Art

Jeff A Hardy asked:


You are an admirer of fine arts. Do you collect handicraft, paintings or sculptures or any other artworks just to get an undefined satisfaction or as an investment too? Well, art as an investment has become popular in the recent past. However, there are supporters as well as opponents of the trend who give arguments for and against investing in art.

What’s good in Art Investment



Uncertain stock market returns, interest rates at their lowest in decades, and shaky property market has lead people to find alternative investment options- investing in art is one of them. The rise in demand and consequently in prices, is definitely a good news for people who collect art. Although there’s no certainty that prices will continue to rise, at least art will give pleasure and an emotional dividend by giving the chance to call oneself a collector. From 1875 to 2000, art has outplayed fixed income, but has been defeated by equities. However, in the past 2 years or so, in the wake of stock market losses, art has surpassed equities. Reports say that global art market avoids crash, even in times of economic downturn.

Why Art Investment is Bad



Art market is illiquid. Buying and selling art works is not so easy as the trade shares. Art market is also non-transparent and unregulated. The history of ownership and condition of a piece has to be checked before investing money. Art goes in and out of fashion and the prices may move up and down very quickly. If selling art, one has to pay many taxes. Critics argue that art can’t be considered as financial asset as it disregards traditional benchmarks of financial analysis. Price determination is at the mercy of erratic public taste that follows no financial logic. Works of art don’t generate any income though they lead to storage and associated costs. In short-term, market volatility is relatively high when compared with other classes of asset.







How to do Wise Art Investment

Art investment is risky only if the investment period is too short. Long-term investment, say for 10 years and more, gives good annual average returns. The only prerequisite is to invest in high quality art. It’s better to deal with reputable galleries or dealers and invest in something you like & won’t mind keeping it for a few years, rather than something you don’t like but just want as an investment. If you are a novice collector, gather knowledge and train your eyes by visiting art fairs, galleries and preferably, student shows. Get lots of information from Internet. If that doesn’t suffice, hire independent art advisers for selecting and managing a collection. Some of them work at private banks. Galleries too offer advisory service as a sideline to their main business. If you sell some art works, consult tax advisors about how to save on it. If a couple buys the work, its good to invest in the name of the person in the lower tax bracket. Generate income from artworks by lending them to galleries. UK-based Fine Art Management Services launched Fine Art Fund, a private equity-backed venture aimed at pension funds and university endowments. It hopes to raise $350 inn, locked in for 10 years, to invest in a portfolio of top-quality art. The fund managers are banking on those investors who have seen some of their biggest holdings go down as the value of a quality arts will never go down to zero. Fine Art Fund also plans to solve the problem of lack of dividend income in this type of investment by renting out its art. This can be taken advantage of by wealthy private investors.

ARIEL

DEE L asked:


Love is always beautiful; if it is ugly it is not love. So why is art considered beautiful even if it is down right ugly?
What do you consider art? How do you perceive beauty? I have been trying to answer these questions for months and have gotten nowhere. I would really like to have some heart felt answers please, not something copied from a website, but written from the heart and mind of the writer.

EDMUND

Jennifer Salerno asked:


“The excellency of every art is its intensity, capable of making all disagreeable evaporate.”- John Keats

A true art is one which is centered on a timeline of events of the world. New art styles have appeared and vanished, with the beginning of the industrial revolution and have meanwhile reflected the gradual changes that have taken place in art in our society. The 19th century painters considered art to be a representation of images that reflects moral values, Christian sentiments, righteous conducts, virtuous behaviors and noble sacrifices. The history of modern art starts with impressionism in Paris - a movement against the rigid painting done inside academy. The usage of light and strong colors was paramount for the impressionist art movement. Different movements fauvism, expressionism, cubism, surrealism and many other paved the pathway of the artist and the modern artist belief in the freedom of expression. They brush their thoughts and ideas into strokes of their art.

With the progress of the century this artistic freedom has become fundamental to progressive modernism. The artists seek freedom not just only from the rules of academic art, but from the demands of the public. And finally they have claimed that art should be produced not for the public’s sake, but for art’s sake. Art for art’s sake is a release from the age old tyranny, rules and purpose; it is an excercise of freedom. ‘Art for art’s sake’- A phrase coined by Francis Schaeffer in his little treatise, Art and the Bible: “A work of art has value in itself.” He said “Art is not something we merely analyze or value for its intellectual content. It is something to be enjoyed.” But what about the works of art that are without beauty? Without the precious stone of beauty a piece of art whatever modern may be it is will become a pillar of caricature, without any innate value. We all know the famous poet Keats remark on art: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.”

In the 19th century, art was discussed by critics and historians largely in formal terms which effectively removed the question of meaning and purpose from consideration. But modern art was to be discussed in terms of one great thread that is style - color, line, shape, space, composition — conveniently ignoring or playing down whatever social, political, or progressive statements the artist had hoped to make in his or her work. Eventually it emerged that modern art is practiced within a closed formalist sphere separated from and not to be contaminated by the real world.



Modern art should act like an effective instrument of social betterment, understandable by common man. Art should have its own intrinsic value regardless of everything. But it is not mere an articulation of images, rather the “true” art behind the image that was deemed important. We all know: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,- that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”





HARLEY

DivO asked:


Art classes are being pulled from schools. Across the world, art is part of the culture of the people.
It makes me sick.

JULES

Saatchi Gallery asked:


The best place to know art is the art gallery. Art galleries from early decades have been acting as the venue to exhibit various works of art. Among the different forms of art, painting is the most commonly displayed art. Artists and art lovers from local and international degree visit art galleries to acquire knowledge and express their interest.

Art galleries comprise of a single room or clusters of rooms in a series that cater the purpose of showcasing works of art. The gallery also carries the objectives as a platform of sharing common interest to promote art and encourage artists. Artists with different adroitness and skills display their work to public. In the art galleries, various forms of art like sculpture, photographs, illustrations, installation art and applied arts are manifested. Not only art lovers rush to these venues but also students from schools also make it a destination to learn art.

The heritage of art showcase has been taken from these venues to the online. Online provides a better scope to the artist because the users can upload their work and send it to their friends through emails or as e-cards with the help of new and secure technology. Art galleries also serve as the career launcher for young and dynamic artists. The debut artist can acquire more knowledge by interacting with the heroes of art in such venues. To facilitate fresh artist art galleries organise art fairs and showdown annually or at disproportionate interval of time.

In the present society, among the various arts contemporary art is much talked about. Contemporary art usually objectify the private-profit-motive. However, many galleries are run by government funds and held exhibitions regularly by charging an entrance fee. Art galleries are seen to be clustered in urban areas and are the perfect place for art lovers to purchase admired work. Art lovers can have a deep insight into the artists mind by perusing their works. So, to know more about art and artists visit an art gallery.



FABIAN

Eric Hines asked:


I am sure you are aware of the nationwide trend of downsizing, even eliminating, art programs in schools.

What is not entirely known is the impact of removing the fine arts from the education of children.

‘Champions of Change, the Impact of the Arts on Learning’ is the most comprehensive study on the subject of students involvement in the fine arts and how it relates to academic success.

The study builds a strong for students achieving higher levels of academic success and in higher overall numbers when involved with fine art.

Per the study;

- 82.6% of 8th graders earned mostly As and Bs who were involved heavily in fine arts versus 67.2% earning As and Bs who were not.

- 30.07% of the respondents who participate in fine arts performs community service where only 6.28% of the respondents who do not participate in fine arts perform community service.

- Students who are not heavily involved in fine arts have more than double the chance of dropping out of school by the 10th grade.

- 56.64% of the respondents who participate in fine arts read for pleasure where only 34.Chances are you will a handful of musical instruments in good condition gathering dust in a garage or attic.

These are only some of the findings in this study.

Fine arts help teach students far more than how to draw roses in a vase, or how to play the violin.

They help stimulate the creative part of the child’s mind, teach discipline, instill a sense of pride, accomplishment, and self-worth.

These attributes not only help students do better academically, but do better in their adult life, with their career, their new family, their emotional well being.

So what do you do if your child’s school has had major cuts in their art program?

Your first option is, of course, private lessons. You need to be cognizant of the pros and cons in this option.

Lets look at the pros first.

First, due to budget cuts and pressure for schools to ensure their students score well on standardized testing (oddly enough the students who are involved in the arts score better on average) the arts get less attention that other subjects in school. Thus the quality of instruction suffers.

Meaning your child has an excellent chance of getting better fine art instruction in a professional fine art instruction environment. The classes are smaller, sometimes even one on one. The instructor only has to teach that particular art form.

Another plus in private fine art education is that your child’s success is directly tied into the instructors income.

A public school teacher who has half of their art class receive failing grades will still be paid the same at the end of the week.

The equivalent in the private art instruction world would mean a bankrupt business in a very short order.

Providing private art classes is a business. They must produce a good product or risk not being around in the future.

The major con to private lessons is of course if you cannot afford them for your child.

Private lessons cost money. Knowing the benefits of a child being educated in the fine arts, I would happily drive a less luxurious car, or eat out less often to ensure their fine art education.

However if you are living on a fixed income this may not be an option.

To wrap up this point, private lessons are great, often better than what is provided even in schools that have ample art and music budgets.

An alternative solution may be needed if you you are on a limited budget.

There are things that you can do to help your local school raise money for their art programs.

First and foremost is fund raising. This can be gone about in a variety of ways.

For example in my high school in Burbank California a parent spoke to executives at NBC studios. Weeks later, NBC donated high-end production and editing equipment for our high school. Everything for the fine art of film making was at our school.

Long short or no, local businesses or celebrities should not be ignored when trying to solve this problem. In return they get good PR.

Of course you have the traditional events to raise funds. A car wash, garage sales, silent auctions, etc.

The real make break point for the above types of fund raisers is having the right person in-charge to ensure that all the details are taken care of and everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing.

If no one shows up to the car wash because no one knew about it, it won’t do anyone much good. Nor will the dozen cookies at the bake sale.

Organize and communicate.

I know a good amount of people. More pertinently I know people who know more people than I could ever hope to know.

When confronted with the difficult task of refitting your schools classical music program with instruments, it can seem overwhelming.

On the other hand, with a group of hundreds of students and adults it looks like this.

An email/phone call/mailer goes to your network about the problem.

Get your network to scourer their homes and the homes of people they know for instruments to donate. Last year I gifted a nice classical guitar that had been idle for years to a school.

Perhaps you find a few instruments in great condition that have been sitting in closets and garages untouched for 20 years.

Then invite everyone with a pulse and $20 to a bowling fund raiser. You make $20 for everyone who shows up. 50 people show. There is a $1000 right there for new instruments.

The following week target local businesses and parents in your network to gift items of worth for an auction. You get kids to pass out fliers and put up posters around town, put up announcements in craigslist, your local paper, and of course make sure everyone in your network knows and that they are telling everyone else.

The auction is a success raising $3,000.

When you have enough money for the instruments have the kids study hard and put on a fund raiser concert, charge $10 and put the money aside. Somehow someone will manage to lose a tuba.

It is plain to see, a dedicated group can accomplish much more than an individual.

What happens if your school is so strapped for cash and so over crowded that they cannot afford the fine art teacher let alone the space for art classes?

And what if there are no reputable private fine art instruction schools local, or you cannot afford them at this time?

At this point you have to take matters entirely in your own hands. However you are not entirely alone!

There are products on the market, that for a low cost, can still help educate your child in the fine arts.

Here is an example, for a onetime payment of $30 you can have you child take online violin lessons with Violin Master Pros.

There are also online lessons and DVD instruction programs for other musical instruments, writing, drawing, and more.

Any will be far more productive than another evening of video games or cable TV.

Beware of asking uncle John - who plays the piano - to teach your child. If someone demonstrates knowing how to do something well, it by no means demonstrates they can teach it well!

Bad lessons can very quickly turn your child off to the arts. Even if a huge donation is made to the school and the arts are saved, it will do little good if your kid is sour on the arts.

All in all our societies viewpoint must be changed in regards to how important the arts are to our children and our future.

It is irrefutable, children perform better on standardized tests when involved in fine art. Yet many schools will cut art and music to focus on getting better scoring results!

A small fraction of this nations defense budget could easily pay for art and music programs nationwide.

Many parents have the viewpoint, ‘if it is not reading or arithmetic then what real use is it my child’?

Yet in the top science schools in America all have a extensive fine art programs in their universities for a reason. It helps students perform academically!

It is our job as parents, budget cuts or no budget cuts, to ensure that our children receive the fine art education that they need.

If we don’t do it for our children, who is going to?



SAMMIE

damey asked:


A beautiful art piece is a portrayal of the mind’s creativity. It is a display of various expressions, facets and forms of life. Collecting attractive art pieces is a passion for art freaks and mesmerizing pleasure for common populace. Nobody can refrain himself from adulating the eternal beauty of a marvelous painting. However, the elements of fraudulence and forgery have made the requirement of an art lawyer indispensable, when it comes to buying or selling the original art pieces.

An experienced and competent art lawyer is a solution to various art related issues and cases. It is not that one can consult an art lawyer only for fraud art cases, his presence is also very important while buying and selling the art pieces. It is often said that collecting art is an expensive hobby, especially when you wish to buy a particular painter’s creation from different sellers or art agencies. You must check for the authentication and certification of the firm and this can be easily speculated by an art lawyer. This is because they are professional lawyers and know about all the aspects related to fraudulent art piece suppliers. Their experience and professional approach will gage the authentication of the seller in the most practical and legal manner. Therefore, if a person is accompanied by any such lawyer during the time of purchasing art pieces, he can surely save a lot on his money and time. In addition to this saving, there will be no added pressure and pain of investing in a duplicate or morphed art piece.

Art is a universal interest. It is not that only hard core art lovers like to indulge in the pleasure of gathering creativity. Many people wish to buy good and attractive art pieces for the purpose of decoration. Captivating paintings given entirely different look to the offices, homes, studios, shopping complexes and other places. Bright utilization of colors is considered extremely effective in enlightening the ambiance and boosting up the spirit of people at work. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that art pieces are favored by all sects of society and it is not compulsory that everyone will have good information and right knowledge to judge the originality of the art pieces. It is for this reason, many people contact with a qualified Art lawyer who can guide them the entire procedure. Lawyers can also offer a list of reliable and registered art and paintings sellers.

Finally I would also like to add an important point, that it is not always the customers who seek assistance of an art lawyer; even the sellers have to consult these lawyers in few cases. Many times, the buyer refuses to pay the actual quoted price of an art pieces and then only a lawyer can help the seller in extracting the required money in a legalized manner. So, if you find any similarity to such situation, instantly search for an art lawyer. You can easily find good results to your search on Internet. Nowadays numerous law firms are sincerely assisting people in fighting against the art cases.



IRA

damey asked:


 

Everyone appreciates a beautiful object, irrespective of whether he understands art or not. An art connoisseur, on the other hand, will have the knack of appreciating beauty in its minutest form. The artists of the past are still held in reverence by the whole world and even modern art of today has created a special niche for itself in the mind and heart of an art lover. Buying such art work and masterpieces, is a passion for an art collector and even a wise investment, if you have the eye to judge an authentic piece of art. Many art museums around the world thrive on this appreciation and reverence of the audience and if you too have a fondness and great taste in art, then buying paintings might prove to be a fruitful hobby and wise investment. However, the transactions of buying and selling art pieces, like any other business sector, leave a lot of scope for fraudulent deals and one must be careful about his investments. Hence, an art lawyer can become a crucial aid and necessity for anybody interested in dealing in such art.

Before purchasing a work of art from a gallery or a dealer, you must be sure about the authenticity and value of the product. At times, even your knowledge of art may not be sufficient to save you from being cheated by a dubious art dealer. It is, therefore, immensely helpful for you, if you can depend on the professional expertise and judgment of an art lawyer. Such a professional will not only have a trained eye for distinguishing between the genuine and the fraud, but he will also be knowledgeable about the accurate price of an artwork in the market. The guidance and knowledge of an art lawyer can thus, help you in making the right selection and paying the justified price for any piece of art that you add to your collection.

An art lawyer can also be a necessary aid for the seller of art and not just the buyer. In many instances we find that an art dealer may have sold an expensive piece of artwork to a buyer but did not receive the payment of either part value or complete value of the product. The lawyer can then come to the aid of the dealer and ensure that the payment is received in full by him by using the support of law and legal solutions.

So, whether you are an art collector, who enjoys adding new pieces of art to his collection or whether you are an art dealer, an art lawyer can be an important ally, under any circumstances. Whenever making an investment in an art deal, ensure that the transaction terms and clauses have been reviewed by a lawyer and that you have taken his advice before the purchase or sale of any artwork. Such minor details can come in handy whenever you are conducting a deal and can go a long way in ensuring that you are never duped when dealing in art.

 



SHERMAN

Michael Bridges asked:


Being an artist myself, I know how hard it can be to sell your art in the real world that is one reason you might what to try to sell your art online. A few years ago I decided to start selling my art online and I’m glad I did. Now, I’m not getting rich doing this, but I have made more sells online than I ever did in the real world. Plus I don’t have schlep my artwork from place to place.

Lets just take a look at some reasons you should consider selling your art online.

Convenience

In the real world you have to sale your art in galleries, art festivals, fairs, libraries or any place that will allow you to place your art and sell it. Now consider you have to pack up your artwork and carry it to these places and in some of cases hung the work yourself. Also consider that the pieces that don’t sale you have to take them down, pack them up and carry them back to your home or studio

However, when you sell your art online you just put up some photos of your artwork on a website with some information on the size, medium and price and depending on where you put it you may be able to keep your artwork there indefinitely. Even if the artwork doesn’t sale on a site where it has to be removed, all you have to remove is a photo and some information. No packing and no carrying bulky paintings back and forth.

You Have Total Control

By selling your art online you take over total control of your art career. No more middlemen telling you how much to price your art for and then taking a cut of your money when the art sells. Galleries will take anywhere from a 40 to 50% cut of your art sales. Art Festivals will charge any where from $200 to $500 fees just to be in the festival and demand that you have a certain amount of inventory, which you have to pay for. If you don’t sell anything at the festival you are just out all of that money.

If you sell your art online you can decide when where and how long you have your art up on a website and although there are some sites that may charge you to have your art on them, most of the places are free and the ones that do charge it’s usually a very small amount. Also most places where you can sell your art online will let you set your own price and won’t charge you a commission. So you can keep 100% of your art sells. Also on most places that allow you to put art on their sites, you can put up as many or as little as you want.

A Worldwide Customer Base

When selling your art in the real world your art sales are usually limited to the place where your art is at the moment. If you are exhibiting at a gallery your art sales are limited to that gallery and the people that come into that gallery. If your art is being shown at a fair your art sales are limited to the people that see your art at that fair. I think you get the picture. For the must part in the real world your art sales is going to be limited to local or regional sales.

On the Internet you have a worldwide audience to market your art to. Because of selling my art online I now have my artwork in Japan, France, Great Britain, Canada and other places that I would not have been able to reach in the real world. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world you will be able to reach people from different countries. An artist in Italy can sell a piece of art to a buyer Russia or an artist in India can sell a painting to a buyer in the United States. Your online presence is your art gallery to the world.

I’m not saying not to sell your art in the real world, but as you can see by opting to sell your art online you have more control and a wider buyer reach. However there’s no reason you can’t do both.



OTIS

Rudy asked:


were can i see some of daleks art?

TERRENCE