posted: June 22, 2012

It has been 3 weeks since a single Monotype impression of mine was included in the Crocker art museum's 2012 Art Auction. The auction has been a complete eye opener to me. As an artist you can go around and work hard and promote and try your best to massage success in your career but I had no idea what the importance of a museum endorsement can have on an artist's work.
 
The art collector and the museum patron have been traditionally using these institutions as a validation mark or trend setter I guess you could say. Museum and exhibition records in the art world seem to be the equivalent to getting commercial work into the Illustration annuals such as the New York Society of Illustrators and American illustration within the applied arts world.
 
When my work was accepted into the auction I had assumed that the chief curator and museum director had made the selection but unknown to me my work was actually selected by an independent and professional art auctioneer and auction house that picked specific pieces that worked well together artistically and economically to create a sustaining buzz throughout the exhibition and the auction evening. I did not attend the auction and had no idea how it went. The day after the auction I started getting email requests for work from the same collection and I was at once shocked at the immediacy and then completely thrilled with the interest around my work. I decided not to let any post auction opportunities flounder on any vine and I have to say that I am happy to have finished, shipped and satisfied every art request. Here are some of the pieces that I created in response to a few private commissions and some placement of existing work.

When I work in this printmaking style I create Suites of 3 impressions always. I do it when working for myself, I did it for the Crocker and I did it for the private commissions. At the same sitting I also create one wild card impression for myself per Suite which allows me to explore a bit and let off a little steam created from the intense drafting concentration when trying to be perfect and to please the client.
 
Since the auction I have had a lot of inquiries from other artists about how I got in and how cool it was that I donated a piece to the auction. I didn't donate this piece to the museum, the museum represented the sale of my work and it was a huge honor to be part of the exhibit and to be included in the live auction. Thanks again, Crocker art museum!