Feedback and Art Melt 2012

      Last week I asked for feedback on the above image. Thank you to all who offered responses. I received some here, as well as responses on Facebook. Responses were varied form personal to technical, but all were good to read and gave me something to think about. Thank you.
    
      Viewer feedback is so important to me and my art making. I have never measured successful art by wheather or not it sells, and I am not really interested in the sale of my work. If somebody wants to buy it, that's great I'll sell it to them. But for me, getting my art out there and seen by as many people in as many places as possible is more important. I believe strongly in the communicative aspects of art (this is where my librarianship ties in nicely), and an open dialog between me/my art and the viewer is critical. I don't often get to travel with my art when it goes on display, so I miss that feedback component when people see it. Therefore, the more you respond to my work, either here, via e-mail, or through the guestbook on my Web Site (www.peterklubek.com), the better. Please feel free to respond often! And don't hold back. If I make something hideous say so!

      The next item for discussion is Art Melt 2012. This is an annual event in downtown Baton Rouge sponsored by Forum 35, and is reported to be the largest emerging artist exhibition in the state of  Louisiana. There were certainly artists from all corners of this state, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport.  Art in all its forms, (visual, musical, multimedia) is celebrated at the Shaw Center for the Arts. The celebration spills into the street where two stages feature live bands. The result is a New Orleans-style party all about art.

      The art center was just as crowded as the street. Which made looking at the actual art a bit difficult.

     I did look at all the art, and I voted in the viewers choice. My two favorites were a mixed media piece by Baton Rouge artist Keith Douglas, and an intaglio print by St. Charles Artist Becky Trahan. I tried to get images of these pieces but it didn't work out. 
     I was actually invited to participate in this exhibition, but I had submitted works in Houston and North Dakota, and had other things going on at the time. As it happens, I knew one of the judges from my time at the Birmingham Museum of Art, so it could have gone well. Too bad. Maybe next year.