Spotlight- Paul Klein- Klein Artist Works

Paul Klein has an intense passion for art and, more importantly, its creators. He says, "I think artists are wonderful. They make my world better. And if more artists succeed we’ll all be better off. The perspective and enrichment artists provide is irreplaceable.  I treasure artists and their contribution." It's hard to dive into the Chicago art scene and not come across the name "Paul Klein". He is somewhat of the main artery in this community and it's because of his positive attitude towards artists and his dedication to their success. His way of expressing his opinions so openly and honestly has led people to flock to him for advice about their art careers. His trail of influence, spread across Chicago's art community and beyond, is what led me to his figurative door at Klein Artist Works. 

Screenshot of a Webinar in action.

Because Paul is important to us here at DSFA, we want our audience to get to know him and his endeavors a little better Check out our little Q&A session with Paul himself:

DSFA: When did you know you wanted to be involved in the art world? 
Paul Klein: As a kid, I learned how to weld from my mother. I loved welding big ol things and I was thoroughly mediocre so I decided to try a gallery instead. It was a 3 year plan, to be followed with different occupational ideas, but the 3 years lasted over 30.

DSFA: How do you find the Chicago art scene compared to other art centers like New York and LA?
PK: I like the Chicago scene. I just wish people here were more positive about it. So much is a matter of perspective or attitude. I respect what gets seen in New York a lot, but there’s more that goes on in the world than there. I like that L.A. appears to be so supportive of their own.

DSFA:  When you operated your gallery, Klein Art Works, there was a point where you were seeing art shifting into a more tech-based platform and therefore followed suit with what you chose to display in your gallery. Today, are you seeing a similar forward shift in art or are we reversing into more traditional avenues, for example, the way the fashion industry recycles trends?

PK: I don’t see a lot of shifting, but maybe that’s because of how I look at the world. I see images without necessarily seeing the medium. I would like to see more painting.

DSFA: Darryll recently attended a party of yours and learned of the success of many of the other attendees, which speaks volumes of the great experience they had with your program. Since Darryll had such a beneficial experience as well, we can't help but wonder, what is next for you? Anything new in the works? 

PK: Not so much new. I still want Klein Artist Works to be stronger. I’m in the final stages of a book sharing as much information from the course as possible.

Paul (left) with Dutes Miller and Stan Shellabarger

More than just giving advice about your art career, Paul lays out the art world like a map, and gives you the means to navigate it. He is straightforward and genuine and I can honestly say that I felt he had my best interest in mind when speaking to me about the path I'm taking with my work. I highly recommend checking out his webinars if you're looking to hear from art world experts and equip yourself with tools you might not have known existed. Within Paul's program, there is also the opportunity to explore Chicago galleries and/or studios and to have one-on-one interaction with Paul as your guide. A truly priceless experience, in our minds.


Paul's Links:
Klein Artist Works
Art Letter



 -Darryll

Spotlight - Desiree Agngarayngay - Our Crew, #1

Today I want to mention a friend of ours here at the studio that has worked with us in the past. Desiree Agngarayngay (five times fast) has played a huge role in our promotional endeavors. Our problem: huge art pieces that need to be seen in person to be believed. Her solution: videography.

Desiree, or as we like to call her, Desi, got together with us to discuss our game plan. How are we going to do justice to Darryll's work? How will we make people want to come see it for themselves? The plan was simple… act natural. Desi took matters into her own hands and did her magic. We filmed on a day that a couple of art collectors were to come by and look at his work. We moved around in our environment the way we normally do and it seemed like any other day. In the end, what Desi came up with blew our minds. She took something so simple and turned it into a tribute to Darryll's hard work, a peek into what we do here at the studio. We loved the video so much that for awhile it was the first thing you saw when visiting Darryll's website. We have since swapped it for a newer one. You can watch the original here:

Of course we couldn't stop there. Desiree had proven herself to be quite a talent, fresh out of Columbia College Chicago. We work with her to this day as she is very precious to us. Any time we have a task to accomplish that a mere photograph or bunch of words can't cover, we call Desi. She's got the camera skills and the editing expertise to put together a solid video that does Darryll's work justice. To see more of her work, visit her Vimeo, or Darryll's Vimeo. Also, she has a brilliant website that covers her work and others (look out for her piece on Darryll!) and you can view that here.

So thanks for taking the time to check out someone that we feel is helping US to define art.

-Chelsea

Artist of the Month- August- Mike Carr a.k.a China Mike

          This month I'm turning my artist-of-the-month focus to an illustrator/fine artist from Bedford, England, Mike Carr. Lately we have been loving color and movement here at the studio so I was instantly drawn to Mike's work, which not only displays the aforementioned qualities, but also shows a bit of darkness and mystery, which is a heady combination. He pulls this off quite well in his paintings, using unpredictable brush strokes, minimal landscapes, and figures in the foreground that melt into their surroundings.

             There's something joyfully disjointed about the spaces and faces we see in Mike Carr's work that reminds us of some of Darryll's pieces. Characters interact with each other and their environment in ways that allow us to borrow Mike's perception of the world. I think that is one of the most important aspects of art. It is lovely when an artist not only shows, but invites others to see the world the way they do. In Mike Carr's case, I believe it is his use of bright, friendly colors, especially the soothing blues, that is so welcoming. So take a moment to learn a bit more about this artist that we feel is doing a great job of defining art.

"Mike Carr aka- China Mike, started out in Bristol (south west England) during the mid 90's as a freelance illustrator working for record labels, fashion brands and club promoters 

After a number of years working for news shelf publications he began to develop an interest in more traditional mediums and decided to move away from the largely digital process which he had become accustomed to. China Mike the painter and fine artist was born; 'I couldn't believe I hadn't discovered painting earlier, I felt like I'd wasted a lot of time stuck in front of a computer screen doing commercial work, painting just felt so natural to me'.

Since finding his new calling he has taken his work around the globe, exhibiting in London, Berlin, Munich, Switzerland, New York, Los Angeles, along with numerous galleries up and down his native England."

                      - - - www.chinamike.co.uk

Images courtesy of Mike Carr a.k.a. China Mike

-Chelsea

Studio Update- Art in Public Spaces

Hi all,

         I just wanted to take a moment to discuss an exciting project I've been working on for quite some time now that's just been completed. Recently I became connected with an amazing art advisor, Patti Gilford. She helps to acquire art for private homes, and for designers and architects who are looking to build creative, inspiring, and soothing environments. Patti explained to me that she was looking to obtain pieces for a shared space on the 12th floor of a new hi-rise residency on Lake Shore Drive. This specific space is pretty open and needed a nice flow and a central focus. She had seen the work on my website and thought I'd be a good fit for this project. Immediately, Chelsea and I started looking through my body of work, which is no small feat. We narrowed the our sample images down to pieces that contained people, moving across a landscape. Below is an image of the two pictures that Patti chose, in their final destination.

                                  

          It was fun for Chelsea and I to be a part of this building's design process. I think it's important for people to be surrounded by art in their living spaces. The places we call home are our sanctuaries, where we can unwind, reflect, and recharge. Sometimes we need aid in doing so and art can play a major part in this process. My pictures were placed in an open space where people pass by to get to the main amenities of the building such as a gym, pool, party rooms, and computer labs; places meant to make you feel at home. The space needed images that would make an impact on its inhabitants, which is why they were printed so large, as most of my pieces are. My hope is that my work has become a staple of this shared space, that people pass by it with intrigue and comfort. I have included an image of another piece of work, a panorama, that is intended to make a similar impact. 

           Larger than life-sized images like these are the reason why I think studio visits are so important. We love showing work to visitors here at the studio. If you are interested in a studio visit, please contact either me or my assistant Chelsea at the following e-mails:

darryll@schiff-art.com

chelsea@schiff-art.com

Also, check out Patti's website at www.pattigilford.com to see what her and her excellent firm are all about. 

-Darryll

Artist of the Month- July- Zoe Keating

                               

This month's artist is a musician. I was trying to think of an artist that inspires both Darryll and I, not just in our artwork but also when we're working in the studio. We are always listening to music in the studio and sharing with each other musical artists that we dig.

One day I showed up to work and Darryll had burned two CDs for me. One was Feist's latest album and the other was Zoe Keating, an artist I hadn't heard of before. All he explained to me was that she plays the cello and that it's kind of different but I might like it. Done! I put the CD in my car on the way home and instantly was transported to somewhere new. The sound coming from my speakers was intricate, dramatic, and soothing. I knew right away that this would not be kept in the CD graveyard within my car instead would make it to my laptop's music library to be listened to while I work.

I think what I love most about Zoe's music is that my mind can wander within it. I'm not distracted by words and choruses, but instead lulled into a space where I can create and think alongside her music. I also think that Darryll likes her music for similar reasons but mostly because her music is so layered. She plays with just her cello and laptop, which she uses to record samples as she plays, and layers them on top of each other. If you take a look at Darryll's photography, he is using a similar technique. They both have a sense of controlled chaos in their work, that evolves and expands as you begin to notice the small details that make up the bigger picture.

Give her music a listen and see what you find within it, and within yourself!


-Chelsea

Art/Design Find- Tree Chandelier

How wonderful is this?

Chandelier Casts Tree Shadows On Wall | Incredible Things

I'm not sure if this is something that will eventually be sold to the public or will just remain as an art installation. Either way, I'm loving the minds of artist collaboration, Hilded & Diaz.

Check out some more of their work here.

-Chelsea

Arts Club of Chicago

The Arts Club of Chicago is an institution, located in the Near North side of Chicago, that was established in 1916. The aim of this organization is to build and maintain a bigger public interest in the arts and their related activities. The Club opened its doors to artists of all kinds in order to provide a place to display their talents and inspire the city of Chicago. While local art is important to them, the Arts Club has also been home to international art. A large amount of the 20th century's most celebrated artists had their first American, or Midwestern, solo exhibits here. Some of these artists, including Alexander Calder, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Braque, are a part of the Club's permanent collection, which is open to the public by appointment. They also have exhibits that rotate three to four times a year.

                                           The Front of the Arts Club of Chicago

At one of these exhibits, an Arts Club members' show, Darryll decided to visit. While looking around he was approached by the director of the Arts Club, Janine Mileaf. They chatted for a minute and Darryll explained the work that he does. After hearing about the Darryll's work in the permanent collections of the MCA, the Met, the Art Institute, and others, Janine suggested to Darryll that he applied for membership of this prestigious club. Inspired by the work that the Club does and the way they hold their members to a high importance, Darryll decided to go through the application process. He was accepted and is now a member of the Arts Club of Chicago. It's important to him to stay active in the art community in Chicago, to maintain friendships, new and old, and to be a part of the great history that the Arts Club of Chicago holds for art.

                                         Calder's Work at the Arts Club of Chicago