"Worm Hole" by Karen Yurkovitch - FRESH PICKS V1 E4

The William Blake quote "to see the universe in a grain of sand" defines our thought-provoking, fourth-ever FRESH PICKS edition, "Worm Hole", by Karen Yurkovich.

Best known for highly-skilled still-life painting that references Renaissance masters, Karen's selection for FRESH PICKS is a photographic view of a fig branch held by the artist's own hand. "Worm Hole" is a unique glimpse into the conceptual underpinnings of Karen's work and her references to art history. Additionally, this artwork is unique to the FRESH PICKS series and available only through Vantage Art Projects.

Karen Yurkovich holds a BFA and MFA from the University of Alberta and completed a mentorship in traditional painting techniques with restorer Giovanni Manuali in Italy in 2000. The artist lives between Perugia, Italy and Vancouver, Canada. She has recently completed two solo shows in Vancouver and in Edmonton, and is represented in the first Biennial in Merano, Italy, "DNArt". She continues to teach, with a special interest in traditional techniques and non-toxic methods in oil painting and anatomical drawing.

Traditionally best known for still life painting, the work for Fresh Picks is a photographic view of a fig branch held by the artist's own hand and titled "Worm Hole".

"This fig branch had something eating through it, both adding to its wabi sabi and detracting from its original pristine beauty while adding a sense of mortality...... I chose a fig branch, because of its use for centuries as a way to camouflage original sin by covering up the genitalia, our most animalistic and human trait. The conflict of religion and human existence. Yet a hole is pierced to let us peak through to our natural state or pure form. A worm hole is also said to be a portal that leads from one plane of spatial existence to another by direct means rather than a long journey. Likewise, we go through life in our imperfect state, trying to reach our perfect state and through the wisdom of imperfection we can achieve a direct link to another plane of thought that is seemingly more perfect or immortal."

Fresh Picks is Vantage Art Projects' series of affordable limited edition fine art prints. The series allows art lovers to own work that is current and representative of the contemporary artscape. It is an unprecedented way for artists to share their work with collectors and art lovers across the world. Released twice a month, the artist and work is first announced to our mailing list and is sold exclusively through the Vantage Art Projects website.

"Worm Hole" is a unique opportunity to collect an image from Karen that is an exclusive release from her photographic archive. It is only available through the Vantage website.

For information on Karen Yurkovich, please visit www.karenyurkovich.com. The artist is represented by the Bau-Xi Gallery in Vancouver and Toronto, the Agnes Bugera Gallery in Edmonton, Linda Hodges Gallery in Seattle, and Galleria Della Pina, Pietrasanta Italy.

For more information and media queries about Vantage Art Projects, please visit www.vantageartprojects.com or e-mail luisa@vantageartprojects.com.

Off to a Fresh Start

Vantage Art Projects (VAP) emerged from a desire to do something different in the contemporary art world that could connect artists, curators, galleries, and collectors. Primarily with, but not limited to, the goal of growing collectors for the vast pool of creative talent in Canada, VAP began as an intense conversation over lattes. That expanded to pro/con lists, flow charts and major mark making on white boards. Jen Mawby, one of the 2 principals of VAP had been cooking an idea for a couple of years, reinforced by the inspiration of an American project, Jen Bekman 20x200 and a larger organization in Germany called Lumas. I had been quietly infusing myself in the contemporary fine art world as a gallerist, art dealer and consultant for the past 15 years. Jen, in addition to being an artist, has an extensive background in business consulting, computers and design. With our combined talents, interests and mutual curiosity of "there must be a better way to support the art world, ourselves and still have fun..." VAP was born. A new way to communicate about art!

Where we mirror Jen Bekman is in our offering of limited edition digital prints of cool artists. Where we depart, is that we also offer a couple of other project streams involving catalogues and exhibitions in print. To get us off on our fresh start, we decided to launch VAP with our print projects under our Fresh Picks moniker. I am curating a year of images which we release twice a month (that's 24 artists to watch out for in a year). Think of it as art therapy 24x's a year and you basically receive a page out of a fine art book folio every 2 weeks if you collect the entire offering. The prints come in 3 sizes. A folio case to house the smallest size is in the works. Or frame up a couple and interchange the images over the year for variety.

We launched VAP in October in conjunction with Art Toronto and our 3rd 'art hit' has just been released - check out www.vantageartprojects.com and click onto the Fresh Picks start to take a peek.

The energy at the Toronto art fair was fantastic despite it being the week after the economic sky as we knew it fell and doom and gloom was predicted everywhere. We were encouraged to hear that the keynote speaker at the Art Dealers Association brunch inquired if anyone in Canada was doing anything like Jen Bekman 20x200! That the art world needed to get creative and make art more accessible. Just wish we'd been there to sign him up for a subscription!!! But don't worry, an information package is on it's way to Mr. Corporate Curator :)

In a couple of weeks, Jen & I should have news on Art Miami to share.

In the new year, we'll have news for how artists can submit to us for exhibition-in-print catalogues - how collectors can get their own private collections catalogued - and more.

If you're reading this and you're curious, log onto our site, sign up for our newsletters and announcements and get yourself or a friend a Fresh Pick!

artfully yours,

S

"Its Third Fall" by Carrie Walker - FRESH PICK V1 E3

“Its Third Fall” by Carrie Walker - FRESH PICKS Volume 1, Edition 3 - For Immediate Release - Vancouver, BC, November 13, 2008 – Vantage Art Projects is thrilled to present Fresh Picks, our series of affordable limited edition fine art prints.

"It's Third Fall" by Carrie Walker is the third edition in FRESH PICKS Volume 1. This skilled monochrome image is reminiscent of old masters drawings and etchings, and was rendered in graphite and oil painting medium on board. The artwork is exclusive to FRESH PICKS, as the original is from the artist's private collection and is one that she intends to never part with. This artwork has also never before been exhibited or published.

"It's Third Fall" remains true to Carrie's oeuvre, where her fauna-based subject matter and the corresponding titles have an ambiguous, humorous and often tender quality. Carrie's choice of subject matter is generally small domestic or field animals, with the occasional predator thrown in for dramatic effect.

She has been described by art writer Lee Henderson as "an unorthodox taxonomist, whose focus has been metaphor, the subjectivities of language, and the emotional pitch in our depiction of animals in art". This artwork is a portrait of a cottontail rabbit lying on it's side. The ambiguity lies both in the interpretation of the state of the animal – sleeping or expired - and in the visual interpretation of some of the drawn passages. Certain parts of the artwork are abstracted such that the haunches of the rabbit can also be viewed as a windswept and craggy landscape.

Carrie Walker graduated with a BFA in Visual Arts from Emily Carr Institute in 2002. Since then, her drawings and paintings have been exhibited in galleries in New York, Los Angeles, Vancouver and London. She currently lives and works in Vancouver. For information on Carrie Walker, please visit www.carriewalker.ca. The artist is represented by the Kristi Engle Gallery in Los Angeles. www.kristienglegallery.com. Get Carrie's Fresh Pick Today at www.vantageartprojects.com !

What we've been up to...Vantage News to date.

November 16, 2008 -FRESH PICKS VOLUME ONE, EDITION THREE released yesterday, November 16, 2008. "Its Third Fall" by Carrie Walker has an old masters feel while being true to Carrie's contemporary drawing based practice.

October 30, 2008 - FRESH PICKS VOLUME ONE, EDITION TWO released today. "Phone Home at Midnight" by Mark DeLong is a unique, collage and mixed media artwork in Mark's signature urban outsider style.

October 19, 2008 - Fresh Picks annual subscriptions to Volume One now available through the Vantage Art Projects Website.

October 9, 2008 - FRESH PICKS first limited edition "Meander" an exclusive artwork by Angela Grossmann goes on sale today, Thursday, October 9, 2008 from www.VantageArtProjects.com.

October 5, 2008 - FRESH PICKS and Vantage Art Projects successfully launched during Art Toronto. Our first limited edition "Meander" by Angela Grossmann goes on sale Thursday, October 9, 2008 from www.VantageArtProjects.com.

September 19, 2008 - Our safe subscribe mailing list sends out our first e-blast - news about the upcoming launch of Fresh Picks and our very, exciting first artist! Fresh Picks is launching at Art Toronto at a private VIP reception Oct. 5, 2008.

August 19, 2008 - Vantage Art Projects now offers e-newsletter updates about projects, products and calls for submission using Constant Contact and "safe subscribe".

July 31, 2008 - Luisa Santos joins the Vantage Art Projects team as our project coordinator. Welcome Luisa!

July 21, 2008 - Vantage Art Projects web site goes live with initial information about this "new way of communicating about the arts". The principals are Sherri Kajiwara and Jennifer Mawby, with project coordinator Luisa Santos.