ArtCorner

It was a very HOT June in London. The record breaking numbers of the Impressionist and Modern Art auctions at Sotheby’s and Christie’s totaling in a 200 Million Pounds has placed London on the map right next to its New York counterpart.

Here is the list for the top 10 Paintings sold in the Impressionist and Modern Art category:

1. Claude Monet, Nymphéas £18,500,000
2. Claude Monet, Waterloo Bridge, temps couvert £17,940,000
3. Henri Matisse, Danseuse dans le Fauteuil, sol en Damier £10,996,000
4. Claude Monet, Les arceaux de roses, Giverny (Les arceaux fleuris) £8,980,000
5. Pablo Picasso, Mousquetaire et nu assis £6,740,000
6. Joan Miró, Le coq £6,628,000
7. Natalia Goncharova, Picking Apples £4,948,000
8. Paul Signac, Constantinople (Corne d’Or) £4,836,000
9. Auguste Rodin, Messagère des Dieux £4,612,000
10. René Magritte, Le sabbat £4,500,000

Art and oil paintings are definitely in style. It is a pleasure to see that the Impressionist still set the tone for great works of art.

This is a short video depicting Pr. Mel Liptzig talking about the life of Claude Monet.

It’s interesting to learn about the creation of Monet and how he became one of the most influential artists of our times.
I especially adore the story of how the name for the Impressionist art movement came about…

Monet was a true leader. A romantic who loved life, loved to paint and loved his wife. It is of no surprise that his delicacy and art has captivated us for so long.

Framing an oil painting is not cheep, but it’s definitely worth it as sometimes frames are a great compliment to a painting.

But how can you tell a good framer from a mediocre one?
First, if you can get a referral that would be best. If not, and you are walking into a frame shop trying to decide if to invest your precious artwork in the hands of this artesian, observe the neatness of the framed paintings hanging on the walls. Is that something that you would fancy? Does it look like it was well done? Particularly, observe how carefully the matting has been cut. Other things to pay close attention to are the range of matting and framing options available and how long will the framing process take.

Below are the steps involved in choosing a frame for a painting. Read more »

The world renowned British professor of history and art history at Columbia University, Simon Schama has a great new show called The Power of Art. The show consists of eight episodes each detailing the lives and important works of eight great artists throughout history.

The eight artists include: Van Gogh, Picasso, Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David, Turner and Mark Rothko.

Pr. Schama is a great narrator for the show and his insight on art history is so profound and encompassing that it makes this series a real pleasure to watch.

So, check your local listings.

It’s hard to make time to decorate your home. Sure you’d love a brand new look to your space, but frankly, you don’t have the energy to track down the décor items you always wanted and get down to business. The problem is that auctions and showroom sales are for those with a lot of time on their hands,a.k.a Not You… But before you give up consider hiring an interior designer.

While it’s definitely a good idea to start sifting through Décor Mags, the best way to get started is with a good referral. Talk with friends who’ve had positive experience working with a designer. Traits to look for in an interior designer would be: “a good listener”, “he really cares about coming up with the result you want” or my favorite, “not too pushy or patronizing” which is a misconception that we all share about interior designers.

For the internet savvy, the American Society of Interior Designers, the largest professional organization for interior designers, is a great place to start. There are countless links to professionals and their portfolios, in all 50 states.

The Franklin Report is another excellent resource. Since each designer, architect, and contractor is carefully vetted and bolstered by references from discerning customers, you can be sure that you’re looking at designers who won’t blow smoke up your behind and run off with your money. There are plenty of online resources to browse through, tips on how much you’ll likely be spending and what to expect from start to finish.

Now put down those fabric swatches. Nothing says good taste like knowing when to call in the professionals…

I got a question from a reader that I wanted to share with yall…

“Hello Brei,
I live in Newcastle Australia and we have just experienced a terrible flood. Unfortunately, my mothers much loved oil painting was damaged by water and mud. It is painted on masonite and we are lucky that it survived, but I do not know how to clean it. I would much appreciate any advise you may be able to give me.
Thank you, Ann.”

If this is a painting that is cherished and important to you my recommendation would be to take it to a restorer. You can damage it so easily if you try to do it yourself. Go ask at a museum near you; they will either have art restorers on staff or ones that they prefer to use, and you can contact one of them. Even if they happen to only do work for museums, they should know a colleague that does private restorations.

However, you can try and do it yourself, but please realize that it is very risky and can cause damage to the painting, so at your own risk here are the steps I would take to treat the flooded art work:

1. Mild soap and water will work for the oil paint… but it’s the Masonite I am concerned about. I would try to scap the excess water and mud off.
2. Perhaps you can try a dry brush for the rear and a brief cleaning with mild soap and water for the painted surface.
3. Dry it with a cloth then go over it with a damp cloth let it dry in the sun. Don’t use any solvents of course.

Then, if it’s damaged and you have a photo of it try going over it with oil paint or try asking an artist to repaint it. OverstockArt.com has a service where you can turn a photo into art.

Hope your painting will find itself back on the wall soon and that the weather will settle down in your neck of the woods…

Recall the summer camping trips your parents dragged you on?
Vague memories of being crammed in the station wagon, long before the days of DVD to keep you and your brothers from going at it in the back seat. Remember that sleeping bag you had to share with your sister? The mosquito bites? The freezing morning dew? At least the roasted marshmallows were tasty.

Nevertheless, after you were done moaning, you took a look around you and saw nature in all its beauty. The trees around you had a grow-how-ever-you-like glow and each leaf was a palette of colors: browns blended with purples, greens and yellows. When you were finally back home surrounded by civilization again, you had a new appreciation for natural splendor.

Now you live in a house but you still want to bring a little bit of the forest with you, while keeping the bugs out…

Why not immerse yourself with the outdoors and nature with the most beautiful and life like landscapes. Wall décor that helps become one with nature: real handmade oil paintings done on canvas. The scenery will bring you back memories of the good old days and the art will add a live piece of nature to your dwelling. So bring the great outdoors into your home with Landscape oil paintings.

All the beauty of nature…without the mosquito bites!

This is a trailer of the “Impressoinists,” a BBC original series about the life and work of the early Impressionists. The story is narrated through the eyes of old Claude Monet during the 1920′s as he reflects back on the early days of the Impressionist movement.

This promo shows great moments in the life of Monet, Manet, Degas and Cezanne.

Finally a TV series about the life of the impressionist, if you get a chance, try and locate this series, it is really fun to watch and you can learn a lot about the era and what these artists went through in order to change the face of Traditional Art. It is an opportunity to see what inspired these artists and how there art propelled them to greatness.

Come celebrate the most important art movement of Modern times with the “Impressionists.”

Office fluorescent lights, blurring computer screens and entirely functional, dull office furniture give the impression that you’re living in mono? And when you get home, does everything go where it should?

In short, is your decor lacking in the unusual, inspiring, extraordinary department?

Wassily Kandinsky, the Russian born Father of Abstract Art – helps me get inspired with lines, colors and geometrical shapes.

Bright, bold and tickling to all the senses. Kandinsky makes you feel good as you go about your day, ads sophistication to your space as well as your life.

The Throughgoing Lines express well, whatever you like, from Music Symphony, to a Culinary masterpiece in the Kitchen. And while the news of the world may be bleak, that’s no reason for you to sit at home and moan. The oscillating music wave design of Kandinsky’s Art adds rhythm to your space, even when your radio is turned off.

This summer the Tate Museum in London is hosting the Dali and Film exhibition. The show articulates the effect of Salvador Dali’s film had on his early Surrealist creation.

By showing the film in a gallery setting next to his Surrealist oil paintings it is apparent the influence film had on Salvador Dali, and how he shifted images and themes from the big screen to the canvas.

It is easy to associate images of masturbation, castration and bodily corruption that you find in Dali’s films from that era with the early Surrealist works such as The First Days of Spring, The Great Masturbator, Illumined Pleasures and The Accommodations of Desire – all painted in the year his 1929 silent film, Un Chien andalou, was made.

Dali continued to make films all the way through 1946. He collaborated with greats such Hitchcock and Disney. I find his later films hard to view and lack the impact of his early works. The same is true for his Surrealist works on canvas.