Monday, November 18, 2013

Allied Artists of America 100th Annual Exhibition

LIC Looking Northwest
Oil on canvas
11 x 14 inches
Sold


Last Saturday I attended the 100th Annual Exhibition of the Allied Artists of America. The exhibition took place at the venerable National Arts Club in Gramercy Park. Large turnout for a large show. This annual highlights the work of artists working in a primarily realist manner and the quality of work was quite good. As was pointed out by one of the speakers during the afternoon's awards ceremony, fewer and fewer of these types of exhibits are being held in respected institutions, sad to say. Galleries continue to struggle and close and opportunities for artists to show their work dwindles. As I read about the record breaking auction results of the past week - millions going for a Francis Bacon and an Andy Warhol - I realized that had nothing to do with me as a working artist, or with any of the other artists I know. Just imagine how those many millions of dollars could have been spent on supporting the arts and artists of today.

I was delighted when the President of the Allied Artists came up to me during the reception and presented me with a check for my painting, LIC Looking Northwest. It had been sold - a sale totally unexpected and very welcome. I'm glad that groups such as Allied are still around - 100 years is a real achievement!

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