It’s been a year of major growth
for International Artist Day.
by Maurice Cardinal
Since the IAD’s inception by founder Chris MacClure in 2004, we have steadily gained momentum and visibility in our mandate to celebrate the contribution artists make to society.
When the IAD first launched, Chris would scour the internet looking for a smattering of artists who celebrated alongside of us. Today, the numbers are overwhelming when you go online to see all the artists and galleries in all the cities around the world who do something very special on our official day of October 25. It’s a date Chris chose that pays homage to Pablo Picasso, a visionary artist who has done more for contemporary art than anyone.
Picasso literally revitalized contemporary art and brought it into the mainstream.
The internet is overflowing with International Artist Day celebrations this year in cities like New York, London, Mumbai, Beijing, and all the little bergs and art communities in between. We love everyone who shares our exuberance and respect for art, so let us know what you’re doing to help promote the cause.
The IAD celebrates all forms of art, from painters to performance artists, and this year we are holding up our glasses as a toast, and extending our welcome to mixologists throughout the USA!
Creativity is the name of the game in the art world, and anyone who can stimulate our senses, whether two-dimensional visual, movement through dance or music, or … gastronomical through food and drink, we salute you … Cin Cin!
We are honored this year to lend our name to an ART FORM CONTEST launched by the Van Gogh Vodka people and CHILLED magazine, who want to celebrate the creativity of mixologists in each state from coast to coast in America. Van Gogh Vodka also chose one of the world’s most famous artists to celebrate their brand, and to literally bring creative “SPIRIT” to the world of art.
We’ve humorously played up the “Picasso meets Van Gogh” element to bring attention to a national celebration occurring today regarding the culmination of the contest in Charleston South Carolina at the Principle Gallery where the winners will be announced. Stay tuned! There are cash prizes and a double shot of prestige for the mixologist, or as Van Gogh Vodka coins them, BARtists who create the most interesting libations that are flavorful, colorful and designed as a work of art.
We also tip our hats to multi-skilled artists like Marilyn Hurst, a painter and writer who has constantly contributed to the IAD since its inception. Marilyn helped founder Chris MacClure in the early years as they worked together to define International Artist Day – Marilyn and Chris are married to each other. Marilyn recently posted a blog about artist Frank Arnold, well respected international figurative artist, and discussed with Frank the unconscious process of creativity and what it really means to reach into and beyond your collective souls for inspiration.
Chris, a romantic realist painter, and Marilyn just opened a new studio in White Rock with Brent Heighton. We’re all looking forward to seeing what they produce out of this new creative space.
It’s been an incredible year for me too, Maurice Cardinal, IAD co-partner with Chris. Over the last six months I’ve been exploring what blockchain and cryptocurrency bring to the worlds of art. Blockchain and smart contracts are the business tool artists have been hoping for since the inception of the internet. It’s the last piece to the puzzle. Blockchain allows all types of artist to place their art online without worry of it being infringed or illegally copied and sold. Blockchain helps artists get their work in front of interested and qualified buyers in an easy, secure and affordable way.
It’s a new way for a new era that is proving promising for artists as well as galleries.
Galleries this year around the world are also adopting blockchain and cryptocurrency strategies because it substantially reduces their operating costs and gives them access to a market that previously was insanely and infamously elusive.
An artist I work with, Doriz Anderson just hung four new pieces in the brand new Art Couture Gallery in White Rock. The canvass above, “Join the Party” was painted after Doriz took a closer look at the artistry of the cocktails created in the contest, and literally felt inspired to join the party.
Jenny Xu, Art Couture Gallery owner and curator, has graciously made space on her walls for four of Doriz’s abstract figurative paintings, including Join the Party.
Jenny has a rolling hit with her new gallery that showcases exemplary art to our seaside community – with pieces ranging from an affordable three hundred up to sixty-thousand dollars. Jenny seems to already have the attention and respect of local Asian collectors, and is quickly becoming the west coast stage for incredible pieces by highly respected Chinese artists like Xiaoyang Yang, who sold a piece recently, Flourish of Life, at auction for over $1.7 million USD. The Yang image at the left, Tea & Zen hung at Art Couture last month for a very modest $60K.
All of a sudden our little seaside town of White Rock at the ocean, has slipped quietly onto the international art scene in a prestigious way. Look for illuminating openings and events at the Art Couture Gallery in the coming months.
Today is October 25th, 2018, our official day of celebration at International Artist Day, so get out and visit an artist’s studio or art gallery, or go online and buy a piece of art, or … at the very least stop an artist on the street (everyone knows what an artist looks like haha) and buy them a drink or dinner to thank them for the contribution they make to society.
Happy International Artist Day in 2018!