This week from the Cat’s Eye:

Last week I told you about the Brewery Artwalk as a premiere weekend destination. This week I give you the highlights and the … well the lowlights. I attended the Artwalk on its opening day; I joined the throngs of art-goers to take a peak inside the studios of the famous downtown art colony. Having been a newcomer to the event I arrived with an open mind and left with a less than desirable mind boggle.

If you read my preview, you know that the Brewery is home to dozens of artists from the pro to the up-and-comers and the Artwalk is the twice a year event in which these artists put their latest on display for public consumption. As a working artist, I was excited to see work from my piers and had hyped up my nerves with an underlying envy to be an artist living in a place like the Brewery. The place was packed and as I entered I thought, “This must be where it’s at”. However, as I carefully observed almost every artist there, my disappointment grew. I find it difficult to be critical of other artists and their work because I can empathize with that situation. But as I looked at this huge range of work and price points I couldn’t tell if I was more frustrated with the artists or the consumers.

Pricing one’s art is probably one of the more difficult tasks of being an artist. If it’s too low, it’s assumed that you’re n amateur…too high and you’re a pompous ass, like you’re too good for the consumer. It’s ridiculous. Let me tell ya…I could have puked at all the people pining over the “functional” art (t-shirts, jewelry and the like). People were dropping cash like mad on this stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not degrading the artist here but what about the purveyors of fine art…the less functional kind? These guys had to hustle. And it seemed as though the people definitely felt safe buying the commercial stuff rather than the more personal. People were selling their wares…I hardly heard any conversation about the craft itself. It was like a sale at Filene’s Basement. And did they really think that pricing a 16x20 drawing at $3000 was going to give value to their art?

I was disappointed at the lack of real collaboration happening here. I mean I guess you can’t really expect 50 artists to sit down and decide some type of pricing system together…but when you put your stuff out there to thousands of people twice a year wouldn’t you want to give yourselves the best shot at making some sales? And how can you compete when you’re next door to some guy selling for $3000 a pop when you sell for $200…I don’t know.

And another thing…I was under the impression that the Brewery Art Colony was filled with artists who work in the fine arts…I think that The Brewery is undermining its own potential and uniqueness. I could be wrong…I mean, hell I just paint in my tiny apt and sell my stuff at flea markets. But I know that when I’m next to a t-shirt guy I sell way less than when I’m next to another painter. But then we get into the whole arts vs. crafts issue. I am horrible with textiles. I bow down to jewelry designers. And when it comes to the fine arts at the Brewery…a total mixed bag. It’s both a blessing and a curse.

I find it incredibly refreshing to see a variety of media and style at an art event in LA. I am so sick of the same stuff over and aver again. But it makes it somewhat saddening to see the…shall we say…less-honed artists alongside the “pros” who have at least defined their aesthetic. And to try and compete with the more seasoned pros…these growing artists have priced their work so high that I found it difficult to take their work seriously. I had originally intended on doing some interviews but I felt that I didn't want to segregate any one group from any other. But I will say that when visiting the Brewery…you have to be willing to weed through the pompous crap, and the commercial “product” until you get the real deal…the stuff that makes you feel something. And it is there. There are tiny little gems hidden amongst the chaos. I found some lovely work that I plan on exploring in further weeks.

I would say it’s worth it to support the cause. But I hope that the next time around the crowd is full of real art supporters; and the artists take a good long meditation on what the goal is and how they can really grow as true artists and not just sell out their so-called “art” to the masses.

By Cate Nelson

Read the preview to the Brewery Artwalk.