​Rochester Art Collectors partnered with Rochester Contemporary Arts Center to REVEAL the results of Rochester's first fantasy art collecting game, Red Dot Challenge, Season 1, on February 5th. 

This program was held during the Rochester Contemporary Arts Center's 34th Annual Members Exhibition.

Bleu Cease, Executive Director/Curator of Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, welcomed the group and kicked off the evening with background about the 34th Annual Members Exhibition before introducing Rome Celli, organizer of Rochester Art Collectors and gamemaster for Red Dot Challenge, Season 1.

Rome Celli thanked all the people who helped develop and support Red Dot Challenge, Season 1. Then he provided a brief background about the game, described the rules of the game and introduced Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players by matching them with their Fantasy Art Collections using a slideshow presentation (see below).

Each player, in turn, had a chance to talk about their fantasy art collection, what inspired them, any goals or themes for their collections and how they responded to the game itself. The final slides in the presentation provided a statistical summary of gameplay activity.

Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
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Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

It's all over! After three months of gameplay Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 ended last night, January 31, 2025 at 11:59pm.

Nearly 100 works of art worth over $49,000 were identified by players for their respective fantasy art collections during gameplay resulting in an average of slightly over $500/work of art. ​On average more than one work of art was identified for each day of gameplay. Two players dropped out without having identified any works of art during gameplay. Of the ten players who added works to their fantasy art collections the average was ​just under ten works​ for each player. Player #5 identified 18 works. Player #1 identified only six works (one short of the game minimum).

I suppose it should come as no surprise to anyone that Week #13 - the second to last week of gameplay (Tuesday, January 21st through Monday, January 27th) - was very quiet. Two players posted one work each to their respective fantasy art collections.

Player #1 is just one item shy of filling their seven work minimum contribution. Failure to identify that last work before the end of gameplay would quite disappointing.

Players #6 and #8 have yet to identify any works of art for their fantasy art collections. The big mystery right now is whether either player will participate at all. With only a handful of days left in gameplay their prospects look quite dim indeed.  Gameplay ends at 11:59 pm on Friday, January 31st.

Here's the breakdown of gameplay from Week #13:

• Player #11 added one work valued at $40 to Fantasy Art Collection #11.
• Player #12 added one work valued at $2,500 to Fantasy Art Collection #11.

CLICK HERE to take a look at each of the players fantasy art collections to get a sense of what sorts of works the players have identified.
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​CLICK HERE to see a complete list of the Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players. ​​

Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

​Week #12 (Tuesday, January 14th through Monday, January 20th) saw a burst of gameplay activity! Six players identified twelve works of art with a combined value of over $6,000 for their respective fantasy art collections this past week. In total, since gameplay began on November 1, 2024, 96 works worth over $45,000 have been identified by all the players.

In particular, Player #4 posted two works to their fantasy art collection and, in doing so, joined eight other players to meet or exceed the seven work minimum called for in the rules. 

Here's the breakdown of gameplay from Week #12:

• Player #1 added one work valued at $955 to Fantasy Art Collection #1.
• Player #3 added two works valued at $220 to Fantasy Art Collection #3.
• Player #4 added two works valued at $400 to Fantasy Art Collection #4.
• Player #9 added one work valued at $200 to Fantasy Art Collection #9.
• Player #10 added one work valued at $800 to Fantasy Art Collection #10.
• Player #11 added five works valued at $4,320 to Fantasy Art Collection #11.

​CLICK HERE to take a look at each of the players fantasy art collections to get a sense of what sorts of works the players have identified.

​CLICK HERE to see a complete list of the Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players. ​​

Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

Week #10 (Tuesday, December 31st through Monday, January 6th) saw a nice uptick in gameplay compared to the prior week. Four players identified seven works of art with a combined value of $5,650 for their respective fantasy art collections. In total, 80 works worth over $36,000 have been identified by the players since gameplay began on November 1, 2024.

​At this point in the game half of the players have met all the requirements to complete gameplay. Four of the players are close to reaching the same goal.  Two players have yet to post any works to their respective fantasy art collections.

Here's the breakdown of gameplay from Week #10:

• Player #2 added one work valued at $150 to Fantasy Art Collection #2.
• Player #3 added two works valued at $200 to Fantasy Art Collection #3.
• Player #11 added two work valued at $3,400 to Fantasy Art Collection #11.
• Player #12 added two works valued at $1,900 to Fantasy Art Collection #12.

​CLICK HERE to take a look at each of the players fantasy art collections to get a sense of what sorts of works the players have identified.

​CLICK HERE to see a complete list of the Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players. ​

Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

After three very busy weeks of gameplay Week #9 (Tuesday, December 24th through Monday, December 30th) was quiet. It's not surprising since Week #9 fell within the Christmas-New Years period of time. Players can be forgiven for focusing other matters, right?!

Just one player posted works to their fantasy art collection this past week.

Here's the breakdown from Week #2:

• Player #7 added two works valued at $625.00 to Fantasy Art Collection #7.

​CLICK HERE to take a look at each of the players fantasy art collections to get a sense of what sorts of works the players identified.

​CLICK HERE to see a complete list of the Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players. 

Week #8 (Tuesday, December 17th through Monday, December 23rd) saw another very strong week of gameplay. It was the second most active week of Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 so far.

Four players added a total of twelve items to their fantasy art collections over the past week. The value of items players identified for their fantasy art collections totaled $5,150. 10 of 12 players have added 68 works valued at $29,745 to their fantasy art collections since gameplay began on November 1st.

Here's the breakdown from Week #8:

• Player #3 added one works valued at $150 to Fantasy Art Collection #3.
• Player #5 added five works valued at $1,750 to Fantasy Art Collection #5.
• Player #7 added five works valued at $950 to Fantasy Art Collection #7.
• Player #10 added one work valued at $945 to Fantasy Art Collection #10.

As you scroll through the numbers and graphs below take a close look at those players who have met or exceeded the minimum collecting requirements of Red Dot Challenge, Season 1.  Then consider each of the player's collecting strategies. Some have opted for a higher number of works while others a higher value for each work. How would you approach collecting art: more works or higher valued work?

​CLICK HERE to take a look at each of the players fantasy art collections to get a sense of what sorts of works the players identified.

​CLICK HERE to see a complete list of the Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players. 

Week #7 (Tuesday, December 10th through Monday, December 16th) is just about the halfway point in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1. There are seven more weeks to go until the end of gameplay on January 31, 2025.

As you read this post and scroll through the various fantasy art collections keep in mind players must identify AT LEAST seven works of art for each of their fantasy art collections before the end of gameplay on January 31, 2025. The players are permitted to include more than seven so long as they stay within their respective fantasy art budgets.

We had another burst of gameplay this past week. Five of the players added a total of thirteen items to their fantasy art collections. The value of items players identified totaled $5,250. Since gameplay began on November 1st 10 of 12 players have added 59 works valued at $24,595 to their fantasy art collections.​

Here's the breakdown from Week #7:

• Player #1 added three works valued at $235 to Fantasy Art Collection #1.
• Player #2 added one work valued at $40 to Fantasy Art Collection #2.
• Player #3 added two works valued at $125 to Fantasy Art Collection #3.
• Player #9 added six works valued at $4,450 to Fantasy Art Collection #9.
• Player #10 added one work valued at $400 to Fantasy Art Collection #10.

Most of the players are acquiring works at a pace well ahead of schedule with six out of twelve players having already identified at least five items at the halfway point of gameplay. Player #5 has clocked in with 13 items in their fantasy art collection leaving plenty of fantasy dollars to spare. Player #9 has completed the minimum requirement of seven items and they, too, have fantasy dollars still in hand. Player #12 is posting at pace with the gameplay calendar. Four items have been identified since the beginning of gameplay. Player #11 has only identified two works. Players #6 & #8, on the other hand, are holding back. Neither has posted a single item for their fantasy art collections. The three players at the very bottom of gameplay activity have some serious work ahead of them.

If you look closely at player expenditures, it becomes apparent most of the players are taking a very conservative tack. The results so far indicate players are keeping their expenditures relatively low and, as a result, their financial reserves are high. Are they playing it safe to make sure they don't run out of resources before they meet the minimum? OR are they following Player #5's lead and planning to assemble larger collections than the required minimum? We'll have to wait-and-see...

Let's breakdown player expenditures based on the three fantasy art budget categories: To refresh, there are three fantasy art budget categories: $1,000; $5,000 and $10,000. Four players are collecting in each of the three categories.

The four players in the $1,000 budget category have identified 22 pieces with total expenditures of $2,000 out of a $4,000 maximum in this fantasy art budget category. As of this week their average is just $90.91 per item collected; very conservative. There's quite a bit of headroom in this group for extra acquisitions in each of the fantasy art collections associated with this category. 

In the $5,000 fantasy art budget category players have spent a total of $5,080 on 18 works. $20,000 is the combined maximum expenditure for all the players in this budget category.  The average value per item in this group comes in at only $282.22. BUT, remember, players #6 & #8 haven't identified any works at all thus far. So, in this category a calculation of the average expenditure isn't particularly instructive. Looking only at the two players who HAVE posted works, they are accumulating them at very modest prices. Both have room to build up their respective collections beyond the minimum number, if they choose.

In the highest fantasy art budget category the players have expended just $17,515 out a combined cap of $40,000. All four players in the $10,000 fantasy budget category have posted choices; seventeen in all. The average value per piece is $1,030.29. Like most of the other players in Season 1, there's lots of room for these players to expand their fantasy art collections; unless they start spending a lot more on each work of art going forward.
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The week ahead may well see another burst of gameplay. "Small Show" at Lumiere Photo and "Small Works" at Main Street Arts are both set to close this coming Saturday, December 21st. That puts pressure on players to make sure they've identified all the works they're interested in at those two venues. Why? In order to qualify for the game a work of art must be on public display at the time of submission.

Players #6, #8 & #11, the clock is ticking!

Week #6 (Tuesday, December 3rd through Monday, December 9th) was EXPLOSIVE!

Six players added TWENY-FOUR items valued at $10,345 to six fantasy art collections. Week #6 was the easily the most active week of gameplay to date.

The next few weeks promise to deliver very exciting gameplay. Dozens of new exhibitions opened on Friday, December 6th including the biggest exhibition of the season, Rochester Contemporary's "Members Exhibition" with over 460 pieces! Two of the larger shows that opened last month ("Small Show" at Lumiere Photo and "Small Works" at Main Street Arts) will close on December 21st. That puts pressure on players to make sure they've identified all the works they're interested in at those two venues before the exhibitions close. In order to qualify for the game a work must still be public display at the time of submission.
 
Here's the breakdown from Week #6:

• Player #2 added two works valued at $245 to Fantasy Art Collection #2.
• Player #4 added three works valued at $320 to Fantasy Art Collection #4.
• Player #5 added TEN works valued at $2,360 to Fantasy Art Collection #5.
• Player #7 added FIVE works valued at $1,895 to Fantasy Art Collection #7.
• Player #10 added two works valued at $3,925 to Fantasy Art Collection #10.
• Player #12 added two works valued at $1,600 to Fantasy Art Collection #12.

Now that the players have accumulated quite a bit in their fantasy art collections, in addition to seeing the numbers on a spreadsheet, we think it will be helpful to see gameplay illustrated through graphic representations. So, starting this week followers on this site will see seven graphs:

• The week-by-week look at the number of works collected by players.
• The week-by-week look at the amount expended by players on their fantasy art collections.
• A comparison of the total number or works collected by each player so far.
• The percentage each player's fantasy art budget that has been expended by each player so far.​
• A look at players' gameplay expenditures grouped by fantasy budget levels ($1,000; $5,000; and $10,000).  The total fantasy dollar amount expended by each player and the average fantasy dollar amount expended on each work by each player.

Week #5 (Tuesday, November 25th through Monday, December 2nd) was relatively quiet:
​

• Player #1 added two works valued at a total of $150 to Fantasy Art Collection #1.

The next few weeks promise to deliver very exciting gameplay. Starting on Friday, December 6th many new exhibitions will be open to the public and with them hundreds of works will be fair game. We expect players to be out in force!

Week #4 (Tuesday, November 19th through Monday, November 25th) was relatively quiet.
​​

• Player #3 added one work valued at $125 to Fantasy Art Collection #3.

Week #2 (Tuesday, November 5th through Monday, November 11th) brought nine photographs of artworks into five fantasy art collections.
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Interestingly, during Week #2 is two of the players posted works by the same artist, Judy Gohringer. All four of Judy's works were identified and photographed by the two players in her studio at the Anderson Arts Building. Bravo, Judy!

• Player #2 added one work valued at $175 to Fantasy Art Collection #2.
• Player #3 added one work valued at $100 to Fantasy Art Collection #3.
• Player #4 added three works valued at $95 to Fantasy Art Collection #4.
• Player #5 added three works valued at $825 to Fantasy Art Collection #5.​
• Player #11 added one work valued at $800 to Fantasy Art Collection #11.

* Bold indicates gameplay activity over the last seven days although the numbers are cumulative since the beginning of gameplay on November 1, 2024.

Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay began on Friday, November 1st.

There are many ways to follow and participate in the game. We know most people will be following the fantasy art collections. That's great! Updates to the fantasy art collections will be posted on "Red Dot Mondays" (every Monday during gameplay).

If you love tracking box scores, stocks and other stats, you'll love the weekly Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 recap posts.

Each week we'll focus in on the numbers. How many players added how many pictures of art to their fantasy art collections? How much did they expend from their fantasy art budgets to add those pieces? What's left in their budgets? What are all the totals since gameplay began? When the numbers begin to mount, we'll take a look at the averages and comment on the players' strategies. Eventually, we'll breakdown gameplay in each of the three fantasy budget categories: $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000. Fun, right?! We think so, too.
. 
Let's get starting right now...

Week #1 (Friday, November 1st through Monday, November 4th) saw three players post pictures of four artworks to their fantasy art collection albums on Facebook. (Click here to see the choices and find the fantasy art collections.) Each player must identify at least seven works of art during gameplay: November 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025.

Players rushed to visit many of the dozens of venues exhibiting artworks for sale in the six county metropolitan Rochester area starting on "First Friday". After their visits players posted and shared their activities on Instagram (Click here to find the players.) so followers could see where they were and which works of art they were considering for their fantasy art collections. 

​One picture was added to Fantasy Art Collection #9. This player has a fantasy budget of $10,000. The work chosen was priced at $450 leaving $9,550 in that player's fantasy budget.

One picture was added to Fantasy Art Collection #11. This player has a fantasy budget of $10,000. The work chosen was priced at $1,440 leaving $8,560 in that player's fantasy budget.

Two pictures were added to Fantasy Art Collection #12. This player has a fantasy budget of $10,000. The works chosen total $1,800 leaving $8,200 in that player's fantasy budget.​

Each fantasy art collection is associated with a player. The players have been identified <here> but not which fantasy art collection they are assembling. Followers are challenged to match the players with their fantasy art collections.

Click here to find out how to match each player with their fantasy art collection.

The first week of gameplay will be reviewed and discussed in some detail during the inaugural Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 podcast, <<<outside the frame>>>, on Tuesday, November 12th at 7pm. Details <HERE>.

​​We are super-excited to post the Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players list.  As you scroll down read a little bit about each player's background and get their Instagram link. Those Instagram links will come in handy during gameplay!

The players are listed below in alphabetical order. The order of the list is no indication of which player is associated with which fantasy art collection. The players' numbers, fantasy art collections and budget amounts will only be disclosed at the public REVEAL event in February, 2025 (details TBA).

​Why, you ask?

Well, one of the ways you can participate in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is to follow the players' Instagram accounts to see if you can match up what the players are posting on Instagram with what is being posted in the official Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 collection albums HERE on Facebook. Match players with their fantasy art collections to WIN!

​Gameplay begins on November 1, 2024. Gameplay ends on January 31, 2025.

Yes, her name is Jappie.

Her grandfather’s name was Jasper and his nickname was "Jap". He had 4 daughters. Jappie's mother was the youngest. Jap invented the name "Jappie" for her mom and her mom gave it to Jappie.

King was her father’s last name and Black her husband’s. All together they are what she considers her real name. Her husband suggested that she add his name to hers so that when names were alphabetized for exhibitions hers would be first. That doesn’t always work since her name is sometimes placed with the Ks. She says she doesn’t hyphenate her last name because that costs extra to print.

Jappie moved around a lot as a child with her parents, 1st to Argentina then back to the states, later to Mexico. She's a graduate of the Ateneo Fuente/Universidad de Coahuila and the Interlochen Arts Academy and has a BFA in Textile Design from Rhode Island School of Design as well as a MFA in Fibers from Syracuse University. Jappie was a tenured professor commuting to NJ from Brockport for nearly a decade. She may have felt somewhat rootless in the past, but at this point she has lived in New York longer than anywhere else in her life.

Jappie is now retired from teaching and spends her creative energy making and exhibiting her visual art.

Instagram @jkbreddot (Jappie King Black)

​​Richard Glaser is a community activist and organizer. Richard is passionate about emerging artists from under-represented communities in Rochester and is the founder of RocGrowth. He proudly sports a tattoo with the Flour City logo containing a heart. He lives downtown and calls it his neighborhood.







​Instgram: @richardglaser (Richard Glaser)

Reaghan is a fiber, ephemera, and microscopy artist focused on the re-use of found materials and tactile art. He is a proud volunteer for Rochester Contemporary Art Center and an avid art collector. A voracious book nerd, he spends his free time researching human-made disasters.




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Instagram: @reg_droid (Reaghan McCan)

Paul began his art career photographing people and still life in high school. With his entire family working at Eastman Kodak, it came very naturally to him. He completed his degree at RIT in Professional Photographic Illustration, and started photographing professionally in 1989. From 1989 to 2003, Paul concentrated his business in Rochester, NY, photographing for clients including Wegmans Food Markets, Eastman Kodak, Chase Pitkin, Circuit City, and other local businesses. In 2003, Paul took a job in the Federal Government and moved to Washington DC, where he currently resides.
​
Paul's current position is Lead Photographer/Videographer for the U.S. Department of Education, where he has worked for 21 years. He splits his time between DC and Rochester, where his family continues to reside.

Paul has explored the intersection of fine art and photography for some time, exhibiting in DC, Rochester, Colorado, California, and various other states. 

Michelle & Paul are playing as a team. They are considered ONE player in Season 1.

Instagram: @mlmgraphic (Michelle L. Miller)

Mike was born under the sun, inches from the ocean: in the coastal Haitian city of St Marc. His involvement with photography started at age 14. By seventeen, he was already doing on-site portraiture as a business.​

Mike came to Brooklyn, NY in July 1971. He used my  his first paycheck from a summer job to buy a photographic darkroom set that he used at night in the bathroom while everybody was sleeping. (He was enrolled in a correspondence photographic course with Modern Photography.) By September, while attending New York Technical College to study chemistry, he had started a (successful) wedding and portrait business.


Upon graduation Mike was recruited by Eastman Kodak Company and moved to Rochester, NY in 1974. Mike traveled extensively as a Kodak employee around the US and on a few international trips. On every trip he arranged a vacation day to photograph each city he visited. He has amassed a large library of landscape scenes. 

Mike describes himself as a photo-artist, not a photojournalist. He does not report, inform, nor teach unless a particular project draws him to that approach. He wants to evoke your senses, your emotions, your feelings. He wants to stimulate, project, induce, provoke, excite, perk up, animate, arouse.

Mike had a successful scientific career as a chemist and executive (Michel (Mike) F. Molaire | LinkedIn):

• A prolific inventor holding 67 US Patents. Author of numerous scientific publications and presentations.
• Senior Research Associate Chemist/Project Manager at the Eastman Kodak Research Laboratories (36 years).
• CEO and Founder of Molecular Glasses, Inc., developing novel  organic semiconductors materials for OLED television (nine years).
• CEO, EarlyDetek Inc, developing screening tests for early detection of cancer and other diseases, to save lives and reduce health care cost (7 months).
• Principal, and Founder of  Molaire Consulting LLC (14 years).

Mike is author and publisher of:

•  African American Who's Who Past & Present, Greater Rochester Area 12/1/1998.
• Shadow of Dreams (poetry) 12/1/1995. 
• Plus Pres (Nearer) (poetry) 12/1/1968
• La Vie des Oiseaux Morts (The Life of the Dead Birds) (poetry) 12/1/1965.

Instagram: @mikemolairefineart (Michel (Mike) Frantz Molaire)

Susan & Seth are now fully retired and loving it. They enjoy art, traveling, reading, and walking.

Susan  taught art in public school for 30 years. She creates art and also is an art collector.

Seth formerly owned and operated a Rochester-based printing company for 30 years. His dog is named Cayenne Pepper and he drives an EV.






​
​Seth & Susan ​are playing as a team. They are considered ONE player in Season 1.

Instagram: @sethoze (Seth Oser)

* Susan & Seth participated in the Pilot Season of Red Dot Challenge in 2023-2024.

​Nancy has been a working artist and educator in the Rochester area for too many years for her to count. Her professional experiences have included teaching visual arts at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels as well as leading professional development workshops for teachers and art workshops for adults in the community.

Because of her many wonderful art experiences and interactions with other artists, she has come to greatly value Rochester's extraordinary arts community.

As a working artist, Nancy has engaged with many visual art forms & media including painting, graphic design, sculpture, metal-smithing, glass, ceramic sculpture and, most recently, printmaking.

Nancy maintains a studio/gallery in Rochester in Village Gate as well as an outdoor studio in rural Greenwood, NY, a source of great inspiration for her work.

Instagram: @nancy.valle.1 (Nancy Valley)

Matt is an artist, curator and New York State certified educator practicing in Rochester, New York. He also creates artworks; facilitates arts programming; writes about art; talks about art and curates art exhibitions in collaboration with a variety of local organizations that include The Yards Art Collective, Rochester Artist Collaborative  and Frank’s Chop Shop.

Matt owns Hungwell Art Services which specializes in installing art in homes and businesses; packing & shipping art for clients and developing unique frames for works of art using handmade and found materials.

Instagram: @matt_vanderlee (Matt Vanderlee)

* Matt participated in the Pilot Season of Red Dot Challenge in 2023-2024.

Background: Click here for a SUMMARY of all the ways members of the public can participate in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1.

This post will give you some general guidance on following the individual players and the fantasy art collections using Instagram. "Finding Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 On Social Media Part I: Facebook" will provide similar guidance about following all the fantasy art collections using Facebook.

In addition to the general guidance found in this post, a DETAILED breakdown of each element of public participation is available HERE.

​Gameplay begins on November 1, 2024. Gameplay ends on January 31, 2025.

The players will be posting many of their Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 activities on Instagram. Primarily they'll be visiting art venues to find works for their fantasy art collections. Some may also conduct studio visits or otherwise meet with artists informally to learn more about their work. The ONLY place you'll see these activities will be on the players' individual Instagram pages. Then it will be your chance to visit new venues and see some wonderful art in real life. Don't miss out!

In addition, ​following the players on Instagram will be one of several ways to solve Public Participation CHALLENGE #2 (connecting the players with their collections). Correctly match at least one of the fantasy art collections with the correct player to qualify for a prize. We'll announce winners, give away the prizes and show you all the correct answers at the big REVEAL event in February, 2025.

Complete details about all three Public Participation CHALLENGES will be posted soon here on RedDotChallenge.org.

​Click here for a summary of all the ways you can participate in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 and a good general description of all three Public Participation CHALLENGES.

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​

Description of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a fantasy art collecting game with a social media twist that takes place in real time at real places with real art. Everyone participates alongside the players!

Object of the game: Each player must identify a fantasy art collection depicting at least seven works of art that, taken together, is in some way meaningful to the player. Players must complete their fantasy art collection within the timeframe of the game and without exceeding their fantasy budget.

Purposes of the game: Red Dot Challenge is a fun way to learn about artists and art venues while following the players’ progress. The game encourages players and the public to think deeply about art and assess the developing fantasy art collections in real time. Game organizers hope engagement with the game will lead people to purchase art in real life.

​In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

NEW elements in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 as compared to the pilot season of Red Dot Challenge (played from December, 1 2023 through January 31, 2024):

• The number of players is increasing from three to twelve.
• The number of fantasy budget levels is increasing from one to three: $1,000; $5,000 and $10,000.
• Four players will participate at each of the three levels.
• Social media components and other elements have been added that encourage the public to participate in the game.​
• Players’ names will be public but the names will not be associated with their respective fantasy art collections until the “Reveal” event held in February.
• The public will be invited to attempt to determine which collector is associated with each fantasy art collection.
• The public will be encouraged to engage with the fantasy art collections as they develop in real time on social media.
• The public will be offered opportunities to compare fantasy art collections within and between fantasy budget categories.
• Results of accumulated public engagement will be presented at the Reveal event.

Resources/Tools:

• Each player will have access to their own folder on google drive accessible only to the player and the game administrator. The folder will include a copy of these rules, a simple fantasy budget worksheet to help each player track their expenses and one sub-folder for pictures.
• Players must provide their own “camera” to take digital pictures. Phone cameras are fine.

The number of players & fantasy budget levels:

• There will be three fantasy budget levels: $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000.
• Four players will collect at each fantasy budget level. (12 players in total.)

What is considered art?

Generally speaking, for the purposes of the game, objects created with imagination and skill that express important ideas or feelings may be included as long as the object meets all the other requirements of the game. Players are encouraged to be thoughtful and discriminating but not overly restrictive.

• Objects produced in multiples (e.g., prints) with numbered editions of less than 200 may be included. Open editions (e.g., posters) and commercially manufactured objects (lamps, pens, postage stamps, mugs, jewelry, etc.) may NOT be included in the game even if they are rare by virtue of their age, media/material or origin and even though their aesthetic interest may be high. (Elements of this rule may be modified in subsequent rounds.)
• Works created recently as well as older works may be included.
• Works being sold where the proceeds go in whole or in part to the artist as well as works being sold where the proceeds benefit someone other than the artist (e.g., in an antique shop) may be included. 
• Works made in any time period may be included. 
• Three dimensional works as well as two dimensional works may be included. 
• Works in any media or style may be included.

NOTES: 

1. It’s not customary for local photographers to print in editions. The reasons are complicated. Although local photographers do not commonly produce their images in numbered, limited editions their works are rarely printed in excess of 200. So, for the purposes of this game photographs already printed (hard copy) and displayed for sale in venues around our region may be included. The price should be calculated framed, if that is how it is presented at the venue, even if unframed prints are also offered. 
2. Sculptural objects made by hand (e.g., ceramics, gems, glass, metalworks, textiles, paper)  that have a practical/everyday use (e.g., a mug) in addition to being an art object may be included. 
3. Some artists reproduce their original work by scanning and printing it in an open (unnumbered, unlimited) edition. Doing so allows these artists to sell a hard copy of their image at a reduced price as compared to the cost of the original work. If the printed object is on display at a venue, the printed reproduction may be included in the game. The price should be calculated framed, if that is how it is presented at the venue, even if unframed prints are also offered. Similar rules apply with works created digitally and then printed for presentation/sale. 

How players identify works of art for their fantasy art collections:

• Players must visit venues IN PERSON to identify work(s) for their fantasy art collection. Players may visit as many or as few venues as they wish to make their choices.
• ALL publicly accessible (physical) venues in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans Counties only) are qualified. Venues may be “galleries” or any other publicly accessible venues exhibiting art for sale. For example, coffee shops, boutiques, retail stores, offices are all included.
• Works chosen for a fantasy art collection must have a publicly accessible price (label or list) available near the work at the venue location.
• To identify works for their fantasy art collection players must take a clear picture of the desired work "in situ" (e.g., on a wall in the venue). 
• If the photograph of the artwork includes price information, the artist’s name and the title of the work, then only one picture is necessary. If any of the required information is missing, players must take as many additional pictures as necessary to capture that information.
• Once a work of art has been identified by a player it may not be chosen again by another player in the same fantasy budget category. However, the same work of art may appear again, once, in each of the other two fantasy budget categories. The maximum times a single work of art may appear in the game is three with one instance in each fantasy budget category.

NOTE ON PHOTOGRAPHING ART: 

A limited number of venues that exhibit art for sale do not allow photographs. Obviously, if the venue does not allow photography, the artworks in that venue may not be included in the game. Players are advised to verify if photography is permitted at each venue they visit before taking any pictures.

Second, game administrators understand the environment inside some venues may not be ideal for photographing artworks. Indeed, some artworks framed behind glass may also present a challenge to photograph. Players are advised to do the best they can to capture the work. In every case, players should make sure the labels and other printed information is at legible. Unclear information will disqualify the object.

• Artworks on exhibit with “price on request” information do not qualify for the game.
• Artworks for sale by the artist privately (e.g., a private studio sale or a studio sale where the price of the work is not posted on-site) do not qualify for the game. 
• However, artworks exhibited in an artist's studio when the studio is open to the public and when the work is either labeled with a price or a price list is available in the exhibition space may be included.
• Artworks offered online (e.g., an Instagram story sale) that are not on exhibit at a physical venue where a player can visit in person and capture the work with a photograph do not qualify for the game.
• Commissioned works are excluded from this game.
• Works chosen must be photographed and posted before the exhibition closes to the public.
• A work that has been purchased by a real collector (but is still on public exhibit) MAY be included in the game.

• Click here to see a list of most venues that offer art for sale in our area. Not all venues will have work on exhibit or for sale during the time frame of the game. However, this list will give you a good start finding venues.
• PRO TIP:  The largest exhibits in the metro Rochester area are likely to be at Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, Lumiere Photo, Main Street Arts and Mill Arts Center. These four venues alone will probably account for a combined total of approximately 1,000 works of art or more. Players, however, are not limited to these particular venues.

How players add a work of art to their fantasy art collection:
​

• To add a work of art to their fantasy art collection an image of the artwork must be posted to their designated online fantasy art collection album. Once a work is added it cannot be deleted or exchanged. All postings are final.
• Players must provide the name of the artist; the title of the work; the name of the venue where the work was photographed; and the price of the work.
• The name of the artist will not initially be identified with the image of the artwork in the fantasy art collection albums on social media when the art work is posted. Members of the public will be invited to identify the artist by either visiting the venue or finding a picture of the artwork on a player’s instagram post. If the artist is not identified by a member of the public within a few days, a game administrator will identify the artist. Supporting & promoting artists are both key elements of the game.

A few additional notes about the fantasy budgets
​

• Players are NOT required to expend their entire fantasy budget amount but they must identify and post at least seven works during gameplay. Players deduct the retail price of each work of art from their fantasy budget.
• Once a work has been identified and posted it cannot be replaced with another work. All decisions are final once a work has been posted to their fantasy art collection.
• NO PRICE NEGOTIATION IS ALLOWED. The publicly posted price is to be used in every instance. Each player must track their own fantasy budget. (Each player will have access to a simple template spreadsheet in their folder on google drive to help them track their fantasy budget.)
• The players should NOT add sales tax in their calculations. Only the retail price should be used to track the fantasy budget allocations.

Will there be “winners” or “losers” in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1?

• The game will not recognize the notion that some works of art or some fantasy art collections may be “better” or “worse” than others.​
• Members of the public will be invited to participate in three challenges. Two of the challenges are somewhat competitive and require following gameplay. One of the challenges,however, will involve sharing personal responses and feedback about the fantasy art collections. Information about the three challenges will be posted on RedDotChallenge.org

In case you haven't been following our announcements too closely, Season 1 of Red Dot Challenge will run from November 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 with a big public REVEAL event in early February, 2025. Why then, you ask?

Well, during this timeframe there is more art offered for sale than at any other time of the year - BY FAR! In fact, thousands of works of art are presented at over 100 venues in the Metro Rochester area between November 1st and the end of January. So, it's the PERFECT time to look at art and maybe do a little fantasizing about what you'd love to own!

Okay, now a little background about the game itself for those catching up...

Each player must "acquire" a collection of at least seven works of art that, taken together, is in some way meaningful to the player within the timeframe of the game and without exceeding their fantasy budget. (More on the fantasy budgets and how players "acquire" collections in future posts.) Among other things, players must visit venues that sell art IN PERSON. Yup. I-R-L.

ALL publicly accessible venues in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Geneseo, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, or Wayne counties) are qualified so long as the venue allows viewers to take photographs of the artworks. Venues may be “galleries” or any other publicly accessible venues exhibiting art for sale. For example, coffee shops, boutiques, retail stores, offices are all included.

Rochester Art Collectors keeps a running list of all the venues in our area on our SOURCES page. 

Beginning now, in early September, we will start hearing about the art exhibitions scheduled to run during game play. Here are just three examples with a combination of over 700 works expected to be exhibited:

​VENUE: Rochester Contemporary Art Center (Rochester, NY)
EXHIBITION: 34th Annual Members Exhibition
NUMBER OF WORKS EXPECTED: 300+
EXHIBITION DATES: December 6, 2024 through February 15, 2025

VENUE: Main Street Arts (Clifton Springs, NY)
EXHIBITION: Small Works 2024
NUMBER OF WORKS EXPECTED: 232 artists from 30 states
EXHIBITION DATES: November 2, 2024 through December 21, 2024

​​VENUE: Lumiere Photos (Rochester, NY)
EXHIBITION: Small Show 2024
NUMBER OF WORKS EXPECTED: 200+
EXHIBITION DATES: November 1, 2024 through December 21, 2024

Remember, ALL publicly accessible venues that present art for sale (and allow photography) in the metro Rochester area (Monroe, Geneseo, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, or Wayne counties) are qualified to patriciate in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1

​Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is a program of Rochester Art Collectors.
​
Participating in Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is FREE and open to the public. None of the players are paying to play or receiving any compensation. The program is privately funded and entirely non-commercial. Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 is not a fundraiser of any kind for any organization.

​The works of art chosen by Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 players for their fantasy art collections are not being purchased with real money. Red Dot Challenge is a FANTASY art collecting GAME. Players are having fun PRETENDING to buy/collect the art and modeling art collecting behaviors.

In all instances the artists retain the copyright for their work as well as all other rights and privileges provided by the law.

If you are interested in purchasing a work of art you've seen during Red Dot Challenge, Season 1 gameplay, please inquire at the venue where the work is exhibited.​​​