Monday, July 7, 2014

Recently, Sam Blain had this to say about Peter Simek's article, "The Most Successful Dallas Artist Ever"  (David Bates) which appeared in DMagazine.com, in February 2014:

"I'm still trying to digest this article, since February...and, it's just not happening. Perhaps it's the title of the article. I realize, David Bates is getting quite a bit of press; but, to say he's the "most successful Dallas artist ever" is really stretching things. Maybe Peter Simek is able to pull this off with D Magazine, since it's a regional publication. For historical reasons, the story still doesn't play right. There have been artists in Dallas' past who have gained much more international prominence in the art world, than David Bates...which almost makes this Simek article appear to be a publicity piece, rather than an article of any historical merit. It's not fair to David Bates and his work, it's not fair to dealers representing him... and, it's certainly not fair to a quite a number of other Dallas artists...such as: Jim Brooks (pioneer member of the Abstract Expressionists), Noel Mahaffey (pioneer member of the Sharp Focus Realists), James Surls, Chapman Kelley (whose Wildflower Works projects have probably had more international press coverage than any Dallas artist in history), Everett Spruce, Bob Yarber and Alexandre Hogue. I'm happy for David Bates' success; and, I'm sure he'll even grow, stylistically, in the years to come. I think we can count on it; but, to say he's the "most successful Dallas artist ever" is absolutely delusional."

3 comments:

  1. This guy doesn't know Art why D ever hired him is because he writes well while Dallas artist are like Film or TV personalities And yet talent captures the rose the detail and essence of a flower in detail or smattering while Dallas artist are few nationality where David Bates makes Olin Travis look shallow it was Thomas hart Benton who knew Dallas to artist and then Bob Wade who really made Dallas the T in Texas so with Regionalism and Pop or Funk what ever gerne TV made Dallas in the Modern age and fine art is for hermits

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  2. James Surls became the alexander Calder of Texas sculpture then in years made great dynamic moves while he left Dallas for Houston not to look back realizing the waste Dallas became with it's epedimic snobbery that is brutal and imature and he was right as Dallas is lost in the found department of great success in the beginning then some scandal in the end while Surls moved on again only to become bigger and better but still in debt such is Great Sculpture.

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