Email scams about buying art

Back in November I got a scam email from Sarah Blair <[email protected]> and I just got another one from Adam Johnson <[email protected]> so I’m publishing them here as a warning to others. Always google any email address you find suspicious – and be suspicious.

I was almost tricked the first time but could tell from email responses that it was a scam. If you get this in Gmail then report it as phishing and you can also file a report with the FBI/ic3.

Here’s the scam: The person wants to buy art,  sends a check for more than the asking price saying something like they are “sorry her husband had made a terrible mistake and over paid”. They want the artist to cash it and send them the difference. So they get your money with a bad cashier’s check, you owe the bank, and depending on the timing they get your art.

Here’s other online complaints about these “I want to buy your art” scams.

• http://jeannewilliamson.blogspot.com
• http://camplinart.blogspot.com
• https://www.facebook.com/NoyesArtGallery

Here’s the text of the first email:

Hope this message finds you well. I saw these creative works on your website and i will like you to get back with more details if they are still available for purchase.

Motion Study #1373 (Hiroo) and Motion Study #4254 (Pompidou)

I will appreciate an urgent reply.

Best Regards,
Sarah Blair.

Here’s the text of the second email:

Hi,

My name is Adam, I found your Work of arts to be appealing. I am very impressed with it and would be interested in purchasing it .

Could you please send your website to me and let me know your available pieces,a price list and payment options . I’m an art lover/collector and I’m collecting for my personal collections.****.I want any art work at the range of $400 to $500.
Regards.

Notice that i have a shipper already and my method of payment is Check.
Adam

Artists on Hiatus in Canada

Ok, so now in canada they will pay you to NOT be an artist…. or something like that…

Residency for Artists on Hiatus RFAOH is a virtual yet functioning residency available to artists who, for one reason or another, are not currently making or presenting art. The residency will exist in the form of a website, and the resident artists will be selected based on their proposals of “on-hiatus” activities or non-activities through open calls. Selected artists will be represented on the site by a dedicated page on which they may post periodic reports on their endeavours during their residency.

A modest stipend will be awarded to successful applicants ($30 Canadian dollars per month)

via RFAOH – About

Eyebombing – another kind of Interface

A really fun take on similar idea i explore in my Interface series

See the World Differently through Eyebombing… “the best facial recognition software is the human imagination.”

Kim Nielsen and Peter Dam coined the term late last year: “Eyebombing is the act of setting googly eyes on inanimate things in the public space. Ultimately the goal is to humanize the streets, and bring sunshine to people passing by.” Their intentions are contrary to those of traditional tags, which Nielsen and Dam see as “egocentric behavior… using vandalism to [get respect]”; eyebombing is “only about the message itself.”

they mention this great AmEx video in the article too:

Vertorama and iOS 6

I am all about the vertorama. way before iOS got into the game…. But I never used the term before. I have not tried the iOS 6 panorama mode yet but it seems to produce large images so I look forward to trying it out.

So here’s some new places to find my HDR Vertoramas

• Flickr Vertoramas

Some notes from the article:

…Apples new software is also designed to capture vertical panoramas, sometimes called a “vertorama.” These are a bit tricker to capture, since its more natural to pan from left to right than it is to sweep from the ground up particularly if you keep going through a full 240 degrees, requiring a yoga-trained back bend.

and a good suggestion:

…when you browse panoramic images in your iOS photo library, they’re depicted as uniform squares, making them harder to select from.

Comments were fun to read. starting with “Fun, but I’m not sold on the usefulness of vertical panorama”.

Well, if you haven’t noticed, I am sold on it.

That post features a location I’ve been scouting so maybe I’ll knock that one out someday….

via Apples iOS 6 Camera app turns Panoramas on their head.

Indie Photobook Library

I’m honored to have my book, 18 Rue Dugommier: Reginka Cukierman Struzevska,  included in the Indie Photobook Library.

ABOUT THE LIBRARY
The Indie Photobook Library is an archive of self-published and indie published photobooks. This includes DIY, photobooks independently published and distributed, photography exhibition catalogs, print-on-demand photobooks, artist books, zines, photobooks printed on newsprint, limited edition photobooks, and more. The iPL promotes and showcases the books in the collection through international pop-up and feature-length exhibitions, articles, conferences, guest lectures, and also preserves them as a non-circulating public library.

Check out their upcoming show and panel discussion at Carte Blanche Gallery

SFMOMA Artists Gallery: 19th Annual Artists Warehouse Sale

I’ll have a selection of work at this year’s warehouse event…

19th Annual Artists Warehouse Sale
A huge selection of original artworks at a savings of up to 75 percent! Five Days Only
May 9–13, 2012

Preview: Wednesday, May 9, 6–9 pm

Two venues with over 7,000 square feet filled with art: your first chance to purchase at incredible savings! Preview tickets: $10 at the door; free for SFMOMA members.

Additional Sale Hours
Thursday and Friday, May 10 and 11, noon–8 pm
Saturday, May 12, noon–5:30 pm
Sunday, May 13, noon–4 pm