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. (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…