22nd July 2007: Who's made a mark this week?

An article about Vivien Blackburn's art in Leicestershire and Rutland Life

This week I've got a very mixed collection of blog posts and websites that I've paused over during the last week. First I want to start with:

Congratulations to....

• "He who must not be bored while I sketch" - who got a letter this week saying he's been awarded a Distinction in his Master's Degree in Education and Development. Not bad for somebody who won't see 50 again! I know this isn't anything to do with blog posts, websites or even art but he's definitely "made a mark" and we're both very pleased! It also means I get him back at weekends and I'm looking forward to more sketching trips with him - if this monsoon rain ever stops!
  
• Vivien Blackburn - on the publication of an article about her art in "Leicestershire and Rutland Life" (see image at the top). This is an established and exclusive magazine whose readers are characterised as aspirational high achievers who want to "buy the very best for themselves, their homes and their loved ones". I know the "(County) Life" magazines and they probably represent the pinnacle of local publications that any artist could aspire to in the UK - so many congratulations to Vivien on raising her profile with local art collectors! You can read more about the nerve-wracking process of having an article published about you on her blog here.
  

Art collectors

While on the topic of art collectors, I came across a couple of interesting pieces this week as a result of items in Edward Winkleman's blog - which I find often has an interesting insight into parts of the art world where I never go!

• the ARTNews list of the 200 Top Collectors. Most of the names made absolutely nothing to me but it was very interesting to see what sort of art they collected.
  
• The Art Newspaper's article on "The Problem with a Collector Driven market" and Edward Winkelman's comment on it here - lamenting the prospect of a market where money will trump knowledge. He has an interesting comment on art fairs - and the scope they have offer for increasing the knowledge of potential collectors. He's referring to the 'high end' fairs frequented by the prestigious galleries - but I think the point he's making is one which transfers well to art fairs at a more local level.
  

Artists

• I've had Heather Jansch - an equine artist with a difference - on my 'to do' list for a while as her sculptures of horses using driftwood are truly stunning. I wrote asking for a picture to use in a blog post but unfortunately haven't had a response (I suspect she gets a lot of these requests) so here's the next best thing - a link to her website and her FAQs page.
  

Art Business and Marketing

• The Sunday Telegraph did an article a couple of weeks ago on Smart Art focusing on a number of different ways in which art can be made more affordable. Etsy gets a mention - as do some new sites - plus Julian Merrow Smith (of Postcard from Provence fame) has another newspaper article to include in his collection of newspapers covering him!
• Some sites which may be useful to anybody involved in or contemplating illustration.
  
• Watercolour Magic provides a useful article by Chuck Sambochino for anybody hoping to get involved in The Business of Illustration
  
• a couple of societies for those interested in illustrating children's books - a society for those wanting to get involved with children's books - the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and an independent association of professional children's book illustrators from around the world.

Art Education: Websites, Books, Workshops, Tips and Techniques

This week I'm featuring items which are linked by the theme of colour

• Having read my blogpost highlighting Strobist's blogpost about how to build a lightbox, Stacey Rowan of "Stop and Draw the Roses" has set to and built hers. She found it very easy, is very pleased with the result and is currently experimenting with sheets of coloured traslucent paper. Read about her experience here. Do take a look at the wonderful results she is getting with reflected colours in her still life subjects. If anybody else is building a lightbox as well don't forget to post a comment so we can all come and visit with you to see the results!
  
• I'm a member of the Botanical Art and Naturalist Illustration Group (on Yahoo) and I was impressed by a nice example of a colour chart this week. You can see artbydabs's colour chart and how she made it on Flickr - as well as her art work.
  
• At some point in the future I intend to do a series of posts about colour - but no need to wait until then to highlight this website which is devoted to the The Munsell Color System.
• I'm intrigued by the Colour Lovers system and how it work but I'm having difficulty finding a URL which isn't 'invalid' in terms of analysing the colour palette of an image. Let me know if anybody gets it to work.
  

Art Exhibitions

• I've not yet been to see the new exhibition at the Royal Academy - The Impressionists by the Sea - but did enjoy this slideshow preview provided by Guardian Arts of some of the images plus articles on the guardian preview of impressionists by the sea - pictures plus articles
• The building which houses the Princes Drawing School where I have my class on "Drawing a Head" also houses The Prince's School of Traditional Arts. You get a view of it at the beginning of another Guardian video piece on the degree show exhibition of Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts. The exposure that I've had to traditional arts on my way in and out of the building has certainly stimulated my interest in its design and techniques.
  

The school's VITA programme specialises in the arts and architecture of Islam and the traditional arts of other civilisations. It promotes the idea that form, geometry and colour are not simply aesthetically pleasing but are representative of a more profound universal order.

Art History

• I came across the stunning Online Picasso Project website this week. Just check the output of work he produced each year - it makes me feel tired!
• I'd expect anybody who enjoys Dutch and Flemish Art to find the Codart website very stimulating. It covers Dutch and Flemish Art in museums worldwide.
  

If you spot anything during the week that you think I'll be interested in do let me know.

I'm now off to pack a bag with my sketching kit for a walk along the River Thames this afternoon with "he who must not be bored while I sketch". Now shall I take an umbrella......?