Topics: Topical Index Current Greek Life Slide show Thanksgiving The making of art through daily challenges.  Archives: Aug 2008 June 2008 Apr 2008 Feb 2008 Jan 2008 Nov 2007 Oct 2007 June 2007 Apr 2007 Mar 2007 Feb 2007

Inspiration Inspiration comes in many forms.   Did you ever wonder what inspires an artist?  For me it can be the smallest things. Sometimes I see the news or read an article and a visual appears in my head that I need to translate into a piece. Other times it is upon going to sleep or waking. Yet sometimes it is just observing what can be found right in front of me. There was a time just a few months ago, when I worked on a series of mini collages, while preparing for a show for the National Collage Society, NCS. The theme of the exhibition was “Wish You Were Here”.  While working on these mini postcard collages, I used old stamps as inspiration. During the process I found a postage stamp from Greece which had a doll with a trunk on it.  I duplicated the stamp slightly larger in different materials into a postcard size collage utilizing the stamp in the mini collage. Recently I came across the mini collage that I created but didn’t use for the NCS show. (I submitted another piece.)  I used this mini collage in turn as inspiration while incorporating it into a much larger collage. You just never know what will trigger your creative spirit. Cutting, pasting, layering, then covering the areas that don’t work with more paper or changing the look of an area so that it works better continues the momentum, energizing me and inevitably the project. This is when being an artist is the most fun for me. When I run with an idea and continue to develop it one layer at a time whether it be a mixed media piece like this collage, a painting, sculpture or any other medium I choose.  Each and every day is a day is a day of discovery, and as an artist I enjoy placing those discoveries into my work. It is especially rewarding when it is completed, framed and hanging in a gallery, a collectors business or home. One of the hardest things as an artist that I do is letting go of my newly birthed creation.  There is such a labor of love that goes into each piece, whether it is developed fairly easy or was hard to create. I just can’t help but get emotionally involved with my work furthermore I don’t in truth want to liberate my work from my collection until I begin a new project, however what remains a immense feeling of accomplishment for me is when a piece is purchased by someone who finds my work irresistible. The period of not wanting to give up a piece is short lived and  it becomes effortless when I do begin my next piece or when it is purchased by someone who loves the creation as much if not more than me  thus validating my commitment to be an artist, which in turn helps motivate me to continue to create.   Posted by Anthe on 8/13/2008 9:28:33 PM | Permalink | Make the first comment   The Age of Cloning Just holding my head above water I FEEL ROBBED Why it is important to know which starving artist you are supporting. Have you ever wondered who creates those paintings that you see and many have bought in those starving artists’ shows? Do you really think it is a local American artist who is starving and needs your help and support to create more artworks? Well I can tell you that very few, if any of those shows consist of original works created from local artists. I have studied hard and worked for many years on my education and training to be able to capture the light that God created along with the trees, people, experiences as well as that which is in my mind’s eye on to canvas, panel or sculpture. I work tirelessly in my studio capturing my experiences and thoughts grappling with how to best convey them, the proper medium to use as well as the method to best communicate the work. These other painters are provided work to copy many of which is taken from other artists’ sites or artwork. They replicate over and over the same subject matter, flooding the market with mediocre images convincing people that they are supporting the arts or possibly a starving artist. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is hard to explain and justify the price to people who do not collect or experience with art. Many people only understand the finances. In many cases they purchase a 24”x36” painting for around $50-$300 thinking they got a bargain on an original oil painting. Little do they know that in most cases they are buying a cloned piece of work from cloned artists! These paintings are sold to merchants by the pound, usually unmounted. Art buyer beware, be educated. Ask for a resume/CV on the artist and the medium and method was used to make the art. If they can not provide all three, than know that you are buying a pretty picture that is one of many and is probably cloned or art factory produced. That’s ok if you like it and that is what you want but remember that each time you purchase a painting this way you may be creating a real starving artist right here in America. I have confronted this very issue at 2 recent shows I attended where cloned oils were in a booth in volume. They were being sold as original oils at very low prices. Of course they were not sold by a gallery or the artist that painted them, just by a person that had purchased them in bulk. So once again...Buyer Beware!!! Here is a newsletter I received from Robert Genn that addresses this very issue. Problems with clones June 6, 2008 Dear Anthe, These days artists are receiving emails like this: "We like to do business with you. We are skilled painters in Shenzhen, China. There are lots of talent painters working together in our studio. We can paint oil painting at every grade of different style, our price and service are very competitive, you can make more money than before if you buy oil paintings directly from us. The FOB prices can be $7 per copy for 20" x 24" and $12 for 24" x 36", if you are interested in, we can send some photos of our works to you, we also can paint exactly according to your any email pictures, it is very easy to do the international business now, looking forward to your reply." As well as cheap copies of famous paintings for the world's supermarkets, what these chaps have in mind is that you go golfing while they make your stuff--at less cost than you might normally pay for a couple of golf balls. They'd like you to think it's the new reality of free trade. We've illustrated these guys at work in the current clickback. I've seen a few fairly good copies of my own work, done without my permission. At first glance they look okay. At second glance the painters haven't figured out the order I do things, and they've not rendered well the deviations and mannerisms that make my work somewhat distinctive. As clever as these guys are, they've not lived my struggles, and they've put in unpleasant struggles of their own. Can others see this? People tell me they can recognize my work from across the room. Many other painters can say the same. How sophisticated does a collector have to be to spot a phony? How greedy does a dealer have to get to sell one? How stupid do artists have to be to let themselves be cloned? As well as cheap copies of famous paintings for the world's supermarkets, what these chaps have in mind is that you go golfing while they make your stuff--at less cost than you might normally pay for a couple of golf balls. They'd like you to think it's the new reality of free trade. We've illustrated these guys at work in the current clickback. I've seen a few fairly good copies of my own work, done without my permission. At first glance they look okay. At second glance the painters haven't figured out the order I do things, and they've not rendered well the deviations and mannerisms that make my work somewhat distinctive. As clever as these guys are, they've not lived my struggles, and they've put in unpleasant struggles of their own. Can others see this? People tell me they can recognize my work from across the room. Many other painters can say the same. How sophisticated does a collector have to be to spot a phony? How greedy does a dealer have to get to sell one? How stupid do artists have to be to let themselves be cloned? As many know, I've worked long and hard to thwart the Chinese copyists. A couple of years ago we managed to have replicas of more than 1200 Western painters removed from Eastern clone-sites. The various levels of governments were of no help in this fight. Direct email appeals to the decency of the cloners worked, if only temporarily. These are talented, well-trained painters. Our efforts brought to mind some of the great principles: Put the devil to work in your work. Fill it with private magic. Use techniques and processes that are yours alone and tough to master. Do things that others can't. Best regards, Robert PS: "We can do good job for you and save you time." (Chinese cloning website) Esoterica: In China, the word "copyright" currently means the right to copy. We need to help the Chinese understand that world citizenship means more than a fast buck--it means respect, honour and integrity. There are more than 10,000 clone-painters in Shenzhen--all of them poorly paid. Artists need to reply to these Chinese emails and let it be known that they do not want their work cloned under any circumstances. Chinese artists need to be encouraged to be their own artists. Many have seen this light and have achieved international acclaim at prices that do not perpetuate poverty in either art or ethics. If you would like to see selected, illustrated responses to the last letter, "The Early Morning Club," as well as photos of the Chinese sweatshop painters at work, please go to the current clickback. If you would like to comment or add your own opinion, information or observations to this or other letters, please do so. Just click 'reply' on this letter or write rgenn@saraphina.com. Posted by Anthe on 6/19/2008 9:57:49 PM | Permalink | Make the first comment Topics: The making of art through daily challenges.   Stuckism and the Stuckists The Stuckists in 2008 I became a member after looking for something that of course I did not find right away and stumbling across Odysseus on the web. Pursuant to sending several e-mails back and forth to Greece, Odysseus and I met and we shared our work and passion for art. This occurred in 2006. Since it has been an interesting journey with my participation in an international exhibition in Athens soon to come. Information about him and the organization follows. Odysseus Yakoumakis discovered Stuckism in July, 2004, while surfing the net, and saw in it an antidote to what he deems "the ailments of the contemporary Greek 'artscape'".[1] He contacted Charles Thomson, the London founder of Stuckism, and a few days later founded The Romantic Anonymous Fellowship. He conceived this as a "Greek version of Stuckism" to oppose "contemporary Greek art's provincialism, sectarianism and servile importation of post-modernism". He developed the concept of "Romantic Stuckism", that is of "Stuckism with a good injection of Platonic philosophy and with a particular emphasis on both Romanticism and Classicism.[2] He published the first two Romantic Stuckist theoretical texts on the Fellowship's web site. These were "The Romantic Anonymous Manifesto" and "A Romantic & Anonymous (nonetheless signed) Critique of Post Modernism". At that stage he was the Fellowship's only fellow and, as far as he knew, the only artist in Greece aware of the Stuckist movement. He contacted other fine artists in Athens, but described the reactions he got as "ranging from a tepid 'academic curiosity' to a sheer lack of interest or even, occasionally, to a politely concealed hostility." He was however contacted by artists from overseas and accepted them into the Fellowship. The first to apply was Ian J. Burkett, a painter living in London and founder of the Ealing Stuckists group. Shortly after, followed the painter and etcher Ilania Abileah from Canada, the painter Lafi Degani from Israel and the painter and etcher Anthe (who is of Greek descent) from the US. [edit] Under the Cover of Romantic Anonymity Yakoumakis determined nevertheless that Stuckism should be brought "in the flesh" before the eyes of the Greek fine arts community, and organized the first Stuckist event in Greece, titled titled "Under the Cover of Romantic Anonymity", announced in early 2007. Stuckist artists taking part include: * Ilania Abileah * ANTHE * Godfrey Blow * Jaime Braz * Ian J. Burkett * Susan Constance * Selene de Packh * Elsa Dax * Terry Marks * Daniel Pincham-Phipps Guest artists participating are: * Annunziata Fiumi-Loosli * Matilda Hultgren * Ray Wilkins * Student painter Eleutherios Yakoumakis. This will be an exciting new venture. The work is in transport currently. I have sent "Glory to Thee", "Entreaty," and "Annunciation". Each of these pieces were greatly influenced by the Italian masters. The way they drew and painted as well as their use of symbolism. Posted by Anthe on 4/12/2008 11:50:42 PM | Permalink | Make the first comment   Olive Tree Mural        Here are the finished photos of the kitchen mural I blogged about and completed in January. I accidently deleted the photos in progress as well as the finished work. I was unable to post the process but I hope you enjoy the finished work. When I was in Greece I studied and painted olive branches to help me remember just what they looked like so on my return I could create paintings in my studio. The watercolors came in handy as a reference when creating this mural. Posted by Anthe on 2/26/2008 11:06:34 PM | Permalink | Make the first comment   Homage to YiaYa Title: The olive tree. Media: Oil on panel Well, tonight I sit down to type my latest blog, reflecting over the past month.   I lectured today on “the art of the print and my life as an artist” more or less to a local Art Center. While speaking I mentioned how when I was young my “Yiaya”, that’s Greek for grandma, use to give me pie dough while she was baking. I think she did it to keep me quiet. I use to sit there for hours making all kinds of weird little pie dough sculptures. So...it worked and sparked my creativity.   While speaking I realized just what an impact those moments were to my life as an artist. Not only did she have great patience with my creating and messing her clean kitchenette but she had to keep making and providing me with the dough to sculpt. To the best of my knowledge my Yiaya never painted, drew, or sculpted. However she did sew, crochet, cook and bake until arthritis got the best of her.  I went to Georgia last month to visit my Yiaya who is around 97 years old give or take a year in either direction. She is about 4’6” but a real little dynamo. She is an amazing woman who is still a force to be reckoned with and a great inspiration to me. She spent her whole life until the age of 90 taking care of everyone else. For years she cooked and baked for all her family, friends, and strangers. Although, no one once meeting her, remained a stranger, because she has this rare quality of making everyone feel as if they are the most important person in her life at that very moment.  At 92, when she moved to assisted living I thought she would have a hard time adjusting, however something occurred that I hadn't counted on. She blossomed into a budding young artist. Yiaya is painting, and creating beautiful magnolia sculptures in her ceramics classes. She has also made ceramic piggy banks for her great, their dream. She is able to follow hers now. I thank God for that.  She loves her classes and looks forward the whole weekend to her classes during the week.          This painting above is Yiaya's. and to the right is a picture of Anthe Capitan my Yiaya January 2008  in her ceramics class at age 97.         I am so grateful that I am able to follow my dream as well. You see, I had always made art from as far back as I could remember. However there was a time in my career following a bus and auto accident, where I was unable to use my hands. I stepped out in faith using much prayer and all the strength God had given me. I figured if He gave me this talent and if He needed it back than He would find something else for me to do. Thank God He felt art was exactly what He had planned for me, only with a slight detour of about a year.  God lead me on an amazing journey of faith which took me to a surgeon where my hand was restored. It was only after the loss of use of my right hand created a challenge for me that I realized what a gift it was and I began to take it much more seriously. I had a miraculous recovery. After surgery all my dexterity returned as well as all my abilities to create art. I thank God for restoring my hands and that I was able to get back to the making of art. So I have posted here my latest in my Greek heritage collection from the series "Greek Life Now and Then" which I feel pays homage to my Yiaya.  She came here as a child bride from Greece adopting this country as her own but never losing her heritage and passing that along to me. These will be available at my show in MAY at "Art Gallery Home" of the Ocean City Fine Arts League in Ocean City New Jersey.   For more details check under events link on website home page. Thanks.    Posted by Anthe on 2/18/2008 12:12:34 AM | Permalink | Make the first comment   Happy New Year Dancer work in Progress   The holidays are a joyful time but it is almost impossible for me to work in the studio other than on crafts for Christmas presents. Yes, I still give gifts that I make to several friends and relatives. Yes it is time consuming, and if I started earlier instead of later each year it would probably be less stressful, but I do enjoy the process most of the time. Besides I think it is important to try and share a piece of you with those you love and through my art I feel I can do just that.  It is when the daily routines pile up and mounting duties preclude my creative juices from flowing, which in turn causes me to feel low that I become frustrated. Slowly I find that each day I am overcome by the dust of every day life that tries as it may to smother my very existence and all inventiveness.  One such example is the maintaining of my site, it is becoming quite demanding. It is not enough these days to find myself challenged with trying to create images in a way that makes sense to me and the viewer as a piece of art, but relaying that information in a sensible, albeit interesting way here in my blog has become a bit problematic.  The past few months have been filled with extremes; highs and lows while I have tried to maintain balance. Try as I may I have not been able to get into the studio to work the way I want. When I finally clear my desk and get to the studio I become paralyzed for a short time until the first stroke goes down and then suddenly at long last, I am working the flood gates open and without restraint I paint, print, carve, and create once again. I feel alive. This is what I enjoy most. The FREEDOM of being an ARTIST. On a positive note I need to work in order to continue to have the freedom I want in my studio. The work this month was that I had been commissioned to paint a mural that was congruent with my studio work. This very seldom happens and therefore usually interfering with the continuance and progression of the series I am producing.  This kitchen mural I painted was an exception.   It gave me great pleasure as I painted a Greek scene (from my mind’s eye) that was a vision from Kalamata. It was of an olive tree with terracing hills and mountains in the distance. The mural was a great memory and I had great joy in creating it.  While working, I had taken a series of digital pictures from the blank wall, creation of the background, painting of the foreground, the formation of the tree without foliage and then the foliage along with the crown touches of fruit, the olives themselves. The mural came out exactly as I had hoped and the client loved it. The light hits the room in such a way that you feel as if you could walk right into the wall.  Now, for the low... I decided to post the series which consisted of the aforementioned paintings. However somehow in the process of moving them from the camera to the computer they were deleted. Thus I have nothing from that series to show today. I will go back and take a final picture of the mural but no staging. I become quite frustrated when all does not go as planned and without exception I hold great frustration with my computer. I know that I should only copy however in my haste and excitement to post the work I moved it into the computer. Somehow it was copied over with a same sequence of number photos replacing what I had. After 6 hours of trying to retrieve my lost photos I succumbed to the fact that they are gone. That’s why many days I feel it is better to just work in the studio and refrain from posting to the computer at all.  My latest work has begun metamorphosing from my current series of landscapes of Greece into that of dancers. I feel the need to continue to work conveying my culture, almost driven. This subject is dear to me as many of my ancestral lands were recently torched and totally consumed by fires. My family is well and I thank God for that however up on the mountain village of Artemisia, where several of them live, the fires devoured the land, leaving nothing but scorched smoldering remains. It is hard for me to fathom as it seems like only yesterday when I was on the mountain breathing the fresh air with the aroma of oregano. The wild life as well as the crops of oregano and olive trees are no more. This saddens me. I have decided to show the resilience of life and the land of the Greek people through my paintings.  I hope you enjoy the new work when it is finished. I will post as they dry. In the meanwhile do enjoy the oil paintings of my visit last November which are posted in the New Works/Landscapes section of my website. Thanks for letting me share. Anthe Posted by Anthe on 1/12/2008 12:44:09 PM | Permalink | Make the first comment Topics: The making of art through daily challenges.   Happy Thanksgiving Thanksgiving a time of reflection and gratitude. As I reflect... I have a lot to be thankful for this year. Time marches on standing still for no one including me. As I get older I realize that each holiday marks an event in my life, a time which can never be recaptured. This is why I try to capture moments in time, a feeling, a mood, or some image that can convey what is special for that second in my mind's eye. These lost moments are also something to be grateful for as they help me to realize what was important in  my life when I look back. My God... Whom I thank for you... My family... My friends... My art... and all of you who appreciate it and make it possible for me to continue to create. To all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving! Posted by Anthe on 11/15/2007 7:24:51 PM | Permalink | Make the first comment Topics: Thanksgiving   Greece was burning and life goes on. Torn between 2 worlds I am overdue with this blog. I am reflecting on my trip to Greece last year. The beauty of the countrysides, the clear fresh air of the mountains, the aroma of oregano in the air mixed with other sweet herbal smells, walking the beaches and looking into the water seeing with clarity all that is there. I am saddened by the tragedy of all of the fires that consumed a tremendous amount of Greece, taking mothers,children, fathers, sons and daughters not to mention the many livestock that perished as well. The landscape was marred and much of the land was torched with century old trees vanished. I thank God that my family was not hurt, although they lost their land, olive trees, and some livestock their homes and lives were spared. As an homage to my family, my people and the resilience of life I will be painting and dedicating my new works to the "Spirit of Greece".  I have started with a series of prints and paintings of dancers. I want to convey the very essence, the life, the spirit of the Greek soul. Many pressing issues along with the dust of everyday life have kept me from the studio for the past few months. I have returned this week and it is as if the flood gates have opened. Thoughts, ideas, and images are being painted, printed, carved, and drawn soon to be revealed as my latest works. I feel alive when I am in the studio and what a good feeling that is.. to be alive. I have posted paintings and are waiting for others to dry. Posted by Anthe on 10/2/2007 8:02:06 PM | Permalink | 1 Comments Topics: Greek Life   New Work New Challenges The months of May and June have presented me with new challenges. I have recently bid on and accepted a job painting murals in a hospice. It is quite a responsibility as well as a very rewarding experience to have your work veiwed transforming what could be a sterile cold room into a warm soothing environment for those facing their journey's end here on earth. Encompassing the patients with colors to quiet them and surround them with images to make the transition easier. As well as to caress the family and transport them to another place for maybe only a moment at a time, but nonetheless providing a respite from the anquish of losing a loved one.   I will never look at colors or the power of the painted image quite the same after this experience. Check back and I will post before and after pictures. Posted by Anthe on 6/16/2007 6:35:00 PM | Permalink | 1 Comments   Trying my hand at marketing new products Well today I have been working to try and offer some of my previously purchased images the opportunity to be purchased as novelties such as mugs, posters, t-shirts, etc. I have offen wondered about the marketablity of many of my images. I have been told to do it but was unsure of which items to begin offering and the quanities etc. I am able to test this process through this site. I will keep you posted. In the meanwhile I am painting more and more. I will post again as soon as dry. Here is a link to one such item. http://www.zazzle.com/AcvPress* More can be found by going to Artworks by Anthe or searching Anthe at that link. Posted by Anthe on 4/10/2007 10:03:00 AM | Permalink | Make the first comment