Ali-Blah-Blah

The end of season is near.

2010-09-25T13:30:00.006-04:00

The season is coming to an end and it's been such a great summer here in Ptown. The weather was, and continues to be, the best I've ever experienced on Cape Cod. And the economic fears that gripped the season last year are less. People seemed to be in better moods and the doom and gloom of last season was not the theme this year.

Although the gallery will be shutting it's doors for the winter in a couple of weeks, that doesn't mean I'm going into hibernation. Winter is the time I go out and meet new artists, go to shows, look at new work. It's a very busy and creative time for me and I look forward to it.

This is the time, if you're an artist, to send pictures for review. And I promise you, I LOOK AT EVERYTHING. Gladly. Send images to: john@jlucasgallery.com

The gallery will reopen next April.

John

Papier mache basket with vintage Cape Cod map

2010-08-15T19:27:00.016-04:00

A new item was added to the gallery today, handmade papier mache waste basket with a vintage map of Cape Cod collaged on it. It's sealed with layers of varnish
making it sturdy and perfect for a den, bath or kids room.

The vintage map of the was aquired at an estate sale. The hand built base is papier mache, sealed and then given a distressed, layered paint finish on the inside and along the rim. Measures 10.5" tall, 11.5 wide, 9" deep.
To purchase, visit jlucasgallery.com

Online purchase site being added...slowly

2010-08-09T21:52:00.002-04:00

The gallery is adding a feature to make online purchases for select items from the gallery. It's a slow process to build these pages....but we DID just launch the first page with some great pieces on it.

You can use PAYPAL to buy. You don't have to have a PP account though....you can use any credit card through the PAYPAL site. The new page is here.

Vintage Trailer images make rustic lamp a little bit country, a little bit mid-century modern.

2010-06-27T17:00:00.010-04:00

I've just gotten a new handmade lampshade and lamp base that is one of the coolest design items in the gallery.

The base is made from a birch log, all cleaned up and wired. And the shade is a genius touch of rustic and kitch, but so well made and executed that this piece is elevated from camp to classic.

It's 24 inches high and the shade is 13 inches in diameter. Selling in the gallery now for $279.00. If you'd like to buy it, visit our online purchase page.

Greg Reeves from Christopher 19 does a redesign

2010-06-18T20:19:00.006-04:00

The gallery got a complete overhall last night. Greg Reeves, who owns the hot Christopher 19 jewelry store in NYC, graciously agreed to come in and give his keen design eye to the layout.

We started at 5 and closed up for the night at about midnight. What he did was shift the whole energy in the gallery. It was amazing watching it happen one moment at a time. Greg has an instinctive ability to visualize and see a space in his mind.

Here are few pics of the end result:

And a few more....

Gallery is open and looking good

2010-06-12T15:07:00.007-04:00

It's been a long span of time since posting here.........getting the gallery set up and opened for the season has been exhausting and exhilarating. Sometimes at the same time. I've met hundreds of artists over the winter and now it "showtime" here at the gallery.

The artwork is amazing and the blend of handmade craft with fine art works beautifully. Feedback has been very positive.

The season in Provincetown offically kicks off Memorial Day weekend, but then scales back until the end of June. But the weather has been spectacular. One of the most beautiful springs I've ever seen here on Cape Cod. Last year, I didn't turn my heat off until AUGUST!

Now for something fun:

These are "Jingle Balls." From felt artist Paige Cox. Paige lives in Greensboro, NC and I met her at one of the many shows I went to over the winter. These balls have been a great little item in the gallery. There's a little bell in each one, so you shake it and it's very holiday-ish. Plus, they're just so damn cute.

Gallery will open April 16

2010-04-05T12:15:00.003-04:00

It feels like spring is here...at least in NYC. It's sunny and moving towards the 70s. And I'm moving towards the Cape this Friday. Saying good-bye to winter, I'll be back in Ptown Friday afternoon. Give me a week to unpack, dust, arrange, set up, and visit with friends, and then I'll be opening the doors next weekend.

The gallery will be open Friday evenings, all day Sat. and Sun. for the rest of April.

So if you're on the Cape, please drop by and take a look at the new work and concept. It's going to be a great season.
John Lucas

Stacked plywood vases by Michael Flynn

2010-03-19T09:33:00.004-04:00

Spring finally feels possible. New York City has been under the gray, cold, snowy skies for months...but the last few days have the trees budding and green sprouts peeking up through the window boxes. I can only imagine how Provincetown must be about to explode with plant life right now. Late March is a great time in Ptown....all the gardens are getting attention, businesses are unlocking doors and the smell of fresh paint catches you as you walk down Commercial Street.

I'll be heading back to the Cape on April 9th to get the gallery opened and ready for the great new Modern Craft items I've been discovering all winter. It will be such a new and creative space.

The latest work I've uncovered and am planning on having in the gallery are some beautiful vases. Each one is different and has a undulating, organic wave look. Check it out:

The artist is Michael Flynn and here's what he says about his work:

"I use 3D modeling software to develop a completely unique form for each vase. I use a set of pre-established design parameters that allow for these completely unique shapes to be created. These parameters also afford the ability for the vase to still remain functional while retaining these custom shapes as well as a high level of manufacturing efficiency.

So, in short: Each vase is completely unique and will never be duplicated. The dimensions of the vase are 18"H x approximately 5" Dia.

The vase is stacked plywood in a natural finish with a wax sealer. The vase has an elastomeric sealer inside so it is safe to use with water."

Photographer Frank Mullaney new work

2010-03-11T13:04:00.011-05:00

Dinner the other night with photographer Frank Mullaney. Here he is looking important...but in reality he's just trying to figure out what a text is.

Last season he showed amazing images he took and manipulated from classic movies. This image, called "Rapture" is from the film A Summer Place. That's Elizabeth T. and Monty C.

Plus, mid season, he brought in 8 new color pieces he had been working on from the movie "Showgirls". Here's Elizabeth Berkley heading out of Vegas. Clearly, what happens in Vegas ain't staying there.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he will bring me this year.
See his work on the gallery website: http://www.jlucasgallery.com/Frank.html

Vintage Barkcloth purses hitting the gallery

2010-03-02T10:53:00.011-05:00

We have a new artist joining the gallery who makes great hobo bags out of vintage barkcloth fabric. That's the very cool, retro textile from the 50s and 60s.

Technically, barkcloth was a material once common in Asia, Africa, Indonesia and the Pacific and came from trees of the Moraceae family. It was made by beating sodden strips of the fibrous inner bark of these trees into sheets, which were then finished into a variety of items.

The textile that we call barkcloth is not made in this fashion, but got the name because it has a rough surface like that of tree bark. This barkcloth is usually made of densely woven cotton fibres and has been used in home furnishings, such as curtains, drapery, upholstery, and slipcovers.

Is that just too much information?

Tiffany O'Brien's new work for summer 2010

2010-02-28T14:36:00.008-05:00

Had a studio visit today with painter Tiffany O'Brien here in Manhatten. I carried Tiffany's work last season and got a very warm reception to it from gallery visitors. So this season, I asked Tiffany to come up with a new theme....and her theme is "candy" Here's a short video of Tiffany talking about some of her new pieces.

Tiffany O'Brien

2010-02-27T14:06:00.001-05:00

Studio visit now happening. Video to come later.

iPhoned

Ilona Royce Smithkin, painting legend

2010-02-26T16:19:00.005-05:00

One of the most recognized figures in Provincetown and the West Village in NYC is Ilona Royce Smithkin. Her orange hair and matching (handmade) orange eyelashes (2 inches long) and bright flowing outfits make her hard to miss.

Last season the gallery held a really remarkable exhibit of some of her paintings from the 1960s when she was at the Art Students League. Most of these were canvases that had not been seen in over 40 years, and differed greatly from the work she's most known for....impressionistic landscapes, portraits and still lifes. These older paintings were more realistic, a bit darker, moodier. Two of my favorite pieces are:

This season, we will continue to show Ilona's work. We will have more of her older pieces, and a series of drawings she did of nude males. Beautiful stuff. If you are on the Cape this season, drop by.

At 90, Ilona is still painting every day, traveling and teaching all over the US, and going to all the Friday night openings in Ptown during the summer season. I had dinner with her last week and she ate not just her food, but half of mine. All energy!

Here's a link to the catalog we produced for her show last year, "Ilona Royce Smithkin: The Sixties, New York City and Provincetown"

Vintage barkcloth pillows and Jenny Krauss pillows

2010-02-24T08:25:00.008-05:00

Handmade pillows. Vintage barkcloth. Nap time.

I've recently found two artists who are going to supply the gallery with some beautiful handmade pillows. One artist, Jenny Krauss uses bold striped fabric and then embroiders big bold flowers on it, then finishes it off with funky fringe.

The other artist makes her pillows out of vintage barkcloth...that great fabric from the old days. Very beachy, 40's and 50's. Tropical with vibrant colors. If you don't know about barkcloth, Google it. It's got history, and that's why these pillows are really one of a kind.

By the way....I've also found an artist who will be making slouch bags, or hobo bags (think the Olsons) out of vintage barkcloth. More on that once I've confirmed our agreement.
Later.

Video: Blacksmith artist Marsh Trattner

2010-02-21T17:13:00.002-05:00

I am happy to let you know that this season the J. Lucas Gallery will indeed have some work by Brooklyn blacksmith artist Marsha Trattner. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog entry, I went to her Red Hook studio on Sat. and had a great visit.

Here's a nice video of Marsha talking about her work (sorry about the short ad before the video. Can't remove that.)

2010-02-20T17:18:00.004-05:00

The weather was perfect for a trip to Brooklyn today. I hopped the Ikea ferry (yes...hit Ikea after the studio visit) to Red Hook and went to see blacksmith Marsha Trattner.
Trattner lives with her husband in a "handmade" house. For lack of a better word. They've taken two older buildings and literally covered them in steel. On one, it looks like hammered tin (ala Mexican craftwork) and the other was like vinyl siding, only done in steel sheeting. Really something.

So I made it into the studio and got to see a collection she had set out for me. I like her work alot and the fact that each piece is handmade and unique makes it perfect for the gallery.
These are a few pictures of the work that i was able to secure for this summer.

Blacksmith Marsha Trattner, in Red Hook Brooklyn

2010-02-19T15:37:00.004-05:00

Heading to Red Hook (Brooklyn!) tomorrow to visit the studio of blacksmith artist Marsha Trattner. I met her back in Nov. at the RISD show in Providence, RI. Her work was great and caught my eye.
I'm hoping to have several of her pieces in the gallery this summer. I'm not really sure what all I'll see in her studio, so I'm looking forward to the visit.

She was recently featured on Brooklyn Independent Television and you can see the story on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/bkindependenttv#p/u/5/bY2tV5J6QRw

PS...love the dogs in the video.
More later.

New Website Launched Today

2010-02-14T20:17:00.004-05:00

The new website launched today! We will no doubt be making tweaks to it over the next few days, but the overall site is complete. Unlike our previous site, this is basically a one page site, with a link to our blog. The blog will be our tool for updating you about new artwork, artists, events and whatever else the gallery is involved with.

We look forward to a great 2010 season. And we also welcome any comments about this new site, the work, our concept, etc.

The gallery is a living organic space. We are constantly looking at new work and new artists. If you would like to submit work, please do so through email at: info@jlucasgallery.com. We LOVE to see new work.

Coffee at Joe's

2010-02-14T13:13:00.001-05:00

Meeting Nat deWolf. Then studio visit in Williansburg.

iPhoned

Chelsea Gallery day

2010-02-13T20:55:00.001-05:00

Spent hours freezing looking at art that left me cold. Was it just the weather? What happened to painting? At least Mary Boone still knows how to make a heart skip when you walk in a room.

iPhoned

iPhonin'

2010-02-13T12:32:00.001-05:00

Heading to Chelsea galleries.

NY Gift Show vs. Independent Artist Studio visits

2010-02-12T14:25:00.001-05:00

It's mid Feb already. Where did the holiday go? I've been on the road for over 2 months looking at artwork, making studio visits and hunting online for unique pieces to carry in the gallery this season.

One of the most disapointing days was at the NY International Gift Show. Huge venue with thousands of vendors. They were pushing/advertising a "handmade in the USA" category that I was very excited to see. It was less than overwhelming, to say the least. Lesson learned: Small independent artists will not be at a huge and expensive show. I mean really, who's got the $$ these days to do that?

I'm building the new website to reflect the new art and modern craft focus. I am thinking it will basically be a one pager, with a link to this blog, which will talk about the work in the gallery. As I see it, there will be so many smaller pieces, and so many artists, that building a page for each on would kill me and require hours of updating and maintenance. That may not be smart, but I'm thinkin'...

Later. Got a studio visit in Brooklyn later today.

Looking at crafters, artisans, indies, and anything else.

2009-12-01T09:50:00.000-05:00

I've traveled the east coast over the Thanksgiving holiday and on into December now looking at work from hundreds of artists. First stop was the Philly Museum Craft Show, then an arts association/complex in Richmond, VA, next was the Piedmont Craftsmans Fair in Winston Salem, NC, moved on to the Seagrove Potters Festival. In the coming weeks I head back to Richmond to speak with a couple of artists I missed on my first visit, then to Providence for the RISD Alumni Art Show. Whew.

I'm looking at everything. So..............

Artist? Please contact me. New gallery website will launch in the spring of 2010.
Send online portfolio and site links to: john@jlucasgallery.com. ASAP.

Calling the Handmade Nation!!

2009-10-13T20:09:00.000-04:00

I'm red eyed bleary eyed black eyed and blue. Been searching for the past four days for crafters/DIYers/artisans/indies. So much great handmade stuff out there. Getting it in my gallery seems daunting.

Finding the right mix. Keeping track of emails. Contacts. Who's who.

Artist? Please contact me. Gallery will launch by end of year. In Provincetown, MA. Cape Cod. Funky. Gay. Straight. Art. Ocean. Sand. Individual.

Contact me with online portfolio and sites: john@jlucasgallery.com ASAP.