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Documenting a period in my development that could become pivotal

Friday, August 04, 2006

The Clothesline Sale is another Alternative Gallery

Alternative galleries have spoiled the public giving out free and cheaply priced art. This is the opinion of the majority of artists in Corvallis, Oregon. I have a slightly different take on what causes the low number of sales and low prices the artists fetch for their paintings here. The problem is the small art center. Art Centric spotlights exhibits brought in from other locations at the expense of the growing number of local talents. The small side shows in the center's gift shop and staff office are presented as products for sale. In July in our topsy turby community Pegasus Art Gallery and Frame Shop featured the creative works of the Oregon State University retired Art Department Head and his family of three generations. The exhibit is not featured as a selling exhibit and reaches out to the community of numerous other families with several generations making art. The out reach is unpresedented here because the University Professors do not show with just anyone here. This show could never have been in our small art center. It is proof that there is more to art than just selling products. The Clothesline Sale will probably again have all the sales that should be going to support our Pegasus Art Gallery / real functioning community art center.

2 comments:

Rain Trueax said...

but Pegasus doesn't have space nor show work of every artist in the area either. They primarily promote a few artists including the owner and his family when I've been in.

For some reason Stevens Art Gallery eventually closed and whether that was because of the lack of business or lack of interest with the owners, I don't know. I agree the art center there is small and i haven't been in it for years because when I was back in the past, I didn't see anything I liked. I think to limit art shows to professional galleries is to shut many artists out of any sales. If those who can get into the bigger galleries, like say the Hamiltons, choose to sell their work also in a clothesline sale to promote the local group, that is an individual choice. I like to see cooperative galleries (which is kind of what the clotheline sale is for one day) anywhere I go which again cut out the professional galleries but do give those who can't get into the bigger ones a chance to sell.

Diane Widler Wenzel said...

Rain,
The assumption among many is that all art is justified if some one wants to buy it especially among the lay community. so the Art Center shows local artists as though they are selling when other pursuits could be encouraged such as communication, and healthy living.