I’m very pleased to announce the release of my STUCCOLAND! book. I am excited to see this challenging but rewarding series culminate in a physical format that you can take home!
Why?
A few people have asked me why I put so much effort into making calendars and books featuring my photographs. Some have even asked why they’re so expensive. Those are both fair questions.
The reason I put the time and effort into producing these consumables is that I honestly believe living with art enriches our lives. I want to provide more opportunities for people to have art in their homes. Not everyone can afford to purchase an original print at a gallery price… or so they think. Some see purchasing art as an extravagant or trivial indulgence. Although I disagree, having grown up in a lower middle-class family without a lot of expendable resources, I can understand this perspective. We should prioritize how we spend our hard earned resources. However, if most people were to really examine their budgets, I think they’d find a lot more “extravagant” spending habits than they would want to admit. That’s not a criticism. I’m only recognizing that our money goes with our priorities. For many, art is not a priority.
Our culture has become used to shopping in big box stores where you can find a wide selection of mass-produced decor at a low cost. With this as the norm we’ve conditioned ourselves to think of spending $39.99 for “art” on sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond as reasonable. So, from that mindset, seeing a price tag of several hundred—or even thousands—of dollars on a gallery wall sounds outrageous. However, I think spending $39.99 is a shabby deal if all you’re getting is mass-produced art reproductions that will be out of fashion next season. Spending ten times that on an original work by an artist is a much better investment. Buying something that you’ve connected with on a deeper level than “the colors matched the couch” will be much more enjoyable to live with. It also makes for a much better story. Not to mention, your dollars are supporting an actual artist rather than a giant corporation.
Still, I know that some people are unlikely to be convinced to put real money into art. So, I thought that offering a few other formats might be a good way to bridge that divide (or perhaps be a gateway drug?). A calendar has a practical function, so maybe people won’t feel it’s such an extravagance. You get to live with a different print on your wall each month of the year while also keeping track of your appointments, birthdays and holidays. A book is something you can revisit time and again at your leisure. It gives you the chance to own multiple artwork reproductions at a fraction of the cost of a single original, and it fits easily on your coffee table or bookshelf.
If you’re wondering about my prices, I can assure you I’m not in it for the money. I’m not a big box store that can buy 10,000 units of stock at a bulk discount. For example, it costs me $44 per book to print Abstractions. It costs an additional $7 to ship it. I sell them for $55 at a whopping profit of $4. It is much the same with my calendars and the new STUCCOLAND! book. I am willing to break even on these ventures if it means a few more people have art in their homes. This is truly a labor of love. In an age where we “like” things on social media, and then scroll on and forget about it moments later, it’s worth the extra effort to make my art available in a format that you can hold in your hands and spend more time with.
New Book Details!
So, without further ado, this new 8″x 10″ softcover book features 87 color photographs from my STUCCOLAND! series, photographed in the Phoenix Metro area in the first half of 2018. A brief written introduction provides insight into my inspiration and vision for the series. I designed the book, much like the series, to be very minimalist. The images speak for themselves in an almost full-page layout, accompanied only by page numbers.
You can order your copy directly from the printer by following the link below. Or, while supplies last I am offering two additional options for those interested in a signed copy of STUCCOLAND! For full details and to place your order, follow this link: STUCCOLAND BOOK
Thanks to everyone who offered their encouragement as I pursued this project. Your social media likes, comments and shares were much appreciated as I struggled with pushing out of my comfort zone into unknown territory. A special thank you to my wife, Jessi and to my good friend, Andres who gave me feedback on the book design, layout and image selection during the design process.
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