Get In, Get Out, Sell Art

Defining Pantone 278

If you have followed Pantone 278 on any level, you have probably noticed that it's a little hard to define. To that point, whenever people ask me how the gallery is, I often have a a hard time answering. Maybe I like it that way. Sure, it makes for some slightly awkward conversations at times but it also gives me (and the gallery) the chance to figure out what this thing is or will become, if anything at all.

Call it an experiment, a hypothesis, a case study, a success, a failure, whatever you may. All I know is that I have enjoyed showing art, talking to people about it, seeing where it takes us, and not putting to much pressure on it being anything in particular.

Next Steps

One of the ideas behind Pantone 278 is to take on the traditional model of an art gallery. In my perception that means a fancy space inhabited by unapproachable art that intimidates people from actually exploring what art means and feels to them.

So, in 2 years, the gallery has moved from the Charlotte Trolley Museum to South End Home (R.I.P) and now to Charlotte NC Tours and its Southend outpost located here (see the map).

So for this summer, Pantone 278 will be hosting pop-up galleries during the Southend First Friday Gallery Crawls. Same format as always: no program, just great art on the walls, come meet the artist, enjoy catching up with others who love doing the same, and support local art.

May 6 Show

One of the great things about working with emerging artists is to witness first-hand their artistic development. With this comes a proliferation of work and the amassing of artwork that creates a concrete timeline of the artist's progress.

But even the hottest, best-selling, trendiest artists can't sell their work fast enough. This results in a conundrum that discussion of which could fill pages of electronic print -- What to do with all of that artwork? Should the artist maintain the integrity of the pricing? What about the cost of storage? Is there such a thing as too much exposure? What about exclusivity? How do artist's feed their families?

Well, I'm not going to pretend to have the answers to any of those questions. I will just say that this Friday, Pantone 278 will have a great show of works from Charlotte artist Ash Lathe at some amazing prices. There will be pieces that you would hardly recognize as his work today and pieces that will show just how far an artist can reach in a few short years.

Details

So, if none of this makes any sense to you, just follow the directions and show up.

Who: Pantone 278
What: Pop-Up show of Works by Ash Lathe
When: Friday, May 6 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM
Where: NC Tours Southend, 128 E. Park Ave., Charlotte

Added Bonus: Come ride your bike with Bike! Charlotte and Bike First Friday.

Charlotte Museum Mile

If you haven't realized by now, I love supporting the arts. So in September 2010 when my wife Jane and I ran the Continental Airlines Fifth Avenue Mile, I couldn't stop thinking about ways to bring a race like this to Charlotte.

The Fifth Avenue Mile starts right in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, runs down Fifth Avenue, passing the Frick Collection, and ending near Central Park South. It's a great race, but one I think Charlotte can actually do better. Afterall, Charlotte's Tryon Street has more museums in a one-mile stretch than New York's famous Museum Mile!

Upon returning from New York, I immediately began working on a one-mile race in uptown Charlotte that would highlight Charlotte's new cultural facilities. After convincing the City of Charlotte to close down Tryon Street and securing some great sponsors, there was no turning back. Thus was born the Charlotte Museum Mile.

While organizing the race I learned that Charlotte had its own one-mile race in uptown in the 1970s and 1980s. It was called the Tryon Street Mile. I even talked to a few friends that ran in the race and they loved it. But for one reason or another, the Tryon Street Mile went away and left a huge gap in Charlotte running events.

On April 23 beginning at 7:30 a.m., near the corner of North Tryon and 12th Street, runners will run south passing the McColl Center for Visual Art, Spirit Square and the Light Factory, and Discovery Place. They will cross the statutes at Trade and Tryon and finish the run downhill to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and the uptown Mint Museum. Levine Avene of the Arts will be closed for a post-race celebration.

Each participant in the race will receive a running shirt designed by Charlotte Artist Ashley Lathe. Runners will also receive a Connect with Culture Card from the Arts & Science Council which allows 2-for-1 entry into many of Charlotte's cultural facilities. The race will benefit the Arts & Science Council.

To learn more about the race, please visit http://www.charlottemuseummile.com/. To register go to Queen City Timing.

Hope to see you on April 23! And be on the lookout for another exciting announcement involving Pantone 278 in April.