Art House Meath / The Great Salt Lick Contest

I'm not sure how much these will fit into the greater scope of my research, but they're both projects I care about and love. (One is more serious and important than the other)

Art House Meath

"ARTHOUSE Meath presents the skills and talents of men and women living with complex epilepsy, learning and physical difficulties. Over 70 artists work alongside instructors who enable groups or individuals to create artworks which are developed into designer products for sale. All work derives from the skills each artist brings to the enterprise and every contribution holds true value. 

There is an ever-present feeling of ‘what if I have a seizure?’ for many ARTHOUSE Meath artists. Nobody knows when a seizure may happen. Without intervention some seizures can be life-threatening. All artists require varying degrees of support. Therefore it is imperative ARTHOUSE Meath offers a safe working environment with The Meath Epilepsy Charity’s expert support. 

With high quality artwork and products ARTHOUSE Meath aims to create a platform of positive change in attitude towards people who are often marginalised. 100% of sales revenue goes towards sustaining the enterprise, helping it to grow and evolve." 

Art House Meath website 

• Firstly, the designs from Art House Meath are great. They aren't just selling things with some sob story about it being made by disabled people. The images are great, and some of the cards are the funniest I've seen.
• Following that it doesn't seem to be an exploitative project. It sounds like the people who use this service find it incredibly useful and importantly enjoy themselves there! I can't confirm whether or not they see any of the proceeds made from their designs personally, which is a point to examine, but regardless the money goes back into the charity.
• Looking at this work makes me examine the work done by professional artists which uses this kind of style. Not to say that the people who work like this on this project are not technically capable- but whether for them too it is a stylistic choice, or again, goes back to intuitive image making. 

COP themes to take from this: treatment of artists, outsider art, intuitive image making, professionally ugly

The Great Salt Lick Contest

"Whit Drescher described a time when he was “sitting on the porch of a friend’s cabin admiring the shape of a salt lick the deer had worked on and I began thinking that it sure beat some of the sculptures in parks and in front of buildings.” One thing led to another, and Drescher decided to start a contest for these animal-licked works of art. Every year since 2007, the Eastern Oregon burg of Baker City has held the Great Salt Lick Contest, an irreverent-yet-sincere art auction that donates its considerable proceeds to support Parkinson’s Disease research."

full article here

• I am wholly charmed by this project and am a big fan of the idea of nature as artist though that is a discussion for another time!!
• Mostly what drew my attention to this is the irreverent attitude towards arts establishment- it isn't so much a protest but it isn't by any means a traditional engagement with art, not even like an outsider artist painting at home or creating a sculpture... it is very aware of itself in a way that they may not be.
• It is the most sincere *protest-not-protest* against art and I love it for that. I also agree that they are some very nice blocks of salt, and I enjoy that people buy them for charity but also because they like them. It's very accessible, with a touch of irreverence.

 

COP themes to take from this: outsider art, found art, nature as art,