[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY_A4qkBW10]Art Expo 2012Ok, so this year I decided to go to the Art Expo in New York City. I have been thinking about it for a few years because many art professionals, whom I respect, have been telling me that it’s a worthwhile experience. The idea was to get a feel for what types of works are succeeding in the market, perhaps get some business cards and do some networking. I accomplished all those objectives. The show calls itself the world’s largest fine art trade show. After reading a few reviews that described the art work as very high caliber, I had equally high expectations. I won’t say that the show met my expectations entirely, but I wasn’t disappointed either. Works on canvas dominated the show and the preferred medium seemed to be oil, or mixed. Figurative work prevailed, and many portfolios were indeed impressive. I was particularly attracted to the paintings of Anna Razumovskaya, Kal Gajoum, Liu Wen Quan and Jürgen Görg. The Galerie Roccia also displayed some interesting work. I went to one lecture by Gallery Director, Andy McAfee, who spoke about the business of hosting successful art shows. Mr. McAfee is from the fine state of North Carolina, where I also reside. More specifically, he hails from The Art Shop in Greensboro, North Carolina. I felt he delivered useful information. Here is my interpretation. It seemed that Mr. McAfee is somewhat of an illusionist; he creates an environment that impacts people’s perceptions, usually in a way that leads to sales. His business is based partly on this environment and partly on information, the art is almost incidental. The information that McAfee collects is about his clients. During his talk, he presented a form that customers are required to complete. After that, ostensibly, he knows what he needs to know about them. He clearly stated that he never lets the buyer leave with the art; he always delivers. In the client’s home, he hangs the artwork and collects more information about the buyer. Mr. McAfee described some of his clients as life-long-clients and presented his strategies as a method to achieve this. However, I think more than strategies, McAfee was presenting a glimpse into a craft.
The artwork of William Hudson Temples