From keyboard cats on YouTube to the social networking site facebook one never knows what the next Internet sensation will be, but an Okotoks artist hopes she has the next online hit.
Okotoks artist Erica Neumann launched the web site flippingartgallery.com which is an electronic art gallery tailor-made for people with wall mounted flat screens in their homes.
Instead of having a single painting hanging on their wall site users can have a number of images from an established gallery artist rotating one after another. They can be enjoyed with flipping art’s supplied music or with one’s own downloaded tunes.
While still in its infancy, Neumann explained she has high hopes for her on-line venture.
“Technology is evolving so fast now,” she said. “More and more people are having their flat screen integrated with their computer. A lot of people don’t like having a big blank flat screen on their wall. But I’ve seen some houses where that flat screen is in a lot of rooms and it’s the heart of the house. They control their alarm system on it and they have their computer and television on it.”
As more and more people obtain these multi-functional screens Neumann explained there might also be a greater demand for her flipping art site.
“I am thinking there will be a lot times where people aren’t using any of their devices and the screen is just sitting there and that’s when people can enjoy art,” she said.
The galleries on flippingartgallery.com are similar to rolling screen savers but in this case featuring the officially authorized work of artists not available elsewhere. Neumann tried to start something similar several years ago utilizing art DVDs with limited success, but is convinced on-line offers a better opportunity. She’s currently looking to build awareness of the site to increase her user numbers to the point where the site will start becoming attractive to on-line advertisers.
For flipping art’s start up, Neumann has included on the site a collection of her own wildlife paintings known as “The Painted Bear”. She’s also recruited some fellow artists she knows well including Calgary landscape painter and art instructor Doug Swinton.
“I gave her some photographs that I did,” he said. “I’m going to give her some paintings next.”
Swinton, who regularly paints on site in the Foothills, is currently showing a photograph exhibition “Rust or Bust” on flippingartgallery.com. It’s a compilation of pictures featuring decaying vintage vehicles mostly from the Millarville area.
“They’re all just random cars that are in farmers’ fields,” he said. “It’s funny because I’m actually going out looking for places to paint and I keep coming across these cars and abandoned vehicles. I like the colours that are in them. I like the sort of blues and the rust colours.”
The artist admitted he started snapping just a few photos of the rusting autos while on his outdoor painting excursions. Now it’s become an active pursuit as he tries to hunt down the next weathered old vehicle exuding some personality.
Calgary equine painter Michelle Grant also has her place on the flipping art site with a self-explanatory group of works titled “Horse”.
“Who knows where it’ll go,” Grant said of Neumann’s site. “But when she came up with this idea. I thought, ‘wow that’s very profound.’ It’s very creative and she could be on the leading edge of something big.”
Neumann explained as the site becomes more established she hopes to frequently change her lineup of featured talents. Along those lines she has a place on the site calling on artists to submit their work for consideration. Learn more at www.flippingartgallery.com
