CONTEMPORARY ART FOR SALE

Silverlake Farmer’s Market, Los Angeles, California.

April 2011

During my winter quarter at UCLA, I wanted to deconstruct the accepted formats for contemporary artists to sell their work and in what ways they justify selling prices for different works. At the same time, I hoped to blend the genuine necessity of craft seen in folk art and on the present day streets of Venice Beach, Ca. I decided the best way to sell my work would be to create useful objects that had both visual and contemporary aesthetics. Under the guide of my professor Nobu Nishigawara, I made several unique ashtrays in the ceramics studio. I then proceeded to try and sell them at the closest venue for vendors. The ceramic items were priced around $500 as I would explain that I was a Contemporary artist and not a craftsman. If the initial offer was rejected, the price of the piece would drop to $5.