So it’s the New Year, and I restarting my blogging. I’ve felt a bit guilty about neglecting it but life has a bad habit of getting in the way of the best intentions.

I’ll admit that being President of Palm Beach Watercolor Society the last two has taken up a lot of my time and my energy.  However, my term is now ending and I’m turning in a new direction.

For years, I’m been urging fellow artists that they get an artist website and join the modern world with their art. Many of them have replied, “I’d rather just be in the studio.” While I can appreciate that, it’s been a bit painful to realize the opportunities for exposure and sales they are missing.

With that in mind, I’ve started a place for artists who wish to be represented in an online gallery; I call it Art Evolution Gallery. The concept is rather simple but contemporary. Artists evolve over their career, and collectors are always seeking new and evolving artists. I see Art Evolution Gallery as a point of convergence for both evolving artists and savvy art collectors. To find out more about this, drop by www.ArtEvolutionGallery.com.

As you know, I’ve long been interested in art history and theory. I just finished reading But is it Art: An Introduction to Art Theory by Cynthia Freeland and have reviewed it on Barnes and Noble. Here is a copy of that review:

Coming from a science background, I wondered how theory could be applied to art. It seems that, in the case of art theory, the major and most relevant questions are: “What is art?” and “Why is art valued?”

The author provides an historical framework of how philosophers and critics have approached these questions. Looking at the business and politics of art, good examples and references are provided throughout. She also shows how ‘cultural biases’ can be intervening variables in both the framing of the initial questions and the answers.

It is not surprising that the conclusion is the investigation of art theory, like scientific exploration, often leads to more questions than are answered. The author characterizes art theory as an explanation of the diversity of the subject,  deals well with why art is special, provides a good overview of the topic and a stepping stone for further reading on the subject.