Please join us for Babes Mean Business Holiday Bazaar on Sunday December 16th. Enjoy a glass of champagne. A great opportunity to find those last minute unique and interesting gifts and cards ...

Sunday December 16 1pm - 5pm

Basha Studio 34 45 East 34th Street, 3rd Floor
between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue

Join us at Babes Mean Business Holiday Bazaar on Sunday December 16th. Enjoy a glass of bubbly while you do your shopping. A great opportunity to find those last minute unique and interesting gifts and cards ...

Babes Mean Business Sunday, December 16
1pm - 5pm

Basha Studio 34 45 East 34th Street, 3rd Floor
Between Park Avenue and Madison Avenue

Testosterone and Other Toppings

Opening Reception Saturday October 13th
6pm - 10pm

Vitruvian Gallery 734 7th Street, SE, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20003

www.vitruviangallery.com www.vitruviangallery.com/gallery-news.html

"Renowned NYC Artist, Carolyn Weltman debuts her stunning work in the Washington, DC area. If you follow male figurative art, you'll recognize Carolyn's unmistakable style from coverage in 100 Artists of the Male Figure, The Art of Man (a journal of male figurative art), and many other publications. "Testosterone and Other Toppings" includes over 30 pieces of her work featuring male, female, and transgender subjects. In each piece the artist depicts a form of aggression, contest, or sexual assertiveness. Even when adopting a submissive role, it's clear that Carolyn's subjects are in charge of getting their needs met.

The title, "Testosterone and Other Toppings" hints at the role of various hormones in competitive behavior and sexual aggression for all genders as well as the influence of multiple other factors. Yet this is not a collection designed to tell a single story; each piece decisively stands alone as a complete story or poem, as Carolyn prefers, with each having sufficient complexity to continue revealing itself for many years to come. The work is beautiful, disturbing, fun, and startling all at the same time...much like each of us, if we're honest with ourselves."

Still In The Game is possibly one of the strongest drawings I've ever done. So much power in this boxer down but not out and pulling himself up on the ropes.

Queen Talulah. The art of Wabi Sabi, the art of imperfection, the art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity in earthiness, of revering authenticity above all. This beautiful oil on 100% cotton rag has been sold. However she is available as a Unique Limited Edition Giclee in an edition of fifteen pieces. Signed, numbered and dated. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Price includes shipping.

ON SALE - (reduced from $550). Price includes shipping. Sweet Dreams is really gentle and beautiful nude depicted sleeping quietly. This piece is a unique limited edition giclee in an edition of fifty pieces. Each is hand decorated with enamels and watercolour crayons (not shown here as each piece is created on an individual basis). Signed, dated and numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Created on 100% cotton rag paper.

Smaller open edition prints available. Please message me for details.

You are invited to a Summer Soiree next weekend, June 9th. For more information or if you can't read the invitation, please contact me at carolyn@artforengineers.com or at 212 683 2698. This event should be lots of fun so put your fun hats on.

I would like to donate the proceeds of this beautiful and unique limited edition print of Dragon Girl to the American Red Cross or any charity of your choosing for aid to Japan. Normally priced at $350, now priced at $200 + $15 shipping. Yes, I will gladly provide proof of donation.

This limited edition is the original artist's proof. Created on a beautiful Schoellershammer Linen paper (cotton rag) with original handwork over the giclee. She is dated, signed and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

(I am open to suggestion if you would prefer a different piece of work.) First offer claims her. Please email me with your request.

warmest regards and thanks, Carolyn Weltman

I am very excited to share with you a special event.

My artwork has been included both on the covers and inside the newly published book 100 Artists of the Male Figure by E. Gibbons: This is the very first hard-cover book, EVER, dedicated to living artists of the contemporary male figure in traditional media like painting, drawing and sculpture. This book includes NO photography, NO digital imagery or cartoons, and NO erotic work; just beautiful works of painting, drawing and sculpture.

The visual variety of the male form in this new book is astounding in its diversity, representing artists from all over the globe. It includes my work, of course, as well as photorealist works by Parisian artist Jacques Sultana to the highly abstracted paintings by Iranian artist Mohsen Irani and encompasses the Pop inspired images of Tokyo artist Cauro Hige to Surrealist works by Québec's Jean Cha_ney. The breadth of this book is a delight and a feast for the eyes with over 400 full color images from these 100 remarkable artists.

Links with more information about the book and places where it can be ordered are at www.100ArtistsBook.com

Publishers Description: Images of the classical female figure are more prevalent in the contemporary figurative art world, as the nude male has been shunned as too potent or treated as a sex symbol. This book bravely showcases works by male and female artists from around the world that focus on this classic subject. Painting, drawings, and sculptures display broad and varied styles, including portraiture, studies, Pop Art, abstract, and photorealism. Read each artist's approach to the male figure through candid personal statements. Nearly 400 works capture masculine beauty in many styles. This resource brings balance to the figurative art world and is an ideal reference for artists, curators, dealers, students, and collectors. ~Schiffer Publishing.

Both front and back cover images are for sale and will make great collector's items for those of you who will be buying the book. Both images are on 100% cotton rag paper and approx. 11" _ 15". Please email me if you are interested in purchasing either of them.

On the day before Valentine's Day, Birmingham, Alabama hosted their second Erotic Art Exhibition. This year with tango dancers, a saxophone player and a fortune teller to complement the amazing belly dancers (who were even better than last year). There was plenty of first class erotic artwork including paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture and video. Masks were handed out to all the attendees at the door. Although many people wore their own masks to give an air of Mardi Gras combined with Venice to lend a Valentine's air to the event.

Leo Ticheli is the organiser of Arts de Valentine which this year was held to support the Birmingham Women's Rape Crisis Center. http://www.crisiscenterbham.com. Between the admission fees and artists' commissions, we proudly made over $5000 for the center.

The state of Alabama is cutting funding for sexual assault programs by 22% and the Center is run purely by grant funds. I am sure I speak for all the attendees and artists when I say we were proud to help. I am also glad to have made a new friend, Meg McGlamery the Crisis Center Assistant Director; Director of Sexual Assault Support Services, Rape Response and SANE programs. Meg, I am going to do my best to think of other ways to help.

Once again I was invited to head South where I found my special mask waiting for me and a special place in the event as the visiting NYC artist. This year I showcased Quiet Time, a new and very romantic piece which I am delighted to say was the very first piece to be sold at the show and purchased by another Artid artist, Cindy Aune, who traveled all the way from Mississippi to meet me. Thank you from my heart, Cindy. Another new southern friend. Cindy is participating in a show of her own shortly and I am sorry I will not be able to attend to support her as she supported me.

The event brought in at least five hundred people and Leo is considering a larger venue and more artists for next year. I hope I am invited again. Well done Birmingham Alabama, Leo Ticheli and the Rape Crisis Center and all the artists and attendees for working so hard to put together such an outstanding event.

Arts de Valentine

Birmingham, Alabama's Second Annual Masked Erotic Art Show

This year benefiting the Rape Response Program of the Crisis Center

Sunday, February 13th, 6pm - 10pm The Wine Loft, 2200 1st Avenue North, Downtown Birmingham
Suggested donation of $10.00 and $5.00 students

Masks will be provided at the door

I am truly honoured once again to have been invited as the guest artist to this Valentine's event which includes 18 wonderful artists, exotic belly dancers, great jazz saxophone and mysterious fortune tellers.

Several of my larger paintings will be there, plus I am showcasing two new pieces at this event Looking forward to seeing many of the friends I made last year and to meeting many more of you.

For more information, please go to www.artsdevalentine.org

and once again ...

Dirty Show 12 International Erotic Art Exhibition

The largest erotic art exhibition in the world, the mission of the Dirty Show is to promote, publish and propogate erotic art in all forms. Featuring two of my old favourites, Long Night in White Shoes and Pony Girls.

February 11 - 19 Bert's Warehouse Theater in Eastern Market
2739 Russell Street, Detroit, Michigan

For lots more information, please go to http://www.dirtydetroit.com

Hoping to see some of you at these events.

Naughty Boys and Girls

I have just finished hanging my exhibition which is opening in two days.

A comprehensive collection of works by Carolyn Weltman

Hosted by Basha Gallery

December 9, 2010 6pm - 9:30pm

Basha Gallery 45 East 34th Street Suite #3 Tel: 212 683 2698 or 917 499 6193

I'd be really thrilled to see any of you who live or are in the New York area, so please do attend and forward this invitation to your friends and your mailing lists.

Its that time of the year again and erotic holiday cards are always fun. Every year I make a new holiday card to add to my collection. I've not made this year's yet. That one goes out to my mailing list family, friends and fans first of all.

So far I have thirteen images offered as notecards. If you like them, please visit my holiday cards gallery at http://artid.com/members/CarolynWeltman/studio/13 and if you would like information on supplies to make your own, please do contact me. Each notecard is blank inside and packed with an envelope inside a cellophane. Size 4.25" × 5.5.

I studied hard this week and came up with a contract for my commissioned work. Previously, I had always made verbal arrangements with my clients and provided invoices. Everyone was always happy like the beautiful couple in the image shown here. Then suddenly, a woman client with no sense of time and a male client who expressed that my work had so captured what he wanted, he could not look at it, launched me into doing some research.

What an adventure that became. With the assistance of a dearest friend who understands contracts, Google is my friend, and the hugely helpful information and templates given in "Business and Legal Forms for Fine Artists" by Tad Crawford, I drew up my contract. What a gem this little book is, thank you Tad.

All this research and tailoring my own contract to suit the special needs of my work, led me to discover how much the law is on the artist's side when it comes to recovering monies owed. Not that this always helps, of course. However, I did discover in my particular case, that all the work becomes mine and deposits do not need to be refunded if the client fails to pay the balance due. The biggest lesson that I learned, brush up on my business skills and become more professional as a manager of my work as well as an artist. And another valuable lesson - the client is not my friend.

I have always had contracts in place for galleries and shows as well as model releases and other business transactions. Now I have a well crafted one for future commissions that protects both me and my client.

To see the exhibition of abstract american painters circa 1940 - 1960.

This exhibition is vast and with far too many paintings to absorb in one visit. (A topic for a future blog, do museums curate such large exhibits in order to bring people back and make more money?).

As a very figurative painter myself, I've always had issues with understanding abstract art and mostly have to follow my gut. For instance, I completely feel the genius of a Jackson Pollock but in an entirely subjective way. The passion shows through in his paintings but the paintings themselves don't make sense to me. I am a lot more comfortable with De Kooning's more figurative works as well as his colour palette. Painters like Barnett Newman leave me confused and uncomfortable.

However, I went deliberately to learn and feel that I did absorb so much from this exhibition. The biggest lesson of all was a realisation (a light bulb moment) that the artists involved in this movement were probably the last of a dying breed of artists. Immediately following this movement, art became corporate and big business and the very nature of art and artists changed. Today's artists by comparison are money driven and often paint for their audience rather than exploring their own passions and the needs of society.

It would be educational to interact with the artists on Artid and be able to discuss the merits of painting in a way that brings painting forward in a different way. By exploring both our techniques and the societal values of our works just as the group of abstract expressionist artists came together in New York city and in spite of their different styles in painting, were able to learn from each other and create a huge leap forward in painting and how the general public views art. (Of course, as many groups of artists have done throughout history).

Could a chat room embedded into Artid become the modern day coffee shop environment for us to explore our works together? So many artists work in isolation nowadays. Is there any interest, I wonder, in doing this or are we more inclined to make statements on our facebook pages or in our blogs that are explored lightly and glossed over for a day or two. Could we bring back the in depth passions of the discussions of our predecessors do you think? Or are we happy in our state of isolation to just make money and pay the rent?

http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1098