Flyway Film Festival countdown
2nd Annual Flyway Film Festival
This weekend is the much-anticipated 2nd annual Flyway Film Festival. The event kicks off on Thursday night with a meet-and-greet reception, and the opening night of movies begins on Friday night with "Storm," followed by "Ink." In many cases, both actors and the directors of the films will be at the festival to answer questions. Over the course of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, more than 30 independent films will be shown.
Saturday will be a bit different, featuring a one-day, genre-specific event of classic and cutting-edge independent zombie films. And everybody loves a good movie about the undead :)
We are proud to be a red carpet sponsor of this ambitious art endeavor and to have provided the large format graphics to promote this event.
Details are available at FlywayFilmFestival.org. See you in Stockholm this weekend!
AmericanPoverty.org
AmericanPoverty.org Exhibit Kicks Off at Catholic Charities USA Annual Conference
Last week, Catholic Charities USA kicked off their annual conference in Portland, Oregon, with the large format photojournalism exhibit produced by the In Our Own Backyard photojournalism team. Entitled AmericanPoverty.org, this exhibit aims to raise awareness of people living in poverty in the United States. Catholic Charities has set an ambitious goal to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent by the year 2020. They understand that the only way to meet such an aggressive goal is to set the bar very high.
In Our Own Backyard is a team of skilled and seasoned photojournalists who have witnessed firsthand the struggles of extreme poverty in the United States. This team includes talented photojournalists such as Steve Liss, Jon Lowenstein, Brenda Ann Kenneally, and Eli Reed. They have crisscrossed the United States, capturing exactly what it means to be poor.
It has been a delight to be involved in this project. The deadlines were tight, and God bless overnight delivery. There are at least six more cities that will be hosting this exhibit over the next year, so we look forward to future involvement. Learn more about this large format photojournalism project at AmericanPoverty.org.
Flyway Film Festival sponsorship
Exciting News: Red Carpet Sponsorship of Flyway Film Festival
We are super excited to announce that Red Wing Framing & Fine Art Printing will be a 'Red Carpet Sponsor' of the 2nd annual Flyway Film Festival in Pepin, Wisconsin, taking place from October 22 to 25, 2009. The primary venue will be the Lake Pepin Art & Design Center. In addition to supporting the entire event, we will be the presenting sponsor for the opening night events on Friday, October 23rd at 7 pm.
This is a significant investment for our modest operation, but it makes sense for several reasons:
We admire what this group is trying to accomplish and their ambitious approach.
We love films, which should be evident from our past entries about the Chief Theater in Red Wing.
We believe it's essential to contribute to the community, and we appreciate art venues that strive to be all-inclusive.
We'll share more details as the festival date approaches.
Pulp cover art
Pulp Cover Art: A Unique Place in Art History
Pulp cover art has a unique place in art history. It has tremendous nostalgic appeal for anyone who enjoyed The Hardy Boys, comic books, or even a peek at The Old Man's collection of True Detective or Stag magazines. Its primary purposes were to grab your attention on the newsstand amid a crowded field of competitors and to evoke emotions, usually with a provocative image of impending peril or suggestive sensuality. Common elements typically include a couple of 'toughs,' a large-breasted woman, and a 'citizen' or a 'hero.' The example above (original on the left, Rudolph Zirn, 1939) has all three.
We are excited and delighted to announce a gallery exhibit of original pulp cover art. The show will open in October (date TBD) and will include both the original art and the subsequent ephemera the originals were used to produce. The colors are extremely vivid, and the techniques used by the artists to evoke a response are fascinating.
This is the third year in a row that we have had the pleasure of working with Grapefruit Moon Gallery in presenting their collection of illustration art. In 2007, we presented original pin-up art and in 2008, we showcased original Cream of Wheat advertising art. Pulp magazine art is yet another sub-genre of illustration art that we are proud to present.
The 'pulps' were fiction magazines that were very popular from about 1930 to 1960. The term 'pulp' comes from the cheap paper typically used in production (cheap paper has a lot of wood pulp). The magazines became noteworthy for their provocative covers. The covers became so important that in many cases, the covers were designed first and the text was designed around the covers. Pulp magazines were also major employers of short story authors, and the subsequent demise of the pulp industry created a vacuum for these authors that has never been filled.
Oil or gouache paintings were used to create the original cover art. The colors are intentionally vivid to compensate for the primitive printing technology at the time. Several pulp cover artists (e.g., Frank Paul and Margaret Brundage) became accomplished artists in this genre and attracted a following. Pulp art has recently experienced a renaissance in popularity and is widely sought by collectors.
More details will be shared as they evolve, but I thought this teaser would have value.
Art for hire
Re-Framing a Norman Rockwell Concept Sketch
Recently, this Norman Rockwell concept sketch came into the shop to be re-framed. Rockwell would rough sketch a proposed painting, present it to a potential client, and solicit feedback. Hopefully, he would be awarded the project, complete the piece, get paid, and then move on to the next project.
Does the fact that an artist is directed what to paint diminish the art itself? Not at all. Artists who can support themselves solely through their creative output are rare. Taking on commissioned projects is only a small step from being a full-time commercial illustrator. The final result might not always be the artist's first choice, but finding opportunities to be creative within the boundaries of a client's expectations requires a unique skill set and artistic maturity.
This brings us to an exciting upcoming exhibit that was just finalized this week. The working title (subject to change) is "Tough Guys and Tough Cookies." It will showcase original art used for pulp magazine covers, which often depict dramatic scenes with someone in peril. This sub-genre of illustration art required artists to be efficient and productive. The paychecks were smaller than those of their peers, but it allowed them to make a living creating art.
This marks the third consecutive year we've had the pleasure of collaborating with Grapefruit Moon Gallery. The first two shows (original pin-up art and original Cream of Wheat art) were very successful. This exhibit will be a bit different but consistent with our mission of presenting 20th-century illustration art and its various subsets. More details will be shared next week.
In Our Own Backyard follow-up
In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21st Century Exhibit Update
A little over a month ago, a prototype of the 2009-2010 traveling exhibit 'In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21st Century' was unveiled at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. This was an opportunity to gauge reactions and measure the effectiveness of the message. Think of it as a preseason event before the annual Catholic Charities USA convention in Portland in September 2009.
Things have not slowed down since then. Details have been fine-tuned, and the new website can be found here. The tentative schedule for the traveling exhibit is:
September 24-29, 2009: Portland, Oregon
October 29, 2009: Sacramento, CA
January 21, 2010: San Antonio, TX
February 24, 2010: Atlanta, GA
March 8, 2010: Albany, NY
March 25, 2010: Nashville, TN
April 22, 2010: Cleveland, OH
April 29, 2010: Chicago, IL
The Red Wing Framing Gallery Panel Print
Introducing the Red Wing Framing Gallery Panel Print
For years, people have been wondering, "if they can put a man on the moon, why can't they put a print on a panel?"
Well, wonder no more!
Introducing the Red Wing Framing Gallery Panel Print.
It's a Panel! It's a Print! It's a Panel Print!
Starting with any digital photo, this innovative product ends with a full-bleed, UV-protected, 1/4" thick hardboard panel print that is pool-table flat and incredibly rugged!
The Panel Print features a linen laminate finish and a 1" reverse frame mount. This mount lays flat against the wall, while the print itself is elevated, creating a modern 'drop-shadow' effect.
Available in any size or aspect ratio (perfect for panorama photographs), it has become particularly popular among photographers who appreciate its contemporary look. It's also ideal for commercial projects that are restricted from using glass or need to cover large wall surfaces, yet still want to project elegance and creativity.
Call the shop today at 1-651-385-0500 to create your own art from your own images!
Now, back to the regularly scheduled programming.