Having just searched on the three major social networking sites: My Space, Facebook and Linkedin, I dont see much there in the way of networking for folk art lovers. Facebook has the most options but mainly they are artists or collectors who started a site that fizzled out quickly. I have a Facebook profile for some of my other interests and Linkedin had some active sites about comics-another interest I have is comic art and graphic novels and I'm currently writing a book on Graphic Novels for adults-this will be part of the "Read On..." series published by LU-Libraries Unlimited. I would like to see an active social network for collectors, admirers, dealers, artists, etc. This would be for chatting about the addiction, the market, news about artists, sharing photos of our collections, even a spot for trading art. Would that I had the time. I think I found Linkedin most interesting option for networking professionally. Facebook is just a mish mash-a confusing mix of personal and professional and just to darn busy. My Space had little for me. I like the good old fashioned listserv or mailing lists by email. There is the FASA Folk Art Society of America discussion group, moderated by Randall Lott which serves as a forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas, the announcement of exhibitions and other pertinent events, the posting of photographs of artists' works, links to interesting folk art web sites -- and any other information that relates to folk art, folk artists and folk art environments (or self-taught, visionary, intuitive and outsider art). http://www.folkart.org/discmain.html.
There have been lively discussions about events such as FolkFest and about concerns such as
fakes (particularly the problem of fake Mose T Tolliver) or the new Giclee prints and their effect on original pieces. I would love to see a very active on-line folk art collectors presence. There is a need for those of us who want to continue learning and sharing but cant afford or get to FASA or Slotins or the many other wonderful organizations, museums and conferences that exist. I would like to be a part of "the folk art community" but as a full-time single working mother I can't physically be there. Myriad shows and conferences have come and gone and all I've had to show for them is the time and energy wishing I could be there and attempting to patch together a plan for my kid or selling art to be able to afford to go. I'm sure I'm not the only one. In addition, there are so many international collectors and artists who I have enjoyed contact with and many of them seem eager to share their passions with other like-minded folks. So, as social networking goes for folk art addicts I have yet to see a viable, multi-purposed social networking site. If any of you know of others, please let us know. And I will let you know when I start developing a site in earnest. Thats all for now
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2 comments:
I definitely agree about the lack and real need for a good online forum for folk art collectors, especially for people like me, who are located on the West Coast and have an even harder time finding quality shops and galleries.
Keep blogging!
Joey.
Hi Joey-thanks for your feedback. I think there is a strong community within the "first generation" outsider collectors, built on attending conferences, auctions, folkfests, etc. I was at Slotin's auction house once (not during an auction) and one of the people there mentioned how its dying out because the old guard is aging. I see in developing a network of artists, dealers and collectors through selling/buying on ebay that there is a whole new generation (or two) of collectors. I appreciate the difficulty of location also. There are a few places in CA. and there are so many disability arts programs there also, an interest of mine. Thanks for your support. Best-Abby
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