The Menu: Reserved Collection

May 30, 2013

Though we firmly feel that each and every piece of Haitian metal sculpture we carry at Beyond Borders is a wonderful piece of folk art, we have to admit a solid truth:  Some pieces are wonderful, and some are remarkable. Those listed in our “Reserved Collection” section are those we consider to be the latter.  Many of our sculptures are purchased as decorative pieces; that is they are works of handmade folk art that are destined to be used to embellish a space. They are fun, attractive, and have popular appeal – all well and good.  Those sculptures in our “Reserved Collection” are works of higher ambition.  They represent what we believe to be the finest of the art form.  These are the pieces that serious collectors seek.

So what makes them special?  True folk art, according to the venerable Art Institute of Chicago, “is that which represents a unique mixture of vernacular aesthetics, personal expression, popular demand, historical fascination, memory, sentiment and patriotism.” The pieces in the “Reserved Collection” meet those criteria quite succinctly.  They capture in metal sculpture the spirit of Haiti; its voodoo, its slave heritage, its island geography, its freedom, raw edges, weirdness, elegance and pride. The conveyance of these characteristics is what anchors Haitian metal folk art to value and staying power, long after the currents of decorative fashion have shifted their course.

Take for example this sculpture by Michee Ramil Remy.  (HT1396) Its rough-cut execution mirrors the farmer and his rough-cut life.  Scratching a living out of the soil, wresting his subsistence from the land as do nearly half of his countrymen today. The scene also harkens back to the history of Haiti as French colony, the sugar plantations being hewn under the tropical sun by the backbreaking labors of its slave population. The faces of the farmer and his daughter are enigmatic.  Perhaps in them is the reflected the values of a working family and the satisfaction of a verdant, bountiful harvest, along with the sad acknowledgement that life is still very physical, and very hard. In his distinctive primitive style, Michee hammers out the essence of that existence.

You will very quickly notice, when viewing the Reserved Collection, that none of the pieces are priced.   In fact, items within that category are not currently available for sale.  Of course, you can always inquire as to whether the status of a particular piece could change, and perhaps you should, if you really, REALLY love it and want to know.  If nobody asks the question, there isn’t anybody to say yes to….

The Menu: Limited Editions

May 16, 2013

Art pieces in many forms are sold as limited editions, and in the art world, that refers to identical pieces that are produced in small quantities.  They represent an opportunity for collectors to purchase a piece that has the dual attractions of being well-executed and accessible, yet in small enough numbers that it’s value (current and future) gets an up-tick. This is true of Beyond Borders Limited Edition section, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

While we have a fair number of customers that are serious collectors of Haitian metal art, the majority of those that shop with us take a more casual approach.  They make a purchase because they like a piece; they enjoy the aesthetics and appreciate the craftsmanship, but not so much with the intention of the piece becoming an investment. With aesthetics and craftsmanship being greater priorities for most of our customers then, we use Limited Editions as a means of making certain designs available that we anticipate will appeal to specific customer groups, smaller than our customer base as a whole.

Take for example our masks:  We have several mask designs that are wonderful in concept and execution.  The people that love them – though they are proportionately few in number – LOVE THEM!  We have several of those designs created as Limited Edition pieces so that they are readily available to those that want them. From a perspective of supply and demand, it allows us to meet demand for masks without infringing on our ability to keep designs that are more widely popular in good supply.

Another function of our Limited Editions section is to serve as a sort of test market for pieces that we think will be well-received.  Case in point: “Meda’s Heart,” which is in the catalogue currently as SM460.  We introduced it as a Limited Edition piece (LE2723 Meda Heart Large) but learned that it would have greater salability if it were available in a smaller size. Good to know!  Also good to know that those that want to make a bigger decorative statement with his larger piece can do so.

Perhaps the most important role of our Limited Editions section is to give more artists a chance to sell their work.  With each sale of every piece impacting the lives of our artists in Haiti, it is critical to make the most of every selling opportunity.  A small run of production can make a huge difference in the life of a family.  And that positive difference is what Beyond Borders is really all about.

 

Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus

Second in a series of three

Coming next:  Reserved Collection

The Menu: One-of-a-Kinds

May 8, 2013

Three menu items on our web catalogue – One-of-a-Kinds, Limited Editions, and Reserved Collection – represent some of the best Haitian metal art that Beyond Borders has to offer.  Yet we find that these sections are not well understood! This leads me to believe that a little explanation is in order so that the wonders therein might be exposed and customer curiosity might be aroused to the point of greater exploration.

Let’s start with the One-of-a-Kinds.  In one sense, every single sculpture on our website could be thought of as a One-of-a-Kind.  That is the nature of handmade art.  Even though the design may be re-created over and over again – as our very popular birds and sunface pieces are, for instance – there will always be subtle differences between them.  An eye might be positioned slightly forward in profile; the rays of the sun may curl a little further in, etc.  However, for the purposes of our website, the distinction for this particular category means that the item is unique within our inventory; the design concepts and execution are quite obviously different from anything else that we have.

Some of our One-of-a-Kinds we find and fall in love with on visits to Haiti.  We know right away that certain pieces should remain singular works that should not be put into production. In fact, some artists don’t even want to do production work.  A perfect example is Michee Remy.  He was a very talented and prolific artist, but he only did two production pieces for us in 15 years of working with him.  It just wasn’t his thing and we knew it.  All agreed that it was better that way. Michee died 2 years ago and his work has become highly collectible because of his signature primitive style. We are fortunate to have many of his remaining works available in our One-of-a Kind section.

Other sculptures within this catagory are sent to us when we request design samples.  Any number of variations within a basic theme will arrive in the weeks following in response to that request. For example, Max-Elie Brutus came up with the idea to make floral wreaths a few months ago.  We asked him to send us several examples of what he had in mind and WOW did he deliver!

They were fantastic, but we had decided to limit ourselves

to selecting one design for the catalogue.  Though we agonized over the decision, one wreath was chosen and that one became RND475.  The rest?  You could think of them as artist’s proofs.  We call them One-of-a-Kinds!

 

Contributed by Linda for Beyond Borders/It’s Cactus

First in a series of three articles  Next:  Limited Editions

Accuracy, Accuracy, Accuracy!

November 6, 2012

Back in my college days, when I was a freshman student of journalism, I was told the story of publishing mogul Joseph Pulitzer, who scrawled the words

“Accuracy, Accuracy, Accuracy!” on the newsroom wall as an emphatic exhortation to his writing staff to get the story right.  Not everything from college sticks with me, heaven knows, but that did.  And while I may not always get the straight facts rightfully expressed, as God and Joseph Pulitzer are my witnesses, I do try.

So imagine my trepidation in going to print with Haitian names.  Haitian names befuddle me like little else, and here’s why:  The order. Many Haitians write their names and refer to each other in a manner to which I, as an English speaker, am accustomed.  Julio Balan , one of the artists we have worked with since the beginning, goes by his first name and his last name in that order.  Simple. But more commonly, Haitians will write their names beginning with the family name first, following with the given name, and then refer to each other the other way around.  Thus, the artist whose friends call him “Evenson Thenor” signs his work as “Thenor Evenson. To be accurate, then, should I write it in the order that my English-speaking audience will expect it, or according to the customary use of Haitian Kreyol ?  The mind boggles.

Shall I tell you about Remy Jn Eugene?  That’s how he signs his work, “Jn” being an abbreviation for “Jean.”  But which one is the first name?  “Remy,” “Jean,” or “Eugene”? I could only guess and with a one out of three chance, I did not like my odds.

I got my first clue when I got wind that he has a brother, Remy Jean Eddy. “Ah HA!” I thought, “I got it,” and I started writing their names Eugene Jean Remy and Eddy Jean Remy.  Well, I was closer, but not right.  Their first names are both Jean, they go by Eugene and Eddy respectively, and Remy is the family name.  Are you still with me?

Then, there is Eduoard Dieudonne.  Dieudonne is his family name and I figured that out pretty

quickly.  But I’ve seen his given name signed both as “Eduoard” and “Edward.”  To complicate matters further, the fellow I asked to help me with Eduoard’s biographical information sent me an email in which he spelled it, “Edoward.”

Was that a typo??? Well no, came the reply.  He writes it that way too.  But he says to go with “Edward.”

Sigh.

With all due respect to Mr. Pulitzer then, and with great reverence for his demand for accuracy, I think I’ll beg forbearance and go with Shakespeare this time.  “What’s in a name?”  That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” In the final analysis, the work of our artists is still wonderfully original and beautifully crafted, no matter how their names are written.

Details, details

September 20, 2012

What speaks to you when you look at art?  Is it the medium?  Is it the design?  Is it shape or color or pattern?  All of those elements play their part, to be sure.  Still, my guess is that when you look at a piece of art, whether it’s a 17^th century painting by Jan Vermeer, or a contemporary piece of glasswork by Dale Chihuly, or a piece of Haitian folk art by Jean Eugene Remy, it is the details that draw you in.

Take for example this one-of-a-kind piece. Jean Eugene has whimsically imagined this bus going to market.  Unencumbered by proportion, the round bus goes bumping through the countryside, dodging low-flying birds.  The youth riding on top points the way as he reclines against a box and a 3-D basket containing a chicken and various produce.  The dimensional effect of the basket is achieved by cutting the contents backwards as a side piece and then bending the metal tightly behind the slitted, concave basket. A little bit more time spent in execution, but the result is good visual impact.  A fine detail

Look again.  Notice that all of the passengers vary somewhat.  Different hats, different clothing, different fullness in the face, longer hair, shorter hair.  Individual characteristics that give the riders character.  Clones don’t ride the bus, people do.  Details.

And the bus itself. Notice how small caps have been hand-riveted on the front end as headlights.  Clever.  The wheels, however, are the coup d’grace.  They revisit vintage wire wheel hubcaps on Corvettes and Cadillacs, 1968-1982.  (Yes, I looked it up, and by-the-way, you can find them on ebay for about $1250, if you’re in the market.) Jean Eugene innovatively uses spout caps and rivets and wire hooks, which are bent one at a time to create each spoke. Fifty-seven in the back and sixty-three in the front. Talk about detail!

This kind of craftsmanship is not unique to one artist alone, though Jean Eugene does raise the bar.  Bicycle chain, metal tubes, coins, spikes and more have been utilized with good effect as design elements in Haitian metal sculpture across the board.  Next time you look, really look.  The more you see, the more you will appreciate.  It’s in the details.

Helpful Hints for Sculpture Maintenance and Better Living

September 5, 2012

People who buy metal sculptures for the first time often ask:  “Is there any care and upkeep involved with this?” Reasonable to wonder, heaven knows.  We advertise that they are perfectly suitable indoors and out, but it’s obvious to anyone that’s left their bicycle out in the rain or forgotten garden tools by the sprinkler head that metal will, of course rust. Surface scratching can also occur, for instance if you are storing or stacking pieces. However, neither rust nor scratches are anything that a little clear coat application can’t correct with good result.

In fact, the artists in Haiti finish each piece in their workshops by painting on a clear enamel coating and allowing it to dry in the warm Caribbean sunshine.  We touch them up again in the warehouse before they are shipped out to our customers.  Though we’ve experimented with many different products, we’ve found that the spray-on clear coat, such as you can buy from Ace Hardware for

for about $4.89 is very satisfactory for that purpose.

Though I can’t say with any great precision, I think I’ve spray coated about 200-300 recycled metal folk art sculptures from Haiti in my time.  Most were in preparation for retail and trade shows, but admittedly, some from my own collection at home have needed a little “touching up” here and there. Thus, I will tell you that it is a quick and easy fix that I’ve accomplished many times.  It’s also one I’ve botched up with a recklessness that has bordered on remarkable.

There was the time that I grabbed the black spray-on enamel instead of clear out of the tool shed and used it to touch up the face of a mermaid.  I didn’t even notice ‘til I hung her up with two others that something wasn’t quite right. (Note for future reference:  the color of the cap is the color of the spray.) Then there was the time that I sprayed a sunface just as the first drops of a torrential rain began to fall, resulting in a splotch effect most unbecoming.  Oh, and  another time I got distracted by a bee and sprayed so much on the metal that it appeared as though I was going about rust-prevention with creamy vanilla frosting.

So, not that this would EVER happen to you, but if it did, do not despair. In each case, I waited until the misapplication had dried completely.  Then, using first medium-coarse sandpaper and then a fine steel-wool, I removed the black/splotched/excessive coat.  Finally, exercising a careful assessment of the cap color, the likelihood of imminent cloudburst, and localized bee activity, I proceed as directed on the label of the can. Quite simple, really.

Sometimes I feel as though I live my life as a warning to others.  I don’t mean to, actually, but if it helps, you’re welcome.

A Hedonist’s Guide to Art Acquisition

August 29, 2012

This is just my opinion, mind you, and maybe it’s really just me.  But I think art acquisition ranks right up there with food and sex in terms of hedonistic drives. Anybody else?  So why is that?  What triggers that first impulse to buy art?  And then what makes us feel compelled to buy more?  When does the act of purchasing a single piece of art become a full-on libertine pursuit? And if we are so driven, how do we pursue it as gourmands, and not gluttons?

Perhaps the first and most important consideration regarding the purchase of any artwork for collection is its overall aesthetic appeal. The “experts” say that, “A piece of high-caliber art will harmoniously orchestrate the aesthetic qualities of line, tone, color, shape, space, texture, etc. These elements will work in synchrony to maximize the descriptive, emotive, and spiritual effect upon the viewer. Hence, the piece becomes a visual symphony that informs, challenges, and engages the viewer long after the initial response.” And what, in blue blazes does that mean?  Taken down to their most basic form, these criteria are the heart of any decision for purchase.  Simply put: “Do I like it?  Is it pleasing to me?” If the answer is yes, the piece has potential.

Evaluating the technical aspects: i.e. the “line and tone” and “harmonious orchestration” of the piece takes a little homework, though you’ll get better as you go along. Talk to people who know the art.  Let them help you develop your eye for “line and tone” and so on.  Casey Riddell comes to mind for Haitian metal sculpture.  This is her business website, to be sure, but take advantage of her wealth of knowledge, if Haitian art is what you’re into. Good, reputable art dealers – and Casey is one of them – is happy to inform and instruct prospective collectors in evaluating the merits of a particular piece.  They can help you “see what you’re looking at,” so to speak.

By all means, visit art galleries and museums, too. Join art societies and mingle with other collectors and experts in your area of interest. (The Haitian Art Society might be one for you.  www.haitianartsociety.com) Check out books and other references, explore every avenue open to you. The more you learn and develop your eye, the better you will become in assessing aesthetic components and their relation to the whole.  When you become familiar with the best examples of a particular type of art, you’ll know how your potential acquisition stacks up.

The corollary to this is: Buy the finest artwork that you can afford.  Let’s break that down.  “Buy the finest…” Certainly! Buying something that is “pretty good” that you “kind of like” won’t give you pleasure in the long run.  You’ll end up wishing you hadn’t settled and the piece will not take its place amongst your treasured collection, it will end up in a garage sale. The second part, “…that you can afford,” is good common sense.  Don’t break the bank.   Not even if you are tempted.   That won’t give you pleasure in the long run either.

And we are back to the original idea.  Do you like it?  Does it give you pleasure? For that is the joy of collecting; to look at your pieces, remembering the where and the when, the knowledge gained, deal struck, and the thrill of the hunt.  Oh yes, there can be more to it than pleasure.  Much more.  But that is where it starts.

Decorating with your collection

July 12, 2012

How do collections get started?  Maybe we’re drawn to certain images because they remind us of something special – a favorite time or place or experience.  I was with my good friend, Jennifer at the San Diego Zoo one day, having an absolute ball.  We were in our 40’s mind you, but I started playing with the masks at the gift shop.  Holding up first the giraffe mask and then the panda mask to my face, I asked her, “Which do you like better?” To which she thoughtfully replied, “Well, the giraffe is more your color.”  Immediately, I started laughing so hard I could scarcely stand up, and I bought the giraffe mask right then and there.  Since then, I have bought a few other giraffe items and find myself always tempted by more.

By the way, I have played this all pretty close to the chest.  No one really knows about my great affection for giraffes but Jennifer and me. Thus, my collection has heretofore remained modest and very manageable.

Sometimes, however, friends and relatives get wind of our affinity and suddenly, in their generosity, we find ourselves in possession of gaggles and flocks and herds and swarms. So what is one to do with a great collection gone wild? Just about every interior designer out there says that collections should be displayed as a whole, or at least in groupings within a defined area.  This, they say, gives a cohesive look that defines and personalizes the space and provides the greatest visual impact. For added interest, we should try varying color, size, texture, and medium within the assembly. For example, on a shelf I could arrange my framed photo of a giraffe, my carved wooden giraffe face, and the folk art pottery giraffe, and hang my Haitian metal giraffe sculpture above them.

We must go carefully, though.  Anna, author of the interior decorating DIY blog, “Take the Side Street” cautions against clutter. Ideally, she says, your display should add interest and character your home without overwhelming it. She advises, “If your collection  is enormous, store and rotate the items you display as a means of keeping the whole thing fun and fresh looking.”  Indeed.  If a giraffe collection isn’t fresh and fun, what’s the point? I’m just so glad I don’t have to rotate things in….yet!