Comments on: call for artists for ARTSPARKS 2010

By: carlo castellano

carlo castellano — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:14:53 +0000

I was one of the nuisance artist that start showing art at occidental avenue.Me and a couple of artist wanted to bring art to park and make this part of the art celebration on first thursday “art walk”.For a few months or a year was fine.
Then famous gallery owners started complaining about this nuisance, The city went along with them, next the park and recreation department start collecting money and % of sales.I was horrified of the art gallery owners for such a narrow mentality.Along with the city.
I withdraw from the park on first thursday art walk, due to the proliferation of soap , jewlery, and t-shirt makers…it really became and its now a “Flea Market”.The city remove the benches, and it also renovate the park in the most incredible ugly design.
Actually there’s nothing that atracts me to the pioneer square,a few galleries remain open..waiting for doom day to close. I wish good luck with the new art proyect.The Art galleries, the city , and the park recreation department took art celebration from few artist and the people of seattle.

By: The New Pioneer Square- Pioneer Square in the News – Blog Title

The New Pioneer Square- Pioneer Square in the News – Blog Title — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:17:03 +0000

[...] find anything about it online, but the link is to a pic someone took while they were down there.Call for Artists for ARTSPARKS 2010 (Blog4culture) Submissions due this Friday — I hear they’ve gotten some good ones, so [...]

By: Adrienne Anderson-Smith

Adrienne Anderson-Smith — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:45:12 +0000

Posted in December! Ah me, why hadn’t I seen this before?
Thanks for the reminder and the nostalgic reflections… …
It would be nice to see some of the creativity that was featured in the Parade of Pigs (& Nutcrackers) that were presented mainly to the North a few years ago. Along with the celebration events involved.

By: Lucas

Lucas — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:57:57 +0000

Thank you saying that Paul. I think there’s a way for this to be a win for the businesses, the artists and the public. It’s all artists to submit their ideas and for the panel to select some memorable ones.

I know that Scott Lawrimore is hoping so…

“I’m hoping that if we get the right combination of applications and open minded jurors, we can make this thing bigger and better with real long-term, historical ramifications.”

I think he’s right and I hope you (reader) apply.

By: Call for artists for ARTSPARKS 2010 « Hankblog

Call for artists for ARTSPARKS 2010 « Hankblog — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:10:04 +0000

[...] Call for artists for ARTSPARKS 2010 Published February 23, 2010 Opportunities Leave a Comment Call for artists for ARTSPARKS 2010. [...]

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:13:00 +0000

I remember those wonderful First Thursday art “celebrations.” Paul is correct in that Pioneer Square became inhospitable to all but the “sanctioned” dealers. That’s why the artists moved to Georgetown. Like most cities, the local art community gives a neighborhood its vibrancy. Then the capitalists move in and sanitize in the name of “safety”. (More like profit.)

While I applaud this effort to revitalize the art scene in Pioneer Square, I hope those in charge of judging will keep their minds open.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:25:04 +0000

I think this a wonderful idea, BUT I can’t help but remember how the Square was once already a place “to create a public space where art and life entwine and art works as a vehicle for positive social change.”

Each First Thursday, Occidental Park was teaming with performance art, local visual artists selling their smalls works for amazingly reasonable prices (and not a load of soap makers and jewelry peddlers like any local craft fair), open air theatre, poetry readings and many, many other media that can’t be consolidated into an art category.

Then miraculously one day, a certain contemporary art dealer in the area (not even in the actual Park) headed up a committee that deemed these people a nuisance and potential threats to their actual art buying patrons. Really? A performance artists is hurting your sale of that one last Butterfield piece that is priced at $80k??? REALLY?

So the crusade started in Occidental Park to squelch anyone without a business license and a permit for the evening… including anyone performing, publicly reading… ANYONE that looked like they were adding to the local art movement illegally. And what has it gotten the art community? An empty Occidental Park on First Thursdays with no interaction between the arts and the general public.

Thankfully, there is such force as 4Culture that sees the need and is doing something about it; and yes, I do understand that 4Culture is a King County organization.

So I say to those of you who were all for this Occidental Park Illegal Art Clean Up a few years ago… LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE. Your business sucked before the artists were driven off and most likely still does, like everyone else’s business in our area. Maybe you should be embracing this community that has grown to become a vibrant movement of art in the Pioneer Square area and start looking for new and emerging artists that might make you some money one day. Becoming a positive force in the Seattle art community; that is what will make your business prosper.