We have a new Legendary Auction. The fifth of this new season. Discover it! here.
At the highest level
Since last February 17, we have sold 93 original pieces through the Clandestine Auctions. And when I say originals, I mean 93 unique works of art, no prints or limited editions.
If we continue at this rate, the projection for the end of the year will place us at around 600 works Originals sold. It's a very high turnover volume.
Very, very tall.
The other day I started comparing it to the European art market and it would look like this...
EUROPEAN ARTIST RANKINGS
Sales forecast based on available data (Single project / 2025-2026):
- Marroiak (Projection) ~590 pieces (Watercolors, sketches, and mixed media)
- David Hockney: ~300 pieces (Drawings and sketches).
- Damien Hirst: ~270 pieces (Study work).
- Tracey Emin: ~210 pieces (Drawings and mixed media).
- Maseda: ~200 pieces (Contemporary Portrait).
- Yayoi Kusama (this one is not European): ~170 pieces (Unique work on paper).
- Anselm Kiefer: ~110 pieces (Mixed and paper).
- Miquel Barceló: ~100 pieces (Watercolors and ceramics).
- Secundino Hernández: ~80 pieces (Painting and drawing).
Thank you to everyone who bids and to those who are making this small workshop in Oliva achieve something so great.
See you at the Clandestine Auctions
The value of art
Until not so long ago it was very difficult for me to justify the value of art. Even while I was studying Fine Arts...
With so many needs to cover, it seemed to me a bourgeois luxury to end up allocating resources to something because “it's pretty” or because “it excites me”.
But lo and behold, I understood that it's actually the other way around.
First, you give meaning and significance to your life.
And once that's in order is when you can go shopping for sneakers, a new car or a trip to Thailand.
And art gives meaning.
Culture gives meaning.
Greetings - PEACE and Love.
Pd1And in case it was a little dense, I'll tell you a joke.
It is quite good...
Are you ready?
Here we go:
“I'm celiac!”.
“Nice to meet you, I Antoniaco.”.
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Content for subscribers
Oranges
Today I bring you a text that Rodri shared in your newsletter and I liked it a lot.
I always like to use the metaphor of an orange.
I love oranges. Maybe it's because I live in Florida.
It's a very simple metaphor.
You grab an orange and squeeze it as hard as you can.
What's going to come out?
Orange juice.
No matter how many times you squeeze it, apple juice will never come out. Grapefruit juice will never come out.
The only thing that's going to come out is juice. orange.
And the next question is:
Because?
Why is it that when you squeeze an orange as hard as you can, orange juice comes out?
I once asked that question in Toronto. There was a little girl sitting right in the front row.
He looked at me and said, "What a silly question. Because that's what's inside.".
I told him: Well, that's the answer. You're very intelligent.
She smiled, delighted.
But that's the truth.
The reason orange juice comes out when you squeeze an orange is because that's what's inside.
Now let's take the metaphor a little further.
Someone is putting pressure on you.
Someone says something about you that you don't like. Someone treats you in a way that you find offensive. Someone does or says something that hurts you.
And from you comes anger, hatred, bitterness, tension, fear, anxiety, stress.
You immediately say, “This came out of me because of how he spoke to me.” “It was because of the way she said that.” “It was because they did that.”.
But the truth is that what comes out is what's inside.
And if you don't like what's inside, you can change it.
Now, if you ask me how orange juice gets inside an orange, I'd say I don't know…
I can't explain it. It's a mystery to me.
I simply enjoy the oranges of my life and give God the credit for that.
The original text is by Wayne Dyer
Nice, isn't it?
PSToday we have added 3 new originals to this week's auctions. Here >
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Marjal Pego-Oliva illustrated map
Map of the Marjal Pego Oliva Natural Park created for the Pego Tourism Department. It can be obtained for free at the tourist information office.
The big wave
The Great Wave of Kanagawa is perhaps the best known work of the style we usually call Ukiyo-e.
It was published in about 1830 and soon became very popular among European artists and collectors.
The curious thing about Japanese prints is that the process was openly collaborative and several artists and artisans were involved in the process.
Hokusai (the author of the Great Wave) was the one who conceived, planned and executed the drawing, perhaps with some touches of color.
Then a craftsman transferred that drawing to the wooden planks and patiently carved them.
One plate was carved for each color, plus the line (probably 7 in total).
Finally, the printers inked the wooden molds and made the prints.
Thousands of copies were made of each drawing.
How great the Japanese...
Every morning begins a new day
Well, as I said yesterday, every morning I renew my commitment to Art in general and to my work in particular.
As soon as I wake up and while I prepare my coffee, I get ready to start from scratch. With enthusiasm and illusion.
Then, while I drink my coffee, I review the previous day in case any anger or rancor has stayed with me with a wrongly given brushstroke. And I let it go.
And I start a new day.
PSThis tool works better for me than pencils and watercolors. It doesn't wear out, doesn't break and I can take it anywhere.
PS2: Could it be useful to start from scratch every day with a partner, neighbor or family member? I think so...
How to prevent perfectionism from killing your creativity
There is a tool that I introduced some time ago in the workshop that is giving me very good results. Maybe it will help you too.
Because the thing is this:
In a watercolor you can't go wrong. Every brushstroke has to be the right one. There is no way to correct or undo the mistake.
And what happens is that sometimes you give a brushstroke that is not the right one and you spoil the drawing. A drawing that maybe has taken you 15 hours of work...
And you get angry, upset and want to burn down the workshop, open a bar and never touch a paintbrush again.
The irony is that this anger will very easily lead you to give another bad brushstroke and ruin another drawing.
It is a fish that bites its own tail.
The solution
Every morning, as soon as I wake up and while I prepare my coffee, I get ready to start from scratch.
And while I drink my coffee I commit myself to leave behind the bad energy of the previous day and to start from scratch with illusion and serenity.
In fact, it can be applied to everything.
It's not just for those of us who draw.
It works. It is powerful.
Greetings - PEACE and Love.
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Content for subscribers
Little stories from the last book
The book of la Safor is almost three years behind schedule. There are several reasons for this, although there are only two main ones:
Continue reading Batallitas del último libroFalse Shots IV
We already have another Fake Shot (the videos I am making weekly as an audiovisual exercise).
I warn you that it is not a big deal, although there is a detail in the video that I would like to reveal the origin of:
Continue reading Tomas Falsas IV