In my blog (DC Art News), I often alert readers to art scammers, those nasty trolls that prey on the good will of artists eager to make a sale. As soon as I out them, I often get an email or two from people who were about the ship the work to the scammer – “He paid me with an international money order” or “He paid me with several credit cards” – so how does the scam work.

First and foremost, be suspicious of any email that comes out of the blue offering to buy your artwork (without any specificity to “what artwork”) and offering to pay for all shipping (usually overseas).

Ask for a phone number to talk to the person – the scammer will usually avoid this and stop communicating. If you’ve been taken and received an international check and taken it to your bank, wait for the check to clear – not just with your bank, but also with the foreign bank where the check is drawn – that’s the usual part that bites back with fakes.

With credit cards, call the issuing bank and express your concerns; if the emailer offers to send you several credit cards and have you run them until one clears… well then, red alert!

Visit www.artscams.com for more details and info: Be aware!

In the DMV, the very talented Zofie Lang‘s first solo exhibition took place at the Margaret W. & Joseph L. Fisher Gallery from April 3 – May 17, 2015 and it was a landmark exhibition for this talented young artist.

We were told the exhibition that “Certain narratives, such as those in fairy tales, have existed for millennia and maintain a grip on our collective imagination. They are refreshed and reiterated, showing up in popular culture in both familiar and novel ways; similar themes also emerge across cultures and generations. Using photography, digital photomontage, and found object assemblage, Zofie Lang’s work reconstructs these narratives visually by extracting their key elements. Zofie examines the underlying meaning of narratives, including the fairy tales she remembers her Polish grandmother telling her as a child and literature that has inspired her. Her assemblages creates new layers of meaning, consisting of a mix of nostalgia and contemplation of our present popular culture.”

In addition to that elegant description of her work and what’s behind it, I would add that there’s an artistic vision in those pieces that in this 21^st century is both the perfect assembly of attention to detail, immense depth of meaning and a demand for time well-spent studying each piece and trying to decipher the works. Look for great things to come from this young artist; she’s definitely one to watch grow over the next few years.

Written by: F. Lennox Campello