Extraordinary Art Blog Series, Part One: Extraordinary Growth and Development
See ARTmostfiece’s art blog profile or visit the ARTmostfierce art blog.
About this Series
In the process of compiling 100 art blog profiles, and starting what will be an ongoing survey of the art blog scene, we accumulated a whole range of questions we wanted to investigate further.
In the process of compiling over 100 art blog profiles, and starting what will be an ongoing survey of the art blog scene, we accumulated a whole range of questions we wanted to investigate further.
As a part of this series, we have explored how to produce extraordinary art critique with Catherine Spaeth, and providing extraordinarily cohesive coverage with Christopher Reiger from Hungry Hyaena.
ARTmostfierce
I am lucky to be joined for our first discussion by Ruben Natal-San Miguel, who produces ARTmostfierce.
For those of you who do not know Ruben, he is an art collector, photographer, and architect, based in New York. He recently wrote the introduction to The Collectors Guide for Emerging Photography by Humble Arts Foundation.
Peter Cowling (PC)
We first came across ARTmostfierce, via Modern Art Obsession (see also our MAO art blog review). You have previously cited MAO as being a form of mentor. To what extent did MAO inspire you to blog?
RNSM
I started posting comments on MAO’s blog, which led me to meet, share information, and become friends with MAO. Since I was more interested in collecting and promoting Emerging Art and Artists, focusing more in photography, I felt the need to have my own voice.
PC
What other factors do you think compelled you to start blogging?
RNSM
I am more social, engaging, and outgoing than most art collectors tend to naturally be, which I find increases my opportunities. I am constantly involved in many different events, and my blog is just a pure reflection of who I am and what transpires around my journey through the art world – most of which occurs in Manhattan NYC.
PC
What is the main focus of ARTmostfierce?
RNSM
ARTmostfierce aims to help the art business thrive, not to bring it down. Also, I try to share my thoughts and views on collecting affordable art.
PC
That is an interesting thing you say about not bringing the art business down. One thing that really got us hooked with your art blog from the first visit was the energy and positivity of your writing. In that respect alone, it has been no surprise to see your art blog become so popular, so quickly. When I looked over the last year of your entries recently, the other aspect that stands out is how the scale and depth of your writing has changed – particularly most recently with things like The Current State of the ART Market Series.
RNSM
The idea of the State of the ART Market Series is to inform, share, and promote professionals from all different levels in the art business. It is also to provide a sense of perspective and methodology. I greatly respect the talented people I am interviewing, and the ambition is to use the information we derive and extract to encourage other people in the art business.
PC
That is a great idea, particularly right now…
RNSM
The interview series had been well received and it has generated a lot of positive feedback – something we need now more than ever. There is a lot negativity out there now, and some other blogs tend at times to thrive on that. I try at all times to bring the most positive aspects of the art business.
PC
Do more changes lie ahead for ARTmostfierce?
RNSM
I have been really busy lately, advising artists, non-for profit organizations, other collectors, and art dealers, so I decided to add a contributor to my blog. Her name is Sarah Scrafford, who is at currently at college as an art student. I want to expand the network and blog views and I always welcome fresh ideas and new views to the blog. I think that, with Sarah being an art student, she can bring that. Checkout Sarah’s first blog entry.
PC
What other art blogs do you look at for inspiration today?
RNSM
Well there are a few. I like Ed Winkelman, MAO, Intrepid Art collector, Zoe Strauss, Not butif when (Brian Ulrich), I heart photography, Art Fag City and Amy Stein.
PC
And to what extent do they factor in any decision about where you look to take your own art blog?
RNSM
ARTmostfierce is different from all those blogs. I want my blog to be like a NYC subway ride, fast, flashy, and full of content – a pure reflection of my life in NYC: fast and furious!
PC
Is there a difference between the art blogs that inspire you, and those that you read for fun?
RNSM
Well…being in Manhattan resident for over 10 years, I do read some bitchy blogs sometimes …just for kicks, and not to focus my energies on that. Art Fag City, Zoe Strauss, and even MAO can be funny at times. New York City is full of sarcastic types and that translates at times in their blogs very well.
PC
Yep, I find a lot of humour in some of the art blogs out there – there is a ‘Not Damien Hirst’ one that made me laugh the other day, but I cannot remember the address anymore… Anyhow, would you say you there is a common underlying factor that mainly attracts you to art – i.e. aesthetical, observational, theoretical, social – or is it a combination of factors?
RNSM
Art has saved my life in so many different ways throughout different stages of my life. As an adolescent, I could tune anybody out by going to museums and galleries even making my own art. During college studying Architecture, all my design projects were of high artistic quality. I was able to do art installations, graphics, painting etc.
I was inside the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks and survived. Art was the most healing vehicle following that experience. From that point on, I could not paint or be involved in any art form for a while. But, at that point, I became passionate about photography; the world became extremely visual, and of the moment for me. Photography provides the most fast and efficient view of the times that we currently live now. Art not only beautifies…it helps to heal!
PC
You are one of a relatively small number of people who both collects art and blogs about it. We can think of a few reasons why more art collectors do not blog: lack of time and motivation being two obvious factors, and the desire to keep what they know to themselves being another.
With those things in mind, how do you fit everything into your schedule; would you say you are good organisationally, or is it more of an on-the-fly, get-it-done approach?
RNSM
I would say I do both. Living in Manhattan, NYC, there never enough time for most things you would like to do. Yes, I am extremely organized about it, and when I want to gather information for a blog post, I have a set of rules in place. To be a blogger, you have to have a good marketing sense, and writing skills if you are to communicate the topics at hand in the most precise and proper manner. Sometimes, just a simple quick observation might just do the job. Still, I end up with so many things that I would like to talk about, but never enough time.
PC
What benefits do you find blogging as an art collector has generally brought you?
RNSM
The blog is a good tool and the way you conduct, communicate and drive it through the net can open many doors, but, if not done correctly, can close many. Diplomacy is a key word for me when blogging.
PC
So when you say diplomacy…
RNSM
Beyond being courteous to visitors, and trying to be fair in my writing, I do look out for negative feedback – placed on my ARTmostfierce or wherever. If I find any, I am pretty certain to get in contact with the other party, to try and straighten things out.
PC
…Okay cool
RNSM
So one ongoing benefit is being able to promote and bring to light, work from artists that I find interesting, affordable, and that, in my opinion, are worth collecting.
PC
And what about specific opportunities?
RNSM
It has also enabled me to connect with professionals at all levels in the art business, and even collaborate with artists in projects. I just finished collaboration with Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas about the Puerto Rican flag and its identity – my own voice is part of the video presentation to be shown in April in La Vilette Museum in Paris, France. We met when I interviewed her for Artmosfierce blog during the Lucie Foundation Awards in which she received an award for photojournalism. She me told about the project during the interview, and I told her that I photographed Upper Manhattan, and that they were places for her to see the flag there. The collaboration started that way, so this is one of the many ways the blog has paid off for me.
PC
Do you have any particular highlights over the time you have been blogging that stand out; any entries that you are particularly proud of?
RNSM
Nothing satisfies me more when I endorse a piece of art and people run with it. There has been several of those. I think right now my State of the ART Market Series is one of my favorite aspects to the blog.
PC
I have been amazed by how many quality art blogs are produced. The quality of writing, level of insight, and scope of coverage really took us a little by surprise. I mean, before we got into it, we were reading about 60 or so art blogs on a regular basis, and had no idea how many more there are.
We have since found over 400 art blogs, and are sure that must be in excess of 1,000 in total. Of all those blogs, I have only read two that I would never read again.
Looking across the scene, all the generic factors as to why a blog is popular tend to stand out – perhaps the three big aspects being as simple as:
• Well written
• Knowledgeable about the subjects covered
• Outgoing, engaging authors/hosts
But do you think it is as simple as the art blogs with the best-written, most insightful content always rise to the top? Or do you think that, as in the real world, networking has a role to play?
RNSM
That is an interesting question. From my own personal experience, all I can say is that I look to take every opportunity to make sure my true personality is reflected on the blog – from the color scheme, to my own photographic work on the blog header, which I change most weeks.
Networking is a plus…a big plus. You have to possess the personality to get involved in networking, and to translate it into a blog. In my case, a lot of people know me personally, and in my case it sort of helps, because I like to engage with others and have an open personality.
Some bloggers hide behind the name of the blog and in public nobody knows who they are. In such cases, people like to remain anonymous for their own personal reasons. That is a personal choice and there are some very successful blogs based on that idea. In my case, I created the name ARTmostfierce to reflect the fast pace aspect of my life in NYC and its relations with the Art market here. So, my name is Ruben Natal-San Miguel, and ARTmostfierce is the brand.
PC
What would be your advice to people just starting out on their blog, in terms of getting themselves known to other bloggers and readers, and is there anything you can do to combine your online and real world efforts?
RNSM
Read, Read and Read! Read all the other blogs. Also, have your own purpose and unique voice. This is not a competitive thing, at least not for me, of who has the best blog; it is about having your own niche and making sure you nurture it with a passion and true purpose.
