SITE NOTES

The below notes deal with miscellanious topics related to this website and The Art Story Foundation as a whole.


We're often asked why The Art Story Foundation has opened this site with a focus on Abstract Expressionism. Principally, this is because many of the roots of current art, and of the current art world, can be found in the years when the movement flourished. The period saw a shift in the leadership of modern art from Paris to New York - where, despite increasingly global outlooks, it remains. The movement represented the first self-conscious avant-garde in America - and supplied the last great achievements of modernist painting. Many of the styles and attitudes of the movement's leading figures can still be found in the work of young painters today.


Although the creators of TheArtStory.org understand that breaking down movements and influences into simple statements is a form of simplification, we believe that this step is a required one to make the complex concepts in Modern art palatable for the larger audience that this website is trying to accomodate. Users with advanced understanding of Modern art may find the breakdowns too general, but for those people the website offers further in-depth analysis and references to original sources.


Whenever we look at web images of artworks, it is important to remember that much of the effect that these images have is completely lost when viewed on our computer monitor. This is invariably the case with Abstract Expressionist works where the size, color and surface are key to the appreciation and the experience. Please do not forget this at any point while using this site.

CONTRIBUTORS

Writers:
	Justin Wolf Justin Wolf has a BA from the University of Missouri and a Masters in Liberal Studies from The New School for Social Research. His background includes extensive work in urban education, modern art, criticism, creative non-fiction and editing. Since joining The Art Story in February 09, Wolf has been integral in building the site's sections on modern art theory, galleries, and other entities that he feels are often overlooked in the canon of Abstract Expressionism. But above all, he's proud to be a part of something that celebrates the myriad complexities of modern art through such a comprehensive lens.
	Rachel Gershman Rachel Gershman is a writer, editor and art collections management consultant based in New York City. She holds an M.A. degree in Museum Studies from Columbia University, where she also earned her B.A. degree. Her work with The Art Story expands on her M.A. thesis, which explored methods for making art more accessible to wider audiences. Rachel also brings to The Art Story her long-standing interest in contemporary art and her years spent working in arts publicity.
	Julia Brucker Julia Brucker has an extensive background in art history and education, including over three years as museum educator of the Danforth Museum of Art in Framingham, Mass. She received her M.A. in Art History and a Certificate in Museum Studies from Tufts University. Her passion for modern art brought her to write for The Art Story.
	Ivan Savvine Ivan Savvine has recently earned his Master's degree in Art History from Syracuse University. Born and raised in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, Mr. Savvine studied Linguistics and British-American Literature before pursuing his graduate studies in the history of art. An inveterate enthusiast of Russian Modernism, he brings to The Art Story a thorough understanding of the groundbreaking avant-garde artists often overlooked in the critical understanding of modern art. Based in New York City, Mr. Savvine pursues various freelance writing projects focusing on the theory of architecture and the Russian and German art of the 1920's.
Editors:
	Eve Griffin Eve Griffin is a freelance editor and writer and is currently obtaining an MLS in Archival Studies, with a concentration on variable media in museum archives. She has her MA in Modern and Contemporary Art History from Tufts University and received her BA in Art History from Smith College. She has worked at The Museum of Modern Art in New York where she processed the scrapbooks of Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell, and at the Fogg Museum at Harvard University in the Modern and Contemporary Department.
	Ashley E. Remer With an MA in Art History from the University of Auckland, Ashley E. Remer has worked as an art historian, writer, editor, curator, and critic. Based in both New York City and New Zealand, Ashley is the founder and Head Girl of the newly established Girl Museum Inc., an online museum dedicated to research and exhibiting contemporary and historic representations of girlhood cross culturally. She is committed to exploring innovative delivery of virtual resources for art history education.
Graphic Designers:
	Thomas Reczek Thomas Reczek is a freelance Art Director/Graphic Designer with over 25 years of print and web design experience. He has a BFA in Design Graphics from the New York Institute of Technology and has been the creator of many interactive and functional websites and technology platforms. Mr. Reczek leads graphic design at The Art Story, and has been an integral part of the team that started the foundation. He also volunteers for the Danbury Animal Welfare Society in Bethel, Connecticut.
	Sofia Melnikova Sofia Melnikova is studying in Stieglitz St. Petersburg State Academy of Art and Industry to be an art historian. Her field of study is 18th and 19th century architecture, of which her native St. Petersburg is a live museum. She is also an artist working in watercolors, tempera on wood, and ceramics. Melnikova travels to a range of culturaly and historicaly rich European and Russian cites. She is also a volunteer in Hermitage, one of the best museums in the world. Melnikova brings her graphic design skills to help The Art Story Foundation development efforts.
Programmer:
	Kostiantyn Tsaregradskyi Kostiantyn Tsaregradskyi holds B.Sc. degree in Applied Mathematics from his native Kharkiv, Ukraine. Kostiantyn is very fond of Renaissance artists. Among his interests and hobbies are web programming, airsoft, live action role-playing games, historical reenactment, snowboard, folk and metal music.

SUPPORTERS AND SPECIALIZED EXPERTS

	Alistair Rider Alistair Rider is a Lecturer in Art History at the University of St Andrews. He received his PhD from the University of Leeds, and was a research fellow at the University of York for two years before moving to Scotland. He teaches classes on modern sculpture, critical theory, New York modernism and experimental art of the 1960s. In 2006 he helped edit an anthology of art criticism on Carl Andre (About Carl Andre: Critical Writings since 1965). He has also written a monograph on Andre, which is due to be published by Phaidon Press in 2011. Currently, he is working on two separate research projects. The first is a study of artists from the 1960s and 1970s who have devoted entire careers to a single, ongoing project, and the second is an examination of contemporary art practices that explore environmental and ecological themes without invoking traditional concepts of 'nature'. Dr. Rider's recent book, About Carl Andre: Critical Texts Since 1965, is availble currently at Amazon.com. Alistair Rider has contributed the Carl Andre artist page to The Art Story Foundation.
	Stephen Knudsen Stephen Knudsen has taught University painting, color and design theory, and critical art theory, for 19 years. Knudsen is has an M.F.A. in painting along with a biology degree and has also taught Chemistry and Biology. He has published ground-breaking color theory and has developed the Knudsen Dual Color Wheel used in universities across the country. He has also revised Monroe Beardsley's aesthetics in an essay that is used widely across the campus at the Savannah College Of Art And Design, where he is currently professor of painting. He is a regular writer for Art Calendar Magazine and he exhibits his work internationally. Recent work and published essays can be seen at www.SteveKnudsen.com. Stevek Knudsen contributed the Gustave Courbet artist page to the Art Story Foundation.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

	Morgan Falconer - Senior Writer and Editor Morgan Falconer is a freelance critic, journalist and lecturer. Since completing a Ph.D. on American modernist culture, he has written about contemporary art for publications throughout the world, and he joined The Art Story because it echoes his interest in making modern and contemporary art accessible to a wide audience. His writing appears regularly in the Times (London), Frieze, Art in America, and the Burlington Magazine. He is currently writing a guide to art in New York, to be published by Rizzoli (New York) and Thames & Hudson (London) in 2011. Morgan is also writing a book on the history of painting since 1945, for Phaidon."
	Linda Pedersen - Director of Development and Programming Linda Pedersen is a senior level arts management professional, with extensive experience in arts education and development. Her career has focused on making art appreciation understandable, and relatable, with an emphasis on how art enhances the quality of life for all. Pedersen's background includes curating, and creating art exhibitions and museum level shows. She has served as the Executive Director of several visual arts organizations, including the National Association of Women Artists in New York City.
	Alan Goldstein - Member of the Board of Directors Alan Goldstein is President of The Computer Studio, a software, marketing and web development firm in Yonkers, NY, which he founded in 1986. He has a Masters degree in Engineering from the City University of NY and an MBA from New York University, and an avid interest in art and design. With his extensive professional background in marketing communications and in developing intuitive, user friendly web interfaces, he has helped guide the design and functionality of the website as well as the overall direction of the foundation.
	Michael Zurakhinsky - Founder and President Michael Zurakhinsky is a graduate of Manhattan College, with an MBA from New York University. His background includes extensive experience in web technology, business and finance and a passion for art and literature. Michael has traveled extensively, and brings to The Art Story a deep appreciation and broad understanding of modern art. His frustration with current educational resources covering modern art movements has motivated him to create our new, interactive website.

ABOUT THE ART STORY FOUNDATION

The Art Story Foundation's official statement of purpose is to: "Educate, inform, and introduce people to modern art through speaker series, educational workshops, and online educational resources".


This website's mission is to make modern art more accessible and digestible to the general public by providing information that is easy-to-understand, professionally designed, and logically presented. Modern art requires much from the viewer, but a large time commitment should not be a prerequisite.

The Abstract Expressionist movement is the first movement covered by this website. With time, this website will grow to include more movements, artists, and educational tools to inform our audience.

The Art Story Foundation is an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please feel free to provide suggestions and comments on the information provided on this site, or donate to The Art Story Foundation to help us continue our work.


"The Art Story Foundation is a result of my interest in trying to understand the art that is all around us. After developing a serious interest in Abstract Expressionism and other 20th century American art movements, I found the available sources of information too limited to satisfy my needs. Many excellent art books are too narrow in their scope, and hard to reconcile with other each other. I found similar issues with existing websites and other resources.

I believe the Internet offers a tool that can potentially address all these problems, and bring art education to the 21st century. This website, and the Foundation as a whole, is striving to achieve this goal."

- Michael Zurakhinsky