ART Punctuate!

Jan Huling: "The Beadist"

Jan Huling’s booth at last week’s SOFA Expo  caught my eye with its vibrant colors and interesting sculpture. But it wasn’t until I got closer that I realized everything was covered in beads! Gazillions of them.  Tiny, tiny beads only a few times the size of large grains of sand. 

Jan Huling calls herself "The Beadist" and beads just about every interesting object she can get her hands on:  guitars, matchstick boxes, tables, teapots, Buddha statues, a box of mannequin hands she bought off a friend, the list goes on and on…

Her  website warns “she is liable to bead anything that stands still.”    I secretly kick myself for not holding my breath or standing still enough during the interview.

 

Jan Huling

Jan Huling


From website www.janhuling.com

Jan’s designs are so intricate and well designed, with a seemingly perfect placement of every single bead.   Had someone like Jan Huling showed up at Career Day decades ago when I was in middle school, I surely would have chosen a different career. Why didn't anyone tell me that "Beader" was a viable option?

Here is what ART Punctuate found out about Jan Huling during an interview with “The Beadist.”

• Most of the things she beads are found objects. She says, “I always have my eye open for a good shape.”

• She was inspired to start beading after her sister beaded a Pez Dispenser. Jan joined her sibling on the "beading bandwagon" and first beaded several Kazoos.

• She quit her day job two years ago because she knew that in order to build a complete body of work she would have to “bead” full time.

• A signature trademark on her beaded birds, dolls and animals? A fancy beaded booty-hole, "just in case they need to poo.”

• Jan is now represented by the Lyons Wier Gallery  after participating  in the The ART Bazaar where she sold $10,000  worth of beaded sculptures in 10 hours . 

• She was a commercial artist for 30 years, including time spent at Hallmark as a greeting card designer.

• She turned down a full-time job with Avon  after 9/11, to pursue her  passion, not because Avon isn't completely fabulous and wonderful, but because "life is too short to go out working for someone else."

• One object Jan beaded that was not a "found object", was a  mold her  husband, who is also an artist, made for her in the shape of a human heart (I guess you could say "she beaded his heart...lol")

I checked out Jan's website and particularly liked "Beaded Mao Shelf" and  "Bad Baby".  I speculate that a woman who can bead this intricately must be disciplined, organized and head-smart, but also judging by her subject matter (and the silver studded booty-holes) whimsical, fun and open-minded. If my thoughts are correct, a very nice combination indeed. 

Jan Huling not only seems to love what she does, she looks like she loves what she does. Youthful and effervescent, I have a hard time believing she has been a commercial artist for 30 years. Goes to show, do what you love and the beauty will follow. 

When I ask her what’s the best thing about being an artist, she takes a moment to think….but then perks up and quickly replies “It’s Sexy!”

I have to say, I couldn’t agree more. 

MTA Bullies Artists Who Clean Up Their Trash

 

MTA: The New Acronym "Menace To Artists"?

By now much of the arts community has heard about how East Village artist VH McKenzie was strong-armed by the MTA for selling oil paintings she made on  discarded Metrocards. The MTA wants a piece of the action if McKenzie is going to sell the paintings (10 percent to be exact), claiming copyright infringement and lost revenue.  Hmmm...

Under their proposed profit-sharing agreement, The MTA would have collected a measly $10 from this  local artist who up until yesterday had only sold two of the Metrocard oil paintings  in 3 months (now, thanks to the media attention they are  sold out).

But what I want to know is, why is the MTA harassing this artist for cleaning up their trash?

If  you ask me, the MTA has far bigger issues it could (and should) work on correcting.

Watch the video for Ms. McKenzie's story and then scroll down...

 

 

So now, lets ask ourselves...

1. If I purchase a Metrocard...isn't that card now mine to do what I want with? If not, then aren't I simply LEASING the Metrocard and must return it?

2. Is this copyright infringement or a simple case of appropriation, "the use of borrowed elements in the creation of a new work"? (See the case of Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup paintings)

3. If the MTA is concerned about lost revenue from cards, then what widely advertised program does the MTA have for salvaging and recycling the tons of discarded Metrocards that litter streets and landfills every year?

4. Ms. McKenzie says she found many of these cards littering the street. In essence, shouldn't Ms. McKenzie be paid for cleaning up the MTA's trash? (If we don't own the Metrocards, to be able do what we like with them, then it is still the property of the MTA and they should handle their mess. )

 

Artists Highlight MTA's Bigger Issue 

 As far as I am concerned, a much BIGGER issue the MTA needs to focus on is why these artists are able to get their hands on all of these extra Metrocards in the first place. 

Last week artist Stephen Shaheen was in the news for designing a beautiful bench using many of the 5000 discarded Metrocards he was able to find from different sources. Another blog called singlefare displays Metrocard art made by artists. 

Ms. McKenzie, Mr. Shaheen and other artists are able to make this kind of art for one simple reason. Metrocards are incredibly wasteful. On any given day, the average New Yorker can pick up (in under 10 minutes) 15-20 cards lying around on sidewalks, steps and subway platforms. Should Ms. McKenzie and others be applauded or harassed for turning this trash into treasure?

These artists are calling attention (albeit unintentionally) to an issue that is far more consequential than a few bucks in copyright revenue. The MTA needs to be more concerned with the environment and find a way to recycle, reuse, repurpose these cards.  Artists are doing it. So should the MTA.

"Metrocard Bench" by Stephen Shaheen

 

 Samuel Evensen "Metrocard Art" on Singlefare.blogspot.com

 

 In the past, the MTA has been otherwise very "artist friendly." Over several years, the MTA has supported the arts, in particular musicians with their Music Under New York  program. Why not do something similar with visual artists? A couple of suggestions:

1. Team up with visual artists and turn Metrocards into Collectibles: VH McKenzie's work reminds me a lot of Artist Trading Cards. The MTA should partner with artists and create a "Metrocard art series". Maybe this way the cards will then have value, interest and appeal beyond their 5- ride shelf live. People may have incentive to hold onto them or collect them  rather then  tossing them onto the subway tracks.  

2. Sponsor an "Subway Art" exhibit: Good publicity for the MTA could be supporting rather than prohibiting artists  and celebrating the art they  make from the MTA discards.  

The MTA has much BIGGER FISH TO FRY and it's called "cleaning up Metrocard litter." Until the MTA can find a way to solve this problem... 

leave the artists alone who are cleaning up your trash. 

 Just a thought.