Yesterday, the set of the popular television series “Army Wives” got a special delivery from San Diego. Two paintings by San Diego artist Todd Krasovetz will join the cast at the Lifetime Network for Season Six as it goes into production. While carefully selected art has been essential for quality film production since the days of Cecil B. DeMille and for stage productions since Mozart’s early operas, the way that “Army Wives” selected this new art for its own set is part of important trends that are invigorating the arts, especially here in Southern California.
In an interview today, Krasovetz explained the “Army Wives” team had a studio attorney contact him directly to negotiate a purchase. The two works selected first, “Wings of Hope” and “Hidden Wings” are limited edition reproductions which Krasovetz had on hand. His ability to provide the show with the artwork it wanted quickly was important to securing the contract, as well as the important decision he made to retain the artist’s rights, facilitating a quick and simple agreement between the show and the artist. He has good prospects for further assignments following viewer feedback and fan mail.
For a century, film studios usually rented art used on the set or went to the art equivalent of “central casting,” decorating sets with art that was good quality, but not a perfect match for the show’s theme or audience. Times have changed and it is good news for local artists. The level of information that studios have over their audience and the interaction with many viewers on social media make it possible to select artwork that is ideal for an individual production and enhances the messages that show’s writers and actors want to communicate. And today’s current art market is so robust that studios can be sure they will be able to sell art that has the distinction of being viewed around the world at a significant profit. Read more about television studios’ art purchases at this link about “2 Broke Girls” on CBS.
While Krasovetz has been nationally known as a top tier military art and portrait talent, the momentum of his success and the way it influences online art searches is a major change in the way commercial clients select art. The artist is currently working on a large project for Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. This distinction and the large number of owners of other works by Krasovetz who have circulated good reviews on various websites and linked to Krasovetz’ own web site make his works easy to find and preview on the Internet.
Local artists who would like to sell more art to the entertainment industry and commercial clients like an Air Force Base can give some thought to the tried and tested technique Krasovetz used. It is called marketing. While this has been essential for most business for decades, art schools and most engineering schools rarely mention the subject. Just this week, Chicago based National Art Leasing CEO Josh Ginsberg has launched a 2 part program: "Sales 101 for Artists." Altogether, these trends promise to bring new energy and innovation to the world of contemporary art and earn recognition for San Diego as a city where artists create “outside the box.”
Comments