Would you want to date an artist?
I mean, really, would you? Sure, it sounds like fun going to museums, eating cheese cubes and drinking wine at art openings, and having stimulating intellectual conversations that the works themselves initiate. But that really only happens about once a month, usually the first Friday or third Thursday of the month. The rest of the time the artists are all grumpy because they received yet another, rejection letter or a bad review of their recent exhibition, or worse, no review at all. Perhaps they are frustrated that things are not going well in the studio or they ran out of money but still need supplies or that their gallery, if they are fortunate enough to have one, abruptly went out of business and are still owed $10,000 from previous sales and 15 pieces that were still in inventory of the now-defunct gallery.
Or, have you ever wanted to talk to an artist at their exhibition but were too shy, did not know exactly what to say, and did not want to sound silly saying it? Sure, most artists are easily approachable and willing to talk endlessly on and on about how great of an artist they are and how hard it is for them to endure in the studio and overcome the struggles of being a creator of beautiful and thought-provoking objects.
Or, maybe you just want the opportunity just to say hello?
Well, the Dixon is giving you the chance to be able to do such things. In their ever-increasingly impressive events in conjunction with the “Present Tense” exhibition. On Thursday, February 21st, from 6 to 9 p.m., they are offering up five artists for “Artist Speed Dating” as part of their Art After Dark series.
Elizabeth Alley, Alex Warble, Derrick Dent, Eli Gold, and Andrew James Williams will be available for five minutes for any and every person willing to listen to what they have to say and will answer any questions you are willing to ask. How great is that?
Expect to hear about sketching from Elizabeth Alley. She is obsessed with it. It is all she thinks about, for the most part. Derrick Dent may throw in a cheap joke about his B.O. (Don’t worry, he does not ever really stink. He is just riding his bike to the museum from Midtown.)
Plus, you will have another chance to see this exhibition and be able to hear from the artists themselves about their work.
Image Courtesy of Elizabeth Alley
