Closing the Gallery in Penfield

Photo by Penelope Imburgia

After more than three years as curators and owners of the Whitman Works Company, we have decided to close our retail location on January 25th. We will continue to offer online sales for some artists. It has been an absolute pleasure discovering the depth of artistry in our community. The real honor has been in working with various artists to create our monthly exhibitions. It has been really fun to see a fuller body of work by each artist. You really get a broader perspective when these works are displayed together. I hope that more people will take the chance to see such exhibitions when they are hosting in other venues in the future.

In the meantime, we have filled the exhibition space of the gallery with as much of our stored art works as possible. We are offering a 25% off sale to help these works find new homes. All of this discount will come from the gallery commissions.

What's Special About Art Exhibitions

Art by Gretchen Lee Carletta on exhibition at Whitman Works Company in March 2019.

Imagine your favorite band only played each album in public for a month. Then the songs were sold off to individuals never to be heard again except by those lucky few. To a large degree, this is how the art market operates. It is also why exhibitions are such a special and rarified affair. For a short period of time, we get to see a whole body or series of works by a particular artist. The chance of seeing those works together again is almost zero. This is especially important considering that the artists themselves often create these units of work as a thought process. We are lucky that Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain" wasn't chopped up and sold off to collectors like we do with art. I can't even think of "In the Wee Small Hours" by Frank Sinatra as separate songs..

“Art Exhibitions are your unique chance to see something special...”

“Purple Haze” by Shawn Conn whose Exhibition, “Windows Into Darkness”, opens on April 6th.

For the most part, artwork resides in either the hands of artists or their patrons. If you have bought original artwork, you are a Patron! Art shown in museums or institutional galleries are those special, rarified works that have been donated or purchased for their importance. Even works in the possession of these locations are largely in storage. We the public only see a tiny fraction of art holdings in the world. Art Exhibitions are your unique chance to see something special: a crafted body of expression by a particular artist or group.

Obviously, every exhibition won't be your cup of tea. Just like not everyone loves Nickelback, some artists and styles are going to reflect your tastes better than others. When the time comes that you see something that piques your interest, don't think twice. RSVP for that exhibition. Buy Tickets. Put it on your calendar. Get a sitter. And go experience that once in a lifetime moment.

Art is an Investment - In Yourself

So much of what is written about the art world revolves around the idea that art is an investment. Almost all of those articles and posts talk about the work itself. How will we know if it will gain in value? How to determine if an art piece is "important"?

The real value of art is the place it has in your life. Your environment is an important part of what helps create your reality. Art is a powerful tool in helping mold your mindset and focus in key places in your life. Children and teenagers know this better than most!

Maybe you haven't thought of it this way, but think back to a time when you put posters on your wall. You created an aesthetic that motivated you. Maybe it was escape to a sci-fi world. Maybe those posters reflected a passion for music. Maybe it was all about rebellion! Art brings out your imagination and your passion.

But you are an adult now... maybe it is time to upgrade your tastes from that U2 poster and Union Jack flag that used to hang in your room. Hopefully we can give our kids the kind of expressive freedom that we got during those times.

“Art is a catalyst for the kind of energy that you will bring to the rest of your life.”

Instead, invest in art that creates the mental space you need for each part of your day. Spending some time thinking about how to optimize your space can have a huge impact. Art is a catalyst for the kind of energy that you will bring to the rest of your life. Original art work has the potential for an even greater impact in your life. When you can physically see the craftsmanship that goes into a spectacular work of art, it is naturally uplifting. It makes you want to reach for your own stars...

Art by Renee Mendler Arts

Why Original Art?

Sometimes art just takes you to a special place…

The answer to the question of why to purchase original art doesn’t often seem straightforward. It’s a lot of money and commitment to hang something original on the wall. There is an indelible energy to original art that can’t be readily transferred in a re-creation or a print. But in the end, the answer of why to purchase a piece of art is very clear: it speaks to you.

I know that this has happened to you before. It may not have been an original piece of art. It may have been a piece of music that made you want to dance. It might have been a novel that completely changed your mind. You may have been simply touched by a photograph in the newspaper. You cut it out and hung it to your office bulletin board or added it to your playlist.

Original art is an amplified experience. It will take that connection and make it part of your habitat. It has been imbued with the artist’s expression of nuance and feeling that is not available in a facsimile or print. In the best cases, photos or prints will completely understate a piece. In the worst cases, they will change them completely.

I have experienced this effect hundreds of times by now. Artists endeavor to show me an iPad rendition of their portfolio as they look for gallery representation. Occasionally you can tease out a detail or two to see some skill. Mostly the art looks flat and blended. The colors are muted and inconsequential. The photography of original artwork is a game of attrition. As a print buyer, you are getting a far lesser version of the original, in the best of cases. For some incredible works, it is still worth it.

Find that piece that speaks to you. It will make your whole life richer.