How - What - Why of Art and pricing.

miChelle M. Vara- 518-587-8706
6 Ballard Road Art Studio Wilton NY 12831
http://www.michellevara.com/

*Sculpture *Metal fabrication *Paint *Airbrush *Lettering *Vinyl and more.

How - What - Why of Art and pricing.

In this outline I the artist hope to offer you the reader, insight into the ever increased questions. I hope to build a community of meaningful connective relationships.

Art is powerful for both the artist who has dedicated their lives to it, and for the collectors whom are moved by it emotionally or visually. Art expresses, conveys or demonstrates deeply held feelings, ideas, insights, history, spiritual events, memories and beliefs as well as moral, ethical, and political sentiments, in socially expectable ways. Art opens forums for controversy, comfort and conversation. Art transforms areas of life (ie: corporate, work, home, medical, parks, state, towns) offering humans to be uplifted and stimulated in interactive spaces. Public art programs have statistically stimulated financial and social change. Taking a troubled, blighted or impoverished neighborhood and revitalizing it to one of pride and stability.

Bottom line - There is no right or wrong in the experiencing of art, just a personal perception and quality of execution.

The most common question posed to me as an artist is how do you price the work?

With that one must first realize some of the cost to produce, thoughts and ideas in dimension.

Labor- Pick up, collection, sorting, find, storage, dis-assemble, re-assemble, purchase of parts.

Overhead- Insurance, fuel, power, taxes, maintenance, helper, applications, gallery fees.

Equipment- Computers, office equipment, cameras, programs, fork trucks, cranes, welding machines, tractors, forges, tanks, leads, regulators, trucks, dollies, jigs, hoists, benders, rigging, scaffolding, ladders, generators, hand held power tools (drills, grinders, porta bands, cutters, nibblers, wrenches, gadgets) the cost of maintaining them.

Supplies- Paints (commercial, industrial, automotive, HOC, Lettering, oil, pigment system, spay, high heat, low temp, chemicals for each type), fixatives, primers, inks, vinyl’s, masks, glass, sand, tips, brushes, anti spatter, hardware, tapes, brushes, photography papers, welding wire, gases, nozzles, saws, eye protection, ear protection, gloves, masks, fans, air purifier, filters, leathers, oils, sanding equipment, grinding wheels, cutting (wheels, blades), canvases, wood many, concrete products and tools.

This list is just a sample of what it takes to start the process. Then there’s the Commitment of 24/7, to get a pieces into the finish stages. Actually applying a finish on the piece, framing, bases, pedestals, standing, shipping, travel, install, cleaning, photographing process, applications, web sites, books, research, continued education.

So as the hours, days weeks, months, pass, as an artist I do not charge for all the labor and material. Unlike the person with a regular job, benefits, time off, paid holidays, pensions, retirements and health insurance, yet still doing personal things on company time. Or the persons collecting social services. I am continually learning, honing my practice like a surgeon.

My compensation comes from the expression, execution and finish of the art piece.

Also by the people who have been moved by my art to purchase or commission pieces.

I deeply thank all my supporters, collectors and friends.

I hope new acquaintances are now more educated by this artists perspective.

Sincerely, miChelle M. Vara

Sparks of a horse

The sun rise cast a shimmering crimson red, on my smiling horse.

 

He stands atop a hill in the pasture, in memory of our past.

I reflect back to the time when every day included a ride, in powerful stride.

In the drum like rhythm of hooves that carried me away, from the realities of human existence.

A time to dream, a time to think, a time to be with- out explanation.

No persecution of daily existence, no chatter of ego.

The camaraderie and passion shared without words. Secrets kept.

Honest action, reaction and communication just a simple hairy friend. 

I swell in the stream of visual augmentation.

I sculpt for days, hammering out thoughts, like a photographer of metal.

In steel I Immortalize the time to ride and the horses I called friends. 

 

 

A new computer

Yes it was again time, but it feels way to soon. Time has insisted that we upgrade to Vista 64bit #7. So far nothing but hassle!!

2 days and the computer dude still has changes. i HOPE IT GETS BETTER!

“Displacement of the American Dream”

MiChelle has moved in a different direction than her normal metal sculpture. For this series “Displacement of the American Dream” she is working with mixed media on board. MiChelle is in hopes to further pursuing her commentary as she has much to visually say on the subject.

http://mvarametalandpaint.com/site/blog/

4 days of spring walks- horses, dogs and no bugs.

Chad and I walked the area of Lock 5, in Schuylerville. While there I found metal, a long anchor with 2 square washers and an odd headed bolt. Other things acquired were old bedsprings and stainless trim from an old car. In Moreau Park, The dogs and I walked the perimeter of the lake. There I found 2 old straps made from wrought Iron. In Partridge Run, it was sloppy and hard walking, Gummy the brown Yorkie started to limp, luckily just as we got close to the truck. I didn’t find any thing good, there. Today I headed to the Boy Scout Camp in Wilton, with Michelle and the horses Cruzer and Moses in the perfectly warm breeze. The geese were sunning them self’s on the lakes edge. We trudged up and down the small snow covered hills.

What a wonderful way to enjoy the North Country.

I even got my applications in the mail before the deadline.

All is good!

Stimulating the mind

In this time of year I enjoy stimulating my mind with the readings of artist, critics, educators and philosophers their ideas thoughts and journeys.
With that I have saved some comments that I enjoyed and hope you will to…………………..

“A belief is something that you think about enough, that holds you apart from the flow of whom you really are or want to be” Abraham

“All Beauty is a making one of opposites, and making opposite is what we are going for in our-self’s” Eli Siegel

“I love the person who is searching, yet I am afraid of the one who thinks he has found the answer. In my life I have much more pleasure with the question than with finding the answer. Except when the answer is another question. This is where the obsession to create begins!” Pascal

“I choose not to paint the reality but rather its effects left with me”
This effect was further described as instinctual. Joan Mitchell

The cubist phenomenology of cognition of objects through a self-conscious reinvention of representation, surrealist phenomenology of mind through self-conscious exploration of the various modes of consciousness itself. Miranda McClintic

“Cubis are metaphors of active human force which does not simply acknowledge the emptiness of the universe, but defies it.” David Smith

“All you need in life is a tremendous sex drive and a great ego. Brains don’t mean a shit.”
Capt. Tony Ft. Lauderdale’s mayor 1980

“ What better way to prove you understand a subject, than to make money at it”
Harold Rosenberg

“If at first you don’t succeed- try, try, try again”
Nick Vara