My new art fair

Because SOMEHOW I was not including in the what I guess is VERY FABULOUS Art Basel Miami art fair where 35,000 of the world's best artists congregate (it turns out I was ranked 35, 132 which is much better than last year (42,351)) I'm thinking about starting my own art fair in Seattle called Moisture Sure Gray Sure but Fabulous Yes Art Fair.

I might have to work on the title.

Anyhoo, I plan on holding it in the parking lot of the Safeway on Madison, hiring a tent or two and just see what fabulous things happen!

Probably a lot will (if I do it, but I won't.)

I'm also going to publish a magazine article (based on Art Review's Power 100) called Ed Nelson's Power 35,200 where I write about, well, the top 35,200 most powerful artists in the country, of which I know next to nothing except for artist number 35, 132 of whom I know quite a bit.

"Ed Nelson was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a humble beginning for someone who has risen to be a valuable member of the Power 35, 200!"

So anyway, another year, another year excluded from the fabulousness that exists elsewhere other than in the near vicinity of me and my so-called art.

Do I sound bitter? Well, no I'm really not.

Last year I felt like I was missing out on something, but this year I don't so much. I think I've come to grips with making art and what I want to with it and I don't see why there should be any reason that painting a painting that someone LOVES in Seattle is any worse than painting a painting that is coveted by New York collectors.

I mean what's so great about NY anyway?

In some ways, I think painting a painting that connects with a person (the man on the street) who didn't expect to be connected with by art is far better than painting a painting that connects with a gallery owner who doesn't know a man on the street from a hole in the ground.

It does seems sometimes that there's an artificial standard that's been created to establish the value of art and any new piece of art is evaluated against this artificial measure, instead of being evaluated in a different more genuine manner.

Now I could be eggs-actly wrong about this and more than likely I am. I do not discount the fact that probably a big new york art gallery curator is in fact very much in touch with what art means to any generation of our age, is sensitive to change and to trendy movements that aren't worth investing in, and in short, are all the things that I would hope them to be.

From what I've heard, however, this art fair in Miami involves a frenzy of art buying, it's more like a sale at a department store than anything else, with people lining up outside the doors and rushing in when the doors open to get the best deals.

I guess I would like to think that it's somehow not worthy of art to have this thing go on, but in reality, I think there are plenty of good reasons and good things to be gained by being a part of such a spectacle.

So I'm going to have to work on my rationalization a little bit to prepare for NEXT YEAR when again, more than likely, I will again be excluded.

Maybe I should try a more positive approach?