closing up shop

Recently I’ve come to a very difficult decision.  I’ll be shutting down the studio. Realistically, there is no other option. I have not had the time to dedicate to being there consistently. Consequently, I have not produced much art recently. Consequently, I have not had any shows, or sold much art. The studio is not paying for itself, and budget dictates that it’s time to move forward.

During the process of shuttering the place, I’ll have opportunities for those who enjoy my work to purchase some originals at screaming deals. I’ll have a lot of free stuff to give away. I will have “pay what you want” deals. And it will all culminate with a fire sale liquidation show at Upcycled in November.

You want in on the action, get ahold of me. Otherwise, I’ll see you in November @ Upcycled.

6th Annual Skate Deck Art Auction

Opening / Reception: May 6 (5-8 pm) @ The Brink Gallery
Auction: May 21 (5pm – ?)

Marc Moss is proud to present the Recession Retrospective: Affordable Art Studio Clearance.

Reasonable prices for beautiful art. Come on down, have some sushi, a glass of sake and enjoy the art. Marc’s making room for more art in the studio; everything must go. Pieces from Marc’s entire collection: assemblage made from rusty metal, reclaimed glass and wire, as well as collage pieces on view throughout the month of November. More info at marcmoss.net, marcmoss@gmail.com or 406.203.4683.

15% of all proceeds to benefit the Missoula Food Bank

When: Throughout the month of November, beginning with a reception on First Friday 11.05.2010

Where:  Sushi Hana, 403 N Higgins Ave

Once Upon a Time (detail)

My Heaven Sent Lover

In case you didn’t know, Spontaneous Construction 2010 was a hit! And now we’re extending the fun even further by offering up some of the day’s creations in a silent auction!

The items pictured…were created by teams during the SponCon contest, but we also have a variety of other SponCon items up for auction (doors painted by local artists, etc).

The silent auction items are currently on display in our ReVAMP showroom and our “library” area.

HERE’S WHAT TO DO

Stop by the front counter of the store and sign up for a silent auction bidder number. With that bidder number you can place your bid by writing down your bidder number and bid amount on the bid sheets attached to each item. You need not be present to win (we’ll call to tell you you’ve won)!

The silent auction items also have a “Buy it Now” price, so if you just can’t wait until the auction ends you can walk away with your favorite item today! Otherwise, the silent auction ends on SATURDAY NOVEMBER 6TH AT 5:30 pm.

View the image at full size by clicking on it.

Garden Table, by Team Karnicklin

Wine Rack Table by Team MMW

Rickshaw by Team Earthbound

Jewelry Case by Melissa Picoli

Rotisserie by Team Brock-Lee

Lamp by Kadin Bardsley

Mirror by Marc Moss

I wrote about the making of this mirror .  You can also see a better picture of it over here.

So get thee down to Home Resource and sign up for the silent auction. Make your bids! Home Resource is located at  1515 Wyoming, Suite 100, Missoula, MT 59801 (The corner of Russell and Wyoming).

The materials I used on the deck are designed to evoke an urban feel. I grew up in an industrial town and am drawn to found and reclaimed objects. I also wanted to evoke the DIY ethic so prevalent in skate culture, which is why everything has a cobbled together feel. The letters are originals written to me by my wife. I used coffee grounds to distress them before attaching them to the board using wheatpaste. The copper was given to me by Kevin over @ Depuy Building who reclaimed it from a construction job he finished (Thanks!). The glass is scrap glass from The Art Hang Up (Thanks, Patty!)

Online bidding has begun! Head over to the On Deck V site [link] to place your bid. Come on down to the Badlander this First Friday for the live auction!

Mirror/lamp for The Light Show - "Emotional Patina

Living Art of Montana is a Montana-based non-profit 501(c) (3) corporation founded in 1993. The mission of Living Art is to use the arts and nature to support healing.  They accomplish this mission via a variety of workshops. The “Cancer, Courage and Creativity” workshop has been the sentinel program offering since 1993. Other workshops include a photographic workshop, “Another Look- Through Imagery and Writing“, among others.

Living Art of Montana serve the brain injured, the bereaved and professional care-givers, cancer survivors, heart-attack survivors and people suffering with fibromyalgia, migraine headaches and depression. The Living Art “way of working” can be helpful for individuals facing a multiplicity of illnesses and challenges, and that such a “mixed” group can experience a cohesive group process.

Their annual fundraiser, The Light Show, is on May 15th. Come check out the sneak preview this First Friday at The Warehouse Mall.

Living Arts of Montana [link]

“Physical Patina – Reflections” by Marc Moss
As we age, we piece ourselves together over time from various pieces. A character quirk we pick up from an old friend. A philosophic outlook on life from a series of adventures or events. Throughout it all, our essence remains the same. We are, at our core, ourselves.

Yet we are continually changing. Like metal exposed to the elements, we take on unexpected scars, patinas and decay. We must continually look at ourselves in mirrors to see if we still recognize ourselves.

Even our emotional and spiritual beings change. Hopefully, we’re growing in these changes. Throughout this growth, however, we remember our core. We are solid in who we are. Or at least we hope we are.

It is in a dim light that we are able to look inside ourselves, ignore the ravages of age and disease and see who we truly are.

Physical Patina – Reflections explores this idea, using disparate, re – purposed and found objects. Some are aged and rusted naturally, while others are treated to force patina. They are bound together with new materials to create a cohesive whole.

The process of creating a piece like this is one of acceptance of, and adapting to, the unexpected. Allowing asymmetry. Allowing the original blueprint to fall away. And finally allowing the piece to reveal itself to the artist and to the viewer.

This piece looks much different in its final state than it did in its initial sketches. Creating it was a lesson in patience, acceptance and adventure.

Physical Patina - Reflections (detail)

Physical Patina - Reflections (detail) - lamp/mirror by Marc Moss

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is working with Macy’s to save many of the artifacts of “The Merc”, some dating to the 19th century.  The Museum is asking the community for its memories, its photographs, its memorabilia, and its stories of “The Merc.” Anyone who has been a longtime resident of Missoula either worked at The Merc, The Bon, The Bon-Macy’s, or Macy’s, or had a family member or friend work there – it was virtually a right-of-passage for many Missoulians.  If you’d like to share your memories, the Historical Museum will preserve them for generations of Missoulians to come.  Please contact Curator of Collections Jason Bain at 728-3476, extension 2., or e-mail ftmslamuseum@montana.com

Play, Frolic, Laugh

Many artists I respect in Missoula encouraged me this year

to submit work for consideration to be included in The Yellowstone Art Museum’s art auction.  The YAM is in Billings, and I have visited it before.  It is a wonderful museum.

The submission process was a little more hands-on than the MAM’s, as I had to actually burn a CD of the works I intended to submit, put them in an envelope and mail them off.  This probably cost me about $2 in materials/postage and about an hour of my time, compared to the $5 and three hours of my time it took to submit  to the MAM’s art auction using their online process.

Not knowing anyone in Billings or at the YAM, I had low expectations for acceptance.  I elected to submit the very first piece I did in the newest incarnation of The Leaving and the Left series, as well as the very last piece I did in the series.

I was not surprised when I received my self-addressed stamped envelope with the Billings postmark in the mail last week.  I opened it with hopeful hands. Admittedly, I was disappointed to not have been chosen, but the way in which the news was delivered softened the blow, made me feel appreciated and made me want to apply again next year.

As you’ll see, their letter comes across as heartfelt, genuine and honest. (Even signed with real ink!) They included complimentary passes for admission to the museum, good for a year. Letter after the jump.

Granted, the MAM does not charge admission to the museum, which is amazing and very much appreciated by the Missoula community. How could they have compensated rejected artists for their time and effort? A ticket for a free glass of wine at one of their events? (No, wine/beer/liquor are not free at the MAM, unless you are a member, and even then, only the first one is free.) An invitation/pass to be included in a “special event” that may be scheduled some time in the future? Something else? I don’t know.

What I do know is that the Yellowstone Art Museum gets it right.  Thank you, YAM.

My Heaven Sent Lover