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PaintingProtecting Works of Art - VarnishingArtworks can be fragile, not in the usual way, but if they are displayed and exposed to the “slings and arrows” of everyday life they are at risk. These stresses always include the fading and cracking caused by UV light and can also include other elements such as pollution, improper environment and everyday grit and grime. You might wonder what you can do to protect your art. There are steps that make a lot of sense that are not costly and will give fine art enormous latitudes of protection. Since UV light is present whenever any light is shown on a work of art, there is virtually nothing you can do to totally avoid it. Short of not displaying your art, light will come in contact with it. But, with proper coatings of today’s light filtering products, you can extend the life of your canvas art and art on wood, panels, Claybord, ceramic, plaster, stone and most synthetic materials. Works on paper are framed beneath glass which can provide a high degree of UV filtration. With varnish products manufactured prior to the development of synthetics, yellowing was a problem. However, with the newer products, this is no longer a concern. The clarity and quality of these new varnishes are vastly superior to old, and perhaps artist-made, creations. Today’s varnish contains very little or no color and remains clear for decades. Look at many older paintings where inferior coatings were used and you will see dull, dingy, yellow surfaces rather than the surface the artist intended you to see. Time, UV and everyday soil have combined to create discolored and often cracked surfaces. Today, many brands are available and artists use products that can protect their works for many years. If the artist uses a better quality product, expect the cost to be higher. Some of the varnishes display superior results and have been tested extensively to withstand continuous doses of UV light. These are the best coatings for high quality art. To apply varnish, the painting must be completely dry. That may mean several months of protected drying time. Once dry, the varnish should be applied in an even coat. Whether brushed or sprayed, it should be applied in opposing directions—first side-to-side over the surface and then top-to-bottom over the surface. Allow each coat to dry before continuing. With the proper application of such protection, paintings will have increased value, longer life, easier maintenance and virtually no color changes over long periods of time. It makes sense to protect when we can. Varnishes offer just such protection. See below for the new archival varnish with UV protection from Savoir Faire.
The Artist’s Marketplace
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New Packaging for Iwata Master Hobby Airbrush SetsIwata-Medea Inc. is pleased to announce the newly upgraded Iwata Master Hobby Sets, which feature new packaging and a larger (14 oz.) can of Air-Blast propellant. Each new hobby set will still include the versatile Iwata Revolution CR, BCR or SAR Airbrush, along with other components that will help any hobbyist airbrush like a professional: a 14 oz. can of Medea Air-Blast for longer spraying time, Medea Airbrush Cleaner, Air-Blast Adapter and 10 ft. Iwata Air Hose. The new Iwata Master Hobby Sets also feature an upgraded durable plastic carrying case—a sure way to protect your Iwata airbrush and accessories. See your retailer and visit www.iwata-medea.com.
New Artool True Fire 2 “2nd Degree Burn” Templates by Mike LavalleeArtool Products Co. has announced release of the next generation of Artool True Fire Templates: “2nd Degree Burn” by Mike Lavallee. True Fire 2 “2nd Degree Burn” is sold as a set (FH TF2) and contains 21 new positive/negative breakaway shapes from the 3 new master True Fire 2 configurations: Pyro, Fireball & Blaze. Ever since the release of Mike’s original Artool True Fire Set nearly 3 years ago—and Mike’s many appearances on television programs like “Monster Garage,” “Rides,” “Overhaulin’” and others—the kustom automotive painting world has never been the same. Thanks to Mike Lavallee’s revolutionary concepts and his incredible talent and skill as an artist, the way we all look at flame jobs nowadays is off the charts! See your retailer and visit www.ArtoolProducts.com.
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Spring is the perfect time to dive into neat crafts projects and be creative. The following paragraphs will light your creative fire and give you ideas to explore this spring and into summer. Supplies needed for each project are included, but you probably already have most of what you will need.
Gardening is a favorite spring and summer activity and there are dozens of great ideas for creating personal items for your own garden or to give as gifts. One element always important in the garden is planters, be it a garden outdoors or a window sill herb garden. You can easily create neat planters with recycled aluminum cans, paints and embellishments. Start by collecting and washing different sized aluminum cans. When dry, apply a coat of gesso (or thick white house paint). After this dries, use acrylic paints to decorate with flowers, butterflies, lady bugs or other favorite shapes like stars, circles, wiggly lines and dots. Use a variety of colors for visual interest and appeal. If you wish, coat the finished pot with clear acrylic varnish to help maintain a clean surface on the planter.
Ladybugs are always a favorite of youngsters. They are fun to watch and do such a big job in the garden. Did you know that they eat bad bugs (aphids) all day long, while they travel from plant to plant? They also contribute to the cross-pollination of plants during these same travels. Create replicas of ladybugs that are great spring décor—paperweights or clean, easy-care “pets.” Gather some smooth oval-shaped pebbles. Wash and dry them and then coat with a single layer of white paint (or gesso) to seal the surface. Use red to paint the wing area and black to indicate the head. Black dots and wing separations on top of the red will make the ladybug look beautiful. Add small wobble eyes or paint on eyes for a finishing touch.
These easy projects can be made indoors or out, on any day you feel like doing something different or new. Have fun!
Winners of Sakura’s Cray-Pas Wonderful, Colorful World Contest 2008 have been announced. First Place, Grade K, 1, 2, went to Kaiyo W. Shi of Portland, OR, for “Happy Feet”; Grade 3, 4, 5 went to Victoria Tu of Northbrook, IL, for “’Peek-A-Boo’ said Red Eyed Tree Frog”; and Grade 6,7,8 went to Chris Chang of Duluth, GA, for “Aging Love.” See more at http://www.sakuraofamerica.com/?q=node/273.
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The 49th Three Rivers Arts Festival takes place June 6-22 at Gateway Plaza/downtown Pittsburgh, PA. Three hundred artists, more than 50 live music performances, 15 visual arts installations and four original dance and theatre productions all contribute to enliven historic plazas, city streets and open spaces downtown. 412.281.8723. www.artsfestival.net.
A Master Sand Sculpting Competition will be held June 14-27 at Hampton Beach, NH, with 300 tons of imported sand dropped on the beach on June 13. Featured this year will be a sponsor site, 13 world class masters vying for $15,000 in purse and entry awards, free lessons and night illumination for viewing. Info/view entries at www.hamptonbeach.org/sandcastle-competition.cfm
ART Santa Fe 2008 is scheduled for July 10-13 at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe in the Railyard Art District, Santa Fe, NM. This international art fair will feature works from galleries across the nation, Europe and Latin America. In addition, there are parties and other special events, exhibitions and receptions at the city’s premier museums and galleries, music performances and the popular International Folk Art Market on Museum Hill. 505.988.8883; www.artsantafe.com
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The Webby Awards honor excellence on the Internet. Winner in the Art category this year is Richard Serra Sculpture: Forty Years – www.moma.org/serra - The Museum of Modern Art, New York City. Also nominated was Edward Hopper – www.nga.gov/exhibitions/ - National Gallery of Art.
The Whitney Museum of American Art has launched Whitney Focus, a dynamic series of original video programming developed by the Museum and made available free-of-charge on the Web as podcasts, via video on demand, and through broadcast platforms. This new program kicks off with an eclectic group of ten short videos presented in conjunction with the 2008 Whitney Biennial and features 9 artists who reflect on their work and offer insight into their artistic process. View these online at www.whitney.org/focus, http://whitneyfocus.blip.tv, http://youtube.com/WhitneyFocus, www.facebook.com, and iTunes (video podcast section).
The Dia Art Foundation has announced the launch of Wrestling with the Blob Beast by artist Ezra Johnson at www.diaart.org/Johnson. This collection of 16 animated screensavers is derived from painting and covers a wide field, ranging from formal studies where color is a primary concern to quiet nature scenes to vignettes. Dia’s collection of Web projects currently numbers 27.
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Where to begin? There are so many things to see in San Francisco: architecture, old art, new art, gardens…what a place!
The magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, completed after more than four years of construction at a cost of $35 million, is a visitor attraction recognized around the world. The GGB opened to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937 at twelve o'clock noon, ahead of schedule and under budget, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt pressed a telegraph key in the White House announcing the event.
The California Modern Art Gallery, 1035 Market (at Golden Gate Avenue), 415-503-0944, is locally renowned and represents emerging and established career artists in all media and styles.
San Francisco's Chinatown begins at the dragon-crested gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, a gift from the Republic of China in 1969. San Francisco’s oldest street—Grant Avenue—runs eight blocks through the center of America’s ethnic capital to over 1.5 million people of Chinese descent. Color abounds and delightful aromas from the dozens of restaurants fill the air.
The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (FAMSF) is the city's largest public arts institution as well as one of the largest art museums in the U.S. It is comprised of the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor.
The de Young is San Francisco’s oldest museum and re-opened in a new state-of-the-art facility in Golden Gate Park in 2005. Its collections include American paintings, decorative arts and crafts; arts from Africa, Oceania and the Americas; and Western and non-Western textiles. It is renowned for its educational arts programs for children and adults. Chihuly at the de Young, the first major exhibition in San Francisco for this pioneer of the studio glass movement, opens on June 14 through September 28. Included will be 11 galleries of new and archival works. Preview installations debuted in April at both the de Young and Legion of Honor. Advance tickets are recommended. 415-750-3600. For more info, visit http://www.chihulyatthedeyoung.org/. Note: Because John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park is closed to traffic on Saturdays through Sept. 27, visitors are encouraged to use public transportation on those days.
The Legion of Honor, built to commemorate Californian soldiers who died in WWI, is a beautiful Beaux Arts building located in Lincoln Park and overlooks the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and all of San Francisco. Its collections include European decorative arts and paintings, ancient art, and one of the country’s largest and finest collections of works on paper. Opening June 21 through Sept. 21 is Women Impressionists: Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzales, Marie Bracquemond. For more information, visit http://www.famsf.org/legion/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?exhibitionkey=794.
The San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Civic Center. Founded in 1970, it makes contemporary art accessible to broad audiences through curated exhibitions that both reflect regional diversity and position Bay Area visual art production within an international contemporary art landscape. Three program sites include 401 Van Ness Ave., 155 Grove St. and Art at City Hall. 415-554-6080. http://www.sfacgallery.org/
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Creativity Explored, 3245 16th Street, 415-863-2108, is a non-profit visual arts center where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit and sell art. Opening June 26 through August 6 is a new sculptural exhibition entitled INsects that celebrates the naturally weird and wild world of bugs. http://www.creativityexplored.org/
Mission 17, 2111 Mission Street, Suite 401, 415-861-3144, was established in 2003. This not-for-profit center for visual culture supports the work of emerging and mid-career artists, with particular emphasis on experimental art forms and the opportunities they present for social and psychological reflection. http://mission17.org/index.htm
San Francisco Women Artists, 3489 Sacramento Street, 415-440-7392, began in the 1880’s as a sketch club and has continued in operation and evolved into today’s non-profit organization that promotes women in the visual arts. At this gallery you will find fine art paintings, photography, sculpture, jewelry and crafts. http://sfwomenartists.org/ For something unique, visit Needles & Pens, 3253 16th Street, 415-255-1534. This emporium of zines, DIY goods, and an art gallery aims to provide an affordable place where community members can display and sell their own homemade goods, home-published zines, and artwork. http://www.needles-pens.com/gallery.html
For something cool and out of the ordinary, visit the Garage Gallery (at Embarcadero Automotive), 655 Bryant, 415-817-0001. This permanent gallery shares space with Embarcadero Automotive - a co-owner is an avid art collector – and features fine art and mixed-media exhibits. http://embarcaderoauto.com/garagegallery.html
The Sculpture Garden at SF Recycling & Disposal is — as far as we know — the only art park located at a garbage company. The 3-acre garden showcases 30 sculptures, and all third Saturday tours of the company include a visit to the garden. 415-330-1415. http://www.sfrecycling.com/AIR/sculpturegarden.php?t=d
From art and architecture to sculpture, San Francisco’s cultural scene has something for everyone. No wonder it’s among the major top art destinations in the United States.
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For optimum performance, an airbrush must be kept clean; and there are two times when cleaning is required: (1) between color changes and (2) at the end of a work period.
The airbrush requires cleaning only in those areas that come in contact with paint: the paint reservoir or color cup or jar, the tip of the airbrush and the needle. First, remove the paint from the paint reservoir. Pour excess paint back into its container and then wipe the reservoir with a piece of paper towel. Pour airbrush cleaner into the paint reservoir and spray this through the airbrush into a rag, paper towel or airbrush cleaning station. Again wipe the color cup with a paper towel. A handy item for cleaning an airbrush is a flat No. 4 bristle brush. This allows you to reach into the nooks and crannies of the color cup and slosh it with the cleaner.
All internal mix airbrushes have a needle that runs through them, and this must be removed for cleaning. Unscrew the airbrush handle to expose the needle; you will notice that there is a screw holding the needle in place. This is called the needle chuck screw and it must be loosened to remove the needle. Turn the screw counterclockwise one-half turn. (It is not necessary to remove the screw completely.) Take hold of the back end of the needle and pull it out. Once the needle is removed, wipe off paint residue with a paper towel. Always wipe the needle away from you and be cautious not to stick yourself, since it is sharp. Once the needle is clean, replace it in the airbrush. Slide it back through the needle chuck screw, gently pushing it forward until it is snug. Do not over-push it. Once the needle is back in place, re-tighten the needle chuck screw.
To insure that everything is properly set, pull back on the airbrush trigger. Notice how this action makes the needle move backwards. If it does not move backwards, this indicates that the needle chuck screw is not tight enough. Once you are sure that the needle is properly reinstalled, replace the airbrush handle. Now spray more cleaner through the airbrush and then move on to your next color or store the airbrush for future use.
FREE Airbrush Newsletter – Visit www.airbrushtalk.com for the new issue of AirbrushTalk, a bi-monthly e-newsletter for airbrush enthusiasts. You’ll find Crafting Botanical Imprints by Janean S. Thompson, Geometric Design Nosferatu Bust by Wes Hawkins, Color Blended Toenails Using an Airbrush by Laura Glass, and more.
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USPS News – The U.S. Postal Service has issued four Flags 24/7 first-class stamps, each featuring a painting of an American flag flying at different times of the day: sunrise, noon, sunset and night. Artist Laura Stutzman of Mountain Lake Park, MD, used gouache on illustration board to capture the “living, breathing force” of her subject.
Shortlist Announced – Tate Britain has announced the four artists who have been shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2008: Runa Islam, Mark Leckey, Goshka Macuga and Cathy Wilkes. An exhibition will open Sept. 30, with the winner announced on Dec. 1.
Auction News – Sotheby’s evening auction of Contemporary Art was the best auction in the company’s history, with a total of $362 million. Francis Bacon’s Triptych (1976) commanded $86.2 million, a record for a contemporary work of art at auction and for the artist at auction; and an additional 17 artist records were set. At the Impressionist & Modern Art evening sale, records were set for Fernand Leger and Edvard Munch. – Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale totaled $348.2 million, marking the second highest total ever in auction history for the category. Eight new world auction records were established; and Lucian Freud’s Benefits Supervisor Sleeping set a world auction record for any living artist at $33.6 million.
Gallery Reopened – The Faberge Gallery at the New Orleans Museum of Art has been reopened. The larger and broader range of Faberge objects totals 82, not including 44 miniature Easter Eggs which are displayed on three separate objects. Cigarette and card cases, clocks, inkwells, letter knives, photo frames and more are now on view in addition to Easter Eggs.
NEA News – In its second major grant announcement of fiscal year 2008, the NEA will award $77.4 million to fund 1,014 grants. Included among these are nonprofit national, regional, state and local organizations across the country, funding grants in the categories of Access to Artistic Excellence, Arts on Radio and Television, Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth, Partnership Agreements (State and Regional) and American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius.
Prize Awarded – The Driskell Prize, established by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, in 2005, has been awarded for 2008 to Brooklyn-based artist Xaviera Simmons. The prize honors and celebrates contributions to the field of African American art and art history. Simmons will give a free public lecture at the High on July 26 in conjunction with the National Black Arts Festival.
Milestone – Robert Rauschenberg, born in Port Arthur, TX, on Oct. 22, 1925, has died at age 82 in his Captiva Island (FL) studio. Rauschenberg became a major force in modern art in the 1950’s when he created “combines,” a combination of paintings and sculptures made up of unrelated objects found on the street. He became a master of painting, collage, lithography and sculpture, and collaborated with choreographer Merce Cunningham in the design of stage sets.
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| “Artists must be sacrificed to their art. Like bees, they must
put their lives into the sting they give..” – Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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6-Hour Workshop
www.arttalk.com/workshop/workshop.htm
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The Art Institute Online is looking for graphic designers interested in learning additional skills, or in getting their bachelor's or associate's degree in graphic design. Make yourself more marketable in the graphic design industry. Click here to find out more. (http://quinst.com/clk/kittedatoukumushiigyo) |
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| •ARTtalk's Manufacturer Art Materials/Product Info. Center • |
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Copyright ARTtalk Vol. 18 No. 8 — June 2008
New Lascaux UV Protect Archival Varnish From Savoir Faire
New Fast Dry Alkyd Oil from DaVinci