Alternative Galleries

This July is winding down and I had an interesting show for the month: I showed art in a tattoo parlor.  The 111 Arts Gallery and Tattoo Studio, to be exact.  I’m not a tattooed person myself, and I’m not too sure how well my style of art would translate into the tattoo world (although, if anyone ever does get a tattoo borrowing from one of my paintings, I’d like to know about it, that would be a fun kind of honor…Unless it’s somewhere covered by a bathing suit—Then I’m not sure I want to know).  I guess, in the end, this is an article about alternative art spaces.

Sam Koch and his sons, and Zack Starkey by the window

I had a good time showing at 111 Gallery on the First Thursday of July.  It had a nice atmosphere, I shared the space with two other artists: One that could do incredible things with wood working, Sam Koch, and another, Zack Starkey, who painted some nice pieces to fill frames built by Koch.  Koch brought his family

 

along for most of the evening, three small boys, and the littlest one enjoyed stuffing one of the cookies I had brought as refreshments into his mouth, running around, then handing half of the cookie to his daddy.  It really was cute.

 

Moreover, when you say “art gallery,” there are a few things you don’t really expect to encounter: Walls papered with tattoo art as a backdrop to the featured art, dudes discussing lotion applied to the front curb (so as to better grind a skateboard), and toddlers with cookie-mouthfuls.  In other words, I had a blast! 

Many people hear “art gallery” and think of people in the perfect black dress or a nice tailored suit, sipping wine or champagne from little fluted glasses, eating hors d'oeuvres that I can’t even spell (heck, I can’t even spell what they are—I had to google it).  Those people are making small talk about the stock market, stores I can’t afford to even enter, and…well…I don’t even know, I guess eventually the angst and existentialism of the art in front of them. Or something like that.

And frankly, I’ve never shown at such a place. Now, I’m not in New York, and I’m not even that high on the Indianapolis totem pole.  But it seems like I consistently show at “alternative galleries.”  My first show, ever, was at the Greenwood, Indiana, Public Library.  I’ve since shown at a café, a make-your-own-pottery place, an auditorium lobby and now a tattoo parlor. I currently have my art displayed at a high-end consignment shop, and have had it displayed at a hair salon.  My current home is a converted old bank!  In other words, if you can provide a wall and a crowd, I’ll show my art there.

Now, granted, I had to think about what work I would show where, and, luckily, my style really varies.  I was unfamiliar with the other artists at 111 Gallery, so I thought ahead and selected work that I hoped would go with the “vibe” of the place.  Next month, I’ll be showing at a Chik-Fil-A on Indianapolis’s southside, so I will definetly be picking pieces that have a family feel.  Clowe’s Hall, the auditorium, was massive, so I pretty much showed anything and everything, and then had to think of what would fit together.  The artists I shared space with at the café, I’m friends with, so I selected work I thought would fit well with theirs.  It’s just a matter of doing a bit of research, prior to hanging, asking the questions that need to be asked and putting some thought into it.  

Add to that, my art friend, Carmen Hurt, has now established a store on the Zazzle.com website. What's a Zazzle store? She can take her art imagery and have them applied to merchandise, such as mouse pads, coffee mugs, IPod covers and...shoes! Yeah really! I've been encouraged to explore the site as well, so who knows, before long, some kid can be rocking the Mee-Ba shoe collection. Now THAT'S an alternative showcase for art!

I also recommend this article on the IDADA website, for tips on showing in alternative galleries.  And since THIS article is getting long enough, you can go click and read it yourself!  

So for August, mark your calendars!  Joy Art at Chic-Fil-A on Southport and Emerson on Indy’s southside, and First Friday, August 5^th at the Art Bank! Gen Con will also be occurring downtown, so feel free to take an adventure! (And don’t be intimidated by Stormtroopers, the ones here are really quite harmless).