Buy and Sell Art

Results of the August Referrer Contest

2010-09-17T02:26:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our top member referrers, they have earned the prize of getting their URL sent to our entire membership (280,000+) throughout this month! They are as follows with their total number of referrers below;

121 http://www.you-cubez.com
28 http://www.trafficrank.com
25 http://asksalman19.blogspot.com
23 http://www.usfreeads.biz
19 http://bestpaidtoclick.org

See where you are on the complete list! --> http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl?month=08

We are running another contest for this upcoming month. What you do is simply get people to join the linkreferral program, using your referral link,

http://www.linkreferral.com/adwel.pl?oldrefid=158850

The top 5 referrers will again have their URL emailed to our entire membership of 280,000+, and the entire list of referrers in order of number of referrals made available at the link above. Get on the list and get in the top 5! Get tips on how to get referrals from http://www.linkreferral.com/linkreferal/markettips.html

See how you are doing at this month's contest at, http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl

Remember, all referrals go towards commissions payment should you decide to upgrade, more details at, http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/plusdescription.cgi

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if you wish to change your mailing preferences DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, you must go to http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/retire2.cgi?retireemail=haryatisri@gmail.com Windows Live helps you keep up with all your friends, in one place.

Results of the July Referrer Contest

2010-08-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our top member referrers, they have earned the prize of getting their URL sent to our entire membership (280,000+) throughout this month! They are as follows with their total number of referrers below;

139 http://www.you-cubez.com
62 http://bestpaidtoclick.org
28 http://www.trafficrank.com
27 http://www.usfreeads.biz
18 http://asksalman19.blogspot.com

See where you are on the complete list! --> http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl?month=07

We are running another contest for this upcoming month. What you do is simply get people to join the linkreferral program, using your referral link,

http://www.linkreferral.com/adwel.pl?oldrefid=158850

The top 5 referrers will again have their URL emailed to our entire membership of 280,000+, and the entire list of referrers in order of number of referrals made available at the link above. Get on the list and get in the top 5! Get tips on how to get referrals from http://www.linkreferral.com/linkreferal/markettips.html

See how you are doing at this month's contest at, http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl

Remember, all referrals go towards commissions payment should you decide to upgrade, more details at, http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/plusdescription.cgi

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if you wish to change your mailing preferences DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, you must go to http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/retire2.cgi?retireemail=haryatisri@gmail.com Windows Live helps you keep up with all your friends, in one place.

Results of the June Referrer Contest

2010-07-17T02:26:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our top member referrers, they have earned the prize of getting their URL sent to our entire membership (280,000+) throughout this month! They are as follows with their total number of referrers below;

181 http://www.you-cubez.com
35 http://www.usfreeads.biz
32 http://www.trafficrank.com
19 http://www.zeriouz.com
19 http://asksalman19.blogspot.com

See where you are on the complete list! --> http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl?month=06

We are running another contest for this upcoming month. What you do is simply get people to join the linkreferral program, using your referral link,

http://www.linkreferral.com/adwel.pl?oldrefid=158850

The top 5 referrers will again have their URL emailed to our entire membership of 280,000+, and the entire list of referrers in order of number of referrals made available at the link above. Get on the list and get in the top 5! Get tips on how to get referrals from http://www.linkreferral.com/linkreferal/markettips.html

See how you are doing at this month's contest at, http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl

Remember, all referrals go towards commissions payment should you decide to upgrade, more details at, http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/plusdescription.cgi

-------------------------
if you wish to change your mailing preferences DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, you must go to http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/retire2.cgi?retireemail=haryatisri@gmail.com Windows Live helps you keep up with all your friends, in one place.

Results of the May Referrer Contest

2010-06-17T02:26:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our top member referrers, they have earned the prize of getting their URL sent to our entire membership (280,000+) throughout this month! They are as follows with their total number of referrers below;

315 http://www.you-cubez.com
49 http://www.zazzle.com/aac_designs*
35 http://www.trafficrank.com
23 http://www.usfreeads.biz
16 http://www.adminder.com/c.cgi?captkirk&LSCOUTMEGA

See where you are on the complete list! --> http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl?month=05

We are running another contest for this upcoming month. What you do is simply get people to join the linkreferral program, using your referral link,

http://www.linkreferral.com/adwel.pl?oldrefid=158850

The top 5 referrers will again have their URL emailed to our entire membership of 280,000+, and the entire list of referrers in order of number of referrals made available at the link above. Get on the list and get in the top 5! Get tips on how to get referrals from http://www.linkreferral.com/linkreferal/markettips.html

See how you are doing at this month's contest at, http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl

Remember, all referrals go towards commissions payment should you decide to upgrade, more details at, http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/plusdescription.cgi

-------------------------
if you wish to change your mailing preferences DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, you must go to http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/retire2.cgi?retireemail=haryatisri@gmail.com Windows Live helps you keep up with all your friends, in one place.

Results of the April Referrer Contest

2010-05-17T02:32:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our top member referrers, they have earned the prize of getting their URL sent to our entire membership (280,000+) throughout this month! They are as follows with their total number of referrers below;

206 http://www.official.my
41 http://www.adminder.com/c.cgi?captkirk&LSCOUTMEGA
25 http://www.trafficrank.com
24 http://www.usfreeads.biz
16 http://sarasexplodingcloset.etsy.com

See where you are on the complete list! --> http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl?month=04

We are running another contest for this upcoming month. What you do is simply get people to join the linkreferral program, using your referral link,

http://www.linkreferral.com/adwel.pl?oldrefid=158850

The top 5 referrers will again have their URL emailed to our entire membership of 280,000+, and the entire list of referrers in order of number of referrals made available at the link above. Get on the list and get in the top 5! Get tips on how to get referrals from http://www.linkreferral.com/linkreferal/markettips.html

See how you are doing at this month's contest at, http://www.linkreferral.com/contest.pl

Remember, all referrals go towards commissions payment should you decide to upgrade, more details at, http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/plusdescription.cgi

-------------------------
if you wish to change your mailing preferences DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, you must go to http://www.linkreferral.com/cgi-bin/linkreferal/retire2.cgi?retireemail=haryatisri@gmail.com Windows Live helps you keep up with all your friends, in one place.

AdSense Announcement: Now serving multiple ad networks

2010-03-16T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hi,

We have launched a new capability in AdSense allowing Google-certified ad networks compete directly within AdSense, which means that advertisers from these third-party networks will be able to compete with AdWords advertisers to show on the Google Content Network.

These new capabilities will automatically be enabled for your account, and you'll see a new section in your Ad Review Center where you can allow or block specific ad networks or all networks except AdWords. Please note that we'll gradually be adding new ad networks to AdSense accounts over the next few months, so you won't see any immediate impact on your ads or your earnings.

To ensure the quality of the ads that appear on AdSense publisher websites, Google will certify all participating ad networks for adherence to our standards for user privacy, ad quality, and speed. Some participating ad networks use targeting methods similar to Google's interest-based advertising to show more relevant ads to users on the sites they visit. These ad networks won't be permitted to collect data from your site for the purpose of subsequent interest-based advertising, but we'll allow networks that comply with user privacy guidelines to show ads using these tools. Publishers can opt out of user interest targeting from these ad networks, and Google has changed our requirements for third-party ad serving to reflect this.

We are currently only accepting ads from Google-certified ad networks in North America and Europe, but we will make this feature available to ad networks in additional parts of the world in the future.

To learn more and manage the ad networks appearing on your pages, visit the AdSense Help Center at https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=13522 and visit our blog post at http://adsense.blogspot.com/2010/03/google-certified-ad-networks-now.html.

Sincerely,

The Google AdSense Team

Email preferences: You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important changes to your AdSense product or account.

Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

Stone Art Carving at Cheap Price

2008-06-15T22:04:00.000-07:00

An online store of a stone art and craft gallery in Surabaya, Indonesia. We're ready to ship you with the finest hand made stone art carving at the most reasonable price but yet the best quality of craftmanship. Our product's range are interior accessories, statue, ashtray, giant beads, waterfront, sink, fireplace mantle, etc.

Visit and shop on our site for the complete catalog. For the special inquiry we will serve you the best.

Iklan Mini (post)

2008-06-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Link

Welcome to Linang Sayang, an Online Gallery for stoneart carving. Browse our site and shop for the best traditional to modern art from java, Indonesia. We ship to the world.

Who's More Expensive?

2008-04-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

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Q: I collect furniture from the 1940's and 50's. I do a pretty fair amount of buying at collectibles shows and from stores that specialize in this time period. I've held off on the art so far, but many of the dealers have paintings and sculptures that also date from the period. What sort of questions do I need to ask before buying this art? What's the difference between what they have and what galleries have? Who's more expensive?

A: Learning about art is similar to learning about furniture. With furniture, you begin by finding out who made it and how old it is. With art, you find out who the artists are and when the art dates from. The next level of questioning parallels learning the histories of furniture designers and manufacturers. You want to know when and where the artists lived, worked, exhibited, how significant they were, what they accomplished, and how much their art currently sells for. In other words, how good is it and do the artists have collectible track records?

Regarding where to shop for art, keep in mind that furniture dealers tend to know more about furniture than they do about art. If you're a serious Herman Miller collector, for example, you want to buy from a furniture dealer who specializes in that company rather than from an art dealer who may get a piece or two of Herman Miller furniture from time to time. Likewise, experienced art collectors patronize art galleries rather than furniture dealers.

Since you're getting serious about art and you don't know that much about it, you should probably begin by shopping at art galleries that specialize in art from your favorite time periods. Be prepared to pay more, though, because they tend to deal in higher quality art and artists than what you see for sale at furniture dealers. The plus side is that art dealers are better informed, have better selections, more accurate pricing, and better overall perspectives on the fine art marketplace.

If, on the other hand, you're more interested in the look and are not all that concerned about how famous the artists are, buying at shows and shops as opposed to galleries is fine. You can still find reasonably good quality works of art at moderate prices. The artists may not be that well known, but shops still consider their accomplishments and sell pieces that illustrate the dominant themes and subject matters of the time period. This is not to say that you can't find occasional pieces of top quality art at collectibles shops and shows, but it's not likely and you really have to know what you're doing in order to make great buys. Buy art supplies, buy arts, buy clip art, buy fine art, buy modern art, buy original art, buy student art, canvas art for sale, clip art for sale, comic art for sale, contemporary art for sale, fine art for sale, fine art sale, fine art sales, folk art for sale, framed art for sale, framed art sale, garage sale clip art, graffiti art for sale, how to buy art, how to master the art of selling, how to sell art

Young Artist

2008-04-11T04:32:00.000-07:00

Q: I've seen several news stories about a young artist in her early teens who's being hailed as a child prodigy. Some famous people apparently own her work. I like it myself, have inquired about prices, and am told that original paintings are very expensive. Do you think her art is a good investment? Do you think she'll become really famous?

A: You say you like the art, but at the same time, you sound more interested in buying a commodity than a painting. You also seem to be more taken with the publicity and glamour surrounding the artist than you are with the art. Step back for a moment before doing any buying and ask yourself the following questions:

Would you consider buying a piece of art that looks exactly the same if it was by a competent artist who receives little or no publicity? If you hesitate or answer no, you might be guilty of buying by name and reputation and saving what you think about the art for last. The most satisfied collectors love their art no matter who it's by, who collects it, or how famous the artists are.

Are you buying something to hang on your wall and admire or something that you hope will increase in value? If you answer the latter, you should probably place your money elsewhere. People confuse art with stocks, bonds and other investments when, in fact, it's totally different. With securities, you pay an average commission of a percentage point or two to make a transaction. With art, as much as 70 to 80 percent of the selling price can go towards commissions and overhead. For example, if you pay $10,000 for a painting and only $2,000 goes to the artist, that $2,000 would be its approximate resale value on the open market. Purchased as an investment, you'd have to wait years just to break even.

Where is the publicity about this girl's art coming from? She may be garnering a lot of attention, but you have to determine whether that attention is scholarly art world attention or popular media attention. If the stories you see are on the 6 O'clock News or in mass market magazines like "People" and the famous people who own her art are known for accomplishments that do not include art collecting, this might be more a case of media hype than a serious art world phenomenon.

Find out whether curators are familiar with her work, whether she's been reviewed in major art magazines, had museum shows, and is in significant art collections. If the art world is as excited as the reporters on the 6 O'clock News are, something significant may be happening. If not, this whole hub-bub could be little more than a flash in the public relations pan.

And then there's the issue of age. It is extremely rare for an artist to be hailed or collected as a child prodigy, to sell early on at prices equivalent to those of famous artists at the peaks of their careers, to continue selling at those levels, and to go down in history as an important artist. This girl is very talented and she does beautiful work, but whether her current price structure is justified, whether she has a lock on future fame and fortune, and whether she'll even be interested in continuing as an artist after she graduates from college are huge unanswered questions.

Quite a number of young people show serious artistic talent from early on. Their best art can be as beautiful and engaging as that of many adult artists. If you like art by young talented artists, visit art schools, talk to art teachers, find out who the best artists are, go to their art exhibits. Once you get a feel for what you're doing, you'll be able to buy based more on what you love than on how much publicity the artists get or who owns their work. You'll also quickly discover that you don't have to spend anywhere near thousands of dollars in order to get something meaningful and satisfying.

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Make Your Art Attractive to Collectors

2008-04-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

eBay Selling Business

2008-04-09T04:11:00.000-07:00

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Are you envious of those who manage to reap a reasonable amount of return from their eBay selling business? Wait no more; you can experience that same ecstasy feeling if you would only start your own eBay selling business. The next question would then be, how do I start selling stuff on eBay? The fact of the matter is that it may seem intimidating for people who just started to learn the trade, but here are some simple 5 steps for you to follow to starting your online eBay business.

1. Take plenty of photos of your item. Do not take it in such away that you are trying to mask some parts that are damaged. The status of your product should be easily be perceived from your photo and what your buyer sees is what he gets. This way, your potential buyer would then be able to access for himself the potential quality and state of your product.

2. Open your first ever eBay store! An eBay store is a great method to sell your stuff online also it saves you on the eBay frees. Furthermore, eBay stores appear on the search results in eBay as such you will have more visible listings and you can make more money on your item as it would potentially receive more traffic. Your very own eBay store also has the benefits of you creating a specific design for it. You do not have to make it wonderfully fanciful, but a decent and professional design fitted with a good description of your product, you will then be able to attract more people to your store and increase revenue if they purchase your product.

3. You have to create your own listing for your item. One of the ways you can do this is through free websites that eBay provides. However, this is only for people who just started out in this business. If you are familiar with all these procedures, you can find your own listing sites and improve on your eBay store. One such site is auctiva, where it provides you with a free template, image hosting, online scheduling, and many more features that will enable you to make an enticing listing.

4. Find your product, research for it and find the best possible item that can help you earn your big bucks. There are functions in eBay to help you search for the hottest deals in eBay currently and that would certainly give you a head start in what you want to sell. Other than just providing the good, it would be great if you can further personalize your service and make it a unique product that only you have. Catering to the needs of customers may seem troublesome, but it is essential if you want to forge loyal customers that keep coming back for more.

Starting your very own eBay business is not hard if you put your heart and soul into it. Do not stop even when you face troubles and problems, every business has its ups and downs, but the important thing is to persevere on and find the solutions to these problems.

Article Source http://www.freearticalespro.com/Article/Start Your Ebay Selling Business

Michael Bay is an eBay expert providing valuable auction selling advice at www.AuctionMasteryCourse.com . He has been teaching thousands how to sell stuff on ebay to earn a good income. Click Here to get your FREE report on the "Four EZ Ways To Make Money On eBay".

How Dealers Price Art on The Internet

2008-04-08T04:04:00.000-07:00

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It happens at art galleries, antique shops, shows, collectives, flea markets, estate sales, and in private transactions. It happens with price guides, auction records, appraisals, expert advice, casual chit-chat, and hearsay. And now it's happing with the internet. People who own art that they're interested in selling are now using the internet to figure out how much it's worth and how much they sell it for. They know that the more information they have access to, the more accurately they can set their prices. But first, a little history.....

Way way back in the old days (like the 1960's) sellers figured out asking prices mainly by going from gallery to gallery, antique to antique, expert to expert, dealer to dealer, and auction to auction. Because of the limited access to printed information, those who lived and worked in the world's major art centers or who travelled the most and knew the most people were the most qualified to accurately price art.

Then came price guides and auction records. Locating price information became easier (for those who knew these references existed and who could afford them), but at the same time, pricing art for sale became more of an abstract process. Since using books of art prices was nothing like speaking to living breathing knowledgeable human beings and getting price information firsthand, sellers tended to take the highest prices they could find and tack them onto their art. That's the down side to price reference research. The upside is that while people can pass on wrong art price information and/or innacurately interpret that information, art price guides and auction records deal only in facts and are almost always accurate. The overall effect, then, was far to the up side in that more people than ever before could now price their art more accurately.

Now we have the internet. The advent of online pricing has distanced the process even further from the realities of the marketplace. In many cases, people researching values have no idea who posts what price information, what those posters' qualifications are, how those prices are arrived at, or under what circumstances the art is for sale or has sold. Computer searches make price misreads increasingly likely because they're arrived at without the aid of traditional research techniques. At least with price guides and auction records, you can read about the authors and understand why they're qualified to publish the price information that they have. In many cases, internet information is so difficult to qualify and the sources so untraceable and vague that the chances for innacurate pricing are greater than ever.

The upshot of all this is that if you think you've priced your art right from online data searches, you can still be wrong. This may sound like double-talk, but here's an example. Suppose you live in rural Kentucky, sell antiques out of a booth in a small collective, and are trying to price an etching by a regional Texas artist. You locate the website of a Dallas gallery, find similar etchings priced and for sale, and put a comparable but slightly lower price on yours. To assume that the gallery's prices are good anywhere and at any time can be a big mistake.

For all you know, this gallery may exclusively handle the artist's estate, be attempting to create a market for the work by asking record high selling prices, and have a $40,000 a month overhead in the best gallery district in town. The owner may be one of the most important experts and respected dealers of Texas art and artists in the country and have access to all the wealthiest collectors. Outside of that gallery, the etchings may be worth nowehere near that much.

These days, I can be visiting a shop at a cross-roads in the middle of nowhere and find prices equivalent to what one might expect from a gallery on 57thStreet in New York City or on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. This happens because a top retail price gets posted on the internet, someone copies it without understanding it, someone else copies the copy, and so on until equally ridiculous prices can be found all over the country.

Finding an art price on a computer screen does not begin to equate with in-depth market research. You also need to understand why and under what conditions it is what it is. Hopefully the next stage in the internet art pricing evolution will be the proliferation of more sophisticated and competent research techniques and a deeper understanding of pricing guidelines. Remember this-- on your way to finding out "how much" don't forget to also find out "why," "where," and "under what circumstances."

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Try to Sell Art Over The Internet

2008-04-07T03:59:00.000-07:00

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Q: Should I try to sell art over the internet? I've seen several advertisements for sites that specialize in selling antiques, collectibles and art. They put "for sale" pictures up along with contact information for very reasonable commissions. I've also visited gallery sites on the Worldwide Web that say they buy art. I can even advertise my art for free in art, antiques, and collecting newsgroups.

A: The internet is a pretty wild and untamed arena as far as selling art goes and unless you're anything less than fully on top of the market, think twice. In addition to knowing what your art is worth and how much you want to sell it for, you also must be able to show it to interested parties, mail it out on approval if necessary, and get paid in full if you sell it. This can be difficult when dealing with people who you've never met and who may live hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

Unless you know who you're dealing with, the anonymous nature of internet presents problems particularly in the areas of buying and selling art. For example, a small percentage of dealers and collectors spend their time searching the internet for unsuspecting sellers who underprice their art. Some may also request detailed information about your art seemingly to help them decide whether or not to buy when in actuality, they offer it for sale elsewhere. Some don't even ask for details-- they take what they need from your posting and offer it for sale like it was their own. You never know the difference. Consequently, art can get pretty badly shopped around in cyberspace.

As for gallery websites that advertise as art buyers and sellers, some of the finest dealers in the world are online. Unfortunately, some of the not-so-finest are also in full operation. The nature of the internet is such that a lavish website may be that of a four story Manhattan gallery and it may also be a telephone sitting on a coffee table in someone's den. Telling the difference can be pretty difficult unless you know the art business and are familiar with the players.

At this time, the safest internet routes for buying and selling art are dealing with galleries at established sites like www.artnet.com and www.fada.com. Even here, though, you have to be careful, request references, and preferably make personal contact before proceeding with any sales arrangement. If you decide to place your art up for sale independently, pick a site that only takes a commission if the art sells and has a secure transaction system. They should be responsible for collecting the money and paying you rather than you having to do it yourself.

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Charity Auction Art

2008-04-06T03:49:00.000-07:00

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Q: I've bought several pieces of art at charity auctions and am thinking about buying more. Selling prices are usually less than at regular auctions and substantially less than at galleries. Do you have any tips or strategies for buying art in this manner?

A: Don't get too excited about these bargains you think you're getting. Charity auction art can be uneven in quality and sometimes just plain inferior. Dealers, artists, and collectors who donate to these sales frequently do so for tax or social reasons and tend to consign art that they're tired of looking at, have had trouble selling, is minor or unimportant, is not in perfect condition, or has been lying around for years because it's not what collectors want. Think about it-- would you be more inclined to donate an item that's readily salable for a good cash price or one that few people want and no one will pay a decent price for?

If you're bidding on art that's problematic or undesirable in some way, it's naturally going to sell for less and may not be a bargain at all. Given this scenario, getting a "bargain" should be less of a concern than figuring out whether the art is worth owning in the first place. If you pay a low price for something few people want, do you call that a good buy? Probably not.

Not all charity auction art is inferior, however. Marvelous pieces often get donated and these are the ones you should keep your eye out for. One notable exception to the inferiority rule is when museums or other institutions that own large amounts of art deaccess from their collections in order to raise money. They sometimes donate great art simply because it does not fit their collecting interests or long term goals. What's minor or irrelevant to them may be highly desirable to collectors. The tendency is for institutional deaccessions to be better bidding risks than art that comes from private donations or for-profit galleries.

In order to maximize your effectiveness at charity art auctions, always do your research ahead of time. Never assume that a work of art is automatically worth owning. Find out where everything comes from--most auctions publicize donors' names in exchange for their donations. Pay particular attention to pieces that come from respected galleries, collectible artists, institutions, museums, and major collectors. These are often the most worthwhile items to chase after. Inspect all items carefully before the auctions, and confine your bidding to quality, collectible examples. Staying sober is also a good idea-- many charity auctions serve copious amounts of food and drink immediately before bidding begins in order to loosen people up who may otherwise be judicious in their spending. Airline miles sell, art purchases, art sells, arts sale, buy car, buy cars, buy cars for sale, buy classifieds, buy for sale, buy used car, buy used cars, classifieds sell, purchase arts, resell art, sale sell, sell auction, sell books, sell car, sell cars, sell classified ads, sell equipment, sell for cash, sell for sale, sell side, sell swg credits, sell textbooks, sell ticket, sell tickets, sell used books, sell used car, sell used cars, sell used cds, selling arts, trade sell

I Own a Painting That My Children Don't Want

2008-04-05T03:45:00.000-07:00

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Q: I own a painting that my children don't want, so I've decided to sell it. I bought it about 20 years ago. I wrote to the gallery that exclusively represents the artist and had them appraise it. According to them, it's worth quite a bit now. I know I can't sell it for that much, but can you tell me how and where I can get a good price? The gallery says that they don't get involved with resales. I've enclosed a copy of their appraisal.

A: Don't expect to get anywhere near the appraised value for your art. First of all, the appraisal is from the gallery that represents the artist, not an independent appraiser. Their best interest is to appraise as high as possible because big numbers make them look good. While these numbers work for them, they don't for you. That gallery is the only place where the artist's work can sell for that much.

As with any monopoly, they exclusively represent the artist and they control the prices. They decide what the art sells for and appraise it at whatever those current retail prices happen to be. The artist's market is created and manipulated entirely in-house. As long as they're in control, they don't concern themselves with resales like yours that take place on the outside.

This dovetails directly into your next problem. The gallery does not handle resales. They apparently have all the art they need which means that the market for the artist is not strong enough to warrant their making outright buys or seeking consignments from the outside. In other words, you're in trouble.

The little bit of good news is that outside resales do take place, but at prices far less than what the gallery retails the art for. A neutral outside appraiser would have advised you of this. Expect to sell your art for only about 20% of the value that the gallery gave you.

Point of information: When considering any art purchase, assuming you're concerned about spending your money wisely, find out about resale procedures. Does a secondary market exist for the artist and, if so, where is it and how much does the art resell for? Determine whether the gallery gets all their art directly from the artist, from people controlling the artist's estate, or from private parties as well. Be aware that some galleries dance around on this issue and say whatever is necessary in order to sell you art.

If you're at all unsure of the answers to these questions, check to see how other galleries perceive the artist's market and consult an independent appraiser or two. You might even go home, call the gallery in question, tell them you have a piece of the artist's art that you'd like to resell, and ask what you should do and whether they'll handle it for you. A sad fact of the art business is that sometimes (not often) this tact is necessary in order to get the truth.

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Separating Bound Prints

2008-04-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

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Q: I bought a book of original etchings, most of which are by 19th century European artists. I showed the book to an antiquarian bookseller and he told me that one person probably collected the etchings from various publications and had them bound himself. This makes my book a unique piece, but then again, I've been thinking about having it disbound, keeping and framing my favorite images, and selling the rest. Is this a good idea or does it destroy the value of the book as a whole?

A: Opinions generally diverge as to the acceptability of removing prints from books. Booksellers frown on the practice and value books as collectibles in and of themselves. Print dealers often see nothing wrong with "breaking" books and valuing them according to the values of the individual prints. Your situation is somewhat unusual, however, in that you don't really own a book, but rather an album of individual prints put together by one person. In other words, booksellers may not be quite as militant about keeping this piece together as they would if it had been a formally pubished book.

Whether or not your book should stay together depends on several factors. It's better kept together, for example, if it is an outstanding or scholarly assemblage of prints or a beautiful work of art. If the binding is unique, special, full leather, exquisitely hand tooled, or by a famous binder, the piece in its entirety probably has a substantial value-- value which would be lost if it were taken apart. Likewise, consider not breaking it if the prints form an extensive collection of one particular era, school, subject matter, region, medium, or artist. Keeping it whole is also be a good idea if it contains insightful text that cannot be found in other books. A less common reason for preserving unique books in their entirety is if they were either compiled or owned by famous collectors.

Taking the book apart is acceptable if the prints are unrelated to eachother, the binding is ordinary or in poor condition, there is no significant accompanying text, and nothing else is unique or unusual about the piece when considered as a whole. Speaking strictly from a marketing standpoint, unless the album is extremely unique or special it probably has more value disbound than it does as a whole. The etchings can be sold separately for more money than they can as a lot. If you choose this option, you may well be able to pay for the entire purchase by selling off the prints you don't want.

Fine Art Auction - Northern American Style

2008-04-03T03:32:00.000-07:00

Writer John Rushkin once said, "Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart of man go together." There are few things more breathtaking than a well-composed painting - one where all the right colors, brush strokes and open space just dazzle the eyes and capture the imagination. A fine art auction is a great way to buy and sell fine art.

Despite the credit crisis, most purchasers who attend a fine art auction, aren't affected by the middle class squeeze or imploding housing market, as 6,000 to 7,000 eager bidders appeared at many of the fine art auctions this year. British abstractionist John Cecil Stephenson and American graffiti artist Shepard Fairey are expected to sell very well at prices from 7,500 British pounds to 150,000 pounds.

A recent Christie's art auction in New York City reeled in close to $395 million in net gains, despite having not sold a few of the reserves. Big sellers included Matisse's "L'Odalisque, harmonie bleu" (1937) which went for a record $33.6 million dollars, following a bidding war. Also, Pablo Picasso's "Femme accroupie au costume turc (Jacqueline)," painted in 1955, sold for $30.8 million dollars and his "Homme a la pipe" reached $16.8 million.

"The enduring importance of works of art as a stable and consistent store of cultural and economic values was demonstrated in tonight's dazzling sale," said Marc Porter, the head of Christie's America. Hence proving that to buy original art, as an investment, is alive and well.

Similarly, the Canadian art auction set for November 23, 2007 is expected to draw a large crowd and record breaking sales. There were encouraging signs at Heffel's fine art auction last May: a Lawren Harris painting ("Pine Tree and Red House") sold for $2.85 million, an Emily Carr fetched for $1 million, and the total sales reached $22.8 Million, which nearly doubled the previous Canadian record!

At the next auction, Heffel will be selling 19 other works by Lawren Harris and 8 rare pieces done in 1912 by Emily Carr, in addition to seven Tom Thomsons, three E.J. Hugheses, five Maurice Cullens, four Jean-Paul Riopelles, seven Frederick Varleys and eight A.J. Cassons.

Just this November, a woman discovered that a painting she had salvaged from her grandmother's estate sale decades earlier, was actually a rare Tom Thomson estimated at $250,000 to $350,000! This artwork will also be featured at the auction. The Heffel auction hopes to fetch $13 million to $18 million for its 236 lots.

Although 2007 hasn't been a particularly wonderful year for real estate or the economy, many lovers still find ways of financing their art collecting hobby. This is great news for auction houses and artists alike! That perfect piece may be waiting at a fine art auction, whether it be a portrait of Native Americans by Emily Carr or a Matisse abstract.

Author Resource:-> Enrich your knowledge further about fine art auction from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our fine art auctions blog where a free gift awaits you.

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What Is Contemporary Art Auction?

2008-04-02T03:26:00.000-07:00

By: MIKE SELVON
The world of modern art is changing. Just visit a contemporary art auction for a clue. Unknown artists find the value of their works quadrupling within years. Chinese and Indian artists are finding greater audiences, and wealthy patrons of the arts aren't just paying thousands - they're paying millions.

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Traditionally, an artist's older works garnered higher bids and more frenzied requests. However, painters like Brice Marden are changing the status quo with a whole collection of recent, sought-after work.

The top 10 contemporary artists, whose works sold for over $5 million at auction, are as follows: Lucian Freud, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons, Brice Marden, Bruce Nauman, Robert Rauschenberg, Gerhard Richter, Richard Serra, Frank Stella, and Cy Twombly. Other artists (in the $1 - $4 million range) to look out for include: Chuck Close, David Hockney, Ellsworth Kelly, Anselm Kiefer, Claes Oldenburg, Robert Ryman, and Wayne Thiebaud.

Jasper Johns, one of the highest paid modern artists, can't seem to keep up with the demand. He paints two projects each month (which will sell for no less than $1 million), but the waiting list is still long. Entertainment giant David Geffen paid $40 million for "Gray Numbers" a few years back and New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art allegedly paid over $20 million for "White Flag."

John's colorful paintings touch upon Americana themes -- with lots of flags, maps and targets - with subtle messages that affect every onlooker differently. If a collector is fortunate enough to find a Jasper Johns in an art auction house, then there's no telling how much it'll sell for.

One can't help but wonder about what accounts for the noticeable trend towards modern art? Most of the buyers (42%) at the Sotheby's contemporary art auction continue to be Europeans, with the US trailing at 19%, and Asia / Middle Eastern sales at 12%.

It seems that the high price of the pound is hurting many Americans more than the credit crunch, but London's weekend auctions saw many advances from interested Indian and Chinese buyers looking for a piece of cultural heritage. For instance, two bidders fought over Yue Minjun's "Execution" for six minutes, which finally sold for a record breaking $2.93 million. Likewise, one of Putu Sutawijaya's paintings ("Silent Road") sold for $350,000 (11 times its estimated price) at the Borobudur Auction!

The art world is changing from the traditional swanky event, complete with fine wine, cheese and fashionable attire - to one of sitting behind the computer screen, credit card in hand. While it may seem impersonal to some, it's advantageous to others, who have the ability to hop between sites, checking the fair prices for the particular work they've got their eye on. After browsing online catalogues, art lovers can get a good idea of what's available in the up-to-date marketplace, and then make the best purchase later at a contemporary art auction.

Author Resource:-> Enrich your knowledge further about contemporary art auction from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our fine art auctions blog where a free gift awaits you.

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Art Presents And Folk Russian Painting in Art Store Online

2008-04-01T03:03:00.000-07:00

By: Will Nilson
Originally Khokhloma wood tableware were produced in monasteries and for the czar court only. At that time Khokhloma tableware production was not large scale. It was because of expensive imported tin. In 1720s after the end of the North War tin flow to Russian increased. The price went down and the material came within reach of many masters. The production and the sales of brightly painted hand made art works expanded.

Thus in the XIX century items with khokhloma painting were famous not only in Russia but in Persia, India, Middle East, the USA and Australia as well. The export of khokhloma items grew after the worldwide exhibition in 1889 in Paris.

Khokhloma russian painting amazes you with its delicate grass pattern and festive coloring, which is based on combination of scarlet cinnabar and flittering gold against the black lacquer background. This is Khokhloma specific feature. Masters used tin powder and lacquer to obtain such gold color. Now they use aluminum powder.

First, the art tableware are shaped on a lathe from the dried lime wood, which are turned into bowls, vases, mugs, dishes and spoons.

They are dried and covered with red and brown primer, so that they start looking like earthen. The unpainted articles are now coated with drying oil. Next they are polished with powdered aluminium. They become dull shining, like silver, and go to the painting division. Painted articles are then varnished and hardened in ovens at the temperature of 120-130 degrees. The heat turns the varnish yellow, the "silver" into "gold" and mellows the vivid design with an even, golden tone.

Apart from Khokhloma wood presents of tableware most visitors to Russia will have at least one set of Matrioshka dolls in their luggage. These dolls within dolls have long been a source of fascination. The undoing of the main doll to reveal others almost ad-in-finitem has always produced wonderment and appreciation for the woodcrafts art.

Examples of beautiful Khokhloma wood art gifts, Paleh and Mstera lacquered miniatures you can look at art store online site. It is amazing that what started out as a true folk tradition over 300 years ago is still thriving and remains basically true to it's roots, albeit on a more organized scale.

Author Resource:-> Will Nilson, Art News Department of Art shop online, 2007. Online art gift shop suggest wood gift ideas for home and office decorations! Here you can view unique art collections of painted wooden cookware and buy any liked wood art presents.
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Your Art Auctions Questions Answered

2008-03-30T02:48:00.000-07:00

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By: MIKE SELVON

Most people look forward to hanging their prized artwork on the walls of their home. It is something that starts conversations. It can be appreciated for its aesthetic value. Not all art has to cost you an arm and a leg to own.

Some are worth millions of dollars and some worth only pennies. Knowing how to buy a piece of art can make the difference between getting ripped off and finding a true one of a kind piece. Art does not have to be confined to just a canvas. It can be anything you find attractive and wish to own.

In this article we will discuss one of the most popular ways to find artwork: the art auction. Hopefully by the end you will have enough confidence to venture out to visit some art auctions and find the piece of your dreams.

Are all art auctions the same?
There are some very huge differences in art auctions. There are world renowned art auctions such as Sothebys or Christies and art auctions held at estate sales. You can also find art work on Ebay. Where you bid plays a huge factor in what you are going to receive.

There are auctions where you must be invited to attend. There are absentee auctions where you review the listing and place a maximum bid. The world of art auctions is extensive and unless you are very familiar with the art world, it can seem a bit confusing.

What do I need to do if I want to sell a piece of art?
The first thing you need to do is get the piece appraised. Once you have a relative value for the piece it does not hurt to get a little bit of background information on the artist. This will be very helpful if you are trying to sell the piece yourself.

If you do not want to sell the piece yourself or want to reach a wider audience, consider letting an auction house sell it for you. You can get their opinion on the opening bid price and go from there. You will have to give them a percentage of the sale.

What can I expect my art piece to sell for?
That is an impossible question to answer without knowing exactly what you have. A DaVinci will sell for a whole lot more money than your neighbor's daughter's finger painting.

No one can give you an accurate estimate of your art work by just going on a description. It takes the trained eye of a professional in order to determine what it is worth.

Can I use Ebay to sell my art work?
Yes, of course you can use Ebay to sell your art work. If it is a rare piece of art you may want to reconsider. Ebay is known for bargains and this is one time when bargaining may not be in your best interest.

For less expensive prints, paintings or pieces you can receive a fair deal. Just make sure to give a very accurate description of the piece and also make sure and demand that the winner pay for insurance. That way no one will be out of money should the art work be damaged during shipping.

I bought a painting at a local auction and it needs restoration. Can I do this myself?
It would not be recommended. Paintings are delicate things. Over time they can accumulate dirt, grime and the colors can fade if the painting was not properly cared for. A professional restorer is your safest option if you want to ensure your art work is not ruined.

Author Resource:-> Enrich your knowledge further about art auctions from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our fine art auctions blog where a free gift awaits you.

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Should I Try Another Auction House?

2008-03-29T09:44:00.001-07:00

Q: I tried to sell a group of late-19th century etchings by known American and European artists at a local auction. They failed to sell as my reserve was $1000 and the high bid was only $700. The auction house said they'd put them up for sale again, but only if I lower my reserve to $500. I still want the $1000-- the total of the individual values of the prints exceeds that. Should I try another auction house? What do you recommend?

A: The auctioneer's request is perfectly reasonable. To begin with, the prints are damaged goods, in a sense, because they were offered at a public sale and failed to sell. The perception among potential buyers is that no one wanted them. If you put them up again at the same house any time soon, using the lower reserve would be an excellent idea.

You could try another auction house, but collectors are pretty sophisticated these days and those who are the most serious about acquiring your prints will probably recognize that they've seen the lot somewhere before. The bad news is that if they fail to sell again, they'll be devalued even further. If you continue to insist on too much money, over-shop the prints, and repeatedly fail to locate a buyer, you'll end up being unable to sell them at any reasonable price.

Another mistake you're making is basing your reserve on what the individual prints would sell for. The only times that lot prices either equal or exceed the sum of the individual prices is when the pieces are related, are part of a series, form relatively complete collections, or would take years to assemble piece by piece. The one common aspect of your etchings is that they date from approximately the same time period. Other than that, they're little more than a miscellaneous group of unrelated images. The reason why they sell for less is that serious buyers only want specific images, want the lot based on what they'd have to pay for only those images, and want get rid of the rest without too much trouble or financial loss.

If you insist on sticking with the high reserve, thoroughly research the marketplace before placing them up for sale again. You may get lucky and locate a particular sales venue that consistently sells such prints for higher prices than the competition. But don't get your hopes up. Chances are much better that the $500 reserve suggested by the auctioneer is the way to go, whether you consign to his auction house or another.

Another possibility might be to have the auction house contact the high bidder and attempt to arrange a private sale of just a portion of the lot. If he's willing to offer a good price without taking too many prints, you may be able to auction the remainder at a lower estimate and come close to your $1000 asking price between the two sales.

Proper Presentation

2008-03-28T02:38:00.000-07:00

Q: I attended a collectibles show in a large unheated building on the outskirts of the city where I live. The quality of the merchandise was uneven, but some was pretty good. At one booth I saw a group of etchings by a known artist lying in a pile on a table. I expected to hear a reasonable figure when I asked the price, but was instead quoted top retail. I thought this was ridiculous, considering the circumstances, and walked away without saying a word. What do you think?

A: I would have probably done the same thing. In any segment of the art, antique, or collectibles businesses you pretty much have to know your place on the food chain. If you're selling a painting out of the back of your van or at the local flea market, for example, it should be priced less than if you're selling it out of your $50,000 a month gallery space on 57th Street in Manhattan-- even if it's the identical painting!!

Four of the most important aspects of selling art at top retail are proper presentation, credibility of the seller, access to the right client base, and service. To elaborate, the art has to be for sale at the right location and framed and displayed in a way that maximizes its dramatic impact. The gallery must offer a full range of services such as delivery, installation, appraisals, research, and moneyback guarantees. It must have an established track record of selling quality art to experienced collectors. Obviously, this is not the same as shuffling through a pile of etchings on a table in an unheated building.

Overpricing for one reason or another will always be a problem and will probably only get worse due to the increased amount of information available to dealers at all levels. In particular, price guides and the Internet are having a greater and greater impact. People can locate dollar values of just about anything in price guides, auction record compendiums, websites, newsgroups, databases, or mailing lists and compare it to what they have for sale. Unfortunately, they can't as easily locate or acquire the knowledge and experience necessary to understand why those prices are what they are and under what circumstances the merchandise must be offered in order for it to sell at those figures.

All of The Data Gathered Within DaVinci

2008-03-27T02:29:00.000-07:00

a la mode, inc., one of the real estate industry's largest and most mission-critical technology companies, announced today that its DaVinci product is the first real estate appraisal program in the US to receive the Certified for Windows Vista logo, ushering in next-generation reliability to the real estate appraisal process. DaVinci also runs on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

DaVinci allows appraisers to easily create floor plan sketches, either at the office using a desktop computer, or in the field using a Tablet PC or UMPC and a digital pen. When used on site at a field inspection, DaVinci allows appraisers to also gather required information, take freeform notes, and manage photos, in addition to sketching the floorplan.

a la mode's companion desktop formfilling software, WinTOTAL, is overwhelmingly the most popular appraisal program on the market, with more than half of all real estate appraisers nationwide utilizing it. All of the data gathered within DaVinci, including the sketch, stays organized in a single file that is saved in a native WinTOTAL format, which makes it seamless and simple to transfer to the final appraisal report.

Until now, appraisers typically used pencil, paper, and a traditional clipboard to sketch the property and gather data, but that process can easily introduce errors. It's possible using manual methods to overlook measurements, be unaware that a measurement is incorrect, or even fail to note important features of the property being appraised. DaVinci guides the appraiser through a completely customizable onsite inspection, and provides an interactive checklist of critical data which needs to be gathered before leaving the site. An appraiser in the field can also drive by comparable properties and complete the appropriate sections of the report directly within DaVinci, ensuring the best comparables are used and that the comparable data is as accurate as possible. Data is saved in the appraiser's Digital Workfile, storing a full audit trail of the work done and ensuring compliance with government regulations and professional standards.

In addition to improving the reliability of the information gathered, DaVinci enables the appraiser to go directly from the field inspection to the final report without retyping data or sorting through the subject and comparable photos, saving the appraiser substantial amounts of time and effort.

"The real estate industry is undergoing massive technological transformation, and appraisers are at the leading edge of it," said David Biggers, Chairman and founder of a la mode. "Microsoft's rigorous standards and independent laboratory testing allow companies such as ours to provide the innovative tools appraisers now require, while simultaneously assuring them that they'll have a positive experience with reliable software."

"Microsoft is pleased that a la mode has earned the Certified for Windows Vista software logo for its DaVinci application," said Jeff Price, Senior Director of Windows Client Product Management at Microsoft Corp. "This highlights a la mode's commitment to providing its customers with higher quality applications that deliver a more secure, reliable and compatible experience with Windows Vista."

Thousands of real estate professionals have downloaded and evaluated DaVinci prior to its release from the a la mode Labs website, providing valuable input and feedback as part of the development process. DaVinci is available for download at alamode.

About a la mode
Founded in 1985, a la mode develops desktop, mobile, and Web tools for the real estate and mortgage industries. a la mode's mission-critical products are used by hundreds of thousands of appraisers, agents, inspectors, and lending professionals to complete the nation's real estate transactions. a la mode's state-of-the-art offices are located in Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit alamode.

Like Stylish Canaries In a Coal Mine

2008-03-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

Featured article from Google alert about arts. Sunday Real Estate Round-Up, 4/6/08
Luxist - Santa Monica,CA,USA
There is no record of a mortgage so she may have paid cash. --Art collector Adam Lindemann and his wife, Amalia Dayan have bought a slim townhouse at 64 ...

Like stylish canaries in a coal mine, Miami's art advisors are increasingly being looked to for early warnings of the art market's collapse. Indeed, even among those previously most bullish about contemporary art's investment potential, the question is no longer if a replay of the 1990 crash will unfold, but more often when it will arrive.

''I see the black clouds over every auction,'' says art advisor Lisa Austin, ruefully describing the flurry of anxious conversations preceding the recent art sales by Christie's, Phillips de Pury & Co. and Sotheby's auction houses in New York and London. ``Common sense says there's going to be a shake-out -- there's a similarity to the run-up of the art market of the late '80s. Everybody said that incredible pace couldn't be sustained.''

And they were right. When the art market bubble popped in 1990 amid a national recession, the realignment was vicious. Art stars of the 1980s such as Eric Fischl and Julian Schnabel suddenly found their work selling for a tenth of their earlier seven-figure price tags -- if it sold at all. As belt-tightening collectors abandoned the field, scores of galleries closed, forcing waves of previously successful artists to set down their paint brushes in search of day jobs.

This time out, with Miami's post-Art Basel gallery expansion handily dwarfing the '80s boom, the correction could be even more painful. ''Look at the way Art Basel has been marketed,'' says art advisor Heather Urban. ``I hear so many people talking as much about the parties, and who they're being seen with, as about the art.''

Once the cash -- and its attendant glitz -- drains away, many expect these fickle crowds to also vanish.

IN THE WORKS
To hear art advisor Dora Valdés-Fauli tell it, the weeding-out process has already begun. ''The art market is not immune to the same factors that have touched the housing market,'' Valdés-Fauli says. Many of the local banks she's helped assemble collections, such as Banco Santander International, have ceased new acquisitions. ''Look at Bear Stearns,'' she says, referring to the meltdown of the once seemingly-impregnable brokerage firm. ``Try to convince a bank board they should be purchasing art now.''

''Now is the time to cash out,'' says Lang Baumgarten, a longtime client of Lisa Austin's dating back to her stint as art director for Southeast Bank (whose own impressive collection was scattered to the winds following the bank's 1991 insolvency). As a commercial mortgage broker, Baumgarten has a quick metric for judging the market's peak: ''At the height of the real estate business, every hooker-model-actress in town reinvented themselves as a real-estate broker. Now those same people are calling themselves art consultants.'' Pointing to Eliot Spitzer's notorious overnight hotel guest, he scoffs, ``I'm sure Ashley Dupré is going to be an art advisor by next year.''

Read the complete article by Brett Sokol

Another Problem With Free Appraisals

2008-03-25T02:48:00.000-07:00

Feature this article from one of the best site about buy and sell art. It's about free appraisals, arts, buy arts, sell arts. Enjoy.

Q: I never pay for an art appraisal. When I find an interesting piece of art and need an appraisal, I usually take it to a local auction house and have their appraiser tell me what they think they can sell it for. I hardly ever sell through them though. I either keep the art for myself or sell it to collectors on my own. I get the best of all worlds by saving on appraisal fees, auction house commissions. Is this a good idea? And what about those appraisers or dealers on the internet or in the phone book who advertise free appraisals? I'm thinking about starting to use them too.

A: A "free appraisal" is never free, and they're bad ideas for several reasons. The obvious one in your case is that you're repeatedly using the same people for free advice at the auction house. The auction house offers free appraisals to attract merchandise to their sales; they're not a public service or a price research service for your personal dealing and collecting needs. They very likely know you're taking advantage of them and that nothing will come of the time they spend with you, so as a result, they move you in and out as quickly as possible with minimal efforts on their part. They won't bother performing in-depth research or fine tuning the accuracy of their initial figures unless you consign the art. Why waste time with you when there's nothing in it for them?

The less obvious problem with so-called free appraisals from auction houses is that they're not really appraisals at all. They're only quick approximations of what auction houses think your art will sell for at their sales. The estimates do not necessarily reflect how the art might sell at someone else's auction or what it's fair market value might be. What one auction house can sell an item for might be completely different from what the next one can sell it for. Hammer prices at any particular auction house more accurately reflect the client base of that auction house than it does the market in general or the fair market values of the art that they sell.

But wait; there's more. Another problem with free appraisals is that, except in the case of the world's major auction houses, the staff people who conduct them tend to be younger, less experienced, and not necessarily able to accurately assess dollar values. Actual auction results may differ drastically from what you are told. Even the major auction houses can be way off in their estimates with art selling for either far greater dollar amounts than their estimates or failing to sell at all. Also keep in mind that auction houses try to keep estimates on the low side because that means they stand a better chance of selling the art.

Read the complete article here...

Lococo Fine Art Publisher

2008-03-22T23:56:00.000-07:00

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.

Now that we've covered those aspects of Lococo Fine Art Publisher, fine art, art, artist, listing, artwork, sell art online, buy art online, buy and sell arts, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Couldn't find much information about Lococo Fine Art Publisher, another nice site about fine art. Just found this site from link referral. Here's where you can reach them:

9320 Olive Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63132 USA
Tel 1: (314) 994-0240
Tel 2: (800) 345-1764 US and Canada
Fax: (314) 994-0545

Robert Lococo
Mark Niesman
Ben Shambaugh

And the list of the artist you can browse through the site:
Joe Andoe
Donald Baechler
Ross Bleckner
Greg Bogin
James Brown
William S. Burroughs
Francesco Clemente
Peter Halley
Keith Haring
David Hockney
Christopher Makos
John "Crash" Matos
Julian Schnabel
Tom Slaughter
Paul Solberg
Donald Sultan
Ernest Trova
Bernar Venet
Andy Warhol
Liu Ye
Ford Beckman
Michael Bevilacqua
Dike Blair
Michael Byron
Ellen Carey
Sarah Charlesworth
Robert Cottingham
Raimundo Figueroa
Eric Fischl
Richard Haas
Al Held
Rebecca Horn
Nicholas Howey
Alex Katz
Scott Kilgour
Sol LeWitt
Alexander Liberman
Robert Longo
Ted Mineo
Elizabeth Murray
Louise Nevelson
Robert Risko
Lisa Ruyter
David Salle
Kenny Scharf
Christian Schumann
Barbara Takenaga
Fred Tomaselli
Oliver Warden
William Wegman
Terry Winters
Christopher Wool

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

Artspan Is Home to 2000 Artist

2008-03-21T21:23:00.000-07:00

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Artspan, artist, art, arts, painting, sculpture, photography, contemporary art, modern art, artist websites, portal, featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Artspan, artist, art, arts, painting, sculpture, photography, contemporary art, modern art, artist websites, portal, featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Artspan, artist, art, arts, painting, sculpture, photography, contemporary art, modern art, artist websites, portal, featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Artspan, artist, art, arts, painting, sculpture, photography, contemporary art, modern art, artist websites, portal, featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links.

Artspan is home to 2000 artist, artisan & art photographer member art sites. Visitors can use our search functions or directories to view thumbnail images, and click on the images to access the individual artist websites.

Artspan is a resource for anyone interested in contemporary art: painting, sculpture, photography, and much more. You can search for non-Artspan art sites or participate in the Forum or browse Articles.

Artspan is introducing a series of Portals to serve as gateways to genres, media and regions. See the categories below for portals featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links to individual websites. For more portals, go to the Portals Menu.

Since its beginnings in late 1999, the mission of Artspan has been to serve the visual arts community: both contemporary artists looking to create and consumers looking to purchase original contemporary art, contemporary art prints, art photography and more.

Artspan provides its fine artist members with easy-to-update low-cost elegant artist website templates. These fully customizable websited enable members to put their art online in minutes. These full member sites, along with the associate member sites, benefit from the top search engine rankings and resulting high volume of traffic artspan.com receives every day. This means more people will view your art - everyday.

Visitors use Artspan's fine art search functions or artist directories to find art of interest to them. Whether they are looking for abstract paintings, landscape paintings or still life art, art photography, sculpture, ceramics or other works of fine art, it will be found at artspan.com.

Search for artwork by genre, medium, style, region or keyword with our advanced search functions. Or browse our many distinct directories - regional (state or country), category (and subcategory), or alphabetical. Explore the extraordinary variety of contemporary art found on our network of thousands of artist websites. We invite you also to participate in the art Forum and to take a look at the Articles section as well as the Calendar.

The year 2007 saw a further evolution of Artspan as we began to introduce multiple portals to serve as gateways to contemporary painting, art photography, sculpture, mixed media, fine art prints, ceramics, art jewelry, fiber arts and many more. These portals serve to introduce the different categories of artistic expression, giving each a distinct portal. They feature news and exhibits and also incorporate alphabetical directories of the members whose work corresponds to that particular portal. We invite all who are interested in contemporary art to visit us frequently, to follow our continuing evolution.

Knowing enough about Artspan, artist, art, arts, painting, sculpture, photography, contemporary art, modern art, artist websites, portal, featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about Artspan, artist, art, arts, painting, sculpture, photography, contemporary art, modern art, artist websites, portal, featuring articles, reviews, events, extensive resource lists and links, you should have nothing to worry about.

Art is a True Storyteller

2008-03-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

If you're seriously interested in knowing about arts, buy art, story teller, personal side, artwork, fine art, authentic originals, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know about arts, buy art, story teller, personal side, artwork, fine art, authentic originals.

I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

There are many reasons to buy art. You may want to decorate your home, buy a special present for someone who loves art, or you might be an independent collector and just wish to invest in art. Some people buy art because they think owning it will improve their social standing. Some people buy art because it reflects their values or philosophies of life. Regardless of your reasons for buying art, the reason you buy certain art will be no doubt be personal.

When you buy art, you will likely buy based on intuition. Certain pieces will evoke a feeling or a mood almost immediately upon viewing them. That feeling will either be good or bad. Studies indicate that art makes people feel a certain way and anyone who creates, views or collects art knows that is true.

An artist experiences their work differently than a collector; who experiences it differently than a gallery viewer. That is one of the reasons art is so interesting. Art can preserve memories and create dreams. A painting truly is worth 1,000 words. Buying art that makes you feel good feeds your spirit and makes you healthy. Art can reduce stress by adding to the beauty and tranquility of your environment and by projecting certain and appropriate moods.

Art is often important to individuals because it compliments existing surroundings or memorializes someone or something dear. Art can be healing, motivational, endearing or upsetting. It can move people to tears, to laughter or to rage. It is an outlet of expression void of words but deep in meaning and symbolism.

For some, art personifies strength and honor. Animals are a popular subject and certain animal artwork gives status to the owner, much like owning a fancy car would. Art as a means of pleasing the senses has undoubtedly been stimulating imagination and creativity for centuries. Meanings are often buried within symbols, colors and textures.

Civilizations, cultures and individuals use art as the depository of their history. Art makes people proud to live, work, and play where they do. They point to their museums, public monuments, and cultural institutions with pride, as they should. Art is a true storyteller of life through the ages.

No matter why you are buying art, feeling and intuition will play a major role in your decision to buy any particular piece. So now you know a little bit about arts, buy art, story teller, personal side, artwork, fine art, authentic originals. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

The Story of Buying Fine Art Online

2008-03-14T01:03:00.000-07:00

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage at least it seems that way. If you've been thinking you need to know more about it, here's your opportunity.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on arts, buy art, artwork, fine art, authentic originals now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.

Now that’s someone who has fallen in love with what must surely be a fine piece of art. It's to be admired. I am not sure if that kind of thing is common and though for some it may seem slightly extreme, it is the sort of thing that any emerging artist selling fine art online, or even offline for that matter, would certainly love to hear.

If you are looking to buy fine art online make sure you do your homework. I don't mean to make it sound as it if it is a chore because it certainly is not. In fact, buying fine art online comes down to just following out on a few basic steps to ensure that you get what you're looking for and ultimately plan to pay for.

First it’s a good idea to establish as to whether you are buying art to match the couch or buying art so you can buy a couch to match the painting. In other words, are you looking to buy fine art online for investment purposes or to simply have an original oil painting to enhance the mood in your lounge or dining room? If you are looking for investment purposes then it is wise to do some homework and get yourself some education on the subject – is the artist emerging into the higher ranks of the art scene and destined to stay there?

Obviously the most effective way of telling the authenticity of a piece of work is if you can witness it in the flesh. If this is possible and you happen to live within the vicinity of the artist's studio or gallery, then you will benefit greatly from being able to view the painting first hand and up close. There is no better way to buy art.

As in a lot of cases when looking to buy artwork online, the painting is not so easily accessible. So in this scenario its good idea to contact the artist or online gallery web master. Get on the phone to speak to them personally. Send them an email. Get as much information as you can from the people or artist hosting the site in relation to the painting. The more information you can get from them the more confident you'll feel about your decision to purchase or not to purchase.

Ideally, you want to buy fine art online with an emphasis on the enjoyment a particular piece gives you. You must first really like a piece of work. Then it's a good idea to do an assessment on the artist to see if there is a growing vibe about him or her throughout the online and offline media. This is not so important if you are purchasing for decorative purposes but definitely for potential investment purposes.

Another factor to look out for when buying fine art online is to find out if the painting is a limited edition. As technology gets better so does it’s ability to easily reproduce work to make them look like authentic originals. See if the artist is issuing out certificate of authenticity papers with each piece of work. This also show the artist's credibility and integrity he or she maintains in their work. You don’t need to know everything about art in order to buy fine art online. All that really matters is that you follow through with some due diligence and most importantly; you buy something you really like and not something that you think is going to be popular.

That's the latest from the arts, buy art, artwork, fine art, authentic originals authorities. Once you're familiar with these ideas, you'll be ready to move to the next level.

Art Insurance Preview

2008-03-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with art, art and money, artist, collectors, insurance, art insurance, The Scream, Madonna? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you've ever wanted to know about art, art and money, artist, collectors, insurance, art insurance, The Scream, Madonna.

See how much you can learn about art, art and money, artist, collectors, insurance, art insurance, The Scream, Madonna when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

"The Scream" and "Madonna," two major paintings by famous Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, were recently stolen from the Munch Museum in Norway by armed robbers in broad daylight. The significance of the art theft is notable, but what's really shocking is that the art was not insured against theft (although it was insured for fire and water damage, for restoration costs that would be incurred to repair the paintings if they were damaged). According to a BBC news story, John Oyaas, managing director of the museum's insurers, said of the paintings, "They are not replaceable so you can't buy "The Scream" on the street and put a copy up there. The focus is on other issues than insuring them. To a certain extent this is common practice because these items aren't replaceable."

Now let's take a close look at that statement. Oyass appears to be saying that the paintings are so valuable that they're not worth insuring, or put another way, since the paintings are not replaceable, insuring them is a waste of money. This thinking makes absolutely no sense. The museum should have had theft insurance (assuming that's permissible in Norway); all museums should have theft insurance, as should all art galleries and private collections. Whether or not a work of art is "replaceable" is not the issue. The issue is getting compensated if the art is stolen. What's better a stolen painting and a $5 million insurance settlement or a stolen painting and a $0 insurance settlement?

"But theft insurance is way too expensive."

Yes, the cost of insuring a museum's entire collection is prohibitive, but thieves don't normally steal the entire collection. They only steal part of it, and usually a pretty small part. So insure only a part of it. Theft insurance covers "incidents," not specific works of art, unless the insured specifies individual coverage for specific works of art in the policy. In other words, if you purchase theft insurance, you're insured for the coverage amount no matter what gets stolen. You may not recoup the entire amount of the loss, but at least you'll have something.

"But insuring even our few most valuable paintings is still too expensive."

So that's a rationale for not insuring anything? How about this idea pay for as much insurance as you can afford, maybe $1,000,000, maybe $10,000,000? That way, if art gets stolen, at least you have enough money to hire top quality private investigators to try and recover it, get publicity for the theft, or perhaps even pay a ransom. Or use the money to buy a state-of-the-art security system for your museum (or gallery or private collection) so that theft doesn't happen again. Forget about whether or not art is replaceable or unique or iconic; receiving compensation for a theft is what counts, and using that compensation to either recover the art, offset the loss in revenues that may result from the art being stolen, or make life more difficult for people who steal art, so difficult, hopefully, that many will stop stealing it.

Insurance tips for anyone, public or private, who owns expensive art:

* Photograph and document your collection, or at least the most valuable works in your collection. Include current appraisals, original sales receipts, and any additional paperwork that speaks directly to the value of your art.

* Buy as much insurance as you can comfortably afford, whether or not that amount covers the entire value of your art. Most loss, damage, or theft affects only a portion of a collection, not the entire collection. To repeat-- receiving some compensation is better than receiving no compensation at all.

* Make sure you understand your insurance policy. This means reading the fine print, and asking every question about every conceivable loss or damage situation that you can think of. You don't want to find out after a loss that you were not covered for that specific type of loss.

* Theft/damage insurance for art, added onto your home insurance, generally costs $1-$2 annually per $1000 of coverage (less if you have a good security system in place). Several insurance companies specialize in covering art and antiques exclusively. Coverage details can be discussed and/or negotiated with your insurance company.

There's no excuse for not insuring an art collection. If you can afford the art, you can afford the insurance. And remember you don't have to insure for every last penny of value in your collection. Loss or damage rarely affects an entire collection, and you'll find that in the large majority of cases, even partial coverage will reimburse you for a substantial percentage of the dollar amount involved in most occurrences.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

About Art And Money

2008-03-10T16:37:00.000-07:00

When most people think of art, art and money, artist, collectors, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to art, art and money, artist, collectors than just the basics.

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about art, art and money, artist, collectors. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

What is it about art and money anyway? Artists agonize about how to accurately price their work. Collectors anguish over whether the art they buy is worth what they pay for it. Even dealers perplex about which side of the fine line their price strategies come down on reasonable or preposterous. In fact, we all have moments when we wonder whether art is worth anything at all.

The relationship between art and money can indeed be confusing, especially if you're not familiar with the business side of things, but if you look carefully at how the pros assess and evaluate art and its markets, you sooner or later realize that methodology almost always triumphs over conjecture. In fact, the art market is overwhelmingly orderly no matter which side of the creative equation you're on-- producer or consumer. Sure the routine goes a little haywire every now and again, but it returns to vibrant health each and every time. And yes, pesky itinerant opportunists are always on the lookout for neophytes to flimflam, but not even the most virulent among them can survive that transcendent one-two punch-- connoisseurial concurrence and the passage of time.

The art and money affiliation starts out innocently enough, pure and virginal; the easiest art markets to decipher being those of artists at the outsets of their careers. At these early stages, values are based primarily on physical considerations like studio rents, costs of equipment and materials, how long art takes to make, what size it is, and the like. Geography also factors into the equation somewhat as cost of living varies by region. Simply put, if your cost of living is low, all else being equal, you can afford to charge less for your art. Additionally, certain insular regional scenes may layer on entry-level surcharges, for example, in locations with uncharacteristically high percentages of galleries like Carmel, Scottsdale, Laguna Beach, or Santa Fe.

Beyond the beginning, however, the artscape complicates fast about as fast as dealers, curators, collectors, prognosticators, and critics insert themselves into the paradigm. Suddenly in addition to concrete facts about the art, you have third party concerns to contend with including opinions, politics, connections, influence, who owes who, who has access how many dollars, and fuzz like that. So begins a wondrous period of market mayhem mild style that interval which starts when an artist first "gets noticed," continues as the artist determinedly endures year after year of making and showing art, and hopefully concludes with that artist proving his or her mettle to the extent that cognoscenti who count declare them "here to stay." In the meantime, clarity of perspective remains elusive, and about all anyone can do is speculate on what might one day be, based on what's happened so far.

In a sense, all art is priced speculatively. Since art has no tangible value, significance can only be ascribed, never quantified. But there are degrees of speculation ranging from realistic and fact-based to incomprehensibly incongruous. For example, under normal circumstances, price levels for artists at various stages in their careers increase orderly and incrementally according to convention, i.e. according to how prices for artists who preceded these artists increased orderly and incrementally, according to advances in their careers, and so on and so forth it's kind of like tradition. Of course any artist can change direction or even stop making art at any time, career moves like that constituting the wild side of the speculation game, but generally, the chances of unanticipated occurrences decrease the longer an artist is around. And generally, prices rise predictably according to each successive success an artist racks up including notable one-person shows, museum exposures, published monographs on their work, and so on the amount of any given price increase proportionate to the significance of the respective accomplishment. You follow me? Good. The boring part of the article is now officially over. Time to get twisty with a little comparative art market analysis from a speculative perspective.

Take Banksy and Shepard Fairey, two undeniably influential urban talents, both with careers firmly rooted in outdoor art, both active for about the same periods of time, yet the makeup of the current markets for their respective work could not be more different. Now I don't claim to be an authority on the evolutionary intricacies of either artist's career, but maybe that's a good thing, kind of an unaffected outsider-looking-in kinda thing. Because when I look at these two, I see the entire speculative continuum of art and money in microcosm with one artist securely ensconced at each end of that continuum.

On the Shepard Fairey end you have a market that proceeds about as orderly as any artist's market can, progressing gradually, show after show after show, with no abrupt price fluctuations, no radical shifts in philosophy or in the art that's presented always on point, on message, on topic, on target, and most importantly, on audience. Yes, prices have increased over the years, but predictably so, and special added bonus pretty much anybody who collected Fairey in the late 1990's can still collect him today. In other words, by playing to everyone who shows any level of interest in his work, from fresh converts to steadfast devotees, he retains, solidifies, and grows his collector base. Reasons for the controlled rational nature of the Fairey phenomenon likely revolve around the artist and his core beliefs about art, but could also include guidance from dealers, collectors, his fan base in general, and related qualified "advisors."

This isn't so much about Shepard Fairey, by the way, as it is a classic example of art market stability. Fairey's produced (and continues to produce) an abundance of art, made thousands of sales at a variety of price points, has a proven track record, and certainly appears committed to the lifestyle for the long haul. His sales history and career progress are easy to document, the market for his art is a picture of health, and his creative legacy is practically a foregone conclusion. In other words, speculating on the subsequent course of Shepard Fairey's career is about as close as you can come to not speculating at all.

Now hold on to your hats 'cuz here we go. On the opposite end of the continuum is Banksy, the art world's speculative acme-du-jour. As little as three years ago his art was selling for pocket change and today the ante is well into the tens of thousands of dollars just to play a hand. But what's the game?

Banksy backers point to Angelina Jolie's recent patronage to the tune of some hundreds of thousands of dollars. But does this mean anything? Does it lend credence and durability to the market for Banksy art? Not really. It's little more than Hollywood headline news. Jolie is not known for her art collection, and her acquisitions certainly don't impact the mindsets of art world stalwarts. Maybe if the buyer were Steve Martin, a world-class collector, things would be different.

Oh wait... you don't know what art world stalwarts are? They're loyalists of the highest order, people who would rather buy art than EAT, who devote their lives to collecting art and supporting artists, who understand what they collect as well as anybody out there, who continually contemplate and reflect on day to day developments with artists in particular and with the art world in general, and who are in the thick of the hunt until the ends of their days. And do you know how many people that represents? Not many. The truth is that only a small percentage of people who buy art do so in large enough ways to influence the course of collecting (and perhaps even of art history) as well they should. We like that level of experience, commitment, and dedication at the helm. The flip side, however, is that this small percentage can only support (and subsequently deify in perpetuity) a small number of artists. Furthermore, the deification process is slow and methodical, no matter who the artist, requiring decade after decade of accomplishment after accomplishment and success after success each and every instance subject to acute unforgiving scrutiny. Nothing ever happens fast at least nothing enduring.

Which brings us back to Banksy. Over the past several years, his art has escalated in value faster than pretty much any substance known to man. A price structure that topped in the low $1000's as recently as 2004 now exceeds $100,000 at the high end, with barely a rope footbridge to connect the two sides of the cash chasm a circumstance that's not particularly healthy for either the art market in general or for Banksy in particular. It's not the folks who buy Banksy at the bottom of the chain letter that anybody should be concerned about they've got far more money than they do ways to spend it. It's Banksy his meteoric rise to mythic status and price structure to go with it uncompromisingly intensify the pressure to perform to sustain the frenzy. Gobs of $$$ are riding on him too, many of which are fickle and prepared to go south at the slightest hitch. So here we stand, arms folded, toes tapping, waiting for his next big coup.

And let's say that next coup's a jewel and the next and the next. Where do prices go? $1 million Banksy's in another couple of years? To complicate matters, if he decides to take any kind of hiatus, there's not a lot in the way of history or stability to fall back on, to hold in the heat, to preserve the status quo. And one more irksome detail step outside the vortex for a moment, look around, and you quickly realize you can buy exceptionally serious established eternally enshrined blue chip art for $100,000, not to mention a million $$. Seems like tunnel vision's temporarily trumped reality.

This isn't so much about Banksy, by the way, as it is a classic example of a market that's spiraled perilously out of control. Banksy's a major player in terms of advancing the envelope of what art is, especially on a popular level, but his market stability and continuity from longevity standpoints are tenuous to say the least. Everybody's all caught up in the hubbub of the moment, while whoever's in charge of the big picture appears to be taking a long lunch. Will Banksy weather the storm to triumph and prosper? Will big money buyers continue to feed the machine? Stay tuned.

So there you have it. The best way to learn about art prices is to critically honestly earnestly dissect and evaluate artist markets, one by one, until you begin to get a feel for the territory. Not only is there a realistic dollar value for everything, but there's also a perfectly logical fact-based explanation to go with it. It's that simple and no more complicated. And I wish both Banksy and Shepard Fairey long and continued success with their art.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

Bulk Art Sales Versus Individual Art Sales

2008-03-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

The only way to keep up with the latest about arts, art galleries, business, business place is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about arts, art galleries, business, business place, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to arts, art galleries, business, business place than you may have first thought.

Q: I tried to sell a group of late-19th century etchings by known American and European artists at a local auction. They failed to sell as my reserve was $1000 and the high bid was only $700. The auction house said they'd put them up for sale again, but only if I lower my reserve to $500. I still want the $1000 the total of the individual values of the prints exceeds that. Should I try another auction house? What do you recommend?

A: The auctioneer's request is perfectly reasonable. To begin with, the prints are damaged goods, in a sense, because they were offered at a public sale and failed to sell. The perception among potential buyers is that no one wanted them. If you put them up again at the same house any time soon, using the lower reserve would be an excellent idea.

You could try another auction house, but collectors are pretty sophisticated these days and those who are the most serious about acquiring your prints will probably recognize that they've seen the lot somewhere before. The bad news is that if they fail to sell again, they'll be devalued even further. If you continue to insist on too much money, over-shop the prints, and repeatedly fail to locate a buyer, you'll end up being unable to sell them at any reasonable price.

Another mistake you're making is basing your reserve on what the individual prints would sell for. The only times that lot prices either equal or exceed the sum of the individual prices is when the pieces are related, are part of a series, form relatively complete collections, or would take years to assemble piece by piece. The one common aspect of your etchings is that they date from approximately the same time period. Other than that, they're little more than a miscellaneous group of unrelated images. The reason why they sell for less is that serious buyers only want specific images, want the lot based on what they'd have to pay for only those images, and want get rid of the rest without too much trouble or financial loss.

If you insist on sticking with the high reserve, thoroughly research the marketplace before placing them up for sale again. You may get lucky and locate a particular sales venue that consistently sells such prints for higher prices than the competition. But don't get your hopes up. Chances are much better that the $500 reserve suggested by the auctioneer is the way to go, whether you consign to his auction house or another.

Another possibility might be to have the auction house contact the high bidder and attempt to arrange a private sale of just a portion of the lot. If he's willing to offer a good price without taking too many prints, you may be able to auction the remainder at a lower estimate and come close to your $1000 asking price between the two sales.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on arts, art galleries, business, business place.

A Guide of Buying Art

2008-03-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to arts, art galleries, business, business place than you may have first thought.

The actual act of buying on the net is probably the easiest step of the procedure. It usually involves only filling a form and clicking the "send" button.

Commercial Potential of Buying Art
Prices, however, also reflect the commercial potential of the piece, and therefore well known artist can charge more than less famous ones. Here is in fact your chance as an investor: if you recognize a talented artist who is not yet well known, you can get a higher price on his/her artworks when they become famous.

Ways of Paying
The easiest and safest way to pay on the net is to fill in a confidential form and give the number of your credit card. Such forms insure that only the sellers can read the number of your card. Another way you can pay is by calling the sellers and purchase off line. Most sites accept major credit cards, including American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

Other Ways to Pay
Some sites are more flexible with paying possibilities and may accept money orders, wires, or other forms of payment. If this is how you prefer to pay, contact the sellers via email.

Confirmation of Your Order
It is customary that the sellers will send you an email confirming your purchase of an artwork within 48 hours. Check these procedures with the site you intend to buy from.

Taxes
Taxes vary according to your residence, and according to the place the artwork is sent from. For instance, when you order from an American site and you live within the European Union you will be charged Value Added Tax or its equivalent. I recommend finding out with the sellers about specific taxes before buying.

Money Back Guarantee
Credible sellers of art online offer a money back guarantee within a certain period of time from the date of delivery, so you can send back the piece if it is not exactly what you wanted

Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about arts, art galleries, business, business place. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

Purchase Safety in Art Business

2008-03-08T13:56:00.001-08:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about arts, purchase safety, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from arts, purchase safety, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials experts.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about arts, purchase safety, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials, keep reading.

When you choose to buy art online you will want to know how to recognize trustworthy dealers. Not many things can go wrong when you buy art online, but just to be on the safe side, there are a few precautions you can take:

Always Pay with a Credit Card
Credit card is the safest way to pay on the net. A reliable site will have an option of paying with credit.

Use a Confidential Form
Give your credit number only on a confidential form. Providing of a confidential form is an important indication of a reliable site

Choose a Reliable Site
Make sure the site you are buying art from is credible. Good signs for a credible site are when the site is well known and appears in many search engines, when it is regularly updated, when it provides many details about itself, and when it exists for a relatively long time. You can always consult our directory of sites to purchase art online. Theses sites were checked and found safe for buying art online.

Make Sure the Piece is Original
Authenticity is as easy to check in buying art online than in buying otherwise. Authentic artworks are usually signed and numbered by the artists. In cases signing the actual work is impossible, ask for a signed artist authenticity statement. The statement may include, besides the signature of the artist, the date of creation and the title of the piece, its dimensions, and any other detail you wish to include. In buying art online, like in other ways of buying, this statement may not be available if the artist is deceased, and in other rare cases. In such cases you can ask for a document signed by an independent expert that can insure the originality of the artwork you intend to buy.

When word gets around about your command of arts, purchase safety, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials facts, others who need to know about arts, purchase safety, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials will start to actively seek you out.

The Meaning of Original Art

2008-03-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

When most people think of arts, art galleries, business, business place, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to arts, art galleries, business, business place than just the basics.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on arts, art galleries, business, business place now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.

You can buy art online just for yourself, or as a present for someone dear to you. Another reason to buy art is as an investment in order to sell it later for a higher price. In both these cases the originality of the piece is crucial. Here are some suggestions of how to verify the originality of the artwork you intend to buy

The Meaning of Original Art
Some pieces of art, mostly such as painting and sculptures, have only one original copy. In such case all you need in order to verify originality is the signature of the artist. Other media, however, such as photography or prints, may have more than one original copy. Artists may produce a limited amount of prints of the same piece. In this case you have to make sure your copy is both signed and numbered by the artist.

Checking Authenticity Through the Net
Authenticity can be easier to check when buying art online. Authentic artworks are usually signed and numbered by the artists. In cases signing the actual work is impossible, ask for a signed artist authenticity statement. The statement may include, besides the signature of the artist, the date of creation and the title of the piece, its dimensions, and any other detail you wish to include

When an Authenticity Statement is Not Available
In buying art online, like in other ways of buying, this statement may not be available if the artist is deceased, and in other rare cases. In such cases you can ask for a document signed by an independent expert that can insure the originality of the artwork you intend to buy. See how to make sure the piece is original.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on arts, art galleries, business, business place.

Art Target

2008-03-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for some inside information on arts, art galleries, business, business place? Here's an up-to-date report from arts, art galleries, business, business place experts who should know.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about arts, art galleries, business, business place, keep reading.

Do you own a Rembrandt etching, a "Millenium Edition;" Marc Chagall lithograph; Pablo Picasso limited edition, heliogravure, signed or unsigned; Erte sculpture or print; Salvador Dali lithograph or limited edition done after 1970; Peter Max painting or limited edition; Thomas Kinkade limited edition or hand embellished print; a giclee print of a painting or watercolor; Leroy Neiman original or print; Toulouse-Lautrec poster; Disney or other animation art or cell; Henri Matisse limited edition; an Impressionist print by artists including Renoir, Cezanne, Pissaro; limited edition art by a famous artist published after the artist is dead (posthumous edition); or similar works by other "famous" or "important" artists? If so, this article might be of interest.

The staff spots you the moment you step through the gallery door. They can tell by the way you dress and how you act whether or not you're an "art target," and how likely they are to sell you a piece of overpriced art. As strange as this sounds, it happens all the time. Seemingly fashionable art galleries train and employ sales associates to lie in wait, approach, and then sell highly overpriced art to unsuspecting victims who fit particular art-buying profiles. The more your art buying experience resembles what you're about to read, the more likely you are to have overpaid for your art.

How overpriced can art be at these galleries? Ask Charles Sherman of california-pawnshop. He spent years working at one such gallery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, CA. "Signed and numbered, mechanically reproduced posters can be marked up 100 times or more," says Sherman. "A poster costing only $10 to produce, is sometimes sold to the public for over $1000.

"Unsigned, unnumbered, limited edition etchings or lithographs by major twentieth-century artists can be marked up as many as forty times," continues Sherman. "For example, a Chagall lithograph that costs a gallery $100 might sell for $4000 including the frame. Art by artists like Peter Max, Erte, or Alexandra Nechita, can be marked up four times or more. This means that a painting consigned to a gallery for $10,000 might sell for over $40,000.

"To be fair," Sherman adds, "high profile galleries have tremendous overheads. Some pay $60,000 or more per month in rent alone." The bottom line, however, is that in the overwhelming majority of cases, 70 to well over 90 percent of what you pay for art at art-target galleries does not go to the art or to the artists, but rather to rent, utilities, furnishings, framing, staff salaries, champagne and brie for art openings, and other gallery expenses. For example, if you pay $4000 for an unsigned unnumbered Chagall lithograph that the gallery bought for $100, it's only worth $100 the moment it leaves the gallery, and you've just wasted $3900.

Sherman knows exactly who buys this overpriced art. When he worked at the Rodeo Drive gallery, he watched for people sporting Rolex watches, alligator shoes, designer handbags, and other overt displays of wealth. "Well-dressed married couples in their forties and fifties are also likely buyers," Sherman adds. "But not newlyweds, and you never talk to people with back packs or rubber shoes, or to artists. They're all wastes of time."

Sherman would typically strike up conversations with likely art-targets and start by "qualifying" them, in other words, find out whether they could afford the art they were looking at. Below are typical questions that art-target gallery sales staff (euphemistically called associates or consultants-- which are not not) use to "qualify" buyers.

"So, are you in town for the medical convention?" (A medical convention may or may not be taking place, but this is a great lead-in to finding out what someone does for a living and getting an idea of how much money they make.)

"Have you ever bought art before?" (A "yes" answer is better than a "no," but a "no" still allows the sales associate to continue the conversation by asking what artists they like the most, whether they're familiar with any of the art they're looking at, and so on.)

A "yes" answer to the above question leads to the next question which goes something like "Where do you buy your art?" (Knowing where a person buys art is crucial to making a sale. According to Sherman, people who buy directly from artists are unlikely to buy at galleries. If, however, they buy at galleries similar to the one where Sherman once worked, the chances of selling them art become much greater.)

Assuming the art-target buys at higher profile galleries or has at least thought about it, the next question goes something like "Who are your favorite artists?" (If the person mentions names of artists or types of art that the gallery sells, this is good.)

Additional ways of qualifying art-targets are beyond the scope of this article, but anyone who qualifies and shows interest in the gallery's art is given immediate attention. A sales associate shadows the art-target and either continues the conversation or remains in the art-target's vicinity making occasional remarks about whatever art is being looked at. The associate is trained to make the art-target feel important, and when combined with the intoxicating effects of the gallery's lavish interior, the art-target becomes seduced, tenderized, and readied for being sold to.

The sales person pays close attention to the way the art-target looks at the art, prepared to spring into action at any moment, and move in for the kill the instant more than a casual amount interest is expressed in a particular piece of art. The associate's goal is to remove that piece of art from the main gallery and suggest that the art-target study it close-up in a place called the "viewing room."

The viewing room is usually a smaller room off of the main gallery floor with a door that can be closed for privacy. It's specially designed for isolating art-targets alone with their sales associates, and for showing art so that it looks its absolute finest. At one end of the room is a display area with sophisticated lighting where the art is positioned for viewing. The art-target is seated across from and facing the art, usually on a comfortable couch, while the associate adjusts the lighting to perfection, all the while talking about how great the artist is and how fantastic the art looks. Under these circumstances, the art-target is most vulnerable and the associate eventually pops the question "Would you rather pay for that with a VISA, MasterCard, or American Express?"

Viewing rooms are not good places for art-targets to find themselves in unless they already know the value and significance of the works of art that they're thinking about buying, or they know and trust the gallery that's selling the art and have done business with them before. Below are additional tips, not only for avoiding viewing rooms, but also for avoiding becoming an art-target in any way, shape or form.

Art-target galleries like the one where Sherman worked are usually found in high traffic, high profile, commercial areas that attract wealthy people. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, the Soho district of New York City, Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square in San Francisco, and high-end tourist destinations like Carmel, CA and Maui, HI all have these types of galleries.
The substantial majority of art-target galleries are located at street level. Their opulent interiors are clearly visible through large picture windows and through glass doors that are often open to the street.
Art-target galleries typically show art by artists with high name recognition like Leroy Neiman, Erte, Peter Max, Dali, and Alexandra Nechita. They also show prints by Modern Masters such as Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, and Miro; and, occasionally, prints by Impressionists like Degas, Monet, and Pissaro; or etchings by Old Masters like Rembrandt.
Many prints sold at art-target galleries are mass edition lithographs removed from books or portfolios, posthumous printings (printings done after the artists are dead); some are even copies of works by famous artists done by other artists. All have very little street value. Inexperienced collectors who buy these types of limited edition prints at art-target galleries often have little or no idea of what they're really getting.
Art-target sales people use pressure tactics to sell art (many work only on commission, so the only way they make money is to sell you art). Anytime you feel any pressure from an associate, no matter how subtle, to carry on a conversation, talk about yourself, and, especially, to buy art, leave immediately. Questions about your credit limit or your financial situation are also immediate signals to leave. Depending on the sex of the associate and the target, pressure can even include flirting. By way of contrast, in the non-target art world, gallery personnel normally leave you alone when you look like you don't want to be approached.
Always ask your sales associate whether or not he or she works on commission. If they waffle on the answer, get it in writing. As stated above, many art-target sales associates work on commission. In other words, the more art they sell, the more money they make. And the more they sell that art for, the more money they make. So the goal of a commissioned art associate or sales person is to sell you as much art as expensively as possible. Recommendation: Do not patronize galleries whose sales personnel work on commission.
Art-target galleries often have high profile art openings with security guards, spot-lights, champagne, hors d'oeuvres, cameras flashing, and people at desks in the fronts of the galleries signing you in. Sales associates run around with clipboards, ready to sell. Likely art-targets are waited on hand-and-foot, the entire event being designed to make them feel very, very important and buy art.
At art-target openings, gallery personnel typically stop you at the door and request personal information, ask you to sign in, or ask how you heard about the opening. Requests for personal information are always warning signs. Non art-target galleries rarely engage in such practices. You are being sized up for a hard sell never forget this.
Art-target galleries typically stay open late at night when giddy revelers, out on the town and with money to spend, are likely to wander in after enjoying good food and fine wines at expensive restaurants. Two cardinal rules of intelligent art collecting, by the way, are never to buy art at night and never to buy it under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Being an art-target can be loads of fun at the moment you're buying art, but finding out what that art is worth months or years down the road when you decide you want to sell it or have it appraised is anything but fun. Of course, you're entitled to buy whatever art you like, wherever you see it for sale, and pay whatever you want to pay for it. But if you care about the value of what you're buying and how you spend your money, resist any pressure to buy, take your time, do a little price research in advance, or ask an outside appraiser to do it for you before you become an art-target.

When word gets around about your command of arts, art galleries, business, business place facts, others who need to know about arts, art galleries, business, business place will start to actively seek you out.

Advice When Buy Art Online

2008-03-05T21:31:00.000-08:00

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with advice, buy arts, buy arts online, internet, art business.

Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about advice, buy arts, buy arts online, internet, art business? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs? Here are some tips when you're ready to do an arts business:

Buying Art Online Can be Uplifting
The huge variety of art offered online is amazing. Nowadays there are over 20,000 web sites that are selling art on the net. You don’t have to walk and get tired, just relax and enjoy the magnificent colors, shapes, designs and concepts of the art available for buying online. I sometimes spend hours just looking, and I love every minute of it. Moreover, When you check out online galleries you do not have to be worried about not knowing enough about the art, the artist or the materials. Online information is always available for you. You can even ask the artists themselves. To start this pleasurable tour, refer to our list of best online galleries.

Define Your Purpose of Purchase
There are a few reasons for you to buy art. You may want a decoration for your home, a special present for someone who loves art, or you might wish to invest in art. You may also be an independent collector, or an exchequer for a certain institute. These are very different purposes for buying art, and each purpose defines its own demands. Consider not only the piece itself, but the range of prices and the reputation of the artist. Once you have defined all these elements, looking for the exact piece that suits you will be much easier.

Your Personal Taste is More Important Than Fashion
Don't be afraid to trust your own intuition. In buying art your personal taste is the final test. You cannot buy something you absolutely hate just because the artist is very popular and it is a good investment. The best choice always takes into account that emotional "click" between you and the piece.

A Quality Beyond Technique
There are many artists with amazing technique. But excellent art needs more than technique. A good piece of art should always have that touch of brilliance, that ability to communicate something which is more than the subtotal. If the only good thing you can say about the piece is that the artist knows how to control his/her material, don't buy it.

Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about advice, buy arts, buy arts online, internet, art business. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

American Impressionist

2008-03-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

The following article presents the very latest information on Mary Cassatt, American Impressionist, Renoir, Degas, Monet, Impressionism. If you have a particular interest in Mary Cassatt, American Impressionist, Renoir, Degas, Monet, Impressionism, then this informative article is required reading.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

Impressionism was the art form favored by an elite group consisting mostly of Frenchmen. Names like Renoir, Degas, and Monet are recognized as some of history's greatest artists. The fraternity of French Impressionism was invaded by a lone American woman, Mary Cassatt.

Mary Stevenson Cassatt was born on May 22, 1845 in what is today called Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When she was fifteen, Mary entered the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. (By this time, her family had moved across the state and lived in the Philadelphia area.) At the academy, Mary focused on drawing human figures.

Having studied under artists who were themselves taught in France and otherwise influenced by the frequent French art exhibits held in Philadelphia, Mary decided to go to Europe to further her studies in Paris.

In 1867, Mary submitted some of her work to be juried by the Paris Salon, a very important art exhibit at that time. She was turned down in this first attempt, but a year later, her painting, "La Mandoline," was accepted. Her first appearance in the Paris Salon coincided with the first appearance of the controversial Impressionists. This was her first connection with this art group.

Despite her first major success, Mary returned to Pennsylvania when she was 26 years old, with the intention of settling down and perhaps opening her own art studio. However, Philadelphia lacked the ingredients that Cassatt felt necessary for serious art making outstanding collections to study, exciting modern art, picturesque models. When her family moved to rural Hollidaysburg in the western part of Pennsylvania, she was forced to close her Philadelphia gallery. Living in a small town, away from the art world, frustrated Mary, and she longed to return to Europe.

With good luck, she received a commission from a Pittsburgh bishop to go to Europe and paint copies of two famous religious paintings for his cathedral.

It was during this trip to Europe that Mary decided to live in Paris. By this time, she had become an independent painter, experimenting with this modern art form, Impressionism.

She studied under the teacher who tutored Edouard Manet. Edgar Degas became her most intimate friend, and it was he who invited her to join the group of Impressionists. Over time, Cassatt and Degas worked closely together, consulting each other frequently, until it became difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish a Degas painting from a Cassatt. Mary had said that one of her greatest compliments came after Degas' death, and art critics mistook her gifts to him as his own work.

Mary Cassatt proved to be an important voice among the Impressionists in ways beyond her art. Because of her own wealthy upbringing, she was able to establish contacts with those who would become patrons of this "rebel" art group. Being the only American, she brought legitimacy to the style in the United States. She was also able to tap her family's wealth to help support her own starving artist companions.

The themes of her art were woman-centered: motherhood, girlhood, womanhood. The recurrence of these themes may have had to do with her relationship with her mother, which was very close. In her personal life, Mary remained single and childless.

Remaining in Paris for the rest of her life, Mary Cassatt lived long enough to see a new generation of avant-garde artists enter the art scene and to see the Impressionists considered Old Masters. She continued painting until 1915 when cataracts nearly blinded her. She remained vigorous into her old age, until diabetes finally weakened her. She died on June 14, 1926.

This article's coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

The Religious Paintings

2008-03-04T21:19:00.000-08:00

When you're learning about something new, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of relevant information available. This informative article should help you focus on the central points.

See how much you can learn about Hieronymus Bosch, Dutch, religious paintings, arts, artists, painter when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

It was in this time of religious unrest that Bosch, a very religious man who according to a number of sources joined a group known as the Brotherhood of our Lady, painted, and his doctrinaire belief in the religion is reflected in the very medieval nature of his paintings on religious topics. However they also reflect a resentment of the church, with church figures frequently presented as corrupt and almost diseased.

Bosch's paintings reflect a vivid imagination and a strong interest in moral values, but it is uncertain exactly what views Bosch held, as his symbolism relies on its archaism for its undoubted power.

His earliest works, such as 'epiphany' or 'the marriage feast at cana' are simple depictions of biblical tales, painted in loving detail but without the eccentricity present once he began to develop a style of his own. These first began to emerge in complex narrative pictures like 'the conjuror,' where such detail was needed to convey the story, but all of Bosch's most distinctive work was on morality and themes of punishment and sin. His first classic work was a tabletop of 'the seven deadly sins and the four last things.' This featured a single circle with four concentric rings, the innermost of which showed a beatific Christ, and the outermost of which comprised tableaux of each deadly sin. There are many subtle details in each, the dogs in 'lust' for example and the contrast between the glutton and his barely furnished dwellings. The 'four last things' depict possible eventualities, the most important being hell, which was later to feature almost to the exclusion of all else in Bosch's work, and the whole collection of images is surrounded by warnings of Gods omnipotence, in Latin.

However, outside of his hell paintings, Bosch had two symbols which were used for propagandic purposes, the owl, whose distanced observation of the Church's failings in works like 'ship of fools' symbolizes the evil of the scene it surveys, and carved heads on the end of staffs, which represent false idols, as in the ten commandments, and are always carried by the fools in Bosch's work. It is the paintings of the last judgment for which Bosch is best known, however, these comprising three giant panels, one of the fall of mankind and then two of hell. The fall of man features Eve presenting the apple of knowledge to Adam, but this is a small part of a wider tableau, where the tree is inhabited not by a snake but by a woman and God rests above dark clouds where angels fight scaled reptilian creatures with wings. Adam and eve feature three times concurrently, first at the bottom in God's grace, the fall, and then being chased from Eden by an angel with a sword. As they fall they get closer to god, but also to the owl in the tree and to the heavenly conflict above them.

The centre panel of the last judgment depicts human life, but in the same terms as hell on the other side of it. There are numerous subtle and outrageous depictions of the deadly sins, and demons are shown to walk alongside the humans, colluding in their sin. The majesty of the work in the detail, there is an unbelievable array of symbolism, all in the most apocalyptic terms. The point of this hell on earth is just that, there is little difference between it and Bosch's hell. Here the demons are replaced by humanoids in robes with the heads of swordfish and humans are pictured in great white naked huddles and burning in crucibles.

Bosch painted using this format of three panels on two other occasions, in 'the garden of earthly delights' and 'the haywain.' These are works of equal symbolic intricacy, but less wildly and imposing than those of 'the last judgment.' As Bosch matured his work became more devoutly religious, addressing contemporary issues of Church corruption rather than the general consequences of sin, but they are no less powerful than his earlier, maybe more sensational work.

Throughout his work, Bosch never questioned the sanctity of figures from the bible, but as 'christ carrying the cross' shows, he had no affection for the church. In this picture Christ carries the cross in closed-eyed serenity, but he is surrounded by blue tinged thieves, merchants, women and two priestly figures who are depicted in the harsh caricature of the villains rather than in the realistically rendered tranquility of their godhead.

Although it is almost impossible to fully comprehend the work of Hieronymus Bosch, it is possible to simply observe init a strong warning morality, and most importantly an imagination almost unrivalled in its gory genius.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about Hieronymus Bosch, Dutch, religious paintings, arts, artists, painter.

Painter of the West

2008-03-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Albert Bierstadt, Painter of the West, arts, artist is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Albert Bierstadt, Painter of the West, arts, artist.

The more authentic information about Albert Bierstadt, Painter of the West, arts, artist you know, the more likely people are to consider you a Albert Bierstadt, Painter of the West, arts, artist expert. Read on for even more Albert bierstadt, Painter of the West, arts, artist facts that you can share.

Albert Bierstadt was born in 1830 in Solingen, Germany. When he was a child of two years of age his parents moved to Massachusetts where he lived until he was 23. He early on studied the art of being a daguerreotypist. In 1854, he returned to Germany and went to the Dusseldorf Art Academy for five years of training in landscape paining. Bierstadt belonged to the Hudson River School of painting of American landscapes. He began his art career as a European landscape artist. His best celebrated work from this period is Lake Lucerne. The painting shows a grand view of Lake Lucerne with the village of Brunnen in the middle background. The mountain peaks Ematten, Oberbauen, St. Gotthard and Uri Rotstock all lay in the distance. This work was greatly praised in the United States when it was presented in 1858 and helped establish Albert Bierstadt as a great landscape artist. He studied in Germany, Italy and Switzerland until 1857 after which he returned to the United States. Between 1859 and 1889, Albert Bierstadt traveled West on six different occasions to gather material for his art work. The first trip, in 1859, was with Colonel Frederick W. Lander. Lander was on an expedition to survey a more Northern route to California that would bypass Salt Lake City. The proposed new route would lessen tension between Mormons and emigrants who were passing through Salt Lake City on their way west. Another goal of the expedition was to sooth Native American populations whose hunting had been effected by wagon trains on the California and Oregon Trails. For Bierstadt it was an excellent opportunity to sketch and paint the Western United States with the Rocky Mountains and the Native Americans. Bierstadt also used a new technology for the time: photography. Bierstadt's brothers, Edward and Charles were photographers, and so, naturally Albert took camera equipment with him on his trip. He would photograph an area and occasionally paint from the photograph. The Lander expedition went through Nebraska and up the North Fork of the Platte River into the region of Wyoming. Bierstadt sketched and photographed wagon trains and Native Americans along the way. Less than a month later Lander went on to California while Bierstadt remained in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. Bierstadt thought the Wind River Mountains compared with the Alps of Europe. The first painting from this trip was The Rocky Mountains. It was exhibited in 1860. After this painting, Albert assisted his two brothers in setting up a photography studio. The Civil War, along with the work with his brothers' studio delayed Bierstadt's next trip West until 1863. His The Rocky Mountains, along with another painting, Lander's Peak, were exhibition successes and Bierstadt wanted to return West to garner more material for future art works. Lander's Peak sold for an astonishing sum of $25,000 to James McHenry, an American expatriate living in England. Bierstadt later bought the painting back and gave it to his brother, Edward.

During the Civil War, Albert Bierstadt painted works other than landscapes. In October 1861, Bierstadt received a five-day pass to observe Union troops. For the next two years Bierstadt painted several paintings of war scenes. In 1862, Bierstadt pained Guerilla Warfare (Union Sharpshooters Firing on Confederates. He later painted The Bombardment using newspaper accounts of the bombing of Fort Sumter in Charleston. The painting is from a viewpoint not directly above the conflict, but looking down from an angle, almost as if one was looking down upon a map of the area.

In May 1863, Bierstadt set out from St. Joseph, Missouri via Overland stagecoach with the goal in mind of reaching California. Bierstadt wanted to visit Yosemite and then travel through Oregon, Washington and then Canada. He painted Yosemite scenes profusely. He produced scenes in all of the four seasons, as well as different times of day and night. Bierstadt produced Emigrants Crossing the Plains in November 1867 from this trip. Wagons covered in white cloth with Indian teepees in the background splayed across the canvasses. He also produced a nearly identical piece but on a smaller scale with The Oregon Trail. In 1867 Bierstadt took his work to exhibit to Europe where he worked and exhibited his work until 1869.

The Western landscape paintings of Albert Bierstadt are truly masterpieces. They use light and form to portray mountain lakes with idyllic deer by the shores. Ponderous mountains fill the background with light and shadow creating grand vistas and larger than life landscapes. The landscape paintings give the viewer a sense of the immensity of the West and the beauty of its wilderness. The Yosemite painting of Bridal Vail Falls captures of sparkle of light on water while showing the power of the waterfall as it descends over the cliff. The power of Albert Bierstadt's paintings is in his ability to convey the grandeur and beauty of the 19th century American West landscape.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about Albert Bierstadt, Painter of the West, arts, artist.

Primitive Folk Art Business

2008-03-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

So what is folk art, primtive arts, arts, style really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about folk art, primtive arts, arts, style--info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

Truthfully, the only difference between you and folk art, primtive arts, arts, style experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status when it comes to folk art, primtive arts, arts, style.

Primitive folk art can come in the form of dolls, paintings, handmade crafts, textiles, and functional items such as furniture. It is a relatively underground and loosely defined category of folk art that is closely related to outsider art and naive art.

Primitive folk art is a style of art that is characteristic of an earlier, less modern time period. Primitive arts and crafts usually have a simple, rough look to them that suggests a lack of (or a lack of concern for, or adherence to) formal artistic training. Folk art is the art of the common people, and is largely separated from mainstream fine art in developed societies. Traditional culture and primitive impulses influence primitive folk artists to produce distinctive styles and objects that cater to local needs and tastes.

Most primitive folk art has an antique look. Although modern primitive folk artists use new materials, they use techniques to make their materials look old or antique. Examples of antiquing techniques include tea-dying or coffee staining fabric, and sanding down paint on wooden crafts or dolls to create a worn, aged look.

Extreme primitive folk art is a subcategory of primitive folk art dolls. Extreme primitive folk art dolls are characterized by heavily stained fabrics, rusty appliques, and intentionally rough construction. Extreme primitive dolls are designed to look very old, worn, dirty, and ragged.

Primitive folk art is popular amongst people who decorate their homes in a country rustic or 1800's primitive style, and is often found displayed along with actual antiques. Primitive folk art mixes well with antique decor for a fraction of the price.

Stephanie Baker is the owner of Old World Primitives, an online business that sells primitive folk art, country crafts, vintage reproductions, and handmade goods.

So now you know a little bit about folk art, primtive arts, arts, style. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

See The African Art Galleries

2008-02-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of arts, African arts, art galleries, business, business place, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of arts, African arts, art galleries, business, business place.

If you don't have accurate details regarding arts, African arts, art galleries, business, business place, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don't let that happen: keep reading.

African art culture consists of different art forms created by various tribes. This African tribal art is regarded as one of the finest creations in the world of art. Africans use art for cross-cultural dialogues, personal therapies and in order to communicate with gods and ancestors. Hence, art is an integral part of the daily African life. The main material used for most African art forms was wood, which was decorated with clay, shells, beads, ivory, metal and feathers. Masks and figures have also been the most important types of art forms that were used in religious ceremonies. The tremendous collection of all these African art forms and their replicas can be found in different African art galleries all over the world.

These art galleries display the most sought after and authentic art pieces of the African art culture, which is difficult to find anywhere else.

There are a number of African art galleries in different cities that promote their local as well as international African artists. Some of these art galleries attempt to participate in at least 10 big expositions every year and there have been many shows of these galleries in the U.S. too. African art has been known for its culture and tradition. Most of the African art forms depict the understanding of aesthetic principles and latest developments, religious and ceremonial values and other moral ideas. Hence, the work of many African artists help to have a detailed understanding about the African people, their culture and their wildlife through various oil paintings and other art forms. The Hamill Gallery of African Art and the Mark Art Gallery are amongst the many African art galleries located in different parts of the world.

African art galleries showcase the unique collection of African art that includes Tribal Masks, Statues, Figurines, Paintings, Ostrich Egg shell decoupage, ethnic clothing, Djembes (type of drums), textiles, jewelry and other artifacts. Though a proper knowledge of the African history is necessary in order to understand African art, the work displayed by various African art galleries gives an idea about the visual impact and spiritual power of the tribal art.

African Art provides detailed information on African Art, African Tribal Art, African Wildlife Art, African American Art and more. African Art is affiliated with Abstract Art Paintings.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

Biography of Thomas Hart Benton

2008-02-29T15:59:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Thomas Hart Benton, arts, artist, American artists to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Thomas Hart Benton, arts, artist, American artists experts.

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about Thomas Hart Benton, arts, artist, American artists. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

Thomas Hart Benton was born April 15, 1889 in Neosho, Missouri. He was named after a great-uncle who served as a U.S. Senator before the Civil War. His father served as a U.S. Congressman from Missouri. He grew up going to boarding schools and spent much of his early years during his father's four terms as a U.S. Congressman. Benton's first art job was as a cartoonist for the Joplin American in Missouri.

In 1907, when he was eighteen, Benton began his serious art training at Washington D.C.'s Corcoran Gallery School. Later on in 1907 Benton studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago but left out of dissatisfaction with the school's teaching techniques of using plaster casts as models from which to draw. In 1908, Benton went to Paris and studied at the Academie Julian for three years. It was here that he learned of contemporary European art styles such as postimpressionism and cubism. Benton's early works followed these European styles. More of his early work would be available except that it was destroyed in a fire in 1917 in Neosho, Missouri.

In 1918, Benton became a draftsman for the U.S. Navy and worked out of the Norfolk, Virginia Naval Yard. The work of draftsman demanded objectivity from Benton and this influence greatly shows itself in his mature works. This draftsman experience also led him away from the European influences he had gained in Paris. Benton began working more in the form of realism in his work. In 1923, following his naval duty, Benton moved to New York City and taught art at the Art Students League for twelve years. In 1935, Benton moved back to his home state of Missouri and taught at the Kansas City Art Institute. He also directed the institute. Benton would stay here the rest of his life. His most famous student was Jackson Pollock, the Abstract Expressionist. On January 19, 1975, he died at the age of eighty-five in his studio.

Thomas Hart Benton is best known for his portrayal of Midwest American life during the 1930s and 1940s and also for exhibiting a rebellious spirit of going against the grain of the art world of his era. His style was bold color with strong lines. The characters in his paintings have an almost caricature-like appearance in that the muscles and facial aspects are distended and given a fluid appearance. Benton is perhaps best known for his mural work. His most famous murals are located in New York City at the New School for Social Research, the state capitol building of Missouri and the Harry S. Truman Library. Some critics have labeled Benton as a Regionalist for only producing work from scenes of the American Midwest. A careful examination of his work would show that his art goes beyond the scope of a Regionalist and extends to many aspects of American Life. For example, following Benton's term of service for the Navy he decided to embark on a project that would depict American history in twelve groups of paintings, five works in each group for a total of 75 large paintings. The undertaking was to be known as the American Historical Epic. It was to be an examination of the people's history of the United States; not an idealized, sanitized depiction of American history but focusing on scenes of exploitation and violence. Benton only finished three of the paintings before giving up on the project due to dissatisfaction. He began working on paintings of the people and culture around him.

Thomas Hart Benton painted scenes that could be deemed rebellious for his time. Benton painted scenes of black agricultural workers in the fields, farmers struggling to get in the harvest, or seedy bar scenes with drunken lewdness and murder. His paintings were not idealistic or romantic. They contained explosions of color, giving the canvas an almost gaudy aspect. The subjects were treated with a tremendous boldness, an overpowering boldness of an America that was bigger than life itself. Every scene was an outpouring of excess. From the greed and grasping hordes of capitalism to the raw strength of a cowboy wrestling a steer to the ground Benton brought the scenes of the Midwest to life with a strength that could not be ignored by the art world. Benton's works are realistic in their nature, but not as the quaint realism of Norman Rockwell. Many of the paintings act as criticism of U.S. life and culture. Yet they are not done in an air of superiority. They are done so that the viewer of the work has to come face to face with America from toiling farmer to exploitation of African Americans to debauchery in a gin mill. The genius of Thomas Hart Benton is not in his critical depiction of America culture, but of making the art viewer confront a view of America that is not romanticized at all.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

Art Prints as a Business

2008-02-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

The only way to keep up with the latest about arts, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about arts, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials, it won't take long for you to become an influential authority.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to arts, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials than you may have first thought.

Art prints are reproductions of an original work of art like paintings made by a photomechanical process. Art prints capture the rich and vibrant colors of original artwork. Unlike posters, art prints are made using special heavier print stock that is mainly intended for prints.

Compared to posters, art prints are highly durable. A high-quality art print can last for several years. Even though they are longer lasting than posters, they should be treated with special care to prevent fading and discoloration. Certain art prints can be washed with glass cleaner.

Most people think of art prints when they have to decorate a room or a new space. Art prints play a vital role in decorating your rooms. Selecting art prints is very important as they can change the look and feel of a room. Using a carefully selected art print, one can achieve the illusion of lengthening, broadening or heightening the room.

A well-chosen art print reflects the taste and style of the family that occupies the house. Art prints made in different art styles such as Asian, American masters, art deco, expressionism, folk art, gothic art, modern renaissance art, and vintage are perfect to complement one’s room decor. In addition to decorating rooms, art prints are a good gifting option. For instance, bird art prints are ideal gifts for nature lovers.

In the early days before the internet became a marketplace, art prints were available only through galleries or museum shops. Today, art prints can be shopped online at a reasonable price. Art prints available online are categorized by artists, subject, colors, and art styles. Gift certificates for art prints are also available.

Most of the websites offer a wide range of online catalog of art prints of famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Leroy Neiman, Rene Magritte, and Jack Vettriano. Art prints based on different subjects like American life, animals, architecture, fantasy, humor, landscape, spirituality and religion, music, and world culture are available as well.

Art Prints provides detailed information on Art Prints, Fine Art Prints, Framed Art Prints, Original Fine Art Prints and more. Art Prints is affiliated with Fine Art Galleries.

This article's coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

About Fine Art Galleries

2008-02-27T20:46:00.000-08:00

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of arts, art galleries, business, business place, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of arts, art galleries, business, business place.

So far, we've uncovered some interesting facts about arts, art galleries, business, business place. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

Art in its creative form is a stress buster, and visiting a fine art gallery is similar to exposing the mind to interesting and colorful ideas. When we talk of fine art, translated from French term “beaux arts” in 1767, we refer to an elitist art form, concerned with subtlety and traditions.

Fine art includes in its repertoire a gamut of visual art forms that include painting, sculpture, craftwork, applied arts in all its avatars, theater, photography, opera, poetry recitations, or etchings and drawings. The fine art galleries, continuing with the tradition of their brand name, are not mere rooms or galleries that house paintings but are metamorphosing into places of recreation where visitors stroll in, admire or dissect art, enjoy wine, or meet with fellow artists and critics.

Compared with online art galleries, the fine art galleries have to rely on customer loyalty for continuance. Newer clientele is always in short supply, and galleries are looking at unique ways to add to their cultural quotient along with economic benefits. Most fine art galleries are supported by high-profile professionals or business people who, in turn, support charities. By participating in or partnering with charities, the art galleries gain the customer loyalty of existing and new patrons. Another advantage for both the charity organizer and gallery owner is new mailing lists and footfalls, even if paintings and works of art do not fetch the anticipated amounts.

Another novel method of getting in discerning crowds is arranging art walks, tours, an open studio, meet-the-artist programs, or gallery events, or to tie up with neighboring or sister galleries to familiarize visitors with fine or elitist art forms as well as popularize the gallery. Sometimes, to focus attention on an ongoing exhibition theme, artists themselves organize live music shows, theater or dance shows, art auctions or appearances by signing their artwork. These activities have helped fine art galleries to broaden their customer bases and still maintain exclusivity.

Art Galleries provides detailed information on Art Galleries, Art Gallery Dealers, Fine Art Galleries, Online Art Galleries and more. Art Galleries is affiliated with Framed Art Prints.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on arts, art galleries, business, business place. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of arts, art galleries, business, business place.

Free Clip Art On The Internet

2008-02-26T13:48:00.000-08:00

When you think about free clip art, arts, design, sell arts, buy arts, what do you think of first? Which aspects of free clip art, arts, design, sell arts, buy arts are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.

The more authentic information about free clip art, arts, design, sell arts, buy arts you know, the more likely people are to consider you a free clip art, arts, design, sell arts, buy arts expert. Read on for even more free clip art, arts, design, sell arts, buy arts facts that you can share.

So the key to success in the internet lies in having either an informative or attractive website. It is possible to create an attractive website by using the services of a web designer or graphic designer. However, this proves to be rather expensive in the long run and may not be feasible for everyone. Instead of this, one can use some of the various clip art available on the internet in the website to make it interesting.

There are many sites on the internet offering clip art for a price or for free. It is up to you to choose the right clip art for your site. The clip art that is available for free is usually clip art that will be used by many people. So if you use free clip art, there is a high possibility of some other site on the internet using the same clip art on the site. If you prefer to have something unique and special on your website, it is better for you to pay for the clip art you intend to use on your website.

Of course, just this clip art may not be sufficient for you to make your website interesting. It can form the base for your website designing needs, wherein you make some additions to make your website more interesting for the visitor. It is always better to choose clip art that has some relation to your product or business so that on looking at the clip art, people will have an idea of what you are trying to project. Take some time while choosing the appropriate clip art.

It is always better to choose clip art that is not too large. This is because large clip art takes a longer time to download and sometimes the visitor to your site will not have the patience to wait that long till the site downloads. You may lose instead of gain visitors with large clip art. Make sure that the colors of the clip art don’t clash with the background and font color of your site. There is no point in placing clip art that clashes with your site, as its main intention and purpose will not be met. Sometimes the clip art will not be visible, wherein there is no point in placing clip art in the site.

On the contrary, placing clip art that is too bright or flashy too is not that good as this may draw the attention of the visitor to the clip art, and not on the information you have in your website. People may not read whatever you have in your website; so all your content and effort in creating this content will go down the drain! So if and when you do choose clip art, decide on the type of clip art you want, choose between a free and payment clip art and get clip art that matches with your site and content and not clashes with it.

Robert Mathew is a freelance writer to read more about his articles visit Free Clip Arts & Free Certificate Templates

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about free clip art, arts, design, sell arts, buy arts.

Buy & Sell Artwork Like Never Before

2008-02-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about arts, art galleries, business, business place to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from arts, art galleries, business, business place experts.

The more authentic information about arts, art galleries, business, business place you know, the more likely people are to consider you a arts, art galleries, business, business place expert. Read on for even more arts, art galleries, business, business place facts that you can share.

Art communities are one of the latest and greatest ways many people are finding original art for sale without having to deal with the hoopla typically associated with buying art. Rather than having to go to a gallery, talk to the gallery staff, and navigate all of the unspoken hoops of the art world, online art communities are becoming more and more popular destinations for those who want to look through original fine art and decide what they like on their own terms. Art communities allow you to search and admire in your own time and your own living room while also providing a direct link to the artist.

Art communities as a whole are adding an entirely new dimension to the art world by allowing new art buyers to get experience in the field as well as helping amateur artists and hobbyists find forums for their work besides starving artist sales, craft shows, and flea markets. Among the best of the art communities available to the new art buyers and sellers is The Vision Grove, where original fine art is in abundance, buyers can read introductions from artists in their own words, and artists themselves have a built-in support system when posting original art for sale. Unlike other art communities, The Vision Grove doesn’t stop at original fine art – they also offer clothing, pottery, and other artisan-crafted materials.

While art communities specializing in connecting buyers and sellers are fairly new on the internet, they’re quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for those interested in original art for sale. The reasoning behind using art communities is fairly obvious: absolutely no pressure, gorgeous original art for sale, and instant connections with top-quality buyers and sellers. And, of course, for the top quality in art communities, The Vision Grove is a must-see stop! thevisiongrove

Knowing enough about arts, art galleries, business, business place to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about arts, art galleries, business, business place, you should have nothing to worry about.

Art Galleries as The Art Business Place

2008-02-22T15:45:00.000-08:00

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding arts, art galleries, business, business place. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about arts, art galleries, business, business place.

Now that we've covered those aspects of arts, art galleries, business, business place, let's turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Art galleries are the perfect settings for exhibiting art, generally visual art such as paintings, sculptures, and photography. Basically, art galleries feature a variety of art styles including contemporary and traditional fine art, glass art, art prints, and animation art. Art galleries are dedicated to the promotion of emerging artists. These galleries provide a platform for them to display their works along with the works of nationally and internationally renowned artists.

The U.S. has a wealth of famous art galleries. Many small towns in the U.S. boast of an art gallery. The High Museum of Art, Alleged Gallery, Henry Art Gallery, National Gallery of Art, Washington Gallery of Modern Art, Agora Gallery, Rosalux Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, The Alaska House Gallery, and Anchorage Museum of History and Art are some of the famous art galleries in the United States. Today, there are online art galleries exhibiting original artwork.

Many famous art galleries display regional pieces of art such as African art, American art, Indian art, and European art, along with folk art, modern and contemporary art, and photography. These galleries collect, exhibit, and preserve the works of art for the coming generations. Many famous art galleries strive to entertain and educate their regional, national, and international audiences. Some famous art galleries specialize in particular areas such as portraits. A good number of famous art galleries are owned and operated by government.

Most famous art galleries provide an opportunity for visitors to purchase outstanding artwork. Also, they organize several art-related activities such as music concerts and poetry readings for children and adults. Art galleries organize seminars and workshops conducted by renowned artists. Committed to excellence in both art and service, most famous art galleries offer you a rich, unforgettable experience.

You can't predict when knowing something extra about arts, art galleries, business, business place will come in handy. If you learned anything new about &keyword% in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

Find Work for a Graphic Artist Part 2

2008-02-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

When you're learning about something new, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of relevant information available. This informative article should help you focus on the central points.

Most of this information comes straight from the art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

LOCAL AND REGIONAL ART GALLERIES
Visit art galleries near your home. Talk with the staff, and see if you're comfortable with them. Let them know that you're an artist, and that you're looking for representation. They may ask you to return with your portfolio or sample work.

Before committing to any gallery, learn more about their reputation. Most galleries are wonderful to work with, but a few aren't. Be especially cautious before signing an exclusive contract. It's fair to work with just one gallery in a particular area, but you should be free to work with distant galleries as well.

Galleries can provide regular income, but most artists don't earn a living from gallery sales alone. Nevertheless, gallery representation is a good addition to your resume.

With these long-term seeds planted, it's time to find some immediate income as a graphic artist.

While you're waiting for--or working on--bigger opportunities, you'll need income to pay your bills. If you market yourself aggressively, you can have a paycheck in less than a week.

PRINT SHOPS
The first place to visit is your local print shop. If there are several in your area, start with the more upscale printers, especially "mom and pop" print shops. Often, their customers bring sketches or poor quality originals for printing. The print shops hire artists to create--or at least clean up--the originals. If you can complete the necessary work overnight or faster, you may find steady work this way.

Many small print shops aren't current with technology. If you're comfortable with computer graphics, there may be steady income in this area.

For example, scanning a sketch and increasing its contrast can produce a print-ready graphic. If the shop is accustomed to redrawing the illustration from scratch, you'll save them time, money, and headaches if you offer them this digital alternative.

Some print shops have a bulletin board where local businesses can post their business cards. Make sure that your card stands out, and that it's clearly the card of a good artist. Leave a stack of your business cards with the shop, if they're willing to hand them out when a customer needs a special graphic or illustration.

INTERIOR DECORATORS AND DESIGNERS
After visiting every local print shop, it's time to explore alternatives. If you can make fine art (drawings, paintings, mixed media pieces) to order, print some full-color pages showing small samples of your work. Take them--and your business cards--to every interior decorator in your area.

Often, designers need a picture that features specific colors and perhaps a certain theme, in a precise size. If you develop a reputation for creating quality art quickly, this can be another steady source of income.

FREELANCING IN THE MEDIA
If you aren't already overwhelmed with work, your next stop is the local newspaper. Many newspapers have their own photographers and advertising artists, but some use freelancers instead. And, even if they have a competent graphics staff, they may need special work now and then.

For example, your black-and-white digital collages might be perfect as cover illustrations for newspaper supplements, especially at holidays such as the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Halloween, and Christmas. Or, you could create line drawings from vintage photos for a regular column about local history.

Regional cable TV shows and local news shows often need graphics to represent specific subjects and themes. When they don't have a news photo to use as an illustration, they'll often rely on a generic graphic. Watch these local shows and see which of them could use better art. If you show up for an interview with readymade art in hand, you may make a sale on the spot.

ALTERNATIVE MARKETS
Look for unusual ways to sell your art. The local mattress shop may sell more beds if art on the walls creates a home-like ambience.

City buildings and public spaces need art. You might be surprised at the existing programs that encourage federal, state, and city offices to purchase and display art. In some cases, your town hall may not know about these programs. More often, these offices haven't purchased art because they didn't know how to find a good local artist.

Professional offices may be unhappy with the inexpensive prints they're displaying. Seeking better art is often a low priority for doctors, dentists, and lawyers. Whether you can create a large, clever cartoon to brighten a waiting room, or a full-sized mural for a hallway, there may be opportunities just a few feet from your front door.

ONE SALE LEADS TO THE NEXT
When you sell art that will be seen by the public, it's a good idea to write a press release about this. Your public library has books about writing press releases. Be sure to include a photo of yourself with the art, as well as easy ways for potential clients to contact you.

When the press release appears as an article in the newspaper, be sure that a copy of this is in your portfolio. Also, send copies to local art agents and interior decorators, to remind them that you're available for freelance work.

Looking for work as a graphic artist can seem overwhelming at first. Take it one step at a time. By planting seeds for long-term income and filling in with immediate, local work, you'll soon have a very successful career creating art that you love.

If you've picked some pointers about art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.

Find Work for a Graphic Artist Part 1

2008-02-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

The following article presents the very latest information on art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee. If you have a particular interest in art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee, then this informative article is required reading.

Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

If you're a graphic artist, the sky's the limit when you're planning your career. Income opportunities are everywhere when you know how and where to look.

Make these important preparations before looking for work: Be sure that your portfolio is current and represents your best work. Update your CV or resume. Print business cards, and copy slides of your art. If you have a website for your art, make sure that it's fresh, that your images load quickly and completely, and that all of your links work.

With those basics in place, it's time to look for work.

A JOB OR SELF-EMPLOYMENT?
First, decide is whether to work for a company or be self-employed. That will depend more upon your best work environment rather than opportunities. Some people remain most creative when they don't have to worry about a weekly paycheck, and are required to keep a regular work routine. Others flourish when the boss is the client, or even an agent, rather than a constant supervisor who may not understand how artists work.

In general, you'll earn far more money if you freelance in art. But, you may need to develop good work habits and self-discipline.

If you're going to look for a fulltime job, or two or three part-time jobs in art, start with the newspaper. Help wanted ads are usually the best resource. You may also discover jobs if you network with other local artists; they'll let you know if someone has given notice and a job is about to open up.

But, in the long run, it's better to freelance. Most artists find that they are more productive when they can work on their own schedules rather than someone else's.

There are two sources of income that you'll focus on when you start: Immediately identify sources of significant future income. These are big projects that you may work on just two or three times a year, with good pay and great visibility. Then, start finding easy short-term work to keep the bills paid.

BEGIN AT THE LIBRARY
The first thing to do when you're "planting seeds" for a long-term harvest as an artist, is to go to the public library.

Your first stop will be the reference desk, where you'll ask for a book called "Artist's Markets." (Sometimes the title changes slightly. And, when the art market is booming, the publisher may issue a separate "Illustrator's Markets.") This is an annual publication that lists every major publisher, agent, and other resource for selling your art. The book tells you who is buying, what they're looking for, how to approach them, and how much--and how soon--they'll pay you.

The focus of this book is often illustration. However, illustration isn't just line drawings and clever cartoons. If you're a fine artist, many publishers are looking for impressive work to feature on book and magazine covers.

Read through "Artist's Markets" and select five or ten companies to contact. Note everything that they say in their listing. When art is rejected, it's rarely because the work wasn't good enough; usually the artist didn't follow directions. Perhaps he sent slides when the company wanted prints, or missed the deadline altogether.

While you're at the library, look through their collection of art-related magazines. Many magazines for artists list upcoming shows, competitions, grants, and other opportunities to show and sell your art. These will not only make your resume look better, but also provide income.

Also, ask your library about shows that they host. Many public libraries feature the work of

local artists. They may have an annual show in a meeting room, or a steady, rotating exhibit of local art. A helpful librarian may also tell you about other businesses that have similar displays.

HIRE AN AGENT
You can double your efforts if you find an agent to represent you. Your agent's job is to find steady work for you, and to act as a buffer between you and the client so that everyone is happy with the completed project, as well as your paycheck.

But, it may take awhile to find the right agent. First of all, you'll want an agent who is fun to work with. But, it's even more important to have an agent who can find steady assignments for you. Start looking for an agent early, but expect that it may take awhile. And, most agents want to see an impressive portfolio of work that's already sold.

Using "Artist's Markets" and your local phone book, make a list of art agents in your area. Many agents specialize in local artists, and this is a good place to start.

If an agent is looking for new artists, call for an appointment immediately. As you get ready for your interview, dress like a professional and make certain that your portfolio represents the kind of art that this agent is looking for. Be a little early for your appointment; many artists are notorious for being chronically late. Go out of your way to smile and be friendly. The "dark, brooding artist" is another stereotype to break quickly for a good impression.

But, remember that you're interviewing the agent while the agent is interviewing you. Never sign with an agent if the chemistry isn't right, or if something doesn't feel right to you. And, the agent earns his or her money as a percentage of what you're paid; there should be no up-front fees.

There's no doubt that the topic of art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about art, arts, artists, find work, graphic artists, self employee, you may find what you're looking for in the next article.

The Art of Negotiation

2008-02-17T13:33:00.000-08:00

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of arts, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of arts, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

This is important even for our arts business. In the art of negotiation, whether it is business or personal requires planning and execution. Unlike toddlers, who negotiate by crying and rolling around on the floor, adults need to employ a different skill set to get their point across. The following are some tips for successful negotiation.

Before the meeting be well rested and well fed- also visit the restroom before “entering the arena” as you don’t want a nature call to have you leave the room or adjourn the meeting early.

Wear comfortable, yet appropriate clothing- the commercial expression “don’t let them see you sweat” is never more applicable. A tight collar and or tie or a skirt that is being hitched or hiked that will cause you to fidget will detract from your image.

Focus on issues, not personalities- if you have to deal with persons you don’t like (or those you do like) it is tempting to let your thoughts about that person influence your behavior. Focusing on your goal and treating everyone as an equal will help matters become resolved in your favor. By treating all fairly you will avoid simmering about grudges or worrying about feelings, which can be an obstacle in your success.

Speak in supportive statements- Attach credibility to your statements by speaking in facts not feelings. Avoid sentences beginning with “I think” “I feel” or “In my opinion”. When stating facts, be prepared to quote your sources and elaborate or deflect questions meant to deflate your position. Being armed with facts stands up better than trying to justify feelings.

Listen (with more than your ears)- Listen for audible content but also watch the body language. Are your opponents sitting with an “open” body posture or are their arms tightly folded across their chest? Are they scratching their nose often in disbelief? Are they looking down or are they engaging you with their eyes in a game of “blink” to establish who is boss?

Find points of agreement to build on- pick up points that you agree upon and incorporate them into your presentation. An example would be “I agree with you on the importance of XYZ, and this is how the implementation of PDQ can benefit XYZ".

Choose your battles wisely and place some “decoy” items on the table- a trick popular with attorneys is to ask for much more than you want so that you can “sacrifice” superfluous or unreasonable items to gain ground for the important issues. Compromise with care on items important to you. Weigh carefully whether holding out will be in your best interest. Sometimes a speedy resolution isn’t the best.

Take minutes- Have someone tape or take minutes so that all that has been said is recorded. Reiterate that your responsibility will be and that you will execute your part right away. If in a business meeting you can end by saying “I will have this in a memo to distribute this afternoon” or “I will make the necessary phone calls to get this rolling right away”. If contracts are involved, have them ready on the spot or as soon as possible to get a signature to what has been agreed. Although most contracts have a “cooling off” period of three days or so, getting a written commitment to your settlement brings you that much closer to your goal.

End on a positive note - Shake hands and smile. A smile shows friendliness and confidence and that you are a great person to do business with, even if everyone in the room wasn’t altogether pleased with the outcome. Conversely, if you did not get all you wanted, don’t appear a bad sport. Focus on your “wins” and play down the losses. Take honest notes to yourself on your tactics and see how you can improve for next time.

Now that wasn't hard at all, was it? And you've earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert's word on arts, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials.

Guide to Business for Artist

2008-02-16T18:25:00.000-08:00

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

If your artist, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don't let important artist, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials information slip by you.

If you are considering a business to make money from your art or you are already making money but are considering expanding your current business, analyzing financials for your planned business will help you make sound business decisions. The information here can be used to put together your own financials or can help you provide your accountant with the information needed to put together a useful financial statement. As a minimum, a certified public accountant (CPA) should review your financials – preferably find a CPA that specializes in small businesses or better yet, operates a small business themselves.

Forecasting Sales: The first step in developing a useful financial statement is projecting your sales. This is market research rather than number crunching. The question you are trying to answer is

How much art can I reasonably be expected to sell in a month?
If your art has seasonal appeal, you may want to consider a timeframe longer than one month. A quarter is another commonly used financial-related timeframe. A timeframe any longer than six months is not really useful since many business expenses are on a monthly or quarterly basis.

How you record sales. It’s helpful to think of sales in two parts. The first part is how many of each item you expect to sell (such as 6 inch vase, original oil painting, giclee print, and the second part is what is the price of each item? Your sales can be recorded in a spreadsheet on your computer or simply as a table on paper. Set up your spreadsheet or table with the art items you sell as rows down the left-hand side and the timeframe you are using as columns across the top.

Fill in the table with the dollar values of your forecasted sales for each item during each time period. Be sure to also record the price you used for each item (the top or bottom of the table is an appropriate place for this.) Total the sales for each time period in the final row.

Expense Budget: Use the same timeframe as you did for sales. Expenses include supplies, advertising, and operating expenses such as rent, utilities, and phone. Don’t include payroll at this point. It will be addressed later. Be sure you have included enough supplies to create all the art you have listed in the sales table. Record your expenses when you will actually be paying for them. Don’t record the expense of supplies for the same timeframe as the sale occurs if you only buy supplies twice a year or your art has a long lead time between when you start a piece and when it can be sold (examples, drying time for oil paintings or the time needed to fire and glaze pottery.) Also, include sales tax appropriate for your location. Total the expenses for each timeframe in the final row.

Analysis: Create a third table with initial profits (remember you haven’t looked at payroll yet) by subtracting expenses from sales using the totals for each time period. For those time periods where expenses are greater than sales your initial profits will be a negative number. Be sure to note the negative initial profits on the table. As an artist, it may be useful to graph some of your financial information. A bar chart with one color for expenses and a different color for sales will show you when you have more expenses than sales. Some spreadsheet programs will create bar graphs for you.

When are sales bigger than expenses? When are expenses bigger than sales? Does it vary a lot? Add all the numbers up on the third table – if the total initial profits number is positive, you will be able to cover expenses over time. But if the bar chart shows months where expenses exceed sales (expense bar bigger than sales bar), you will need to have cash reserves to be sure the next month’s bills can be paid.

If the sum of the initial profits numbers is negative, you may want to re-think your business. You will need to increase sales. For sales to go up, either the price of the items sold or the number of items sold must increase. Be careful, if you make changes to sell more items, there will be increased expenses for supplies, sales taxes, and maybe advertising. Another option to increase sales is to include other items in sales such as teaching classes or speaking at functions for a fee. These are two sales items that may not result in a corresponding increase in your expenses.

Payroll: Once your initial profits are positive, you need to determine if the remainder is enough to pay you, any employees you have AND the federal and state government. Determining the funds needed for payroll can be complicated. It’s good to consult an accountant when looking at payroll. Using the same timeframes as your other tables, create a table showing payroll costs. Be sure to include those additional payroll-related costs such as unemployment tax. A bar graph that will be useful is one with payroll costs in one color and the initial profits in another color.

These financials should not be used for any tax reporting purposes. Always consult with a CPA or qualified tax professional on matters related to legal reporting requirements. This method for financial analysis of your business will give you a sound basis for making decisions. Can you quit your day job? Do you need a loan to expand your business? Can you afford to hire an employee? Should you look for opportunities to teach classes? You will increase the likelihood of success of your art business by using detailed accurate financial information, such as described here, as part of your decision-making process.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of artist, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials. Share your new understanding about artist, business, guide to business, make money, buy art, sell art, and financials with others. They'll thank you for it.

Buy Tap Dancing Shoes

2008-02-15T18:51:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for some inside information on tap dancing shoes, art, old age art, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Sammy Davis, music, art music? Here's an up-to-date report from tap dancing shoes, art, old age art, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Sammy Davis, music, art music experts who should know.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of tap dancing shoes, art, old age art, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Sammy Davis, music, art music is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about tap dancing shoes, art, old age art, Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, Sammy Davis, music, art music.

Tap dancing is an old age art form that can best be identified by mentioning famous names like Fred Astaire, Shirley Temple, and Sammy Davis, Jr. If you're a tap dancer yourself, then you know that you need three things to excel in this art: music, nimble feet, and a good pair of tap shoes.

Just like athletic or dress shoes, there is a wide variety of tap shoes on store shelves today. If your budget is tight, you might opt for a low priced pair of shoes. These would be a regular pair of comfortable, leather soled shoes that have a suede upper. To make them into tap shoes, you can either take them to a shoe shop, or, you can buy and add taps onto them yourself. Taps are usually nailed or screwed onto the leather soles of both shoes.

On the other hand, if you want an actual pair of tap shoes, then you can choose from a light, suede type to a heavier leather, or imitation leather, upper. The heaviest shoes have a sole that are either double or triple thick. Most styles also have shock absorbing heel pads for added protection for your dancing feet. The heels can be made of leather, plastic, or rubber.

The best place to buy your shoes would be from a local shoe store. That way, you can go in and try on the different styles available. If you want custom made tap shoes, then the store should be able to order them to be made exactly as you want. Besides choosing the color, shoe size, and width, you can also choose the height and thickness of the heel. A pair of well-made tap shoes can set you back around a hundred dollars or more, depending on the specifics of the shoes.

If your local store doesn't carry tap shoes, then you can probably find a store in a nearby city that does carry them. You can also perform a search on the Internet and order them online.

Buying a pair of tap shoes is just like buying any other pair of shoes because they come in men's and women's styles, and, you need to find the proper fit. Before you try a pair, make sure that you have the same type of socks on that you will wear when you are tap dancing. Also, if you use any kind of special insert or insole in your shoes, take these with you too. This way, the fit and the feel will be the same.

Once you have found a few pairs of shoes that you are considering buying, try each pair on, lace them up, and walk around in them. Check the toe of each shoe- is there approximately a half inch of space between the end of your big toe and the end of the shoe? If not, then the shoes are too short for your feet. If there is more than a half inch of room, then the shoes are too long. Besides finding the proper length, you'll also need a pair of tap shoes that has the proper width. To do this, feel the sides of each shoe. Are the sides tight and bulging out? This is often a sign that the shoes are too narrow for your feet.

After you have found some comfortable shoes that fit properly, don't forget to dance a few steps in them too! Shoes that may feel good when you are walking around might not feel as good when you are tapping your way across the dance floor!

When you find the perfect pair of shoes for you, you might want to stay with that certain brand. To reorder a new pair, you can probably then call the manufacturer and order them direct.

Sometimes it's tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I'm positive you'll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.

Arts at The Financial Side

2008-02-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Think about what you've read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery, financial side, trading art, artist? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Art is not just an expression of creativity and symbolism. It is a tool for expanding the mind; a means of helping us to analyze and understand what a specific combination of elements represent. In this light, art is not completely unlike math and accounting. But does it make sense to say that the value of a work of art can be calculated with mathematical formulas? Similarly, can the future of the art market be predicted by analyzing the past and current trends cropping up in the art world's credit and debit columns?

While the answer is “no” in regards to art as a personal and unique expression, there are certain aspects of art which do enter into the structured world of numbers and calculation. This of course, is in regards to art as business; as a product that is bought and sold and generates profits and loss. So from an accounting or a business major's point of view, art can be reduced to a series of numbers when the personal aspects are ignored in exchange for dollars and cents.

There are many factors that come into play in regards to the business and financial side of the art world. For instance, the fact that art is a luxury rather than a necessity means prices tend to drop during times of war, economic instability, and social or political upset. Even environmental factors such as a severe drought can have a temporary impact on the prices of art. On the other side of the coin, the media's praise or disapproval of a particular artist can have a significant effect on how much goes into the plus column of an artist's financial portfolio.

The amount a buyer is willing to spend also relies on a variety of factors including his present financial condition, his level of expertise at negotiating and his passion for the work of art for which he is vying. Whether their affects are positive or negative, these types of variables simply cannot be molded into universal formulas. Even if one were able to ignore all of these variables, it would still be difficult to create a formula based solely on the history of selling prices. Any pricing formula based on traditional sales patterns would only result in unrealistic values and distorted projections.

Trying to predict the future of the art market, either piece by piece or as a whole, remains difficult due the fact that art is as unpredictable as fashion. An artist or an art style that is the hottest thing going one day can be just as cold the next. Consequently, the amount an individual is willing to pay is not the only factor that comes into play in regards to art and accounting. Additional variables include the condition of the piece, how old it is, how many showings it has been in, how many awards it has won, and the overall quality of the work. As particular artists and styles of art fall into and out of favor with dealers, collectors and scholars, it becomes increasingly difficult for statistics and formulas to be effectively interpreted.

Since the advent of organized barter and trade exchanges, artists have increasingly incorporated barters and trades into their business. Apparently this is a very popular income option for certain artists, especially those who are relatively well known. If an artist is not familiar with the tax laws pertaining to barter and trade in the United States, he may end up in a dispute with the Internal Revenue Service over the amount of tax dollars that may or may not be due on the art that was bartered. There are two basic categories of trade and barter. The first is known as corporate barter, and it usually applies only to the large transactions of multi-million dollar corporations. The second is referred to as retail trade exchange, which is the type of trade in which artists usually engage.

An example of a retail trade exchange would be an artist trading a painting to a jewelry store in exchange for a diamond necklace. Under the new tax laws, each transaction is viewed as separate and distinct. In other words, the transaction is not regarded as a trade but as two separate actions of buying and selling. The artist "sells" a painting for $1200 and "buys" the necklace for the same amount. As a "sale," the money from the painting is viewed as income, meaning normal income taxes do apply. As a "buy," that $1200 is viewed as a retail purchase so therefore sales taxes also apply.

It is vital to an artist's financial survival to track and document sales, primarily for tax purposes. Whether on his own or through the professional services of an accountant, an artist should keep careful track of the personal information and specific details pertaining to the sale of a specific work of art to a particular buyer. Included in this captured information should be the title of the work sold, the dimensions of the piece, the medium used, the year the piece was created and any other pertinent information regarding the work of art in question. Undoubtedly, keeping such detailed records can be cumbersome and often requires the patience and expertise of a professional "number cruncher".

In order to avoid becoming the epitome of the “starving artist”, it is critical to understand the financial aspects of buying, selling and trading art. Many artists tend to overlook the business side of art, when in reality it is the key to their financial success. To many artists, the business end of art is like a thorn in their side. Knowing how to create a basic contract for selling their work or how to track finances, expenses and revenue is something most artists are not interested in learning about. Therefore, the need for professional accountants and business consultants in the art world will most likely continue to exist. Otherwise, there would be a lot more starving artists in the world.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery, financial side, trading art, artist. Share your new understanding about art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery, financial side, trading art, artist with others. They'll thank you for it.

Art As An Investment

2008-02-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery in the following paragraphs. If there's at least one fact you didn't know before, imagine the difference it might make.

Most of this information comes straight from the art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they know.

Art can be a great investment for entrepreneurs looking for a way to make money with something that they love. However, investing in art can be a risky business for a beginner, so here are five top tips to help you get started:

There are many different types of art that you can buy, from oil paintings to ceramics. Choose the area that interests you, and find out as much about it as possible before investing any money. Find out about the current trends, get an idea of the sort of prices you should be paying and make sure that you find out about common scams so that you can avoid them.
Only invest in art works that are in good condition and that are likely to survive the test of time.
Find out as much as possible about the piece of art that you are interested in and make sure that you have it authenticated.
Only use reputable art dealers and galleries. If you are investing in contemporary art, you may be able to buy works directly from your favourite artist. You can also buy cheap pieces from art college degree shows. If you are a good judge of art, you may be able to pick up an early work by the next great artist!
Only buy works of art that you love. That way, if their value does not increase, you will not be disappointed.

Of course, it's impossible to put everything about art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery into just one article. But you can't deny that you've just added to your understanding about art, invest art, buy art, entrepreneurs, make money, business, art gallery, and that's time well spent.