Everyone Needs Art so Make Room for 1000 Words

I’ve come across a few interesting sites that I thought I’d share with everyone. A lot of you might already know about them, but they’re somewhat new to me and hopefully will be of some interest to you.

The first site nails a concept that has floated around in my brain for a while. Affordable, quality art. This is an oxymoron right? I always thought it was. Yet, I still believe art should be accessible to anyone who desires it, not only to the elite and wealthy art collectors. Original art, print exchanges and prints from friends have been a great way to build a small collection, but buying a print from a photographer or other type of artist you don’t know usually means shelling out a hefty chunk of change. Thanks to Jen Bekman at 20×200, art for everyone is a reality. This is how it works:

“We introduce two new pieces a week: one photo and one work on paper. Each image is available in three sizes.* The smallest size is reprinted in the largest batch – an edition of 200 – and sold at the lowest price – $20. Hence the name 20×200. (200×20 just didn’t sound as good.) We also offer bigger prints for bolder collectors – medium-sized editions of 20 for $200, and large-sized editions of 2 generally for $2000 (some of the large sized editions will actually be original pieces of art and prices will vary a bit). Every single print is delivered with a certificate of authenticity numbered by the artist.”

 

Copyright (c) 2007 Eliot Shepard All Rights Reserved

Copyright (c) 2007 Kirby Pilcher All Rights Reserved

Amazing right? Such a fantastic thing they are doing. The work being featured might not appeal to everyone, but every now and then you might find something that you’ll love. A lot of them sell out quickly so don’t wait to long if you see something you like.

Thanks to a recent post by friend Erik Lunsford at Uncommons, I discovered MakingRoom Magazine, an art magazine founded by Davin Risk and Ross Evertson in 2005 (I’m a little late to the game and just discovering it now). I haven’t spent a lot of time here yet, but I think I’m going to like it. There is a lot of fantastic work to pore over including the current feature on shit-hot photographer Amy Stein and her project on stranded motorists on America’s highways and interstates.

Copyright (c) 2008 Amy Stein All Rights Reserved

And lastly is 1000 Words Photography Magazine, an international contemporary photography magazine that just recently launched its inaugural issue. The first issue features work by Chinese artist Li Wei, an insane mixture of photography and performance art that is not manipulated in the computer. He uses props, wires acrobatics and other techniques reminiscent of contemporary martial arts movies.

Copyright (c) 2008 Li Wei All Rights Reserved 

The issue also features stunning portraits of albinos and scenes from the Argentinean albino community Aicuña by Barcelona based Italian photographer Paola de Grenet.

Copyright (c) 2008 Paola de Grenet All Rights Reserved

There is more to see in this first issue and don’t pass up on the blog by magazine founder, editor and director Tim Clark.

Also, keep your eyes open for new work on Blueeyes Magazine, the mag I work for, in the coming weeks.

Open your mind, be inspired and enjoy! 

 

Meltdown

Finally, my daily stop at Fivebucks, I mean Starbucks, has resulted in more than a caffeine buzz and a lighter wallet. A weird photograph is always a pleasant morning surprise. However, it really sucks that yet another steamy south Florida summer is upon us already and melting all the Crayola’s! There are definitely days when I feel like a melted crayon after working outside most of the day. 

Copyright (c) 2008 Matthew Ratajczak All Rights Reserved

Blue Monday

Go find a jukebox and see what a quarter will do

I don’t wanna talk I just wanna go back to blue

Feed’s me when I’m hungry and quenches my thirst

Loves me when I’m lonely and thinks of me first

Blue is the color of night

When the red sun

Disappears from the sky

Raven feathers shiny and black

A touch of blue glistening down her back

We don’t talk about heaven and we don’t talk about hell

We come to depend on one another so damn well

So go to confession whatever gets you through

You can count your blessings I’ll just count on blue

Blue is the color of night

When the red sun

Disappears from the sky

Raven feathers shiny and black

A touch of blue glistening down her back

Blue

“Blue” by Lucinda Williams

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. Just haven’t been inspired to write. Nothing to say, nothing to show. I haven’t been making a lot of photographs for myself lately. Since taking on the assignment desk duties at work, most of my time is spent in front of the computer, eyes too tired at the end of the day to look through a camera. Only a few more weeks though, with a short vacation to Michigan in between to break the monotony.

You’d think I’d spend my weekends photographing, printing, researching, working on getting my freelance career going so I can leave this damn newspaper, doing SOMETHING PHOTO since I’m not doing a lot for myself during the week. Sometimes this happens. But sometimes there are other priorities.

I fear I’m slipping into a rut. Need to get out. Maybe it’s just another blue Monday.

Copyright (c) 2008 Matthew Ratajczak All Rights Reserved