Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Special Deal on Smug Mug Photo Site

Save 40% off any new SmugMug package. Try us free and upgrade to save!
Cannot be combined with any other offers, deals, promotions or applied to previous purchases.
But hurry, offer ends 11/27/2017


Make use of the deal above, but even if you missed it, check it out anyway


 

Sunday, October 22, 2017

VISIONARY ARTISTS IN MONTREUX

VISIONARY ARTISTS IN MONTREUX


This is the new and updated version for this epic event on You Tube:



VISIONARY ART 
will be part of the 

MAG – Montreux Art Gallery is a contemporary art fair held at



from 8th till 12th November 2017



Participating Artists Montreux Art Fair

Artists from USA, GB, Europe and Japan:
Les Artistes de USA, GB, Europe et du Japon:

Bruno Altmayer, Michel Barthélemy, Pavlina Boroshova, Patricia Carron, Tatiana Chirikova, Mantra Cora, Dominique Desorges, Gérard Di-Maccio, Joya, Pascal Ferry, Numa Firefly, Ernst Fuchs, HR Giger, Andrew Gonzalez, Arina Gordienko, Liba WS, Patrice Pit Hubert, Martina Hoffmann, Brigid Marlin, Alain Margotton, Nathalie Perler, Otto Rapp, Philip Rubinov Jacobson, Amanda Sage, Roku Sasaki, François Schlesser, De Es Schwertberger, Mimi Staneva, Andreas Streun, Yves Thomas, Manu Van H, Robert Venosa, Marie-Thérèse Vetterli, Yohan.

These are the paintings I will be showing:

BOGOMIL'S LANDING

REVELATION 20

BOGOMIL'S MONASTIC RETREAT


For more information, check this blog on the VISIONARY ART GALLERY WEBSITE 



 Video Credits:


VIDEO produced by OTTO RAPP
© Artwork provided by the Artists


Cambodian Odyssey Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Magic Forest Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Exciting Trailer Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0


Friday, September 8, 2017

WTF Facebook - I am royally pissed off!

Check out the original post HERE - I had also updated it since then!

wtf facebook – i am royally pissed off!

THIS IS WHAT I INITIALLY WROTE – I WILL UPDATE AS I GET MORE INFO.



This is my Facebook profile picture.
My Facebook Personal Page is here: https://www.facebook.com/otto.rapp
But I cannot access that page anymore, nor my artist page https://www.facebook.com/ArtistOttoRapp/

Just to see what is going on, and to re-establish contact with my closest friends, I opened a account under a different name: https://www.facebook.com/otto.rappottensteiner.9

Now if you read the details below, the fact that I opened this new account from the same computer that Facebook claims is infected and wants me to download a Kaspersky scan proves that this is bogus!

Update: I now tried to log in from a different computer, and as it says further down in the Norton Community Forum post comment, I get the same bogus message from Facebook on there as well, but again, the “new” account I opened opens without problem!

READ ALL ABOUT IT:

I’ve been trying to share a web page on Facebook when I get a message to log in. I log in, this page comes up:



In case you can't read the tex from this screen clip, this is what it says:
Let's Check Your Device for Malicious Software Hi Otto, we're continuously working to keep your account secure. We've noticed that this device may be infected with malicious software. To continue to use Facebook, you can either use other devices or clean this device by downloading the scanner provided by Facebook and Kaspersky Lab.


I have Norton Security, I ran a quick check, nothing found:



So I am checking out the Norton History:


Scrolling further down the history, I find that several attempts occurred on seemingly a daily basis to screw with my Security Software. These are blocked and classified as Medium. Here is one of the (identical) type blocked by Norton:

Category: Norton Product Tamper Protection
Date & Time,Risk,Activity,Status,Recommended Action,Date,Actor,Actor PID,Target,Target PID,Action,Reaction
9/8/2017 12:54:57 PM,Medium,Unauthorized access blocked (Access Process Data),Blocked,No Action Required,9/8/2017 12:54:57 PM,C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WBEM\WMIPRVSE.EXE,7844,C:\Program Files (x86)\Norton Internet Security\Engine\22.10.1.10\nis.exe,2348,Access Process Data,Unauthorized access blocked

Running the text of this Facebook message in a search, I find this in my Norton Community Forum:

I have been blocked from logging onto Facebook as it claims that I ... – this was posted 12.7.2015 – on top it says “This forum thread needs a solution” which means that for over 2 years, nobody found a solution yet.

But scrolling through the tread, I find this detailed description from swamper777 in his comment posted on 7.6.2017

here is the link to the comment:
#comment-7492371
If you open the link, aside from the comment, you will also find 3 PDF documents attached.
But for the comment, so you wont have to follow the URL, I copy the entire text below :
QUOTE:
“Re: I have been blocked from logging onto Facebook as it claims that I have malware and must add a ESET program to scan all my files
Posted: 07-Jun-2017 | 6:01AM • Edited: 07-Jun-2017 | 6:03AM • Permalink
I’ve been using Facebook for nine years. During that time, I’ve only been put in Facebook jail about seven years ago, and then, only for 24 hours. I have 800+ FB friends, all of whom I’ve met in person or otherwise known in other circles.
I’m also an IT security specialist with 29 years of experience, one who has written 20+ articles for Network World.
It is my opinion that Facebook use of it’s “Let’s Check Your Device for Malicious Software” pop-up (attached) has nothing to do with “malicious software” as it claims, but rather, as a means of gaining access to the computing devices and personal information of people it has, for whatever reason, deemed “unfavorable.” I base my opinion on the process of systematic elimination, as described below:
  1. I run several anti-virus/malware programs on my computer, including Norton Security and Norton’s recommended Malwarebytes. The only problem any of them found was pua.opencandy, a low-threat undesirable which I fixed before reattempting my Facebook login, still to no joy — same “malicious software” error message.
  2. I next attempted to login to Facebook using other browsers, including Firefox and Opera. same “malicious software” error message.
  3. I flushed the cache of all browsers, system-wide, and attempted to log in using a different local machine user account on my computer (same FB user account): same “malicious software” error message.
CONCLUSION 1: This issue has nothing to do with any specific browser.
  1. I moved to a backup computer, one I haven’t used in about three weeks. Result: same “malicious software” error message.
CONCLUSION 2: This issue has nothing to do with my computer.
  1. I hiked over to the library, and asked a friend to login to their Facebook account using one of the library’s machines. No problem. After they logged out, I tried logging in using my Facebook account. Result: same “malicious software” error message.
CONCLUSION 3: This issue has nothing to do with my IP address, but may have to do with my FB account.
  1. I repeated Step 5 using a friend’s computer. He could access FB, but I could not. After I logged out, he was able to log back in without a problem.
CONCLUSION 4: This issue not only has nothing to do with either any machine or any browser, but is definitely associated with my FB user account.
  1. I researched this problem on several different user forums, including both here and on Facebook. None of the information I found conflicted with the steps I took and conclusions I reached as denoted above. In fact, the account about the lady who contacted the Better Business Bureau who subsequently contacted Facebook who magically resolved the issue confirms the conclusions I have reached above. I also noted that Facebook usually responds to users’ posts in their Help forum. They did not, however, respond to any of the five posts reporting this problem in their Help forum.
CONCLUSION 5: Facebook may not be interested in helping resolve this issue, because for them, it’s not a legitimate issue.
  1. I asked my friend to come over to my apartment, login using my computer and browser, to see if he can duplicate the problem. I log in and receive the “malicious software” message. I log out. He logs in with his own FB user account. Result: NO error message. I log in, receive the error message. He logs in, no error message. We repeat this several times just to be certain, both with cache flushing, no flushing, and multiple browsers.
CONCLUSION 6: Conclusion 4 was thoroughly and incontrovertibly verified. This issue has absolutely NOTHING to do with any purported “malicious software” on my machine (or on any machine) or in my or any other browser. The ONLY possible culprit is my specific login (along with the logins of others who have been put into the same penalty box by Facebook for whatever reason).
I therefore surmise that Facebook may have implemented this as a means of doing one of two things:
A. Blocking users whom it deems “undesirable.” Unfortunately, all it takes is just one FB moderator to block a legitimate user, even if all that user did was disagree with the status quo with respect to an issue like abortion or man-made climate change, and there’s no way to contact FB without first allowing them to scan your system.
B. Creating a false premise upon which it can gain access to a user’s computer. I would hate to think that any of the four antivirus/malware products with which Facebook has partnered (Kaspersky, ESET, TrendMicro, F-Secure) would ever be complicit in such an affair, but given the observations and test results as stated above, along with Facebook’s decidedly left political bent and the countless similar tactics the left has used over the last decade at all levels, it’s entirely reasonable to question that this is indeed what Facebook is doing now. The problem with this is that the only way to contact Facebook at this point is to allow them to scan your entire system, during which time they could record the entire contents of your hard drive – a definite NO-NO with respect to security. Furthermore, this even gives them the ability to actually place files on your hard drive during that process, also a BIG FAT NO-NO.
I have every confidence in Norton Security to detect any such problem that Facebook purports to exist, should it actually exist. In fact, I implore Norton to find out what in the world Facebook purports to exist and work with them and their four partners in order to identify and eliminate this supposed “malicious software” threat FB claims is on my computer but which I have clearly and incontrovertibly proven not to be present.
In the meantime, I am filing a formal report with my Congressman, asking that he open a Congressional investigation into Facebook’s deceptive practices.”
UNQUOTE


So my conclusion to all this is:
SCREW FACEBOOK

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

MAGICAL DREAMS IV

I am participating with 3 paintings in this upcoming exhibition MAGICAL DREAMS IV, opening on September 9th 2017 at the Bator Art Gallery in Szczyrk, Poland. That exhibition is scheduled to show in seven venues between now and Fall of 2018.
20638401_10155551180946241_1628730279136927708_n-800x445.jpg
My Biography on the Galleries website: OTTO RAPP
I am very proud of showing with so many great international artists !
One of the paintings I am showing is:
After the initial Exhibition in Szczyrk, Poland, the show travels to it's next destination, the Dom Galerie in Wr. Neustadt, Austria.
DOM GALLERY Wr Neustadt.JPG

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

JEFF DE BOER - Canadian Artist

I've known this artist since my Canadian days, for at least a couple of decades, if not more. I admired his work ever since then.



Website: JEFF DE BOER

I was delighted to find this book, published on Blurb: 


I hope you enjoy his work as much as I do!

Monday, August 7, 2017

ARTWORK by OTTO RAPP - slide show


ARTWORK by OTTO RAPP - slide show 

 
On Google Drive I have a document that is a listing (in table form) of most of my artwork.
 The titles link to the respective image in this album on Flickr. Werksverzeichniss Otto Rapp

Sunday, August 6, 2017

VISIONARY ART EXHIBITION



In May 2013 I started a new website VISIONARY ART EXHIBITION to showcase outstanding artists and individual works from our private network, to supplement our VISIONARY ART GALLERY.

The reason is mainly that the parent site was bursting at the seams, but also to have more space for blogs, such as ARCHAIC VISIONS, DREAMS & DIVINITIES and the VISIONARY COMMUNITY BLOG.

In the section FEATURED ARTWORK we regularly present the best works of our members and occasionally those from our other site, the VISIONARY HALL OF FAME

You are invited to visit and browse a great collection of works from our genre FEATURED ARTWORK, but also very interesting blogs and other features not mentioned here.

Picture credits (top to bottom):
WOLFGANG HARMS
TOMASZ ALEN KOPERA
MICHEL OGIER
ERNST FUCHS

this blog entry is also posted simultaneously on Steemit: 


Saturday, May 20, 2017

In Memoriam VLADIMIR PETROV-GLADKY - 1948 - 2017

It is with great sadness that I learned about the passing of our friend and member VLADIMIR PETROV-GLADKY
VLADIMIR PETROV-GLADKY - April 1st 1948 - April 16th 2017

In Memoriam VLADIMIR PETROV-GLADKY - 1948 - 2017

l to r: Otto Rapp, Ernst Fuchs, Vladimir Petrov-Gladky
Otto Rapp writes:
​I was shocked when I got the news about a good friend, Vladimir Petrov-Gladky passed away! He was a great artist and wonderful human being - here we were with Ernst Fuchs at his exhibition at the Palais Palffy. I remember both of you with fondness. RIP my friends!

Picture
Russia meets Austria:
the first posthumous exhibition in Retz, Austria
​May 18th to June 1st 2017
VLADIMIR PETROV-GLADKY - April 1st 1948 - April 16th 2017
VLADIMIR PETROV-GLADKY
RIP
April 1st 1948 - April 16th 2017

Saturday, April 29, 2017

Friday, April 28, 2017

ARTISTS LINKS FOR SHIPPING

I began researching these logistic problems because I am going to exhibit in Switzerland in the Fall, and I wanted to make sure it is done 'legitimate' - and not the way like low-balling value, trying to sneak it through customs and possibly getting into trouble when you get caught. With a carnetATA you avoid all that (and getting nailed for taxes etc) - yes, it is a lot of paperwork. That paperwork will also help bringing your artwork back. Make sure you use Google Website Translate to also read the German links, such as the one titled: "Nachträglicher Verkauf von Carnet-A.T.A.-Gütern" (English: Subsequent sale of Carnet-A.T.A. goods). Link to the Translator is in the blog.

ARTWORK LINKS FOR SHIPPING - CUSTOMS -
​UNESCO AGREEMENT - DUTY - VAT etc

Important Information for Artists!



the following links are either in German or English 
recommended Google Website Translator - 
select the sites language and the output language, then enter the website URL
https://translate.google.com/

​ARTISTS CAN AVOID CUSTOMS HOLDS AND DUTIES
APPLY THESE CODES WHEN SHIPPING YOUR ART INTERNATIONALLY:


UNESCO AGREEMENT - exemption from customs duties and other charges:

 http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=15224&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Pertaining to Artwork - Annex B says:

Works of art and collectors' pieces of an educational, scientific or cultural character

(i) Paintings and drawings, whatever the nature of the materials on which they have been executed entirely by hand, including copies executed by hand, but excluding manufactured decorated wares.

(ii) Ceramics and mosaics on wood, being original works of art.

(iii) Collectors' pieces and objects of art consigned to galleries, museums-and other institutions approved by the competent authorities of the importing country for the purpose of duty-free entry of those types of materials, on condition they are not resold. 


Carnet ATA - Wikipedia:


What is a Carnet (US website, english):




​Carnet Definition

A Carnet or ATA Carnet (pronounced kar-nay) is an international customs and temporary export-import document. It is used to clear customs in 86 countries and territories without paying duties and import taxes on merchandise that will be re-exported within 12 months*.  Carnets are also known as Merchandise Passports or Passports for Goods. 


PLEASE NOTE:
The links below are examples from Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
You will need to contact your local Chamber of Commerce about how to obtain a Carnet ATA

Carnet ATA WKO Austria (Search Results): 


Carnet ATA WKO Austria  - Overview:  


Carnet ATA Switzerland:


Carnet ATA Germany:


Nachträglicher Verkauf von Carnet-A.T.A.-Gütern




What Is Value-Added Tax (VAT)?



Art at Law - VAT:


2017 European Union VAT rates:


TAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION - EU:


Saturday, April 1, 2017

41% Off Photo Books at Blurb​

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
Picture
This is no April Fools Joke!

41% Off Photo Books at Blurb​

Offer: 41% Off Photo Books at Blurb
Valid: 4/1 - 4/5

Code: APRIL41
Offer valid through April 5, 2017 (11:59 p.m. local time).
Valid only for photo books 
41% off Blurb Photo Books


​Don't miss out - make your own Photo Book and get 41% off


​Terms: *Offer valid through April 5, 2017 (11:59 p.m. local time). 
Valid only for photo books uploaded to and purchased through your own account. A 41% discount is applied toward your product total with no minimum or maximum order amount. This offer is good for five uses, and cannot be used for digital purchases or combined with volume discounts, custom orders, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders. 

                                                      41% Off Photo Books at Blurb


don't forget, use the Code
APRIL41


Saturday, March 18, 2017

VISIONARY ALCHEMY Exhibition

I am happy to show my work in New York again,
with some old friends and terrific artists!

"VISIONARY ALCHEMY"

Exhibition of the Society for Art of Imagination
with the participation of 49 international artists.
From April 29th to May 13th, 2017
ONE ART SPACE
23 Warren Street, New York NY 10007
Opening reception: Saturday April 29th, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Picture


​This is the artwork I am showing:
FOMORII INCUBATOR - IN THE BEGINNING
FOMORII INCUBATOR - IN THE BEGINNING
Acrylic glazes and egg tempera on canvas
​29" x 34"