From Montréal, Kasini House Continues Art Biz in Vermont

In this week’s cover story [1], businessman/philanthropist Lyman Orton extols the virtue of artists’ learning how to market themselves. It’s a skill that many right-brained types notoriously lack — and aren’t sure how to cultivate. But Ric Kasini Kadour and Christopher Byrne have quietly been pushing artists’ self-sufficiency for years. As noted here recently, in December the two closed up their Burlington gallery and shop, Kasini House [2], on North Street. They have been transitioning their art-dealing and publishing business to Montréal, where both live full-time. However, Kadour assures, the duo’s other Vermont projects will continue.

One of those has been hosting a monthly Burlington gathering that gives local artists a salon-style opportunity to share and discuss their work and trade tips for turning their talent into a livelihood. In fact, says Kadour, “We’re planning on ramping up the meet-ups and other professional development work we do with artists.”

The networking events will resume under the umbrella of the Vermont Art Works Initiative [3], still in development. Kadour adds, “We want Vermont to be a place to make art, and Vermont to be an art destination. We want Vermont artists to be professionals who make a livable wage.”

In 2005, Kadour and Byrne published the Vermont Art Guide [4], a resource for finding contemporary art — though, with galleries coming and going, it was soon outdated. Kadour says the 2009 edition will appear this summer, accompanied by a website, as will the Vermont Contemporary Art Annual, which will review both artists and galleries throughout the state.

For the greater Burlington area, the monthly ArtMap [5] is an au courant guide to galleries and other art venues that participate in the First Friday Art Walk [6] — which Kadour and Byrne also continue to produce. And Kadour has an occasional gig giving artist talks at Stowe’s West Branch Gallery [7].

In other words, closing the North Street gallery was akin to moving just “one of the rooms in Kasini House,” Kadour emphasizes. He and Byrne plan to open a new gallery in Montréal this spring, which will feature Vermont, New England and Canadian artists.