Danger Dogs from Nepal – Folk Art from the Himalayas
For Immediate Release:
Santa Monica, California
“DANGER DOGS -- FOLK ART FROM THE HIMALAYAS” is the creation of Michelle Page of Santa Monica, who became intrigued by the hand-painted metal "Beware of Dog" signs everywhere she looked on visits to Nepal then decided to start a Fair Trade Art Project. Her motto: ‘Microfinance through Art Patronage’. Danger Dogs are original enamel portraits of dogs on metal signboards, approximately 1’x1’.! Made in Nepal by 56 different artist studios, these signs range from primitive to photo-realistic. These are original works of art, signed by the artist. Michelle has commissioned over 1200 signboards to date. A commissioned portrait of a pet ranges from $250 to $350. John Walsh, Director Emeritus of the Getty (1983-2000) has written: "I have been so delighted by these paintings that I've bought four of them recently. Michelle has found a whole subculture of self-taught artists living in dodgy circumstances in Kathmandu and brought their delightful work to the West. All of them have fluent Nepalese warnings and delicious almost-correct English subtitles. !There is a lot of sophistication here.”! "American Dogs, Nepali Jobs" has become her slogan-- even though her project is international in scope as she has had orders from Canada, Denmark, England, Bangladesh, France, Switzerland and Jordan. "This project is about keeping the artists' dignity and giving work to the artists --!keeping art as a viable profession in this digital age.! Signboard artists are under-appreciated. It is a dying art in one of the last places on earth where it is still widely practiced. This project shows the broad spectrum of talents in Nepal." In America these signboards draw fine art interest, now selling in prestigious museum gift shops. Gallery owners, artists, curators, photographers, critics, writers have all bought these signs. Commissions get 3 choices of their pets – for two reasons: first to give 3 Nepali artists work and second to please the customer. Signboard artists from the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Beni and even Myagdi's Darbang are represented in this project. Michelle has become the world's top collector of such signs. She decided to open a business after noticing inexpensive digitized computer-generated graphics were beginning to replace hand-painted signs. She feared the art and expertise the artists employ would soon be lost to modern technology. Through her efforts, Michelle is effectively saving their livelihoods, one "Danger Dog" at a time to the delight of doglovers everywhere. The signs are shown and are available for purchase in art galleries in Los Angeles, the Craft and Folk Art Museum shop in Los Angeles, and at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. They are also available at shops in West Hollywood and Santa Monica. Please go to www. NepalDog.com to see the full range of works available.
Contact Michelle Page at ampage1@gmail.com or www.NepalDog.com
Danger Dogs from Nepal – Folk Art from the Himalayas Partial list of collectors: Ed Moses – Artist, Venice, Ca Peter Sellars -- Theatre Director, Curator, Santa Monica, CA Alice Waters – Restauranteur, San Francisco, CA Lynda Resnick – Entrepreneur, Los Angeles, CA Michael Vartan – Actor, Los Angeles, Ca Dina Zaphiris – Animal Planet Petfinder, Los Angeles, CA Julia Szabo – Author & Pet Blogger, New York Post Barbara Pokras – Film Reviewer, Woodstock, NY Stephen Bochco – Television Producer, Los Angeles, CA Mary Ellen Mark – Photographer, New York, NY Laurie Frank – Frank Pictures Gallery, Santa Monica, Ca Dr. John Walsh – Director Emeritus 1983-2000, Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Ca Richard Heller – Richard Heller Gallery, Santa Monica, Ca Elsa Longhauser, Director, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, Ca Nancy Main – Dinan Main Gallery, Ojai, Ca Jim Applington – Lotus Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal Amy Coane – Curator, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, Ca Gwen Akin – Photographer, New York City Deborah Irmas – Photography Curator, Santa Monica, Ca Carmen Wallace Guiggia -- Slow Food International, Bra, Italy Noni Pratt – Artist, New York City Shoshona Rose – Rose Gallery, Santa Monica, CA Roy and Hope Turney – Folk Art Collectors, Brentwood, CA Christine Knoke – Curator Asian Art, Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena, CA Randi Steinberg – Documentary Photographer, Santa Monica, CA Sally Howell – Documentary Producer, Los Angeles, CA Bob Murawski – Film Editor, Los Angeles, CA Deborah Gribbon – Director Emeritus, Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA CCH Pounder – Actress, Los Angeles, CA Karin Higa – Senior Curator, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA Suzanne Tennenbaum – Art Collector, Malibu, CA Barbara Davilman – Author, Los Angeles, CA
Exhibitions: September 2007 – Dinan Main Gallery, Ojai, Ca November 2007 – Baryo Fiesta Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal April 2008 – Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA November 2008 – Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA December 2008 – Mountain Bar, Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA December 2008 – Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA March 2009 – Woman’s Club of Hollywood, Hollywood, CA April 2009 – Mama Hillybean Café, Tehachapi, CA April-June 2009 – Big Sky Café, San Luis Obispo, CA May 17, 2009 – Venice Art Walk, Venice, CA
Contact: Michelle Page 310-828-2628 ampage1@gmail.com www.NepalDog.com
Contact Michelle Page at ampage1@gmail.com or www.NepalDog.com