Artist Survey #13: BZ Smith

I was introduced to BZ at a post-Thanksgiving celebration in 2007. We found we had many things in common, including the dream of seeing Sonora as an artisticly centered community with heavy youth involvement. Ever since she has been introducing me to local artists, designers, board members, organizations, entrepreneurs and festivals. Until recently she was a member of the Central Sierra Arts Council with which I try to volunteer as much as possible. She is an advocate for youth arts and nurturing the future of our community as well as preserving it’s rich history. I really can’t say enough great things about BZ, her open heart or her sharp mind.

bz3

bz2

bz1

Name: B.Z. Smith

Location: Tuolumne County

Medium(s): Mixed Media, Storytelling.

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Performance artist & dabbler into visual arts

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? www.thestoryquilters.com for storytelling information.  I have an award-winning CD published with Cynthia Restivo and Bill Roberson by that name:  The Story Quilters.  It’s available at CDBaby.com and in Tuol-Co at Mountain Bookshop

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? In the womb.

Who/What inspired your interest? I have a crazy artistic family.  It is in my genes.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? Yep.  In the womb.

What is your day job? Art.

Why do you create? I have to create.  My heart, my mind drive me to create, to build, to get messy!

Is there any recurring theme in your work? Childhood journeys come up a lot. I’m just finishing a painting called “Childhood’s Dreams.” It’s about my forever quest to live in France, to remove myself from American culture, and live in the dream-state of Romantic Paris—a fantasy world that does not even exist!  Another recurring theme is my relationship with nature—the sea, earth elements. Within those themes, I have a signature that I’ve developed that I call “tangled.” Wires, beads, bits of pottery that make up a tangled mess—a lot like my life.

What do you want from your work? I want the joy of knowing I’ve connected with an audience to express some common feeling or shared value. This comes up a lot in storytelling.  I hope to make these same connections through my visual work.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? That same sense of connection.  And I hope to leave a question dangling in the air that lets the audience/viewers ponder their own thoughts.

How often do you work on personal projects? Constantly.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? My storytelling? A lot. My visual art, not at all.

Does your art support you financially? Yes. My storytelling has given me a decent supplement to other income for many years.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? My art work does take up a lot of mind space!

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? Sleep.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Well, the list is long…Today it’s Gogol Bordello. Yesterday it was Tim Minchen. It’s always Vivaldi and Mozart. Tomorrow it might be Polka Accordion. My musical tastes and experiences are very eclectic. I am all over the musical map!

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? The Strawberry Music Festival.

How long do you generally take on a piece? Storytelling—years. Each story sits in me, evolving over a course of time. I might learn a story to tell on the very same day, but that same story in two years will be completely different with a much deeper sub-text. It has lived in me, and I in it. Paintings—I tend to do the main piece rather quickly in one day. Then I let it sit for a while. Later I may change it, augment it—or even paint over it completely.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? Yes. I get so absorbed in my work that I lose sight of anything else. I make a huge mess, and it spreads into my partner’s space. Once my husband, the dear and departed Rick Thorpe, said, “Every time I create a new horizontal surface, you fill it up!”

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Unfortunately, yes. And this is what gets me in trouble.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? No. Make it. Love it. Pass it on!

Graphic Artists Guild: Code of Fair Practice

I discovered this while reading the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. Their Code of Fair Practice was created to help all facets of art and design prosper. In a perfect world we would all be able to hire representatives, make proper legal documents and never plagiarize, download, appropriate or “steal” others work (including fonts, software, stock imagery, etc.). Until then give these a look-see and try to fit some of them into your practice.

Relations between Artists and Buyers

The word “artist” should be understood to include creative people in the field of visual communications such as illustration, graphic design, photography, film and television. This code provides the graphic communications industry with an accepted standard of ethics and professional conduct. It presents guidelines for the voluntary conduct of persons in the industry which may be modified by written agreement between the parties.

Article 1 Negotiations between an artist or the artist’s representative and a client shall be conducted only through an authorized buyer.

Article 2 Orders or agreements between an artist or artist’s representative and buyer should be in writing and shall include the specific rights which are being transferred, the specific fee arrangement agreed to by the parties, delivery date and a summarized description of the work.

Article 3 All changes or additions not due to the fault of the artist or artist’s representative should be billed to the buyer as an additional and separate charge.

Article 4 There should be no charges to the buyer for revisions or retakes made necessary by errors on the part of the artist or the artist’s representative.

Article 5 If work commissioned by a buyer is postponed or canceled, a “kill-fee” should be negotiated based on time allotted, effort expended and expenses incurred. In addition, other lost work shall be considered.

Article 6 Completed work shall be promptly paid for in full and the artwork shall be returned promptly to the artist. Payment due the artist shall not be contingent upon third-party approval or payment.

Article 7 Alterations shall not be made without consulting the artist. Where alterations or retakes are necessary, the artist shall be given the opportunity of making such changes.

Article 8 The artist shall notify the buyer of any anticipated delay in delivery. Should the artist fail to keep the contract through unreasonable delay or non-conformance with agreed specifications, it will be considered a breach of contract by the artist. Should the agreed timetable be delayed due to the buyer’s failure, the artist should endeavor to adhere as closely as possible to the original schedule as other commitments permit.

Article 9 {NEW} Whenever practical, the buyer of artwork shall provide the artist with samples of the reproduced artwork for self-promotion purposes.

Article 10 There shall be no undisclosed rebates, discounts, gifts, or bonuses requested by or given to buyers by the artist or representative.

Article 11 Artwork and copyright ownership are vested in the hands of the artist unless agreed to in writing. No works shall be duplicated, archived or scanned without the artist’s prior authorization.

Article 12 Original artwork, and any material object used to store a computer file containing original artwork, remains the property of the artist unless it is specifically purchased. It is distinct from the purchase of any reproduction rights.* All transactions shall be in writing.

Article 13 In case of copyright transfers, only specified rights are transferred. All unspecified rights remain vested with the artist. All transactions shall be in writing.

Article 14 Commissioned artwork is not to be considered as “work for hire” unless agreed to in writing before work begins.

Article 15 When the price of work is based on limited use and later such work is used more extensively, the artist shall receive additional payment.

Article 16 Art or photography should not be copied for any use, including client presentation or “comping” without the artist’s prior authorization. If exploratory work, comprehensives, or preliminary photographs from an assignment are subsequently chosen for reproduction, the artist’s permission shall be secured and the artist shall receive fair additional payment.

Article 17 If exploratory work, comprehensives, or photographs are bought from an artist with the intention or possibility that another artist will be assigned to do the finished work, this shall be in writing at the time of placing the order.

Article 18 {NEW} Electronic rights are separate from traditional media and shall be separately negotiated. In the absence of a total copyright transfer or a work-for-hire agreement, the right to reproduce artwork in media not yet discovered is subject to negotiation.

Article 19 All published illustrations and photographs should be accompanied by a line crediting the artist by name, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.

Article 20 The right of an illustrator to sign work and to have the signature appear in all reproductions should remain intact.

Article 21 There shall be no plagiarism of any artwork.

Article 22 If an artist is specifically requested to produce any artwork during unreasonable working hours, fair additional remuneration shall be paid.

Article 23 All artwork or photography submitted as samples to a buyer should bear the name of the artist or artists responsible for the work. An artist shall not claim authorship of another’s work.

Article 24 All companies that receive artist portfolios, samples, etc. shall be responsible for the return of the portfolio to the artist in the same condition as received.

Article 25 An artist entering into an agreement with a representative for exclusive representation shall not accept an order from nor permit work to be shown by any other representative. Any agreement which is not intended to be exclusive should set forth the exact restrictions agreed upon between the parties.

Article 26 Severance of an association between artist and representative should be agreed to in writing. The agreement should take into consideration the length of time the parties have worked together as well as the representative’s financial contribution to any ongoing advertising or promotion. No representative should continue to show an artist’s samples after the termination of an association.

Article 27 Examples of an artist’s work furnished to a representative or submitted to a prospective buyer shall remain the property of the artist, should not be duplicated without the artist’s authorization and shall be returned promptly to the artist in good condition.

Article 28 {Original Article 28 has been deleted and replaced by Article 29} Interpretation of the Code for the purposes of arbitration shall be in the hands of the Joint Ethics Committee or other body designated to resolve the dispute, and is subject to changes and additions at the discretion of the parent organizations through their appointed representatives on the Committee. Arbitration by the Joint Ethics Committee or other designated body shall be binding among the parties, and decisions may be entered for judgment and execution.

Article 29 Work on speculation; Contests: Artists and designers who accept speculative assignments (whether directly from a client or be entering a contest or competition) risk losing anticipated fees, expenses, and the potential opportunity to pursue other, rewarding assignments. Each artist shall decide individually whether to enter art contests or design competitions, provide free services, work on speculation, or work on a contingency basis.

Artist Survey #12: Hanah Hicks

Hannah is basically my other sister. I have known her my whole conscious life and our families remain close friends. She is currently finishing up a degree in fashion and apparel design in San Francisco and hopes to start designing/manufacturing bold clothing and outerwear to fit today’s board culture.

fullzip

jacket

hoodie

Name: Hannah Hicks

Location: San Francisco, CA

Medium(s): Clothing.

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? Designer.

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? On people, in magazines. The ski and snowboard community. MySpace.

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? I’ve always liked making things, but my fashion designing focus started about 3 years ago.

Who/What inspired your interest? I was inspired by a woman I lived with when I was in New Zealand. She taught me how to create my own clothes instead of using a pattern.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? From an infant when my dad would play his guitar and sing.

What is your day job? In the winter I work in the Sports Shop at a ski resort.

Why do you create? To inspire others.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? I like to collaborate with my friends and family.

What do you want from your work? I want to make people feel better about themselves and happier with life in general.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? I want them to find innovation.

How often do you work on personal projects? Once a month or so. But these projects stem into lines that are for others.

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? Never.

Does your art support you financially? Not yet.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? I think about it all the time. I check out pretty much every person I pass. Haha. I am always looking for a source of inspiration. I should execute my ideas more though.

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? I travel and enjoy the snow and go to school.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? I will always be a fan of the Beastie Boys and Sublime. I am getting more into the Brazilian Girls, although I haven’t heard much of them. And I love to dance to BLVD!

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? Yea. Sea of Dreams. Everyone should go. Its gonna be an amazing new years eve party in SF.

How long do you generally take on a piece? It depends on what it is. I can make a shirt in about a week. Or it can take me a few months to plan out an outerwear jacket.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? I think that art has only been beneficial in my life. Who needs money?

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Not usually. I usually work on multiple pieces at the same time but they are all part of the same line.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? Most of the time. Sometimes I make a few of each piece just so I can have one around. But I usually just take lots of pictures. I wish I had a website to show you all. Coming soon, hopefully. Most of my pictures from my first two collections are on myspace.com/hanneyhi. Just take a look in my pictures in my Palindome:We’re Gonna make it Album. Thanks!!!

palindrometat

Blacksmith Type

Last summer I had the pleasure of working as an aprentice blacksmith to my sister at Columbia State Park. This is some of the typography we would create day to day.

horseshoe_stamp

horseshoe_number

Horseshoes were our scrap metal. We experimented with all sorts of shapes, figures symbols. Kristi, my sister, had been working there for several years and was pretty fast in the forge. It was a lot of fun learning a new trade, but I am glad I don’t have to huff coal all day anymore.

UTLTRN v. Tuolumne

It is my goal to have a bad ass printmaking workshop.

  • A place where I can create day and night.
  • A place where I can get friends and family involved in creating.
  • A place open to the public.
  • A place to hold concerts, parties and events.
  • A place to teach and entertain.
  • A place with stickers wallpapering the bathroom.
  • A place with concrete floors, stained with ink.

screenprinting

  • Are you bored with the local “scene”?
  • Are you searching for a reason to stay in Tuolumne County?
  • Would you attend workshops on postering, garment printing and customization?
  • Do you want to know what today’s street artists, printmakers and fashionistas are up too?

I want to expose the local yokel to silk screen and relief printing, social propaganda, custom clothing and a sense of pride in accomplishing what is believed to be solely in the hands of industry. I feel that Tuolumne City is in need for an artistic renaissance. There are several empty buildings that are waiting for occupants. There are several creative, anxious people in town waiting for an opportunity. It is a perfect match and let me tell you no one is going to start this for us. No one in the Chamber of Commerce is looking to nurture the arts. They are going to let fail safe, business-in-a-box chain stores to the county. With the coming arrival of the Black Oak Hotel and Golf Course, Tuolumne City has the opportunity to become a really cool place. Lets kick out the meth heads and sweep up the syringes and Keystone Light cans.

Leave a comment and let me know if I should bother with this place or should I just forget about it and move on.

Found God

This is a photo I took inside a dilapidated structure in Chinese Camp, CA.

found-god

{Found God : Chinese Camp, CA : 2006}

Quarter Century Club

Today is my birthday and I have reached the quarter century stage of my life. I don’t really have much else to say, just that I am happy and that my family must be tired of me talking about things I like because they all got me great stuff. Check it.

birthday

Artist Survey #11: Rick Reese

Rick was my intro to illustration professor back at Long Beach State. I always looked forward to his class because he is a real down-to-earth guy and would often bring in his current projects to show us his creative process (usually because he was behind schedule I’m sure). I enjoy drawing a great deal, but am no illustrator, Rick made sure to let me know that! Rick taught me to really push to exaggerate my images to get the emotional impact that I often came short on. His work, whether commercial or otherwise is always fun to look at. He layers images and text allowing viewers to always find something new to examine while they should be doing something more important.

reese_the-escapist
(The Escapist)

reese_study-for-a-boy

(Study for a Boy)

reese_the-6-3

(The 6-3)

reese_study-for-mother

(Study for Mother)

Name: Rick Reese

Location: Orange County

Medium(s): All of them

What do you consider yourself (artist/designer/other)? They are all the same to me.

Where can we see your work (place/publications/url)? Various galleries, some magazines, around, rickreeseart.com

When did you start gaining interest in artistic forms of expression? I can’t remember, I think I might be a cliché and say from birth.

Who/What inspired your interest? Skateboard graphics from the 80’s, comic books and cartoons. I still look at them even though my interests have changed a lot.

Where do you first remember being exposed to art? Comic book store. Great place to get introduced to imagery and text working together. I loved comic books, not the lame super hero crap but the alternative funnies like Yummy Fur.

What is your day job? I’m an artist and a teacher. If you keep your “day job” you may not ever get around to supporting yourself with your art.

Why do you create? To fulfill some unexplainable urge to communicate my experience to others. Maybe I need validation I don’t know but I think it’s a common human need.

Is there any recurring theme in your work? At this point most of my new work is loosely dealing with memory and family.

What do you want from your work? I want it to make me rethink what I expected and amaze me that I made it.

What do you want viewers to take from your work? There is no one thing. Different people will take different things obviously. I really don’t care what they take as long as they are engaged by it in some way that is meaningful to them. If they have no reaction to a piece I feel like it’s a failure in some way.

How often do you work on personal projects? All the time. All your work should be personal or you’re wasting your time (in my humble opinion).

How often do you work on commissions or commercial work? Not so often anymore, but I used to all the time when I was younger and worked for other people and other companies doing mostly “commercial” work, whatever that means. I may return to it someday soon, I’ve been feeling the itch.

Does your art support you financially? Yes, but I teach too and that’s been helpful because I have a wife and 2.5 kids to feed. Selling work in galleries is not always something you can count on…its like freelancing used to feel to me, inconsistent but kind of fun.

Do you feel preoccupied with your art, do you think about it often during the day and night and do you anticipate your next session? I think about it all day and lose sleep over it at night, I’m obsessed by it and I can’t wait to work on a piece once its underway. I hope most artists feel that way or they aren’t in the right field in my opinion. If you aren’t that interested there are many easier ways to make a living.

What do you do in your spare time besides your art? Read, surf, hang around with my family.

Which musicians are you currently interested in? Bad Brains, The Misfits. I can’t stop listening to this music. Its had me since I was a kid.

Are there any events you are looking forward to attending? My daughter’s parent teacher meeting on Wednesday, should be a real scorcher.

How long do you generally take on a piece? Its all over the place. Weeks, a month sometimes just a few days on a small piece if its coming easy. Paintings evolve at their own pace it seems, some fast, others slow.

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of your art? I married a graphic designer so she understands art and has been supportive and really a huge blessing. I quit a 9-5 corporate art department job to teach and pursue painting. So maybe I lost that job but I never felt like it belonged to me. I’m not good at that kind of thing. The consistent day in and day out monotony (as it seemed to me) was really hard. To me it was worth the loss of consistent income to regain my sense of who I was as an artist. Again that’s probably cliché but its the truth.

Do you work on multiple projects at once? Yes I usually will have a painting or two going on while I am working on a print or a drawing or collage. Who knows I may go back to taking illustration or client based work, I really like it, I just have shifted attention to teaching and painting.

Do you have trouble parting with your finished work? Not usually but sometimes. You get used to it and really if I don’t part with it I can’t make the next piece, I wouldn’t have a place to put them all. I will say that I still prefer to give art away rather than sell it. Not because of some belief in the “purity” of non-commercial art or any of that art school bull, but because there seems to be more value placed on the object by the person who receives than by the person who buys it. At least that’s how I feel. That and the fact that most young people, who tend to enjoy my work, can’t afford it so if I can give it away I will on occasion, to friends, people that really appreciate it, etc. Not to you though Zac, I don’t like you.

Peep this shit:

An interview with Reese about his work being featured in the Billabong’s Design for Humanity.

Artistic touch
Artistic touch