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Spraygraphic Interview with Artist and Whitney Gallery Owner, Marc Whitney
By Spraygraphic | June 2, 2008
Spraygraphic’s Chuck b. interviews Artist and Gallery Owner, Marc Whitney about his artwork and his art gallery.
Bed Sheets and Slippers
Side View Sheets
Seated Figure
Figure on White Chair
Ranunculas in Glass Vase
Sun Floral
Place Setting with Red Bowl
Marc Whitney
Marc Whitney Gallery
Spraygraphic Interview with Artist Marc Whitney, Whitney Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
SG: Please tell us about your Gallery? (Please include location and size of space)
MW: Whitney Gallery is owned and operated by my wife, Jackie and I. The gallery is located at 350 N. Coast Highway in Laguna Beach, California and is open daily 11AM to 6PM and monthly on First Thursday’s Art Walk 6PM to 9PM. Private viewings at the gallery can be scheduled, and office or in-home consultations can be arranged. We are celebrating our 15-year anniversary by presenting original works of art by some of the finest contemporary artists in the nation Giovanni Casadei, Peter Colquhoun, Peggi Kroll-Roberts, Andrea Krupp, Bradford J. Salamon, Derek Sterkel and Sarah J. Webber, ceramics by Monica Dunham, photographic art by Beatrice Rosenbaum, and myself, Marc Whitney; figures, interiors, landscapes, and still life florals and tabletops. Our exhibition space is 1300 square feet.
SG: What kind of art does your gallery prefer to exhibit.
MW: While we feature Marc Whitney’s painterly realism work, we also show art by Marc’s past acquaintances from his days at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts , Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Academy has a tradition of narrative realism.
SG: In your experience, what impacts the sale of a piece of art the most? (artwork, artist’s name, sales rep, etc.)
MW: Good question — primarily the buyer’s response. But given the low level of art knowledge and understanding by the general public, this isn’t necessarily a good thing when trying to sell fine art.
SG: How many artists does your gallery show at one time?
MW: We are currently showing ten artists.
SG: How much inventory do you carry throughout the year?
MW: We typically have over 100 individual pieces of original art on display at any given time.
SG: Do you like to do group shows? Why or Why not?
MW: Yes, people enjoy them.
SG: Please describe your working process when you’re trying to select the upcoming year’s slate of artists/exhibitions.
MW: We don’t typically look that far ahead, but it is usually a function of quality art work and when it is available.
SG: What are the major obstacles involved when working with an artist and putting up their show?
MW: Some artists don’t team well with the dealer to maximize collaborative success. Artists may be mistrustful or very short sighted and feel the relationship with the dealer has a level of antagonism. This does not work for anybody. An artist has to want to work with the dealer and be happy that the dealer makes money knowing that they will make money too.
SG: Who is the most notable artist seen at your gallery?
MW: Me. A native of southern California, I was born in 1955. I began my art studies at the Laguna Beach School of Fine Art, California (now the Laguna College of Art & Design , 1970-1983) and then went on to attend the Frudakis Academy of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania (1983-1987), the University of Arts (1990) and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (1987-1991), all in Philadelphia. I was born to pursue the tradition of painting, yet I began my formal art education at age 14, when I received a summer scholarship to what is now the Laguna College of Art & Design, in Laguna Beach, California. Inspired by both the integrity and emotion inherent in realism, I went on to invest a decade in intensive classical training at the prestigious Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Since, returning to California, both collectors and artists have acknowledged me as one of the regions most talented painters of the Classical Realist Tradition. My paintings now hang in numerous permanent and private collections worldwide. My paintings capture the private, visual experience that define our daily lives and validate the moments that matter; the rumpled sheets across a bed, a simple vase of flowers. I consider my paintings to be poetic.
SG: When is your latest opening? Can you tell us a little about it.
MW: We are hosting a reception for Laguna Beach photographic artist Beatrice Rosenbaum pn May 1. In conjunction with the exhibition of Rosenbaum’s exciting new artistic photography in a show titled, "Windows of Peace." Rosenbaum’s tranquil photographic images are created from a compulsion to define instances of absolute peace. Her art evokes intimate views of the world, irresistibly beckoning the viewer to pause and reflect on the simple beauty and joy that surrounds in the moment.
SG: What is your favorite color?
MW: No favorite color. I have favorite color relationships.
SG: Who is your favorite artist? And Why?
MW: Many favorites .. Courbet , Corot , Rembrandt , El Greco . They knew what they were doing… with lots of mood.
SG: What book/magazine are you reading this week?
MW: I don’t read magazines; I just look at the pictures. I’m currently reading "The American Religion" by Harold Bloom .
SG: Where is your favorite place to hang out?
MW: Home and at many important museums, if not surfing the web looking at great paintings or at Yoga Works.
Topics: Art Galleries, Artist Interviews, California Art Scene |
December 26th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Came across Seated Figure while searching for someting else…
I had to tell you how much I love the way you paint whites. Absolutely gorgeous.
Claudia