David Spence Arts

I've lived completely from my art since about 1982. I have grown to accept a concept I pass on to many younger artists that I meet. You can do art for a living or you can enjoy it as your hobby, and do something else for a living. In order to be successful as an artist, you must become a very good business person. It will help keep you better organized as an artist, we artists must think in terms of not only how to be a successful business person, but in terms, of how our studio's must become a factory. After working in another area of the arts for a number of years in N.Y.C, I returned to my sculpture studio once again, making it, my full-time profession, I begin to take a broader view in organizing and excepting my art as my only business, and how I structured my studios also change. I have never been my own biggest collector. I enjoy my own work, of course, but I did not create it so that I could live with it. Once we commit ourselves, making our art our business, we tend to see what we create more in terms of inventory and practically all that comes from our studios is for sell. It becomes the only way we have to pay bills. I do enjoy seeing my own creations, and I take in as much of their qualities and grow a little more each day.
As I create new artworks, I do not like outside influence or things that I've already created to get in the way of what I am creating at present. So everything has to leave as soon as it's ready for the galleries.
It is important for artists to fully comprehend how any factory concept is set up. We must see everything we create as a final product going out the door. If we paint, we must understand matting and framing of our works, and be able to select a perfect balance, keeping in mind that quality is vitally important when thinking in terms of presentation. We must make every effort to keep our quality as near an art museum as we possibly can.
The same goes for sculpture. Our creations and materials must be paramount in each step to completion. In order for me to do this, I had to have my own art foundry. As I create bronzes, they are finished as much as possible as myself. All patina work is done only by me. I select each and every base. It is a factory and at all times, I must be in control. For the most part, practically all my time in spent inside my studio's and I oversee sections of finished work I find critical in presentation of all my pieces.
When you create art in your work-space or studio, we begin accumulating mass amounts of your own art, which is normal, after all, this is our profession, as would be the case with any   given job. We wake up and go to work, we take brakes, lunch out or in, whatever the case may be, and go back to work until we finish out your day or exhaust your energies. This is where a factory concept becomes relevant. We organize and purchase items related to assisting us with a higher production output, which is a normal progression. Think of most old masters and how they set up their studio-work places. Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Rodin and Andy Warhol, had as many as 30 or more assistants, and this is very true for many of today's artists. They may not have 30, but most will have at least one or two in the studio constantly helping out in several ways. One rule to live by above all. Make quality your standard. Keep within your financial range, allowing growth and expansion with success. I had not real interest attending art schools. I felt learning ones trade was preferable by association the best way possible for myself. While living and working in New York City, I associated with many painters and sculptors. Either at the galleries, museums and while living at the Hotel Chelsea for almost a year. In those years, I could see applying ones self and doing, can be far more advantageous than any other method of learning . Each of us can learn from other artists and in their studios, by asking questions. One learns though curiosity. If a person is not curious, they'll never learn a damn thing.
To be an artist is a choice we make, and the sooner we make that choice the better off we'll be in our art.

                                            On casting
In the United States, the rule of law allows for only ten castings in Bronze for a sculpture and those ten are considered, originals. Ten are cast and numbered in sequence, another two may be cast as artists proofs and numbered or listed as such.
And that is the total amount of bronzes the may be cast and still be originals.
In France and most other parts of Europe, Eight bronzes may be cast, with four artists proofs. Making it the same number of twelve in total. Any sculpture cast in number beyond ten are not legally consider originals. Prints too have rules in numbers, make sure you know them and learn how to buy original artworks.
In America, many artists have no regard for art law or integrity concerning their art, and will cast as many as a hundred or even up to two hundred and fifty and even more in some editions. These high numbers are worth nothing and they become what is known throughout the art world as multiples and are taxable in all countries around the world for that reason. Only original art have no import taxes.

My paintings are direct results of my wood sculptures, with organic shapes that represent a strong sense of freedom in both line and mass that I place centrally, and directly in the forefront of my paintings. For the most part, I have no interest in creating a copy of my wood sculptures. However, It is merely their shapes that fascinate me and I inject those onto my paintings.

Papers

Some papers will allow a sence of chance to happen at an increased frequency, then do others, and can be even more so when using various mediums that may not have been designed for that process and or paper. Not following rules may well see something totally new if allowed to happen, even intentionally. Don't be controlled by traditions of your materials and or background or even how or what you were tought. These concepts present a feeling of intrigue, giving liberties to our experiments and speculating.

The Tree Of Life

Tree Of Life. Olive Wood, Jade, and Bronze. 1985-2012 . This work was 27 years in the making. As I've mentioned in a some of my other writings, if I run into a problem with a sculpture or painting. I do not become overly concerned about it. I simply move on to another project. The Tree of life sculpture was primarily due to the presentation problems. As in most instances, I happened upon it by accident. It is finished with 1,000 grit sandpaper, five coats of fine wood oil, and polished with three coats of Renaissance wax to a rich luster.

This small picture was first done with pen and ink and dates around 2008,

as a drawing and in 2014 I finished it in watercolors. It is framed

in a gold antique style under and dark heavy raw silk matting.

This work I did early on in this series. Date around mid-2013

Burrel wood, frame and heavy raw silk mat.

Here are Tryptich l, ll and lll along with Diptych l and are my first attempts of this series using one of my favorite handmade, extra rough watercolor papers. I was so pleased with the results, I purchased as much of the paper as I could find and I can not wait to continue with this series.