Gearing Up For An Excellent Dinner... But Where Are You?

Let's pretend you've never heard of our Monthly Dinner Series before. Let's pretend you haven't read all the previous blog posts showing how great they've been. Let's pretend you're a babe in the woods, looking at us wide-eyed and asking "Like the Spice, what do you mean by 'artist's dinner'?" Just what are we going to say?

Well, Virgina, the artist's dinner isn't just about a fantastic meal served right here in the gallery. It's more about the magical state of mind that happens when you, and our friends, and a whole bunch of artists appear to laugh their way through a multi-course meal, telling stories and talking about their art. And you know what? When Saturday, March 20th rolls around, The Worlds We Ate will be no different.

You see, not only will you be getting an amazing meal, served up right in the center of the gallery, you'll also get to enjoy talking with seven different artists about their drawings and sculpture. That's right, ALL the artists behind our current show, The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create will be joining us to discuss their ideas, inspirations, inventions, and imagery. That's right, all i's will be on us come Saturday, March 20th!

All kidding aside, this dinner is shaping up to be something wonderful, and it's a dinner you don't want to miss. So reserve your place today! Remember, spaces are limited, and we don't want to have to be missing you all night long. RSVP now!

Whose House? Ross' House!

Good ol' Ross Racine has been a Like the Spice artist for some time now. In fact, we've even taken him along with us to our current off site show at The Roger Smith Hotel. While the work of Jason Bryant and Allison Edge will be showing in the solarium, Ross will be adorning the walls of the lobby. Opening night is March 19th, so if you haven't seen his stuff in person before, it's a great chance to take a look!

Also good news for Ross is all the attention he's been getting! First, one of his images has been featured in Data Flow 2, a new book from the Gestalten publishing house. He's very proud to be included, and we're very impressed with him for it!

Secondly, Ross was recently interviewed on Australian art blog The Art Life. This interview also appeared on another blog, Science Fictional, proving that Ross really has wide appeal. Take a peek and enjoy learning a little more about the man behind the images!

Of course, we're just as proud to be working with Allison and Jason, and, in fact, all of our artists (including Allie Rex and Michelle Hinebrook, now being featured at the 92nd Street Y Tribeca). But, just this once, it's Ross' turn to shine. So well done, Ross Racine! You'll still remember us little people... won't you?

We Created A Pretty Good Time In This Here World

In fact, we had so much fun, we broke the camera!



This is the very last picture our sweet little device managed before it conked out and we had to switch to iPhones and what have you for the rest of the night. But c'mon, look how much fun everyone is having! That's because it was a non-stop party atmosphere during our Friday night opening extravaganza for The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create. Here artist Brian LaRossa says Cheers!



It's been a while since we had a group show, so it was quite the thrill to have so many wonderful artists scurrying about the gallery. Plus, seriously, can you believe how great all of this sculpture is? If you haven't already, head to the sneak preview page and get a sneak preview. Just don't think we're showing you everything. We have to keep a few surprises to make you come and visit!



It's been nearly a year since LtS made room for sculpture, so we're very pleased to be showcasing it again. From Diana Puntar's beautiful Lived Live Evil Devil (you can't miss it, it's hanging from the ceiling in almost every single shot) to the incredibly delicate porcelain from Jessica Stoller (pictured below), this show has already started captivating our guests, both new and old.



And that's not the half of it. We're also boasting the complex geometry of R. Justin Stewart, the eye-catching marvels of Langdon Graves, the battery-operated animals of Misako Inaoka, the brilliantly exciting peephole of Patrick Jacobs, and the fascinating map-based creations of Matthew Northridge. Honestly, it's such a joy to come to work! But this show isn't just about wowing the staff. The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create has been a hit with all our visitors, including many other terrific Like the Spice artists. Below's a shot from when we bumped into Rachel Beach and Ross Racine and some guy in the middle we don't have a link for. But you know what? We like him anyway. And see how they're all smiling? That's what visiting The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create can do for YOU!



The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create is open from this very second until April 4th. Come and create your own little piece of it.

Maybe They Just Didn't Like The Mountains

Tell the truth, does that look like a "suspicious gathering" to you? Because according to the cops, that's how the caller described us. Thankfully we had all our papers in order, and the police were very polite and understanding, so our Nora Herting: Free Sitting party continued out in front of the gallery until a wee-but-reasonable hour!



With this lovely backdrop, Nora created found families, posing anyone who cared to be posed alongside anyone that cared to be with them. The shots ranged from the sublime to the surreal, and the night was filled with a mix of gallery regulars, first time visitors, and even a few innocent bystanders. Everyone was having so much fun that it was impossible for anyone to feel shy.



Nora's project is designed to explore the feeling of those awkward family portraits that once were part of the American dream, bringing total strangers together to play the parts. She's previously carried out her Free Sittings elsewhere, including a wonderfully successful stop in Chelsea late last year. Her seasoned ability turned Saturday night into a chance to play with the idea of the portrait, both through Nora's deliberate direction or by simply letting the models position themselves. Some shots were awkward, some were sinister, some were just plain funny, and one or two even made the onlookers say "awwww".



You can read a little more about Nora's project right here. Of course, while that was going on, we had a little event of our own happening inside.



Saturday's ultra-rare advance preview of our upcoming show, The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create was a mix of the sculpture and drawing that all us Spicy people have very excited about. You can see an advance sneak preview on our sneak preview page, but don't think that we're giving it all away this early! Why do you think we're being so coy with these shots? All you get now is a little taste, because the real opening night is Friday, March 12th, and we want YOU to be there! Maybe you'll even get to talk to some of the artists, such as the wonderful Jessica Stoller (center, in the hat).



Additionally, RSVP now for the next installment of our Monthly Dinner Series, The Worlds We Ate on March 20th. You'll be having a delicious dinner surrounded by the work itself, and you can enjoy meeting the artists in person! Previous dinners have been amazing, so reserve your place!

But that's a story still waiting for us in the future. The fun we had on Saturday was all because of Nora Herting.



Great job, Nora! We can't wait to do it again.

Whats the State of NYC art?

Find out at the
NYC State of the Art conference
Time:9:00AM Saturday, March 6th
Location:The SVA Theatre 333 West 23 Street

My Panel:
What art industry incentives can be offered to help NYC artists?
Moderator: James Wallace
Elizabeth Koch, Brooklyn Borough President's office
Sharon Louden, Artist
Marisa Sage, Williamsburg Gallery Association
Keats Myer, Children's Museum of the Arts
Start time: 2:30 pm

MY QUESTIONS:
How difficult is it for a gallery to survive in this or any economy?
How are Brooklyn galleries dealing with the current economic conditions?
What city or state incentives can a gallery use when starting up?
Should there be more?
What more can be done?
What best practices should be emulated by galleries when working with artists?
How do galleries ensure best practices when working with artists? Would more regulation help?

I will add my answers to this blog and other panelists statements after the conference.

Also listen to WYPR for conference coverage and our Like the Spice podcast for a short podcast covering the conference.

New York’s artists struggle constantly to live, work, show, and sell.

Artists, arts leaders, notable panelists, and YOU will address solutions at NYC:State Of The Art, New York’s first-ever artist and art industry not-for-profit conference, tomorrow, Mar. 6, at SVA Theatre, 9am to 6pm. Post-event cocktails at The Gates.

Keynote, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. Media sponsor, WNYC.

Have an idea or question? Want to help an artist attend? pARTicipate! Get your ticket or sponsor an artist now at http://nycstateoftheart.com/tickets.asp. www.nycstateoftheart.com

Special Offer! Artist attendees will receive a free 1 year Platinum account at Imagekind.com ($100 value), an internet-based service allowing artists to set up a storefront and sell prints of their work. http://www.imagekind.com/

A Positive Climate

What artist has two thumbs and was given an excellent description in The New York Photo Review? Bennett Morris! Okay, fine, the joke doesn't work as well in print. But that's no reason why you shouldn't head over and read all about Bennett's now-completed solo show Climate Untamed. Here's just a taste:



It's short, but it's very, very sweet. Thanks for the visit, NYPR! We're glad you enjoyed the show!

Free Sitting on March 6th!

The camera is held steadily as you pose before it with your family, your father's stern hand lain unnaturally on your shoulder forging a kind of maternal affection for the camera, imaginary ants tickling your body as you try to remain still with a broad smile plastered across your strained face. These unnatural snapshots intended on betraying family life became a point of fascination for our artist Nora Herting as she joins us on March 6th for Nora Herting: Free Sitting.

To delve into the nuts and bolts of the strange psychology and comedy of this long running tradition, she has constructed an interactive instillation in the form of a photo booth. Here, with each photo, she will create imaginary families and initiate momentary ties, as groups of strangers come in off the streets of Williamsburg to pose out of front of Like The Spice.



Come in on March 6th from 6.30pm to 10.00pm as we enjoy our Saturday night Armory party! Plus did we mention a chance for a sneak preview of one of our up and coming group sculpture shows The World We Live In, The Worlds We Create. And of course all are welcome to come to our next Monthly Dinner on March 20th to eat, drink, be merry, and talk to the artists about their art and their life. Join us, won't you?