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I am the worst blogger in the world... I know.

But that doesn't

mean I haven't been busy with other things.

 

Check it out on my Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/molassooij

See you there!!

And then the silence...

But only here on my blog... because I was busy as...

Painting live and in my studio (at home), in various shows and events and charities... so let me update you with some pictures so you can catch-up while I catch my breath... 


Let's start with Dali and this time the artists were invited to create a portrait of Dali. As Dali was often portrayed in the absurdest surroundings or poses, I always liked this portrait done by Irving Penn from 1947 where Salvador Dali is sitting on a rock.. waiting to strike an absurd pose perhaps and the picture is taken.

Symbolique Sans
48" x 48"
Mixed media on wood

detail of Symbolique Sans

detail of Symbolique Sans

detail of Symbolique Sans

But to honor his passion for symbolism I added the drawers with little secrets  like the elephants, an egg and an ant. One drawer I kept empty.... a small drawer where his heart would be... now empty but once filled.

The Son of Modern Man
18" x 24"
acrylics on Linen

And it didn't stop there as the surrealists were concerned.... I painted my version of the "Son of Man" by Magritte and re-named it " The Son of Modern man". I replaced the apple for a modern apple but by flipping the phone to show the viewer what this Son was looking at.. I realized I had to paint whatever it was up-side-down.


And I painted my version of A Velasquez: the portrait of The Infanta Margarita Teresa of Spain, who I presented with a small problem of loading her phone with no outlet in sight... in 1653 a very common problem I presume. 

Margarita Teresa is not in charge
30" x 40"
Acrylics on canvas

 I also was invited to re-do a room at Macy's in Doral and that was pretty amazing to do... and it was a great opportunity to show my dogs and a cat paintings again. So I went full in including a few hand embellished pillows...

Yup... so far Live is good here in Miami and more to come.. like 2 shows just this week, a commission to finish and who knows what else comes my way.... until next time!

Happy Holidays

What is that silent noise????

The silence on my blog must have been deafening, but I just couldn't find the time nor the peace inside me to blog. I was painting!!

The summer was filled with wonderful projects: mural, drawings, paintings and live painting.

First I was invited to participate in the beautification of Carol City School in Miami Garden aka "Art in the Gardens". This school has fought to make it a safe place for their students in a challenging environment. Part of this project was to bring uplifting art to the students via their walls. 

"Little Winner"

This was my contribution to the project: a reminder that they all have talents, some more obvious than others, but nevertheless. I painted it in the colors of the school.. so my usual red was replaced with a bright orange. And I like it.

I also got the wonderful news that one of my pieces was selected for the Seventh All-Media Juried Biennial at the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood (FL). A huge honor as only some 80+ are selected from over a 1000 entries. 

"Dona Isabel and her Control" in good company at the Biennial.

In the mean time I was also working on 2 commissions:
A little Frida and a piece based on the "Girl interrupted at her music" by Vermeer.

"Little Frida" (2015)
9" x 12"
Acrylics on boxed wood

"Planning a Gourmet" (2015)
30" x 30"
Acrylics on canvas

And this was not  all... but I know that breaking the silence with too much noise is never a good idea... so I will keep the other projects for the next blog... See you soon.

And let the scamming begin...

Credit Jantoo.com

It is that time of the year again... the prelude to Art Basel Miami. Even though the actual shows start in December... the scouting, booking and - in some cases - scamming the artists has begun again. Last year was the wonderful scam of 100 bags with 100 cards to be handed out to a select group of collectors and galleries... for a mere $ 275.00 per artist.

This years' try and - believe me - looks legit, until you take a closer look. And that people is really what it is all about... take a good look!!!

I have removed the name of the show but not the contents of their email(s) and made my observations in blue between their lines.
Our Marketing Plan for the Art XXXX Basel, 2015 Event

An invitation to participate in an art show during Art Basel Week in Miami, Florida· Thirty Day Event – Art XXXX Basel, 2015· December 1st – December 31st , 2015
(that is nice.. a whole month... not a soul in sight after Art Basel has ended because the people are tired after 5 days of BASELTON) 

· Location – Wynwood Arts District – Best arts district in Miami
· 565 NW 27th Street, Miami, Florida
(Location, location, location...and this location is not prime Wynwood... you will not get the full blast of Wynwood, unless you are that avant-garde gallery worth roaming the streets for) 
· To be held during Art Basel Week – 200,000 art lovers, collectors and art resources descend on Miami for the art shows and fairs· Opening Vernissage – December 5th, 2015 – coinciding with the openings of the other art fairs – 3000 people expected
(Now... did they say that 200,000 art lovers are crowding the streets of Wynwood... NO, it is the whole of Miami... and they expect 3000 people to come to the vernissage... 3000 expected, doesn't mean at all that they will attend)  
· Thirty day Events – Performance art, music, lectures will be held throughout the show· Promotion – Email Marketing, Social Media, Banners, Flyers, Handouts at the larger events
(First ones are email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter... and they will ask you to do the same. Banner is for the front of the building, and handouts at the larger events means that they haven't done their marketing.. but oh well do not worry, we will hand out a flyer at a larger event during Art Basel and who knows... ) 
· Miami Networking Professional – Hired to invite and attract collectors and art enthusiasts
(Get a popular girl to get friends over for free drinks... and the artists paid for it) 
· Event Space Next Door - Show will coincide with a number of fashion and media events held next door
(If anything, we might be able to lure in a lost soul from next door)

Our goal is the exposure of your work and with a little bit of help from you, your friends and collectors we can make Art XXXX Basel, 2015 a wonderful beginning to the art season in Miami.
(We have no real connections, so pay for the wall and bring your friends, in case our popular girl aka Networking professional cannot persuade her friends to come and have a drink... this way we make the 3000 people attending reality.)

The cost to show is $375 for a wall space 10' High X 3' Wide or 5' High X 6' Wide. Larger spaces are available!
(Oh this is good! Either you get a wall space for 1 painting of maximum 30" wide, but of course you could hang multiple paintings above each other... because you are curating your own wall. Or you can entertain either the little people (under 5') of the giants (over 5'), so you need two spaces above each other to hang on eye sight of your average person. And that is not including your 25% commission if you are lucky to sell something. 
Of course they want you to get larger spaces more money for them without doing anything) 


Now... we all want to show at Art Basel.. we might sell.. we might connect with that gallery we are dying to show in, we might even be invited to show in a different city... but these vanity places are not the places where the real buyers, scouters and galleries will go to.
There is no curating... anyone who pays, hangs aka your masterpiece could hang next to someones 8 y/o absolutely talentless nephew.
Avoid these vanity places because they don't want to show you, nor promote you... they are there to fill their own pockets with your money.

DALI & ME

Several weeks ago I was contacted by a curator with the question if I was interested in participating in an exhibition based on the work of Dali. Each artist would choose from a selection of prints by Dali and make their own interpretation of it. 

And before I even knew what pieces I could choose from, I already said yes. Do something based on a master's piece: NO BRAINER!

She send me a list of prints to choose from and soon enough one jumped out for me: A Flordali from 1969 named "Les Fruits Pomegranate" also known as "Pomegranate and Angel".

I started reading about the fruit and its symbolic meaning and found out that the pomegranate has been used throughout history and in almost every religion as a symbol of humanity's most fundamental beliefs and desires, including life and death, rebirth and eternal life, fertility and marriage, abundance and prosperity. Almost every aspect of the pomegranate has come to symbolize something . . . its shape, color, seeds, juice.

For instance the pomegranate is often seen in paintings and statues of the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus as a symbol of resurrection and everlasting life.


Then I realized that, while drinking the juice often, I had never seen the inside of a pomegranate (yeah, I know...). So when I started to paint the actual pomegranate I used a "live model".

Little Angel and the Pomegranates (2015)
30" x 40"
Acrylics on Canvas
SOLD

I painted a little girl (a little angel) on a swing carried by Pomegranates with an open fruit next to her. I wanted to incorporate as much as the symbolism as possible without limiting myself to one meaning. True, my little angel has no wings but my mother would call me a little angel - when I was a little girl - in a more 
sarcastic way... so no wings.


At the gallery each interpretation piece was next to the Dali of the artists' choice and, I must admit, I was a little nervous to hang side by side with Dali.

The opening at MAC Fine Art in Fort Lauderdale was a success: The Little Angel sold!!

This and 32 more interpretations can be seen at MAC Fine Art in Fort Lauderdale until August 15. Show was put together and curated by Rochi Llaneza.

Busy, busy, busy...

I haven't been blogging since the end of March and for a reason. I have been really busy!

First a wonderful commission. This was one that I enjoyed truly as I was given complete freedom in my interpretation of an grown-up woman as one of my little girls... and the new owner (the actual woman) loves her.

"Little Maria" (2015)
24" x 30"
Acrylics on Canvas

Then I had to prepare things that all had to come together in the beginning of May, such as:

3 plates for "Touching Miami with Love", a local charity for which I have been painting and donated plates in the last 3 years.  

Happy and proud to tell you that they were sold almost immediately upon opening the event. Not that it matters how fast it sold, but it is nice to be able to brag a little. Even better, the lady who bought them told me that she missed the last years plate because somebody else bought it right before she got there. So this year she was very early.

On the first of May I was Live Painting  with 10 other artists to celebrate the first anniversary of a local magazine "Talking of the Wall". All the pieces went into a silent auction and the proceeds were split 50/50 with the artists (which makes it even better to paint live, believe me).

"Going Home?!" (aka Graby Gabby) 2015
36" x 36"
Acrylics on Canvas

In 3 hours I set up and painted the piece and the lady who won the silent auction was so happy that she kept buying me Tequila shots... I love customers like that!


In my studio I finished a piece that I had on the easel for a while. Sometimes you need to put a piece aside before you can finish it to make sure that you are doing the "right" thing.

"Little Amelia and her First Airplane" 2015
20" x 24"
Acrylics on boxed wood

 And then there is a chair for the "Take a Seat" event of the IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association) of which the proceeds go to Kid Sanctuary Campus.

"Into the Deep" 2015
reconstruction of chair with 2 wooden panels
Acrylics on wood

So what can I tell you... other than I have been busy...

WALL BRAWL March 2015

I was invited to participate at the Wall Brawl Miami to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida. For those of you who do not know what a Wall Brawl is: a contest between artists to create a piece of art within a very limited time frame of a few hours.
 
I had never done a Wall Brawl before and I was a little worried: 3 hours to paint a piece of 24" x 48"... I never done that.. well since my days at the Art Academy (little time to do homework so it was mandatory to be extremely fast). So needless to say I was nervous about it, not only because of the time frame but also because I was going to be painting next to (street) artists whose work I truly like.

photo credit: Alessandro Abate

So there I was... nervous, thrilled and did I say nervous at the same time. I set my things up and started painting like a mad woman...
And the 3 hours passed by like it was nothing and 3 hours of pure joy for me.. Not only had I fun painting the piece, I had some pretty nice encounters with the audience and it was a pleasure to see the other artists work develop during the event. 

The pieces were in a silent auction and people could bid on it all through the night and also vote for their favorite piece.
The bidding closed the moment the artists had to put down their spray cans/brushes... and all the pieces sold!!!

Photo credit: Mitchell Zachs

Including this little girl... and then The Hitman (my partner in all my crimes) came running to me and told me that they were calling my name... I won the Wall Brawl!!!

photo credit: Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida

 
My first Wall Brawl and I won my first trophy ever... and we all sold our pieces, making a sweet amount for the Ronald McDonald House charities!! 

The making of: "Together - an interpretation of a peaceful moment"

It started with the reference painting - my muse piece if you want - : "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper. This painting always seem to have reflected a loneliness, the sort you see so often after closing hours, the last coffee before going home. There is almost an embracing silence where the only one using words is the server.

In my rendition of this painting I wanted to capture silence as well, however a different sort of silence: a conversation between children interrupted by the viewer, they stop talking and look at us. We are outside of the diner and outside of their conversation, invading their moment together. 

Where Hopper's painting depicts a perfectly empty street, I wanted to insert a sense of danger and in the left side of the painting I included debris of a building collapsed which contrasts both the rest of the street as well as the clean bright interior of the diner. The children inside the diner, dressed up like super heroes, seem to be safe (for now) from whatever was/is happening outside.

"Together - an interpretation of a peaceful moment" was painted in Paynes Grey, Neutral Grey, Titanium White, and Permanent Red.

Update on "Who's fooling Who?"

Together (an interpretation of a peaceful moment) and Little Cat Girl

In my previous post I wrote about the show "Who's fooling who?" curated by Jill Slaughter.

I was a little worried - stage fright if you want - if my work was up to par. Jill was selected the curator of the year 2014 by the New Miami Times and I know she pushes the artist with each of her shows.

We almost had a misunderstanding because I thought she meant that I was one of the artists in the main gallery with a part of a wall or one wall at best, but she choose me to be the artist with 3 walls in the main Gallery in Studio 18.  

Narrative by Jill Slaughter

Little Cat Girl (2015) - Little Captain America (2014) - Little Batman (2015)

Little Cat Girl 2015
24" x 20"
Acrylics on Boxed Wood

Now back in the studio and working on new pieces... for a new show.

2015 starts with a new show

First exposition of the New Year and a very important one for me: "Who's fooling Who? - an exploration of the deceptive" curated by Jill Slaughter at Studio 18 in Pembroke Pines.
It is always an honor for me to be in a show curated by Jill as she always adds the link to the community.

The exposition is about abuse - any kind of abuse in the family, in a war situation, bullying at schools - and how both the abuser and the abused take on different roles and not always the one we expect. There is so much more than meets the eye. 

I understand that as no other because my father was quite the unpredictable bully at home.. but outside as charming as can be: at home he was feared and outside he was loved and admired. It was a strange secret that could not be shared because people would not believe us.

Little Batman (2015)
14" x 18"
Acrylics on boxed wood

I chose to paint children as little superheroes.. dressed up and ready to change their world. I did not want to show them as victims but as creative little beings coping with the situation with imagination and hope. In one of the paintings I show the 3 little superheroes coming together in the dinner (after "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper) where they are safe... for a moment together. There are other pieces of my Proprietary Innocence Series included as they are a little "deceptive"..

This exposition is a group show in which the curator brought wonderful artists together like Erman, Yuhmi Collective, and Maria Mor, just to name a few.

Part of the proceeds the show will benefit "No more Tears" an organization which helps women and children suffering from domestic violence.

Below is a link to the article in the Sun-Sentinel about this exposition and that is always a cherry on top of the...

http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story

which aids women and families suffering with domestic violence. - See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story#sthash.3aGyho85.dpuf

which aids women and families suffering with domestic violence. - See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story#sthash.3aGyho85.dpuf

which aids women and families suffering with domestic violence. - See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-pines-whos-fooling-who-studio-18-20150106,0,3722820.story#sthash.3aGyho85.dpuf

Happy New Year!!

Fire works at the Binnenhof in The Hague

Happy New Year

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Buon Anno Nuovo
Feliz Año Nuevo
Bonne Année
feliz Ano Novo
С Новым Годом
明けましておめでとうございます
З Новим Роком
新年快乐
Glückliches Neues Jahr
Selamat Tahun Baru
नया साल मुबारक हो

Sretna Nova godina
Среќна Нова Година

Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος

Bon Fire in Scheveningen, The Netherlands 2014/2015
officially the largest one ever !!

Wherever you are, whatever you do, whatever you dream, whomever you love, whatever you create: Have a Great 2015!!

ART BASEL has begun....

Yesterday it actually started... the first events.. the first parties.. the first openings and expositions, and it will continue full blown for a week.

And I.. am showing in three shows:
A Little Brooklyn Water Tower at Elemental

Photo credit: Carol Gregoire

At Spectrum (one of the Satellite Shows in Miami - Midtown) with Life is Art :
2 collaboration pieces and my very own "Girl with the Robot Dog".

Now that last piece also made it into the Around Town Magazine under their Must See Art for Art Basel and this is what the curator Sebastian Laboureau has to say about it:

I am so happy with this, you have no idea.. little by little my hard work pays off.

At Spectrum I will also paint life on Thursday December 4... I have an idea what I will do.. but still a giant collaboration piece with 5 other artists.. it will be a challenge and fun!


Finally I am also showing 2 pieces at Midpoint in the show "North of Modern" curated by Joshua Kingston.
Here is one of them: My take on one of Goya's masterpieces but now with her own control

Dona Isabel and her Control

Yes, this year Art Basel started really well...

For all my fellow artists: street, cross-overs, outsiders, gallery-artists, etc. Have a great Baselton!!

Little Super Heroes

I have been working hard and I am pretty pleased with the result. 

First good news: I did 3 collaborations (each piece with another artist) and 2 have been chosen to be shown at Spectrum with "Art is Life" during Art Basel.... do I will not show you these yet.. come to Miami in December. Also the Girl with the Robot Dog was selected, so imagine the enormous smile on my face when I heard this.

After finishing the above collaboration, I did a collaboration with a local artist called Registered Artist for his solo show "With a little help of my friends". All the pieces in the show are - yes you guessed it - collaborations between him and another artist. We made a piece titled "Little Big Batman".

Little Big Batman
20" x 20"
Mixed Media

Then I was invited to participate in a pop-up show (yes, the one you set-up, show and break-down in one day) in Downtown Miami and liking my little batman as much as I did, I decided to make two more super heroes.

Little Captain America
14" x 18"
Acrylics on Boxed Birch Wood

Little Super Girl
18" x 14"
Acrylics on Boxed Birch Wood

Finally I also painted a little piece for that same pop-up which was sold within hours after hanging... and let me tell you it is a great feeling to see someone look at your work and falling in love with it.

The Little Girl with the Curly Hair
9" x 12"
Acrylics on 300 Lbs Cold Pressed Water Color Paper

And I a back in the studio.. working on new pieces... perhaps more super heroes... soon you will know.

The Art of Getting Money

"Be one of the first 100 artists to connect with Basel Art Collectors during opening night!"

That was the first thing I saw in a little announcement on Facebook this week for Art Basel and it tickled my curiosity, so I read on...

It only takes a moment to make an impact,that can change your life. Be one of the first 100 to have an exclusive opportunity to reach VIP Collectors during the opening night of Art Basel Week. Each premium promotional package will be given to hand selected collectors and galleries with all artist information and a sample of their work.   Let us help you stand out from the rest of crowd with our elegant and eye catching designs. We will make sure your information gets into the right hands.

Not too shabby, lets read on...

 

Give us your best shot and we'll take care of the rest.
Premium Promotional package includes:
100 double sided color and uv gloss coating
Sponsored promotional tote
VIP presence during fair opening
                                                   $285.00

To reserve your place as the first 100, Artists please have ready the following information:
- 3 high resolution images of your best work ( include size,medium and title)
- artists contact information ( website, email, phone#, social media )

Sounds great! Now let me summarize this exceptional deal for you as far as I understand it:
You pay $ 285.00 together with 99 other artists = $ 28,500.00
100 sponsored (sponsored by whom... let me think.. oh yes 100 artists) promotional totes will be prepared each with 100 double sided color and uv gloss coated card with 3 photo's + info (1 per artist).

Ever carried a tote bag filled with a 100 post cards... ever took a look inside and read all the cards?

I thought so.

Let's say the person behind this offer is of good will and spends around $ 7,000.00 on the whole package, puts it all together and makes it look really eye-catching (after all he is of good will). What to do with the rest of the earnings? 

Maybe the person will pay for a stand at one of the bigger shows at during Art Basel. Yes, the 100 artists just sponsored a stand... they are mentioned of course, just take a look in the promotional tote. 

Any of the 100 sponsors who want to their work in the stand, they can always email them for the other exhibition opportunities (with a price tag) during Art Basel Week and put "Fair Opportunities" in the subject line.

I am almost sure they mean art fair and not "honest, upright, honorable, trustworthy". 

To me it seems that this whole offer has very little to do with art made by artists but everything to do with "The Art of Getting Money".... from the artists again.

 

I will normally not vent about these offers, but I know how hard it is to get into a proper stand during Art Basel if you are not represented by a gallery. Many of the hardworking serious artists will try to find other opportunities to be part of this important art week and pay big bucks just to be shown and hopefully interest a buyer, scout and / or gallery. 

Because it should be about ART.