The Empty Frame

I Read the other day Thomas Kincade has filed for bankruptcy. Less than a decade ago he was the top of the financial heap. Guaranteed I believe he was over managed by his agent, but I believe that the big picture, and the catalyst to his financial demise, lies in the trend of current culture to take art for granted. We don't invest in art or artists. Much of the population sees art as merely decoration for our homes and it's accessories. And we take it for granted. We have devalued it's role and romanticized it practitioners. We have come to embrace the role of starving artists, and the result is. They are leaving in droves. They gave up when they realized they could make more money, building picture frames and mat boards than creating the art they contain. If you don't think we will miss them let me ask you this...when was the last time you bought blank paper towels, napkins, t shirt. Not the same thing you say, and I would agree, the way design enriches your home and personal products... true art does enriches your life and soul.. It is important, support a LIVING artist this season. It will change your life and theirs.

For Sale: Our culture's collective soul

For Sale our Culture Collective soul



We all like deals and in fact the cheaper the more exciting the conquest. I am no different, but I would like you to give the following some thought the next time you decide that buying that pirated CD ect. from China, or pick up that little decorator do dad to hang on your wall, or clever little time saving device, (and by all mean do continue buying them without customers we have nothing), understand, someone has put their heart and soul into that piece, in an attempt to make your life easier, prettier and better. And it is hard work...none of us have a magic wand. Now turn over and see where it was produced. Then read this article from my business associate, Karla Buckley. And see if it doesn't change your perspective. It is time to value our cultural assets, our artists, engineers,inventors ect. We have become a get for next to nothing society, cheap fast and easy. There is a price...a huge price. And finally ask yourself how much are you willing to pay for the forfeiting of our collective cultural soul?

We have all heard about the huge piracy problem in China. One might think, "It's really not a big deal. China is just making copies of DVDs and software that big companies like Microsoft and Warner Bros. produce. Those big companies make enough money anyway." Unfortunately, not just large companies are affected. Small businesses are losing thousands of dollars as well.

Alma Lee Originals, Inc. is a small home-based business that creates artwork. The artwork is licensed to manufactures, who then produce art prints and home décor items. Alma Lee Originals, Inc. negotiates contracts, which give legal permission to these manufacturers allowing them to produce and distribute a specific number of items over a given period. The manufacturers agree to pay Alma Lee Originals, Inc. a royalty fee, which is a percentage of the sale on each item sold.

Many of the manufacturers contract with Chinese vendors to produce the product. Alma Lee typically sends the manufacturer a JPG file of the artwork and the manufacturer often sends the file to its Chinese vendor. Unfortunately, once the file is sent to China, the file runs the risk of being nationalized.

Alma Lee Originals, Inc. was recently the victim of such a theft. Alma Lee, the creator of a line of roosters, was shopping at Hobby Lobby and noticed a set of clocks featuring roosters from the Alma Lee collection. When she examined them closely, she also saw her signature. The back of the item was labeled with Hobby Lobby's copyright, but the artwork was clearly produced from Alma Lee files.

Hobby Lobby was contacted and made clear the fact that they were not responsible for the alleged copyright infringement. They did not design, develop, or manufacture the items. Hobby Lobby simply purchased the items from a third party vendor in the course of their normal business operations. Their vendor, manufacturer of the product, Fuzhou Profit International Trading Company was unresponsive to both phone calls and written responses. Alma Lee Originals, Inc. was left without recourse and was simply told by its art licensing agent, "As you know, it is very difficult and expensive to prosecute piracy cases in China. It is a huge problem."

The situation is disheartening. The Chinese manufacturer makes a profit by manufacturing and distributing Alma Lee's artwork. The U.S. retailer makes money by selling Alma Lee's artwork in its stores, while Alma Lee receives NOTHING. (Please note Hobby Lobby pulled the Alma Lee inventory from its shelves and is no longer doing business with Fuzhou Profit International Trading Company.) Alma Lee Originals, Inc. is a small business with limited resources and cannot afford a legal battle with the Chinese government.

The lesson learned is simple. The U.S. is part of a global marketplace. Since we are no longer a manufacturing society, our main commodity is our intellectual, trademarked and copyrighted property. We are giving away our competitive advantage, and run the risk of our property being taking over by the Chinese government every time a piece of intellectual property is sent to China.

Key Definitions:
• Licensing - legal permission to do or own a specified thing
• Nationalized – to be taken over by the government.
• Communism – collective ownership of property

What is Art?

I have asked myself for years...What is Art. I have wrestled with its real purpose? It is beautiful, for sure, but does its value end there. Is art merely for the beautification of our lifescapes? Home, lawn and business? Who determines what is beautiful? Furthermore what is art's value? To me as a creator, to the individual viewer, to us as a whole? Can it value be measured by the size of it's price tag? I have wondered about these things for years. It was in the midst of such pondering, one night, I grabbed an old book off the shelf. I had originally bought it years ago to paint on its cover as altered art, but I never had the heart to do it. It was so beautifully worn, still and warm. Someone had not only owned this book, but it was loved. How it came to be for sale for 10 cents at the budget shop I will never know. But that night, I was positively drawn to it and, and opened it to an essay entitled simply ART. How delightful and fortuitous. As I read it, the book so old, and paper brittle as I would turn the page, it often would separate from the binding. So there I sat, spellbound and awestruck at its lyric, as it fell apart in my arms, breathing it's last will and testament, I gently cradled it, and realized I was in love........ Here is an excerpt from what I read that day.

(copyright free, public domain)
ART Essay by Ralph Waldo Emmerson, second series, 1844

But the artist must employ the symbols in use in his day and nation, to convey his enlarged sense to his fellow-men. Thus the new in art is always formed out of the old. The Genius of the Hour sets his ineffaceable seal on the work, and gives it an inexpressible charm for the imagination. As far as the spiritual character of the period overpowers the artist, and finds expression in his work, so far it will retain a certain grandeur, and will represent to future beholders the Unknown, the Inevitable, the Divine. No man can quite exclude this element of Necessity from his labor. No man can quite emancipate himself from his age and country, or produce a model in which the education, the religion, the politics, usages, and arts, of his times shall have no share. Though he were never so original, never so wilful and fantastic, he cannot wipe out of his work every trace of the thoughts amidst which it grew.

I had my answer, more that mere decoration for our dwellings. True art finds it's it's beauty and purpose in it's ability to cause it's viewers to pause and take notice of the reality of a temporal exsisitence, and give place to the beauty of it's being. Art is the point of origin, not the mere destination of marketing. It is the best place to start!