Jim's Art
Jim Fitch is a frequent commentator on the arts. He has invested over forty years advocating for the art and artists of Florida as a gallery owner, artists representative and art promoter. Along the way he named and wrote about the Florida art phenomenon now known as the Highwaymen, founded the Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC.ORG) where he served as curator for five years and keeps his hand in as the acquisition agent for the Florida Masters Collection and art consultant for Fitch Global LLC. His book, "Living Dogs and Dead Lions", is a short no-holds-barred look at the economic side of art."
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Don't look prosperous when buying art
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ART IS A SWISS ARMY KNIFE
These two paintings by Florida artist Christopher Still were purchased by me for the Florida Masters Collection and are now a major part of the permanent collection of Florida art at the Museum of Florida Art and Culture (MOFAC) at South Florida State College. Viewed together they represent the two cultures that pioneered ,very early, Florida’s vast wilderness.
As the introduction above states these pages are primarily about the arts relative to Florida’s contemporary art tradition and the artists involved in creating it. When used in the context of these pages art refers to two dimensional work, paintings and such, unless otherwise noted. To add substance to my premise about art and its role as a commodity I refer to art history, other writers and critics with knowledge and experience beyond my own. To make a reasonable argument for art as commodity, even investment, I have to attempt to wipe clean the slate of your individual mental art data base and replace what you may think or have been taught about art with objectivity instead of subjectivity. It’s not an easy job because what may be in your data base probably came from art agencies, institutions or individuals who argue from their own point of view and have their own objectives which leaves the average person in a maze.
Too bad. Many, if not most, of those objectives are legitimate. Teaching, selling, creating, all are entitled to a place in the world of art. Each is a part of what art is , not the whole.
An economic view of art does not replace aesthetics, criticism or art history. Rather it compliments them. It looks at the activity of art in a way that is much different, hence it sees different things, and if used properly it can be informative. Wm.D. Grampp Pricing the Priceless
There is no single answer to the eternal question “What is art?” For me, art is a Swiss army knife. What do you want it to do for you?
As the introduction above states these pages are primarily about the arts relative to Florida’s contemporary art tradition and the artists involved in creating it. When used in the context of these pages art refers to two dimensional work, paintings and such, unless otherwise noted. To add substance to my premise about art and its role as a commodity I refer to art history, other writers and critics with knowledge and experience beyond my own. To make a reasonable argument for art as commodity, even investment, I have to attempt to wipe clean the slate of your individual mental art data base and replace what you may think or have been taught about art with objectivity instead of subjectivity. It’s not an easy job because what may be in your data base probably came from art agencies, institutions or individuals who argue from their own point of view and have their own objectives which leaves the average person in a maze.
Too bad. Many, if not most, of those objectives are legitimate. Teaching, selling, creating, all are entitled to a place in the world of art. Each is a part of what art is , not the whole.
An economic view of art does not replace aesthetics, criticism or art history. Rather it compliments them. It looks at the activity of art in a way that is much different, hence it sees different things, and if used properly it can be informative. Wm.D. Grampp Pricing the Priceless
There is no single answer to the eternal question “What is art?” For me, art is a Swiss army knife. What do you want it to do for you?
Highwayman Artists
The robert butler I knew
When the Highwayman story first broke it created alot of interest that hasn’t subsided muchover the last twenty-two years.
The very first public Highwayman event was held at the Safety Harbor Museum more than twenty-two years ago. The museum director had called me and asked if I would be interested in participating in a Highwayman event at their facility. I suggested we call it a Highwayman Symposium which we did. It was well attended by both the artists and the public. Mary Ann Carroll, the only female Highwayman of record sang a hymn.
I MC’d the event and before things got started Robert Butler asked if he could speak for a few minutes at the end of the program. Of course I said “Sure.” When Robert took the podium he waxed poetic about art, philosophy and anything else that came to his mind in the next twenty minutes and received a standing ovation. Seated next to me in the crowd was a matronly looking lady who seemed very enthused about Robert’s presentation. I spoke to her and asked if she understood what Robert had said. She replied “No, but wasn’t it wonderful.”
That was the Robert Butler I knew. I can’t say that I understood him either, even after many years of our relationship. After he passed on I realized what a friend he had been and what a legacy he had created and given to us.
The very first public Highwayman event was held at the Safety Harbor Museum more than twenty-two years ago. The museum director had called me and asked if I would be interested in participating in a Highwayman event at their facility. I suggested we call it a Highwayman Symposium which we did. It was well attended by both the artists and the public. Mary Ann Carroll, the only female Highwayman of record sang a hymn.
I MC’d the event and before things got started Robert Butler asked if he could speak for a few minutes at the end of the program. Of course I said “Sure.” When Robert took the podium he waxed poetic about art, philosophy and anything else that came to his mind in the next twenty minutes and received a standing ovation. Seated next to me in the crowd was a matronly looking lady who seemed very enthused about Robert’s presentation. I spoke to her and asked if she understood what Robert had said. She replied “No, but wasn’t it wonderful.”
That was the Robert Butler I knew. I can’t say that I understood him either, even after many years of our relationship. After he passed on I realized what a friend he had been and what a legacy he had created and given to us.
WHY ? - ABOUT THE HIGHWAYMEN
I’m often asked why the Highwaymen became so popular so fast. It’s not hard to understand the reason but it is hard to accept it as fact.
Supreme Court Justice Kennedy, although not speaking directly about art , put it this way. The (artist) has intangible qualities which are incapable of objective measurement but which make for greatness (or success.) What makes it difficult to answer the question “why” is the intangible part. Even though art history has well documented and illustrated the value of intangibles to an artists career the concept has not been accepted or promoted even by people who have an art involvement. Fact is, they don’t have to in order to enjoy art, that’s why I call art A Swiss army knife, it can be what you want it to be.
Some people are content to simply smell the flowers. Others want to know why the flowers smell. - Anon.
To understand the WHY of the Highwaymen, their successes and acceptance in the art market, requires an understanding of the difference between tangible and intangible. An artists paintings are not intangible because they have a physical form, you can touch them. The emotions or feelings the art produces in you personally are intangible. Intangibles come in many colors, shapes and sizes. I consider the most important to be the times in which an artist lived which is totally out of the artists control but it does furnish grist for their artistic mill, or should.
I speak of the economics of art with some hesitancy because it may seem I’m downplaying other legitimate aspects of art or the role it plays to the benefit of many. Definitely not. I am trying to open a new playbook for collectors or potential collectors of contemporary Florida art and add another dimension to their strategies.
I’ve borrowed the following quote by Wm. Grampp, author of the very insightful book Pricing the Priceless, many times. Grampp offers good advice.
An economic view of art does not replace aesthetics, criticism or art history. Rather, it compliments them. It looks at the activity of art in a way that can be much different, hence it sees different things and if used properly can be informative.
If you’re asking what all this has to do with the Highwaymen the answer is, everything. It’s not romantic or mystical and therein lies the problem , it‘s too practical and we have not been taught to think of art in that way.. I could have said about the Highwayman’s route to fame, Well, the planets were aligned ,and that would be true. It would also be of little use for a serious investigator. The use of “planets” might be useful as a metaphor for intangibles so I’ll try it.
My list of intangibles that, acting in sync, provided priceless benefits to the Highwaymen phenomenon are these. The list is not complete.
Planet #1
The civil rights movements of the 60‘s provided, though slowly, a smoother more tolerant path to prospective buyers, mostly white. Call it ease of access to the marketplace.
Planet #2
Environmental awareness issues, ca.1960 forward. The idea being to recapture Eden, if only with art. The Highwaymen offered a pristine Florida. Their marketing techniques were basic, tried and proven. They went directly to the consumer . One of the many factors that benefited the Highwaymen, was the lack of affordable Florida landscape paintings at a time when the state was beginning to recognize that it had a unique art and culture to be proud of. The artists, unknowingly I’m sure , adopted the historic advice given to aspiring merchants, “Find a need and fill it.” They did.
Planet # 3
A.E. “Bean” Backus, white, alive at the time and known as the Father of Florida landscape painting, was willing to act as mentor and sounding board for the soon to be “Highwaymen” artists. He provided much moral support and artistic instruction.
Planet # 4
Then there was another guy who needed a job, that’s me. After my first try at retirement I convinced a group of investors to underwrite, financially, a collection of contemporary Florida art. Later my job description included the task of finding where “contemporary” began. It was Ms. Serendipity that led me to the soon to be Highwayman artists at which time I cried, rather loudly, “Eureka, I’ve found it.”
Planet #5
Jeff Klinkenberg, a St. Pete Times roving reporter specializing in things Floridian smelled a story and wrote two, back to back, full page articles about the artists now known as the Highwaymen. The cat was out of the bag.
Planet #6
The Florida Masters Collection took the Highwayman ball to the goal line and dealers took it in.
CHICO WHEELER WINS GOLD AT FLORIDA ART AUCTION
About a week ago I was browsing through the catalog for Manor Auctions Florida Art Auction that was held on August 20 (last Saturday ) and posted the link on my Facebook page, I hope you visited the site if you follow the Highwayman artists.
What got my attention as I looked at the art being offered for sale was the realization that a few of the living Highwaymen were pushing the envelope and attempting to break out of the traditional Florida landscape mode and to that I say “Amen!” Most Highwaymen art (as well as most Florida art) is stalled in landscape and it will be interesting to see what these few can do if they give their muse free rein.
I was drafting a new post based on my observations about this second order Highwayman phenomenon but when I logged in to the auction site to check the sales results I discovered that someone must have hacked in to my draft files.The artists who were experimenting with the new look sold very well. That suggested to me that they were on the right track, at least artistically. I had set my budget for bidding at one hundred dollars apiece for the new style paintings figuring I could steal them because no one else would like them. Wrong !
Admittedly these are not the Harold Newton’s or Alfred Hair’s of the Highwayman group. Those top tier artists have their reward. It’s time to move away from Backus.
Chico Wheeler stole the show and set the pace for what may come with sixty of his paintings being sold, 16x20 or larger, with a high of four hundred and low of eighty dollars.His sales total for the day was eleven thousand dollars. The ones I wanted went over my budget.
Keep an eye on Chico, Willie Daniels and Rodney Demps.
Two pieces of Robert Butler art, giclee reproductions, went for $45.00 each which was a very good buy for non collectors who just want a good piece of Florida art. One was titled The Story Teller, atypical subject matter for Butler who although known for landscape called himself “A historian with a brush.”
What got my attention as I looked at the art being offered for sale was the realization that a few of the living Highwaymen were pushing the envelope and attempting to break out of the traditional Florida landscape mode and to that I say “Amen!” Most Highwaymen art (as well as most Florida art) is stalled in landscape and it will be interesting to see what these few can do if they give their muse free rein.
I was drafting a new post based on my observations about this second order Highwayman phenomenon but when I logged in to the auction site to check the sales results I discovered that someone must have hacked in to my draft files.The artists who were experimenting with the new look sold very well. That suggested to me that they were on the right track, at least artistically. I had set my budget for bidding at one hundred dollars apiece for the new style paintings figuring I could steal them because no one else would like them. Wrong !
Admittedly these are not the Harold Newton’s or Alfred Hair’s of the Highwayman group. Those top tier artists have their reward. It’s time to move away from Backus.
Chico Wheeler stole the show and set the pace for what may come with sixty of his paintings being sold, 16x20 or larger, with a high of four hundred and low of eighty dollars.His sales total for the day was eleven thousand dollars. The ones I wanted went over my budget.
Keep an eye on Chico, Willie Daniels and Rodney Demps.
Two pieces of Robert Butler art, giclee reproductions, went for $45.00 each which was a very good buy for non collectors who just want a good piece of Florida art. One was titled The Story Teller, atypical subject matter for Butler who although known for landscape called himself “A historian with a brush.”
This is a true story, but the names of the people cannot be revealed. I will refer to them simply as husband and wife.
The day was almost over, the dishes were done and husband was settled in his Lazyboy with the latest edition of Florida Sportsman. All was well and wife was feeling a bit romantic. She slipped into her sexiest negligee and tried silently to get husbands attention. No luck, The plan wasn’t working. Wife gave it some thought, went to his man cave and took a set of deer horns that husband had on display, tied them on her head and went back to the living room. This time she got a bite. Husband looked up and asked, “ Would you get me another beer please?”
Men! You gotta love ‘em.
The day was almost over, the dishes were done and husband was settled in his Lazyboy with the latest edition of Florida Sportsman. All was well and wife was feeling a bit romantic. She slipped into her sexiest negligee and tried silently to get husbands attention. No luck, The plan wasn’t working. Wife gave it some thought, went to his man cave and took a set of deer horns that husband had on display, tied them on her head and went back to the living room. This time she got a bite. Husband looked up and asked, “ Would you get me another beer please?”
Men! You gotta love ‘em.
I have a friend who is an art collector. Our friendship goes beyond surface level , we trust one another. One day I asked him how his wife felt about his collecting habits, he spends a lot of money on art. His answer was " She knows I love it." What that told me, without him actually saying it, was that his wife was a very smart woman. She knew that her husband loved her because he made it a point to tell her so every day. She also knew he was a great provider and good father, gentle and kind. She wasn't about to sweat the small stuff.