Date: Mon 01-Feb-1999

Publication: Ant

Author: SHIRLE

Quick Words:

Stella-Photography

Full Text:

Stella's Fine Art & Photography Show

(with cuts)

NEW YORK CITY -- Stella Show Management Co. launched a new event, The Fine Art

& Photography Show, at Gramercy Park Armory in November. The show was designed

to offer a good mix of fine affordable new and vintage art and photography.

The show was a departure for Stella in that it featured fine antique

paintings, sculpture and photography mixed with cutting edge contemporary

paintings, sculpture and photography. The show also included artists

representing themselves. The 80 participants all reviewed the show as having

enormous potential and reported fair to good sales.

A feature of the show was seminars which attracted a full crowd on each of the

three days. Renowned photography collector Stanley B. Burns shared his

valuable insight and strategies in "Secrets & Principles of Vintage

Photography Collecting." Exhibitor and art expert Marion Harris gave a talk on

"Emerging Artists" which included building an art collection, putting focus

into your collection and how to know what you want, where to find it and what

to pay for it.

W.M. Hunt, the director of photography at Ricco/Maresca Gallery in Chelsea,

presented a seminar on how to begin a photography collection. He gave advice

on recognizing your own taste, the history of photography, where to buy and

what to do with it once you but it.

As with most new shows, dealer reactions to sales were mixed, but over 90

percent of them indicated a desire to do the show again. Joyce Kirschner of

New York City said, "The show has enormous potential. New York has nothing

like it. This fills a need that has not been addressed before; interesting,

affordable art and photography for collectors who cannot buy at existing shows

and galleries."

Michael McClintock of Artfull Eye, Lambertville, N.J., said, "I have a

positive feeling about the overall show, the quality of both the dealers and

the customers." Lenny Kislin of Bearsville, N.Y. sold three pieces of his

striking assemblage art, made from found antique objects, in the range of

$1,000 to $2,000.

David Smernoff of From Here to Antiquity of Bethany, Conn., sold paintings

from the Fifteenth to Twentieth Centuries, including European, American and

Old Masters. He sold 30 pieces in all, in the $1,000 to $15,000 range, and was

more than pleased with the show. Marion Harris presented an interesting

display of vintage circus photography, in addition to bringing a few

remarkable sculptures by the self-taught artist William Kent.

Some dealers questioned having the show in November, a time when New York

already has many art shows and auctions. Other dealers complained about the

lack of large crowds. Roy Mennell of The Bradford Trust, Harwich Port, Mass.,

agreed that "there is a strong market for a show of moderately priced fine

art. This should become a great art [and photography] show." Bill Quinn of Art

Matters, Asbury Park, N.J. said, "The show was okay. I enjoyed everyone's

display. More traffic would have been nice."

A number of exhibitors who did not sell well told Leanne Stella they would try

the show again. First time exhibitor Karen Marshall of New York City, said "it

was great exposure for my photography and a new form of networking my work."

Antiques dealer Joan Barber of Becket, Mass., who exhibited her own oil on

linen paintings, said "I made very good connections with galleries and was

able to sell as well.

The show will be again this year at the Gramercy Park Armory, 26th Street and

Lexington Avenue. For information, 212/255-0020.