tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614583587891484322024-02-19T23:50:45.731-08:00Fine Art America ideasexcel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-23386048767242796532012-03-01T21:00:00.000-08:002012-04-15T21:01:12.870-07:00Chinese Art During America's Roaring 1920s<div style="text-align: justify;"> xWhat do you think about when you picture life in the 1920s of America? Many people tend to recall old pictures of extravagant parties with people in outdated, funny clothes. Some times people living today think about the infamous crash of 1929 which followed financial indulgence for much of the decade. It is true that most people living today simply cannot remember the 1920s at all. Very few of us were actually alive during this time period. One little known additional fact about the "Roaring 20s" was that it was the decade where Chinese artwork became a permanent part of the national American life.<br />
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The sale and display of Chinese art rose quickly during this time period. It held future implications for the importation of Eastern culture in to North America. The vast majority of people living then never foresaw the larger, cultural reality unfolding in their day. Sadly, Charles L. Freer passed away in 1919. However, the man whose name authenticated the Freer Gallery of Art lived on in spirit. Four years later this leading American institution in the collecting, study, and display of Chinese artwork was open to the public. At the time the gallery was directed by John F. Lodge (1878-1942). It was through this man C.T. Loo, the famous Chinese art dealer and businessman, returned to the shores of America. In fact, Loo became the gallery's top supplier between the years 1921 to 1951. Loo was followed only by two other firms. In the next three decades, the gallery spent $860,340 on 124 pieces which Loo supplied. These purchases would constitute the core of the gallery's ancient Chinese bronze, jade, and stone sculpture holdings.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
During the decade of the 1920s the new Freer Gallery expanded in profound ways through its research, exhibition, acquisition, and archeological work. This activity was also an indisputable reflection of the rising interest in the field of "Chinese art." By 1929, the Freer Gallery and other museums had developed large Chinese art collections. Two important survey books on Chinese art were published. In China, art and archeology gained fresh momentum. The Chinese antiques business was growing very quickly. This was evidenced through the establishment of the first indoor antiques market in the famous city of Shanghai back in 1921. Then, in 1923 along came the Shanghai City Antiques Business Association.<br />
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C.T. Loo's business with the Freer Gallery of Art thrived in the decade of the 1920s. In 1921 the gallery officially made its first three purchases from Mr. Loo. The purchases included two 6th century Buddhist stone relief panels from a southern Xiangtangshan site. There was also a Song dynasty (960-1279 CE) stone sculpture. The price for these pieces came to $40,000. Other objects Loo introduced to the gallery in the booming years of the 1920s included a late Shang dynasty (1300-1200 BCE) bronze wine warmer and a Tang period (618-908 CE) stone lunette. It is incredible to note that the total value of the gallery's purchased pieces in the twenties was $84,000!<br />
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It almost goes without saying that in the Roaring 1920s C.T. Loo held a number of exhibitions in America which displayed fine pieces of classic Chinese art. Loo even published several important catalogues of his painting, bronze, and jade collections for the interested public to investigate. What these historical facts could mean for us today is no simple question. It is safe to conclude that Chinese art has been a part of the American experience for a very long time. The appreciation and study of fine art is a vital aspect of the ongoing human drama. With the current rise of interest in contemporary Easter decor throughout North America, the influence of Chinese art and culture cannot be overlooked. After all, China has had a prolific and deeply spiritual influence upon much of "Asia" over its five thousand years of history. The story of Chinese art continues its powerful play across the stage of the civilized world. This is especially true today in the 21st century!excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-7518325643247089392012-02-25T20:59:00.000-08:002012-04-15T21:00:10.715-07:00Fine Art and Nature - Developing Your Artist Eye<div style="text-align: justify;">Cape Conran is in the far North East corner of Victoria, Australia. This place is remarkable for its remoteness (no mobile phone coverage there- great for some people, frustrating for others, particularly teenagers. I found it great and liberating to be away from all the electronic "stuff"). Remarkable also for its rugged natural beauty; coastal flowering trees, gums and tea trees, miles of pristine, untouched ocean beaches, quiet lagoons and unusual rocks jutting vertically out of the sand; some dark, fossilised wood, others: pink, sensuous, monolithic boulders.<br />
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What was surprising, and insightful in a creative way, about the seascape, was how much it reminded me of my painting process; there were the large areas of colour and tones of the sea, sand and sky, swept in as in large pastel strokes. The dark tones and highlights in the waves had subtle changes of colour from aqua to ultramarine and deep violet. The sand provided a pleasing, warm, golden complementary to the seas cool blues. And then, the shoreline strewn with millions of pebbles that, at first glance looked the same size, shape and somewhat similar colours, but, on close inspection, were all different.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
Some were rounded, grey and speckled like a bird's egg, others were flat discs of deep crimson, yet others were asymmetrical shapes of semi transparent grey and white quartz, while others still were ochre, oblong pebbles. Some were spotted, some were plain, some were stripped and others were unusual swirls of light and dark. Even if you tried you wouldn't be able to find two pebbles the same out of those millions on the beach creativity is endless. The pebbles were the fine details in this natural art piece. They looked randomly placed but added to the overall harmony of the whole scene- I felt like I was inside a perfect painting. It was a magical experience that has left me energised and inspired.<br />
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A change of scenery and routine, a quiet, reflective space is wonderful to rekindle or awaken creativity.<br />
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Take a camera along or a sketch pad. It is amazing how your world will open up and show you the intricacies and wonders that surround us when you take the time to really focus and record what you are seeing.<br />
When you sketch or photograph, jot down what you are seeing and feeling.<br />
Write what is surprising or different to you.<br />
Also note what really attracts you about what you are recording in your drawings and photographs.<br />
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This will help you to develop your 'artist eye', which will help you to create artworks whether they are simple sketches of a few lines an original photo. The sketches, photos and writings may even inspire you to create fully realised paintings.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-18242020336754190642012-02-01T20:57:00.000-08:002012-04-15T20:59:11.986-07:00The Fine Art of Obamacare Obfuscation<div style="text-align: justify;">Even though it's the best on the planet, an excellent case can be made for the existence of weaknesses in America's health care system. When everyone from potentates to average Joes still travel to the U.S. for state of the art treatment, we must be doing something very right, which is not to say the system is flawless.<br />
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It's expensive, overloaded with paperwork and fraught with serious issues but few sick people go out of their way to go to places such as Great Britain to seek treatment in that country's bankrupt, socialistic National Health Service, the Obamacare model.<br />
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It was those issues, a cooperative press, and majorities in both houses of congress that enabled Democrats to ramrod a basically dishonest, 2309 page monstrosity which no legislators read and which the majority of Americans opposed through to law.<br />
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The fact that federal employees, including those same congresspersons who voted in favor of it, kept their existing and generous medical plan, their Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and were exempted from Obamacare is perhaps the most telling factor indicative of how farcical the "Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act" truly is. The PPAHCA was deemed good enough for the rabble, the hoi polloi, but the very people who brought us Obamacare wanted no part of it.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
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Its most glaring omission, tort reform, is testimony both to the plethora of lawyers in congress and the act's lack of serious interest in controlling costs.<br />
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One of the prime arguments used to foist Obamacare on the public was the sensitive issue of pre-existing medical conditions and how to cover, and pay, for them: Insurers don't want to cover them and the public is not inclined to shoulder what could be the astronomical costs of paying for them.<br />
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After the House passed a bill to repeal Obamacare, as Republicans had promised, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed to block even a senate vote on the measure, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebellius jumped into the fray to pound home the administration line on the invaluability of the existing law and the perils associated with repealing or even altering it.<br />
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Sebellius' press release is a perfect example of the administration's ongoing duplicity with regard to health care.<br />
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The HHS announced an in-house report it had conducted, an analysis of PPAHCA, the same week Republicans were due to vote on repeal. Said report unequivocably determined that "up to 129 million non-elderly Americans who have some type of pre-existing health condition would be at risk of losing health insurance or being denied coverage altogether" should Obamacare be scrapped.<br />
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The news release also noted that "anywhere from 50 to 129 million (19 to 50 percent) of Americans under age 65 have some type of pre-existing condition," including high blood pressure and asthma, and that up to 30 percent of people under age 65 who are in fine fettle today "are likely to develop a pre-existing condition over the next eight years."<br />
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How Secretary Sebellius and her HHS came up with those numbers and percentages is left unexplained as is how their crystal ball determined how many younger, healthy individuals would "likely" develop a serious condition over the course of eight, not seven or nine years. Statisticians could, of course, extrapolate some numbers but another question is how anyone can "develop a pre-existing condition." Since it is currently non-existent, how can it pre-exist?<br />
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More significant is th<br />
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e question of how many of those 50-129 million people and how many of those 30% are already and contentedly insured either privately or via employers and pension benefits? The answer to that query, which those same statisticians could have readily calculated, would reveal the HHS-Sebellius numbers to be an irrelevant sham.<br />
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However, relevance-and transparent honesty-have never been the hallmarks of Obamians, despite their protestations to the contrary.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-52986848475622908862012-01-05T20:56:00.000-08:002012-04-15T20:57:46.862-07:00Another Fine Art<div style="text-align: justify;">One couple recently introduced their three-year-old daughter to the 'fine art' of dishwashing. She so enjoyed her time at the sink. It was regarded as quality playtime.<br />
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On sharing this news with other parents, some were shocked at a three-year-old washing dishes - and appearing to enjoy it. Apparently, other pre-schoolers had wanted to help in their kitchens but were dissuaded by their parents.<br />
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"How strange," commented the couple, "and then when the children become teenagers and no longer desire to clean plates, parents insist that they do!"<br />
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Of course, the issue is not simply about washing dishes. Rather, it has to do with loving, honouring and obeying God. As children love, honour and obey their parents, they are showing respect for God, and as they do that they can discover meaning and purpose in their lives.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
We are living in a day when teen despair and teenage suicide has become an increasingly disturbing reality. This is becoming more and more a reality where I work and serve. Many young people have not found a reason for living, and this can give rise to rebellion and anger.<br />
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God has spoken about turning the hearts of fathers to their children and those who are disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous. Has there ever been a time in our society when this has been more needed?<br />
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One remarkable characteristic and quality of Jesus was that he was obedient to Mary and Joseph during his formative years. Even though Jesus knew who he was, he is going to set the example for young people to follow, by being subject to his earthly parents, and Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and men.<br />
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God appreciates good behaviour. Men appreciate good behaviour.<br />
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This is becoming another 'fine art'.<br />
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Sandy Shaw<br />
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Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-3164122740528548742011-11-23T20:55:00.000-08:002012-04-15T20:56:54.194-07:00How to Invest in Fine Art and a Build Collection or Portfolio<div style="text-align: justify;">At a time when we are in or some may say coming out of a nasty recession. Interest rates are at rock bottom. The Bank of England Base Rate at 0.5% and the interest rates are roughly the same all around the world. Getting a return on your money is not easy; however you can still Invest your money in some areas and get a good return. One of these is art, it is a vast area and there is something for everyone's taste and you will not find many investments that you can hang on your wall enjoy and improve the look of a room. If selling your home it has been found that people are influenced by the removable goods, so art on your walls can even help raise the sale price of your home or make it sell faster. So Investing in art offers much more than a return on your investment it can benefit many areas of your life<br />
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Most people think that to invest in art you need a large amount of capital but that is not the case. You will find out how you can start an art collection with a small sum of money. Whether you are looking to invest a small amount of one to two hundred pounds or thousands there are a few simple rules to follow. That is what we will talk about in this article so that you can start to build your own portfolio of art, investing in your future.<br />
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The Art Markets<br />
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According to the Art Market Research (AMR) the price of old masters achieved a peek in 1990 and has now passed this high after a strong rise in the previous year. The index for modern paintings is 15% off its peak, contemporary and 19th century is 50% below its peak. The impressionist market is much more volatile and is nearly 70% off the highs seen in the 1990's. You should bear in mind impressionist prices are higher than other styles in the same periods.<br />
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A Study in 1952 by Mei and Moses led to an amazing discovery, "The more you pay, the lower your return." This was shown more with purchases over £29,000. Purchases over £ 1,160,000 actually show a negative return on your investment. For most people wanting to start an art collection for investment it is advisable to look at emerging art markets. This as an exciting market which offers the opportunity of the larger returns on your investment<br />
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How to buy art.<br />
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The death of an artist does not guarantee an increase in value.<br />
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It is a common belief that after the death of an artist the value of the work will increase. This is not necessarily true even for established artists who commended high prices during their lifetime. An example of this is Andy Warhol, he produced iconic art which he then began to copy himself. After his death his heirs released piece after piece to the market. This led to a devaluation of his work over the coming decades. The other side of the coin is artists who were never really had their work recognised, after their death the art does not increase in value.<br />
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The answer to this is to do your research about an artist. Has their work been recognised by any institutions, won competitions and what reviews have been written by other people. Research does not guarantee a good purchase but it can help reduce the risk. Access to the internet makes research much easier in today's day and age.<br />
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Prints or Originals<br />
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Some people say stick to buying originals and that is sometimes the best option. But as we so often hear there is an exception to every rule. If you purchase a print which is not a limited edition you are definitely throwing money away. All you are doing is buying an expensive poster. This can be seen in many places where you can purchase a print of most masterpieces. They are usually mass produced, unsigned and printed on cheap paper. If you come across an artist whose work is increasing in value, you have researched them and the artist looks like they are worth investing in. It may be you cannot afford an original painting by the artist, so you look at prints.<br />
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First you need to look at the quality of the prints, most artist use Giclee prints which are high quality and on a high grade of paper. If you see a limited edition print on shiny poster paper, stay well away and save your money.<br />
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The next important thing to check is the edition size. The lower the run size the better the investment. Some artists do runs up to a thousand per edition, this is a sign that the value of that print will be low and is highly unlikely to increase in value. A limited edition of one hundred will mean each print is more likely to hold their value.<br />
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Validated Prints, this is an obvious point but is something that should be checked. All limited edition prints should be numbered and signed by the artist. The number should say what the print number is and how many copies are going to be printed in the limited edition print run e.g. 1/100. When you look for art work you may see an up and coming artist who has just released a limited edition print, it is sometimes worth purchasing limited edition prints in this situation because you can see returns of 50-100%<br />
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Buy What You Like.<br />
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Like most investments there are no guarantees, the value may go up, it may also go down. However unlike other investments you should always gain some enjoyment out of your investment. So the first and foremost decision to be made when considering buying any painting is, do you like it? If you like it is highly likely that other people will like it. If your investment is going on the wall you are going to be looking it so you should make sure you are going to get some pleasure from it, there would be nothing worse than having a painting that you cannot stand the site of. This might seem an obvious point but it is an important one that should not be overlooked. I sell art and when I look at an artist's work with the view of selling it I will only accept art to promote that I like, for me it is such an important guideline when you look at any piece of art.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
Should You Buy Cheap Art?<br />
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The answer that springs to mind when I am asked this question is "No." Cheap art is often mass produced will always remain a cheap painting. This may seem a contradiction to what I said earlier in this article, where I said the more expensive the painting the smaller the return on your investment is likely to be. When I said that I was talking about high end paintings selling for £30,000 plus. I would recommend that each original painting you purchase should cost at least £400 to £500.A painting that you pay a little more for is likely to at least hold or appreciate in value.<br />
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If you find a painting that you like that is out of your price range and you are considering buying a limited edition print you will spend less. I would recommend spending no less than £75-£100, for a limited edition print you could pay up to several hundred pounds for a framed print.<br />
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Do Your Research.<br />
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I have mentioned research earlier in this article. It is an important part of buying any art. If you are buying a paining with age do all you can to ensure what you are buying is what it says on the label. Many older paintings by prominent artists have been copied and frequently come up at auction. A reproduction will usually lack the age, it will look younger. If the artist has reproduced a painting they will sign it with the original artists name as well as their own. Some unscrupulous people will rub the later artists details off and try to hide it from you. Other things you can check are listed below, but it is important to remember it is a guide and not a rule.<br />
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· Is the frame the original, or is it new.<br />
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· Does the frame look as though it has been artificially aged<br />
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· Does the painting look as though it has been tampered with<br />
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· Canvasses and boards often have old newspapers stuck to the back, check how it is fastened on. What type of glue and is the tape new or old.<br />
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It is advisable to ask the dealer or auction house about any provenance relating to the painting.<br />
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If you are looking to purchase paintings from contemporary artists or up and coming artists it is still important to do your research. Find out as much as you can about the artist. The more information you know the better judgement you can make about whether to purchase the painting. This can be done on the internet, but never be afraid to ask the artist or the dealer for more information about their career.<br />
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Stolen Art.<br />
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If you purchase your art through dealers and auction houses this is not likely to be a problem. However if you are making a purchase from an individual ensure you are certain that the painting is not stolen. There is a website that you can use which holds a database of stolen art. The Art Loss Register is on www.artloss.com.<br />
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Caring for Art.<br />
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As a collector there are several things that you need to do when you decide to start collecting art for investment a sale at a later date. You must ensure it is stored and/or displayed in a suitable way. It is important that they are not in direct sunlight which will fade the colours and ruin the painting. Also ensure that the environment is not damp. The effect this will have on any painting could be devastating and damage it causing you a large loss or a large restoration bill.<br />
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If you decide to keep your paintings in storage the same rules apply, in addition to these you need to store them in a place where they are not going to receive any physical damage. It is advisable to store any paintings that are not going to be hung on display in a substantial packaging to ensure no accidental damage occurs.<br />
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Insurance.<br />
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When you start to purchase paintings it is important that you monitor the value of the individual paintings. If the paintings are in your home you need to ensure you have adequate cover and that any high value paintings are listed individually on your policy. If you keep any art in storage ensure you have adequate insurance cover for theft and damage.<br />
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Financial Records.<br />
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As with all investments you will be liable for tax on profits made from the sale of any pieces of your collection. You have no requirements to register any purchases of art, except in some countries you may have local taxes that require you to list the purchase. An example of this is V.A.T. in Great Britain if you are V.A.T. Registered. This report is not a tax guide and it is advisable to seek advice from a suitably qualified person in you location.<br />
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Investing in art can be both enjoyable and rewarding. Looking for emerging artists and searching for pieces of art at reasonable prices make this an intriguing project. You will meet many amazing people and learn about many different subjects. You may want to focus on one media, watercolour, oils, acrylic, etc. You may prefer a certain subject, landscapes, animals, still life etc. I recently came across some watercolour nightscapes by an emerging artist called Dean Entwistle. When I saw the first of these artists' paintings I thought they were amazing. Upon researching the artist I found he was selected this month from thousands of entrants to exhibit at the Royal Water Colour Society.<br />
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The original paintings range from £2000 to £10,000 and his limited edition prints are £250 with a run of only 100. Over the last two year the limited edition prints have risen in value by approximately £100. That is a return that you could not get in a bank and with the latest events in his career I would imagine the prices rising further. This is one example of an artist whose work is increasing in value and prestige. In Chester (U.K.) alone there many others including, Colin Halliday, Ben Kelly and John Dronsfield. All are great artists who are good prospects for investment. The most important part of collecting art is enjoyment. Enjoy the art, enjoy your investment.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-87236697085791190992011-11-05T20:54:00.000-07:002012-04-15T20:55:43.603-07:00How to Purchase Original Paintings And Other Fine Art Online<div style="text-align: justify;">Original paintings can dramatically transform your home and office into a place of welcome, intrigue, or even surprise. Paintings that reflect your own personal sense of style can introduce unique beauty, culture, and comfort into the rooms in which you live your life.<br />
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In the past, it was typically necessary for a customer to visit numerous brick-and-mortar galleries to find a style and artist that resonated with that buyer's needs and preferences. Often, the cost of such gallery-represented original paintings proves prohibitive for prospective purchasers.<br />
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Today, with the explosive growth of Internet sales, it is easy to comparison-shop to determine preferred styles, preferred artists, and to find favorite original paintings. Customers can more easily discover tremendous new and up-and-coming artists, who may or may not yet enjoy traditional gallery representation. The Internet option greatly broadens a customer's choices.<br />
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Perhaps best of all, the Internet has helped make original fine art and paintings financially accessible to most homeowners, employers, apartment-dwellers, and even college students, who can now enjoy purchasing exceptional original paintings -- often by undiscovered artisans -- at wonderfully affordable prices.<br />
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Novica hosts what may be the largest online gallery of original paintings in the world. Novica features thousands of original and limited-edition oil paintings, acrylic paintings, mixed-media paintings, and original photography by hundreds of well-known and unknown artists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.<br />
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A Google-search for "original paintings" likewise leads to more than a million website links to online galleries and personal home pages for countless famous and undiscovered fine artists around the globe.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
Focusing on Novica's paintings, for example, visitors easily navigate by style, subject, or region, and can also search by individual artist. Each artist's biography and photograph is provided, along with high-quality images of the artist's available paintings, and extensive descriptions, pricing, dimensions, and compositional information about each work of art. Customer reviews of Novica's participating artists provide valuable feedback, often helping new collectors make a final decision on a particular artist.<br />
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Whether the collector (or prospective collector) enjoys abstract, impressionist, cubist, realist, surrealist, modern, pop art, folk art, or paintings featuring a particular subject or medium, he or she can quickly and easily get a sense of what is available -- and at what prices -- by searching online.<br />
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For many shoppers, brick-and-mortar galleries remain the preferred place to purchase original fine art, making it possible to view favorite choices in person, before selecting a particular work.<br />
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For the brave and the bold, however, and for those who crave a broader selection and greater pricing options, today there is no place like the Internet (particularly when dealing with reputable, specialized websites) to discover and purchase exciting original art.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-45490687668516601912011-10-19T20:53:00.000-07:002012-04-15T20:54:35.148-07:00School Trips Through the Art and Art History of Boston<div style="text-align: justify;">As the largest city in the American state of Massachusetts, and one of the oldest in the country, Boston is brimming with history that can fill the itinerary of school trips focusing on many subjects. It is the unofficial capital of New England, and one of the hubs of East Coast economics and culture. While exploring the famous quads of Harvard and learning about the history of the Puritans who first settled here in 1630, one cannot ignore the city's wonderful array of museums and collections of art. The Museum of Fine Arts, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, are great places to visit to get a sense of the art and art history of the city.<br />
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The Museum of Fine Arts - The museum was originally opened in 1876 in Copley Square with over 5,000 works of art; in 1909 it moved to its current location on Huntington Avenue. With art collections and exhibits ranging from Egyptian to the contemporary, the museum currently houses over 450,000 works. School trips taking in the museum are especially exciting since The New MFA was opened in 2010. The New MFA contains new wings for art from the Americas, European art, new teaching facilities, and wings for contemporary art. For those interested in studying arts at university, a visit to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, right across the street from the MFA, should be the next stop. Affiliated with Tufts University, the SMFA offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in a variety of artistic disciplines.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
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The Institute of Contemporary Art - The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) was founded in 1936 as the Boston Museum of Modern Art. It was created as a space to identify and foster new and upcoming artists, and, as such is a great place for students. School trips here can reveal how the museum has been pivotal in the careers of Vanessa Beecroft, Ellen Gallagher, Oskar Kokoschka, Edvard Munch, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Roy Lichtenstein. Currently, the ICA is growing its support of (and educational programs dedicated to) filmmaking and documentaries, and is doing exciting work. The ICA is conveniently located at 100 Northern Avenue and is a very easy landmark to find.<br />
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Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology - The Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology is a part of Harvard University and is located at 11 Divinity Avenue. Founded in 1866, it is one of the oldest museums in the world dedicated to the history of human culture. School trips to the museum will enable students to explore some of the six million objects, 500,000 photographs, and records within. The collections of archaeology, ethnography, osteology, painting, drawing, and prints are particularly strong in regards to North, Central, and South America as well as Oceania.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-35485310081553704922011-08-12T20:52:00.000-07:002012-04-15T20:53:22.922-07:00Choosing Happiness No Matter What - Life as A Fine Art<div style="text-align: justify;">How do you approach life? Do you approach it with an attitude of a human turnip? You vegetate. You are all done already and have nothing to learn.<br />
OR--- You approach life with the attitude of what can I make it? Happiness is a quality of living life as if it were a fine art. It requires love, courage and a good sense of humor.<br />
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What if you were a sculptor and your life was going to be your masterpiece? What would you create? What would your life be about if you only had once chance to sculpt it? Would you go for joy, self expression and deliciousness?<br />
Your creative self-sculpture is an artistic process and the sculptor must master four wisdoms.<br />
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Wisdom Number One: Know Thyself. What am I made of? Who do I want to become? What do I want to bring into my life? What do I want to eliminate?</div><a name='more'></a><br />
Wisdom Number Two: Be a true craftsperson. Craftsmanship will allow you to mold your raw material into a life-sculpture that touches others and inspires.<br />
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Wisdom Number Three: Be tenacious. Stay true to your design and when things do not work out the first time keep exploring new possibilities. You will be glad that you did no doubt.<br />
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Wisdom Number four: Be courageous. Do not allow circumstances to become convenient excuses. Look at obstacles as opportunities, mistakes as lessons and stay on your path. Nothing is worth giving up the work at hand. Not age, gender, time required, money, weather, mothers, fathers, allergies or judgements can stop you if you are courageous. It is easy to get sidetracked since what you are creating is something new, something extraordinary and it requires focus and love.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161458358789148432.post-4063778544807810282011-07-07T20:49:00.000-07:002012-04-15T20:52:16.358-07:00Original Fine Art Prints<div style="text-align: justify;">Original fine art prints are multiple impressions of the same image, created with the direct involvement of the artist or by a professional artisan under the supervision of the artist. They can be created digitally within a computer or made upon a plate, stone, wood block, or any other material. Etching, aquatint, monoprint, lithography, and collograph are some of the printing techniques used in making original prints.<br />
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Original fine art prints are personally approved and signed by the artist. Along with the artist's signature, they should hold the edition number and the total number of art prints produced. Some original fine art prints contain information about the techniques and materials used in printing.<br />
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The Print Council of America has issued certain guidelines necessary for a print to qualify as an original print. The guidelines demand that the master image on the stone or any other material should be created by the artist. They also require that the art print, if not printed by the artist, should be hand-printed by a professional artisan under the direct supervision of the artist. Moreover, they stress the importance of signature by the artist in the print. The guidelines also demand that once the edition is completed, the master image should be destroyed so as to prevent using it again.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
Framing original fine art prints with archival-quality materials is a great way to display the original. Besides presenting an artwork, framed original fine art prints protect and preserve the art print for future generations.<br />
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Today, there are many websites offering a wide range of original fine art prints in excellent museum quality condition. A wide range of pricing options are available to meet all budget requirements. Original fine art prints based on different subjects like American life, animals, architecture, fantasy, humor, landscape, spirituality and religion, music, and world culture are available online. Creativegalleries.com is an online art gallery offering original fine art prints that are highly affordable.excel99http://www.blogger.com/profile/04804602844798504612noreply@blogger.com0