ArtCorner

“A room without books is like a body without a soul”
Cicero, Roman Philosopher

I recently read a good article on wave magazine about incorporating books into home décor.

There are special book décor professionals that help you buy and decorate with books. Try and decorate with your own collection before you buy hundreds of leather bound decor-only titles. Books shape our lives and ideas. They remind us and open our eyes to new worlds and thoughts. Your books tell your story, and incorporating books into your décor help tell your visitors who you are and what you love.

Here are some additional tips to help incorporate books with wall décor. Design ideas that can add sheik to a bland library. Read more »

A California bank has decided to redecorate 30 branches with artworks selected by its employees.

Fireside Bank will decorate with handmade oil paintings in order to create a fresh working environment for employees and an exceptional atmosphere for customers.

The bank consulted with OverstockArt in order to match the existing décor of the branches with the paintings.

The artworks include reproductions of famous artists and other masterpieces all hand done with oil on canvas. See http://www.overstockart.com.

“Handmade oil paintings portray the bank in a first class manner to our clients and employees,” said Gary Malinski spokesperson for Fireside Bank. “We decided to incorporate oil paintings and replace the current prints because OverstockArt’s artworks were significantly more impressive and their price is well within our budget.”

During the redesign phase, the managers and employees of each branch were the ones making the final decisions when choosing the wall art for their local office. Fireside Bank’s corporate management was able to maintain a consistent corporate look by narrowing down the selection of paintings and frames.

“OverstockArt built an online catalog for us so that the branch managers were able to choose from a predetermined selection helping to create a consistent corporate image across all of our branches,” Malinski said.

The Fireside team took a modern design approach. The list of oil paintings to choose from included trendy and modern oil paintings such as Abstract Compositions and reproductions of some of the more famous works of art, such as Van Gogh paintings, a few Kandinsky and even one Georgia O’Keeffe.

“Our oil paintings will help create a relaxing and productive work environment for their employees and customers,” Said David Sasson CEO of OverstockArt, “soon clients and employees of Fireside will enjoy a unique work environment full of color and inspiration.”

From all the artists out there, “the master of the auction world” is Van Gogh. Every time a Van Gogh hits the auction house it’s the best show in town.

According to the Ney York Times, The Van Gogh Portrait, “L’Arlésienne, Madame Ginoux” will be auctioned off, May 2nd at the “Impressionist and Modern Art Sale”, Christie’s New York.

The painting has an amazing back story; it’s actually a peace offering Van Gogh had made for Gauguin. Gauguin and Van Gogh had a very productive collaboration in Arles, but split ways after Van Gogh attacked Gauguin in a sheer act of lunacy. Van Gogh made this painting for Gauguin and followed it with a letter.

According to the Times, After Van Gogh’s death, the painting made its way to the hands of Ruth and Harry Bakwin, a Manhattan family that traveled around Europe during the 1920s. The Bakwins bought works by Cézanne, Gauguin, Matisse, Modigliani and Picasso, among others, to display in their Manhattan town house.

Their Son, held on to this painting since his parents death in 1985. for reasons why he is selling he commented: “It was a very major decision of mine to sell it,” says Mr. Bakwin, 78. “The risk of damage of any kind or robbery just felt a little too high. Much as I would have loved to continue holding it, it seemed to me too important to have hanging in a modest apartment in Chicago.”

The other two significant Van Gogh portraits to have sold in the last 16 years achieved spectacular prices: $71.5 million for “Self-Portrait Without Beard” in 1998 and $82.5 million for “Portrait of Dr. Gachet” in 1990, the record for van Gogh at auction. The “Madame” might pass them both.

In celebration of this event, OverstockArt.com will have the Madame Ginoux hand done. The reproductions will be made available by the end of May. It will be nice to own this painting handmade oil on canvas…

If you would like to back-order your “Madame Ginoux” email me and I will have an OverstockArt.com representative contact you.

I’m so happy for Vincent Van Gogh who had such a miserable ending of his life, and I think he would have been happy to see the love and attention people have for him today, more then a hundred years after his death.

Edvard Munch, the Norwegian National Expressionist painter, left an impression on the art world. In 1976, More than 30 years after his death, a film was created about his life and his art. The movie has been digitally re-mastered to high definition, so you can also own it on DVD.

Recreated against a background of very authentic – feeling 19th century Oslo, this is a long and amazing biography about the life of the Norwegian expressionist painter. With a cast made up entirely of non – professionals, director Peter Watkins reveals to us the internal world of a true Expressionist artist. A tortured soul of the artist as he is engulfed with lunacy, it is truly amazing to see the internal world of the genius artist materialize onto the canvas.

“The film is one of the few ever to dramatize successfully the sensitivity, the profound emotional chaos and the discipline that occasionally combine to produce the special molecular structure of a major artist.” – Vincent Canby, New York Times 1976.

Whether you’re the ultimate gift-giver or a last-minute shopper, we’ve got what you need to make this Mother’s Day a memorable one for you, and more especially, your mom.

First, Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 14. Mark your calendar, and more importantly, check out this Mother’s Day Guide for a complete list of Mother’s Day essentials! Read more »

Karle Blackwell from Denver Colorado, is about to redecorate her home, she emailed me with a very interesting and important question that should help a lot of you out there that are ready for a change. She was interested in the meaning of certain colors, “What are the effects and what are the meanings of certain colors?” she asked.

Well, here is a short breakdown of colors and there denotation.

Color in design is both fundamental and complex. It has physiological effects. It has psychological effects. Feng Shui designers would say it has numinous effects. This is your quick guide to color.

Read more »

It’s the time of the season, friends!

10 easy tips to refresh your space for Spring and Summer 2006. Read more »

More handmade oil paintings are being sold in the United States than ever before. Business owners and office managers are discovering the tremendous advantages of having high quality art on their walls. Decorating with handmade paintings shows you care for your employees, provide a soothing and motivating environment, and increases creativity. Read more »

Five Gustav Klimt paintings that were stolen by the Nazis during World War II have finally found their way back to the last remaining family member.

One of the five paintings (most exquisite of the five), is of Adele Bloch-Bauer. It is valued at over $120 million and is the centerpiece of the collection. Her niece, 90-year-old Los Angeles resident Maria Altmann, is the rightful owner of the collection and she has insisted to place it on public display for everyone to enjoy. The five paintings will be displayed, at least temporarily, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Altman chose to exhibit the paintings in Los Angeles as a tribute to the city that welcomed her when she fled the Nazis.

Gustav Klimt, widely considered one of the great figures of early 20th century painting, embodied the height of Viennese art.

This is just one of many stories of masterpieces taken form Jewish families during World War II; at least this one had a happy ending!

If you share a passion for both handmade oil paintings and a passion for music, you can combine the two to create a truly special interior design.

As someone who considers himself an art connoisseur and somewhat of a musician (I sing and play the saxophone though not at the same time…) I was truly impressed with a series of photos a client of mine sent sharing his interior décor of his Phoenix, Arizona home. Read more »