you are stop, click and buy before the fabulous Beth Dow's photograph, Clearing, Wakehurst Place is gone.

It's a beauty, isn't it? The whole In The Garden series is full of one gem after another, all surreal, lush and just gorgeous. I've been in love with the work since last Fall, and I still am. Aren't you?

I can barely catch my breath today, so short and sweet will have to do. I leave you to tend to your gardens, and will report back soonest with tales to tell from the other coast.

Jen Bekman Gallery Presents: Ornithology from Derrick Tan on Vimeo.

Hello! Today I'm happy to share a special little video with you. It is a guided tour of Ornithology, the show that is hanging now in the gallery, by Jen Bekman herself!

Hopefully it will inspire you to come out and take a closer look. But, if you cannot make it to New York, this is surely a good alternative.

The show is on view through August 2nd.

Jen Bekman Gallery
6 Spring St
(between Elizabeth + Bowery)

Gallery Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday | Noon – 6pm

Le Hermitage Painting by HHS! winner Roc Herms Pont

Holy Cannoli! The winners of the first edition of Hey, Hot Shot! 2008 have been announced:

Juliane Eirich
Derek Henderson
Roc Herms Pont
Kate Orne
Colleen Plumb

The opening reception will be held on Friday, August 8. The show will be on view at Jen Bekman Gallery through August 23.

Group, 2007 by Jacob Magraw
10 x 13 Inches, watercolor and gouache on paper

This week we featured an edition print by Jacob Magraw who just happens to have work up as we speak at Richard Heller Gallery in Santa Monica. For those of you lucky collectors who are nearby, stop in and have a peek.

Summer Group Show @ Richard Heller
2525 Michigan Ave, B-5a
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310 453 9191

Buongiorno!

Think fast! What is your favorite thing in New York? Got it? Great! Now consider helping 20x200 artist Jason Polan. He's currently collaborating with subscribers to ESOPUS art magazine. He's inviting subscribers to email him their favorite thing in New York City. This beloved thing should be submitted by Tuesday, July 15, (that's, like, very soon!) to make the cut and appear as a hand drawn image for the Fall 2008 ESOPUS. So hurry up and subscribe to ESOPUS and then email Jason! Helping an artist is a lovely way to begin the week!

More Jason here, and here and here!

Tuesday greetings from the West Coast, collectors! I am currently caffeinating at Ritual Roasters in San Francisco, sipping on a cup of coffee as big as my head and delighting in the cool foggy weather.

Today's edition, our second from Jacob Escobedo, is entitled Sophie. Jacob started his animal drawings in 2007, naming each one for the friend who cited the depicted beast as their favorite.

Sophie is a stranger to me, but I share her affection for pachyderms. The elephant is my current favorite animal, having dethroned my childhood champion the panda by virtue of their intelligent, social and emotional nature. Jacob's intricate, organic textures speak to my aesthetic penchant for the faux bois making this edition particularly irresistible to me.

Sophie is a fine addition to the growing 20x200 menagerie — all those birds need a place to perch after all! Speaking of which, our Ornithology editions are far from finished; we've got several feathered friends to add to the flock, but we're not quite ready to hatch them yet.

My plans have me on the left coast for the balance of the month, attending and speaking at a variety of conferences and events. This is a most excellent strategy considering how grouchy NYC Summer weather makes me. The JBP crew is minding the shop most ably, and 20x200 editions will continue apace throughout the month. In fact, I'll be back tomorrow with a photograph that features an airborne but inanimate subject. See you then!

Untitled, from Nina Berman's Homeland Insecurity Series

For those of you close to New York, a summer trip to Dia:Beacon is always a treat. What would make this trip even better? A visit to Fovea where documentary photographer Nina Berman is part of a group show.

Dispatches from the Frontlines: 12 Women Photojournalists, is on view at the Fovea space through August 3rd.

Popular Photography's blog has a little article about the show.

Fovea Editions Beacon Gallery
143 Main Street
Beacon New York 12508
845 765 2199

Nina's website
Nina's 20x200 edition: 9-11-02
Nina's images on JenBekman.com

Greetings collectors! We've got a double dose of photo goodness for you today from the ascendant art star William Lamson, who's apparently the Hemingway of video according to this week's Village Voice. (Whoa.)

13. 3/11/2006 (plane lifted by men) and No. 6. 8/6/2005 (plane) are from Will's series Sublunar which explores the enduring human fascination with flight.

Aerodynamic aspirations aside, for me, these photos embody the imagined world that accompanies childhood play. It's not just the paper airplanes that put me back in classrooms where I made trouble; the gathering of individuals with a shared goal of making something fantastical reminds me of hours-long games when we imagined ourselves to be astronauts. (Or in my case, because I was a total dork, a panda in space.)

A sense of play, absurdity and fearlessness is present in much of Will's work; I admire his ability to embrace these instincts that are so often tamped down by the obligations of adulthood and propriety, employing them to explore some very grown up themes like identity, ambition and heroism. It's a delicate balance, one that he strikes successfully over and over again.

And now, it's time for me to take off and tend to the busy days ahead. I'll be speaking at the PSFK SF conference tomorrow and I've also got a party to plan. A 20x200 party, in fact! The fine folks at Crown Point Press are hosting a reception for 20x200 collectors next week. We are still ironing out the details, including the very major one of whether it will be on Tuesday or Wednesday. As soon as I've got the game plan figured out, I'll post about it on our blog. I can't wait to meet Bay Area collectors in person!

Liberty City, 2008 gouache on paper, 33″ x 53″by Michelle Weinberg

Congratulations are in order for 20x200 artist Michelle Weinberg! Michelle is one of 13 South Florida artists to win a 2008 Cultural Consortium award in Visual and Media Arts. The winners are on display at the Museum of Art Ft. Lauderdale now through October 6th.

What a fabulous excuse to hop on a flight to Ft. Lauderdale this weekend! Did you know that it's the Venice of America? Now you do!

Museum of Art Ft. Lauderdale
One East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
July 13 – October 6, 2008

Michelle's website
Michelle's 20x200 edition: Cul de Sac

Image from Carlo Van de Roer's Swim series

Photographer Carlo Van de Roer has volunteered to teach 25 New York City High School students photography. The combined fruits of their labor will result in a portfolio of images produced by each student. A reception and exhibition will be held at the Art Directors Club Gallery Saturday July 19, from 6:30-8:30pm.

ADC Gallery
106 West 29th Street
NY, NY

Carlo's site
Carlo's 20x200 edition prints:
Untitled (Bondi Baths, Sydney, Australia) 2007
Untitled (Astoria Park, Queens, New York)

Jennifer Sánchez'sny.08.#7, 2008
Mixed mediums on canvas
30" x 40" x 1 1/2"

Ciao amici! For this week's artist interview I bring you some insight into 20x200 shining star Jennifer Sánchez.

It's clear from you participation in 20x200 that you're interested in making art available in affordable ways--what is your philosophy on this?
I just want anyone to be able to have some art; art isn't just for the elite/rich or something to be housed in a museum. The affordable prints are a gateway to even more art experiences.

The price of one print that you get to keep forever, equals admission for just one day to the MoMA, and I think that's ridiculous. There are a lot of barriers that established venues for art have built that intimidate the average joe. Jen's site makes it easy, friendly and fun.

How has participating in 20x200 helped your art career?
I've gotten a lot more traffic to my site! A Lot of people have signed on to join my email list and some have bought paintings.

What do you draw most of your inspiration from?
I like the idea of capturing movement, and awkward spaces that come from that motion.
My paintings tend to end up looking happy and optimistic; that's not necessarily my intent, but is what inevitably happens because I am attracted to bright, fluorescent and discordant color combinations.

I find interesting colors everywhere; on a t-shirt, plant or delivery truck. I bring those colors in to a painting and see what happens.

Who are your favorite painters?
I don't think I have an absolute favorite, depends what's going on around town. Lately I've seen amazing work by Juan Uslé, Thomas Nozkowski, Courbet, and Hillary Harkness. I really enjoy Beatriz Milhazes paintings, our work is similar and I love her over the top use of color and circles.

Do you have a favorite musician?
No favorites, but electronic music and jazz. I've always wanted to dissect a song and represent each sound with a shape. I think Miles Davis once said that it's the space between notes that are most important and I try to make that 'silent space' an integral part of my paintings. My links page on my website lists music and painters I like, so people can get an idea of what I'm interested in.

And what about authors?
No favorites here, but I'm usually reading short stories. Chekhov is obviously a great and I'm currently reading a collection of short stories by Edith Wharton.

How do the above influence/inspire your art (if at all)?
Music; sometimes I listen to a song and get an idea of what it might look like. I like repetitive sounds and subtle progressions in music. I've always liked deep, hard bass sounds too. They sound like concentric circles to me, that are slowly undulating out.

Which 20x200 artists do you most enjoy, and why?
Mike Monteiro. It's so obvious and no frills - just is. He has a lot of good ones.

Fernanda Cohen. Her lines are really beautiful; she's not afraid of white space.

Aili Schmeltz. I like her dense stacks of color.

Do you collect art?
Currently, no. My walls are usually filled with works in progress.

If I were to walk into your art studio right this minute, what would be the first thing I'd notice?
All the plants, maybe the small image of Courbet's L'Origine du monde.

And now, my favorite question: What would an ideal day include for you?
Sleeping in and getting at least 9 hours, delicious! I'm a big advocate of loafing and not doing anything and being bored. Painting in the morning, a stroll through the park, have a coffee and chill on a bench for a while...Wait! This is a perfect day, so a beach would have to be involved! A short walk along the beach, a museum and a cocktail followed by a tasty dinner...get some Law & Order reruns in and goodnight!

When did you first feel a calling to be an artist?
High School. I can't really place how or when, but that's when I began to take my art-making seriously and decided, ''Yeah, I want to do this".

What are you working on now?
More paintings on paper. I love the quality of 300lb, cold press paper. Paint and other mediums just react and sit on the paper so nicely. Lately I've been attracted to fluorescent colors and really enjoy just throwing down those crazy colors. don't know if i'm having flashbacks to the 80's, but I really have fun making fluorescent colors harmonize with other colors, and I'm always trying to introduce new forms into my paintings too.

What are you looking forward to?
Checking out the Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy show at the Met.
Also, my boss will be out of town a lot in the coming weeks; which means lots more painting, coffee and hanging out on the benches for me!

Jennifer's website
Jennifer's 20x200 edition prints:
ny.07.#32
ny.07.#34
ny.07.#20

This little blogger is suddenly craving a soft pretzel.  Must be because as a former South Philly resident, and Spector gallery intern, I'm super pleased to share some news about 20x200 artist Todd St. John.  Todd is part of a traveling group exhibition entitled Big Kids/Little Kids, which recently opened at its third location, Subliminal Projects Gallery in Los Angeles (yes, Shepard Fairy's space).  

Big Kids/Little Kids chronicles the first 8 years of the newly emerging contemporary art movement in Philadelphia. It features artists from SPACE1026, 1Pixel, 222gallery and Spector (the galleries that have supported this energy) and artists from outside of Philly who have shown in these spaces by shaping and being influenced by this scene. 

The show will be up through August 8th: Subliminal Projects Gallery 1331 W Sunset Blvd LA, CA 90026

Todd's website

Todd's 20x200 edition print: Untitled (Black Blocks)

Tuesday greetings, collectors. My away-for-July plan is working out fantastically well. Reports from NYC tell me that it's sticky, hot and humid there, exactly what I was hoping to avoid. At the moment, I'm sitting at Ritual Roasters in SF with a steaming cup of coffee, wearing a woolly wrap over my long sleeved shirt. Brr.

Today's edition Duck Magnolia, is the latest mad scientist creation to spring from from JB favorite Amy Ross's Boston laboratory studio. I showed several of these delicate compositions as part of Amy's solo exhibition last year, and they were also the stars of our booth at ScopeHamptons last Summer.

I'm sure that many of her rabid fans will agree that it's about time that we offered a magnolia edition from Ms. Ross. Manshroom was one of our very first 20x200 editions, and popular as it was, Amy's collectors have been clamoring for a magnolia print for months now. Ask and ye shall receive, sez I!

The painting that this print is based on is part of the Ornithology exhibition, which also includes one of her fantastic birdshrooms. You've still got a couple of weeks to catch the exhibition in person, but if you can't (or don't want to!) get yourself to NYC before then, the video tour of the exhibition, narrated by yours truly, is almost like being there.

And speaking of being there... where will you be tomorrow night? If you happen to be in the Bay Area, I'm hoping you'll stop by Crown Point Press to say hello. I'm hosting a 20x200 party there from 6pm-8pm and it looks like quite a few collectors are going to be in attendance. If you'll be so kind as to RSVP on Facebook or Upcoming.org, I'll see to it that there's a nicely chilled glass of wine awaiting your arrival.

With these festivities on the horizon, I've got wine stocking and frock shopping to do, but fear not: I'll also be squeezing in an announcement of another fantastic photography edition tomorrow morning. See you then!

Paradigm Shift by Jessica Snow

Hey denizens of the Bay Area! Jen Bekman is throwing a party tomorrow night!

Who: Jen Bekman, 20x200 collectors, friends + fans

What: A 20x200 Party!

When: Wednesday July 23rd | 6pm-8pm

Where: Crown Point Press | 20 Hawthorne St. SF, CA

Why: Because art's for everyone.

RSVP: Upcoming.org

Gurnee, IL, 2005 by Brian Ulrich

Photographer Brain Ulrich is part of a group exhibition, SIGNS, on view at the Mt Tremper Arts Festival. I've never heard of Mt Tremper before, but I do know New York state has lots of fascinatingly named towns. (Once, on my way to Buffalo, I got lost and ended up in Mexico. Yes, Mexico, New York.) Anyway, I did a little research and discovered that Mt Tremper is a hamlet located in the Catskills, boasts a Zen Mountain Monastery and lots of hiking trails. In other words, Mt Tremper sounds like a wonderful place to escape to. The Arts Festival is 10 days of performances, lectures, and dance classes.

Other photographer included in the SIGNS exhibition: Tim Davis, Walker Evans, Stephen Shore, Zoe Strauss, Matthew Pokoik, Shannon Ebner, Christian Patterson, and John Lehr

Mt Tremper Arts Festival
Mt. Tremper, NY,
July 19 - Aug 31, 2008

Brian's site
Brian's 20x200 edition: Untitled, Thrift 2006 (0635)

It's-Wednesday-and-we're-having-a-party greetings, collectors! I was at dinner with a friend last night and he said to me, "I like getting your newsletters and all, but you always say, 'Greetings collectors' and I'm not really a collector, am I? I mean I just bought one photo." To which I replied, "That's my whole point! You are a collector. I think of everyone who buys a print, whether it's a $20, $200 or $2000 one, is a collector and I want them to think of themselves that way too." And suddenly he sat up and felt all important. And it was good. Why? I'll get into that in a minute but first things first!

Our Ornithology extravaganza continues today with White and Grey Canary #1, our second print from witty Brit Luke Stephenson. The largest sized version of this is hanging at the gallery alongside its cousin Yellow Canary #1, and as you see from the installation photos, they're quite a fetching pair. I've already gone on about how crazy I am about Luke's work, and collectors were in hearty agreement — his first canary sold out in the small and medium sizes in a flash. Scoot yourself off and try to get one, I'll be here when you're done.

Where was I? Oh yes, collectors and why it's important to me that 20x200 collectors think of themselves that way. The idea that anyone can be a collector is at the core of this whole "art for everyone" idea I've been hustling over the past five years or so.

Living with art is great, it's a comfort and it keeps your walls from being boring. Aside from that, making choices about what you like and don't like helps you know yourself better. (I've found that not liking something can be especially formative.) Considering yourself a collector, even if you've just bought a $20 print, gives some well-deserved gravitas to both your choosing and the work itself.

http://www.20x200.com/art/images/whitegraycanary_artworkimage.jpg

I believe in all the work that I present here and in the artists making it. I believe it's important and it's good and that living with it will make your life better in one way or another. And you're supporting those artists, which is a big deal. So, yea, my pal Steve is a collector and you are too.

Tonight's festivities at Crown Point Press are shaping up to be quite the to-do. Lots of people are coming and I'm really looking forward to rubbing elbows with a whole new breed of art patrons. If I don't see you later, I'll see you next week, when I return with more art for everyone.

Used, at last, to your absence, 2007
acrylic on canvas
22" x 28"

Greetings and salutations collectors! 20x200 painter, Wendy Heldman, is part of a group show called Tree Service that is up now through August 9th at LA's domestic setting space.

domestic setting
3774 Stewart Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90066
July 12th - August 9th

Wendy's website
Wendy's 20x200 edition print: Darkness moves

Oh the glory of the text message! Rachel, over on Shoot! the Blog, posted about this the other day, and I cannot resist sharing it with you, my beloved readers. 20x200 artist Kelly Shimoda has been photographing text messages, and posting them on her blog called I guess you don't want to talk to me anymore. Reading them is as addictive as a box of Christmas cookies and brilliant at revealing just how regressive, regretful and/or cryptic some text messages can be.
Rachel posted her favorites here, and I dare you to resist taking a peek.

Kelly's 20x200 edition print: Untitled (Hanoi no.2)
Kelly's site
Kelly's blog

Greetings collectors. I have lots to say, as always, but no time to say it. I am leaving San Francisco today, heart and all, and heading back to the steamy apple. I'll be more verbose once I get myself to the other coast.

Till then enjoy Meadow Lark, our third edition from 20x200 fave Laura Levine, who has several pieces in the gallery's Ornithology exhibition.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet's Strange Meadow Lark is a fine musical accompaniment to this piece; the alto sax solo from Paul Desmond which kicks in at the 2:11 mark is sublime. If you're interested in how an actual Meadowlark sounds in the wild, the Western and Eastern varieties both carry lovely tunes. You can also visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to read up on these sweet singing birds.

And with that, this bird has flown.

Here's something heartwarming: 20x200 illustrator, Fernanda Cohen, along with 50 other artists, designed a one of a kind skateboard to be auctioned off to raise funds for Stoked Mentoring:

a non profit action sports organization for at risk youth with the mission of developing successful teens with opportunity, knowledge, experience, and determination through the use of action sports, mentoring and coaching.

Fernanda's deck:

All of the custom decks can be viewed and bid on here. If you are in NYC, you can visit the Good Wood show at 3rd Ward now through August 10th.

3rd Ward
Good Wood 2008
195 Morgan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY

Fernanda's 20x200 edition print: Hot Dog and I
Fernanda's energizing interview
Fernanda's site

Greetings from the East, my collector friends. I am woozy from jet-lag and slowly reentering the New York atmosphere. Last night's travel was relatively uneventful, but we waited forever to get to the gate. A neighboring runway was the site of some kind of landing gear mishap, and the fire trucks, emergency vehicles and overall chaos were downright scary. I am back in the big city and hoping to leave the whole flying thing to the birds for now.

As the Ornithology show winds down over at the gallery, so does our month of bird madness here on 20x200. White-Crowned Sparrow and White Eyed Vireo are the stragglers of the flock, which is understandable considering how wrapped up they've been. These two striking photos are from Hot Shot Todd Forsgren's Bird Banding Project.

One important note about these birds: they are not dead, or dying or even injured. They've been caught in mist nets by ornithologists, and once they're banded they're released back into the world. On first viewing the photos seemed quite brutal to me, but once I had the comfort of knowing that they were indeed alive and well, I was able to focus in how effectively Todd's been able to capture the strange beauty of these creatures.

Viewing them as specimens against the graphic pattern of the nets underscores their fragility, seeing the legs and wings stopped mid-motion exposes their connection to ancient ancestors like the Pterodactyl.

And with this fine duo, we bring our Ornithology program to a close. There are sure to be more bird editions in the future, but with the show winding down and the month coming to an end, it's time to turn our arty attention to other things.

I'll be back next week with new editions! See you then.

Image from Michael David Murphy's Jena Project

20x200 photographer Michael David Murphy just launched a website for his recent body of work on the Jena 6 Case, which brought into focus civil rights in Louisiana:

The Jena Project is a remixed, visual analysis of online speech, as seen through a year's worth of comment threads and discussions of photographs and video made by Michael David Murphy during last summer's trials, protests, and marches for the Jena Six in Jena, Louisiana.

A mixed-media project, The Jena Project pulls back the curtain on America's "conversation on race", while mapping language from an up-close (and often binary) street-level perspective.

Michael David Murphy's The Jena Project
Michael David Murphy's 20x200 edition print: Jim Crow Road
Michael David Murphy's site