We cater to discerning artists looking for giclee production services of the highest quality. From state of the art scanning of your originals through precision giclee printing on a variety of media, your work will be handled with professionalism and attention to detail that you will not find anywhere else.
What We Do
We provide the following services:
Scanning of original artworks
Color Correction
Giclee Printing
Digital Archiving
Prints on Demand
Banner Printing
Giclee Coating
We work with each client through every step of the reproduction process to achieve a final print that captures the true feeling of the original.
Call Us Today!
For more information or answers to your questions please feel free to call us Monday-Friday 10am-6pm.
3556 N. Ocean Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
954-566-8011
Or email us at info@stlawrenceprints.com
We also have a blog at: www.stlawrencegallery.blogspot.com
Alternatively you can visit our gallery in Fort Lauderdale and check out some of the prints we have done for other artists.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Friday May 22, 2008
6pm - 9pm
JOIN US FOR AN EVENING
OF ART AND FUNDRAISING.
Event will benefit - ChildNet, Inc.
With artist - John Bowen
Back by popular demand!
Artist John Bowen will join us to benefit
ChildNet, Inc. and will be available to sign his artwork
As always, we will have
wine, cheese, Shrimp,
hummus, and more!!!
We hope to see you there
to share in this wonderful event!!
6pm - 9pm
JOIN US FOR AN EVENING
OF ART AND FUNDRAISING.
Event will benefit - ChildNet, Inc.
With artist - John Bowen
Back by popular demand!
Artist John Bowen will join us to benefit
ChildNet, Inc. and will be available to sign his artwork
As always, we will have
wine, cheese, Shrimp,
hummus, and more!!!
We hope to see you there
to share in this wonderful event!!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Fri May 1st, 6pm-9pm
Karen Curtis "The Wahini" is
back by popular demand!
Karen Curtis will do a art
demonstration with
watercolor.
JOIN US FOR AN EVENING
OF ART AND FUNDRAISING.
Event will benefit - The Majic
Children's Fund.
Come out and join us at her
wonderful event!!
As always, we will have
wine, cheese, Shrimp,
hummous, and more!!!
For more information visit us at Stlawrencegallery.com
Location:
3556 N. Ocean Blvd,
Fort Lauderdale,
FL 33308
We are located about 3 blocks north of
Oakland Park Blvd., on the eastward
side of A1A
Karen Curtis "The Wahini" is
back by popular demand!
Karen Curtis will do a art
demonstration with
watercolor.
JOIN US FOR AN EVENING
OF ART AND FUNDRAISING.
Event will benefit - The Majic
Children's Fund.
Come out and join us at her
wonderful event!!
As always, we will have
wine, cheese, Shrimp,
hummous, and more!!!
For more information visit us at Stlawrencegallery.com
Location:
3556 N. Ocean Blvd,
Fort Lauderdale,
FL 33308
We are located about 3 blocks north of
Oakland Park Blvd., on the eastward
side of A1A
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Good Art? Bad Art? How Can You Distinguish?
The presumption in this article is that "bad art" actually exists, and that it can be objectively categorized as bad art.
A lot of folks don't like to admit this. I think the opinion that all art has inherent value, no matter what it is, and that there is no such thing as "bad art" has pervaded the art industry rather deeply in recent history, right up to today.
And before you have the chance to think that this is going to be a condescending rant targeted at the modern art movement, it isn't.
So, here are some ways that I believe you can distinguish between good, collectible art with inherent value, and bad art, no matter who you are or what art knowledge you have.
1) Do you enjoy the art?
Of course this is very subjective, but it is absolutely imperative in evaluating quality of an artwork. If a particular piece brings no enjoyment to anyone, or to very few people, it is not really "art."
You might find enjoyment in a landscape, others in a somber surrealist work, and others in an abstract floral. The point here is that the painting adds value to a person's quality of living.
2) Is it executed skillfully
This is a much more objective criteria, and can be used to assess all genres of art. It also requires a little more knowledge to decide correctly.
It helps to see a body of work by the same artist, and compare any given piece with all others. You can then see the general skill level of the artist, whether or not his/her work is consistently executed, and where in the range of skill shown by that artist the work falls.
The skill set required of a good realist is very different than that of an abstract artist. Mastery of color, shape, composition and light should be observed in representational work. Control of textures, paint strokes, color harmony or discord, can be observed in abstract work. These different aspects overlap across the massive range of artistic styles, experience will let you judge better.
A good question to judge skill by is: "does the work look complete/finished?" If not, why not? Often it boils down to skill in execution of the idea which brings us to the next criteria:
3) What is the artist's purpose? Is it achieved?
The purpose of a piece of art may or may not be clear immediately. It should be clear after some study of the piece. If it requires explanation of its purpose then it does not stand alone as a purposeful piece of art. Does that make the piece less valuable? I think so.
For example, the purpose of a representational still life may simply be to portray the objects as accurately as possible. This art is fairly easy to evaluate. Unless the artist has some higher meaning for the piece which was not conveyed, then the art will stand alone in its purpose. It is good art when evaluated from this standpoint.
However, maybe an artist wants to portray a relatively common object in a unique way to get an emotional response from the viewer. At this point, technical skill is still important, but should be evaluated in contect with idea, theme, color patterns, etc.
We may not know what the emotional response intended is, but it is safe to say that somebody painting beach scenes is probably trying to stimulate happiness, tranquility, excitement, or the like. Poor execution of the painting may result in apathy, or plain oversight of the work.
Finally, there is art that is purely emotional, non-representative. Colors and textures are important, and a path to bring the eye through the painting will also add to satisfaction upon viewing. Does the piece evoke anger, calmness, confusion, etc. Is this what the artist wanted to do?
Look at the work first, then talk to the artist or read his/her statement. Is the information from each source consistent? If not, question how "good" the art is.
4) How much creative thought is involved in making the art?
This is my final criteria. A piece requiring no creative thought is not art. Two extreme examples: 1)A plain solid color canvas. Not art. And I will never let anyone tell me that it is. There is no creative thought involved here, merely application of paint. 2) Copying exactly from life. While this may demand a high level of skill, it is essentially an exercise. It does not require creative thought. Draftsmanship yes, not creativity.
It is paintings that fall between these types of extremes that have inherent creativity. The Old Masters made representational paintings true to life, but used an amazing technical ability to create scenes that otherwise would go unseen. They copied for practice, not creation. Good abstract art also consists of masterfully executed creative ideas.
These are simply my observations, but I hope they will at least give you something to think about the next time you are evaluating a piece of art.
A lot of folks don't like to admit this. I think the opinion that all art has inherent value, no matter what it is, and that there is no such thing as "bad art" has pervaded the art industry rather deeply in recent history, right up to today.
And before you have the chance to think that this is going to be a condescending rant targeted at the modern art movement, it isn't.
So, here are some ways that I believe you can distinguish between good, collectible art with inherent value, and bad art, no matter who you are or what art knowledge you have.
1) Do you enjoy the art?
Of course this is very subjective, but it is absolutely imperative in evaluating quality of an artwork. If a particular piece brings no enjoyment to anyone, or to very few people, it is not really "art."
You might find enjoyment in a landscape, others in a somber surrealist work, and others in an abstract floral. The point here is that the painting adds value to a person's quality of living.
2) Is it executed skillfully
This is a much more objective criteria, and can be used to assess all genres of art. It also requires a little more knowledge to decide correctly.
It helps to see a body of work by the same artist, and compare any given piece with all others. You can then see the general skill level of the artist, whether or not his/her work is consistently executed, and where in the range of skill shown by that artist the work falls.
The skill set required of a good realist is very different than that of an abstract artist. Mastery of color, shape, composition and light should be observed in representational work. Control of textures, paint strokes, color harmony or discord, can be observed in abstract work. These different aspects overlap across the massive range of artistic styles, experience will let you judge better.
A good question to judge skill by is: "does the work look complete/finished?" If not, why not? Often it boils down to skill in execution of the idea which brings us to the next criteria:
3) What is the artist's purpose? Is it achieved?
The purpose of a piece of art may or may not be clear immediately. It should be clear after some study of the piece. If it requires explanation of its purpose then it does not stand alone as a purposeful piece of art. Does that make the piece less valuable? I think so.
For example, the purpose of a representational still life may simply be to portray the objects as accurately as possible. This art is fairly easy to evaluate. Unless the artist has some higher meaning for the piece which was not conveyed, then the art will stand alone in its purpose. It is good art when evaluated from this standpoint.
However, maybe an artist wants to portray a relatively common object in a unique way to get an emotional response from the viewer. At this point, technical skill is still important, but should be evaluated in contect with idea, theme, color patterns, etc.
We may not know what the emotional response intended is, but it is safe to say that somebody painting beach scenes is probably trying to stimulate happiness, tranquility, excitement, or the like. Poor execution of the painting may result in apathy, or plain oversight of the work.
Finally, there is art that is purely emotional, non-representative. Colors and textures are important, and a path to bring the eye through the painting will also add to satisfaction upon viewing. Does the piece evoke anger, calmness, confusion, etc. Is this what the artist wanted to do?
Look at the work first, then talk to the artist or read his/her statement. Is the information from each source consistent? If not, question how "good" the art is.
4) How much creative thought is involved in making the art?
This is my final criteria. A piece requiring no creative thought is not art. Two extreme examples: 1)A plain solid color canvas. Not art. And I will never let anyone tell me that it is. There is no creative thought involved here, merely application of paint. 2) Copying exactly from life. While this may demand a high level of skill, it is essentially an exercise. It does not require creative thought. Draftsmanship yes, not creativity.
It is paintings that fall between these types of extremes that have inherent creativity. The Old Masters made representational paintings true to life, but used an amazing technical ability to create scenes that otherwise would go unseen. They copied for practice, not creation. Good abstract art also consists of masterfully executed creative ideas.
These are simply my observations, but I hope they will at least give you something to think about the next time you are evaluating a piece of art.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Trends in the Fine Art Industry
Here's a great website for keeping on top of art industry trends:
http://art.alltop.com/
Check it out!
Just a personal aside, but I am noticing a subtle but definite shift towards realism and still life work in a lot of U.S. galleries right now. I think the popularity of contemporary abstract art may be dwindling in favor of more representative and technically demanding work. This could be a great time to capitalize on up and coming realist and impressionist style emerging artists, who within the next few years will be hot collection material!
Be sure to check our website, www.stlawrencegallery.com for the latest on upcoming exhibits at our gallery! We have a fantastic season planned!
http://art.alltop.com/
Check it out!
Just a personal aside, but I am noticing a subtle but definite shift towards realism and still life work in a lot of U.S. galleries right now. I think the popularity of contemporary abstract art may be dwindling in favor of more representative and technically demanding work. This could be a great time to capitalize on up and coming realist and impressionist style emerging artists, who within the next few years will be hot collection material!
Be sure to check our website, www.stlawrencegallery.com for the latest on upcoming exhibits at our gallery! We have a fantastic season planned!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Starting Your Art Collection
Collecting art can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for anyone, despite the popular myth that it is only for the wealthiest individuals. And, if done with some research and thought, your art collection can become a tidy investment too.
Having said that, art is best collected for love rather than money, and generally any single piece of art will not appreciate significantly in value for a number of years. So, collecting for the pure enjoyment of the art is the best mindset to start with.
There are however a number of tips you can follow to make your collection as valuable as possible, and improve your chances of making a return on your investment:
1) Collect work from living artists who are currently creating art, and making a living doing so. These pieces have a much more likely chance of becoming valuable down the road.
2) Don't try and buy based on what somebody is telling you is "hot" at the moment. All art goes through hot and cold spells. There are good artists in every genre, so go with a genre that you personally enjoy and find good artists within that genre.
3) Do buy from serious emerging artists. This takes a little more risk as it is harder to research an unknown artist. If possible, talk to the artist. Figure out how "serious" he or she is, how long they have been painting etc. You can often find really beautiful and high quality art from these people, at very affordable prices.
4) Do not buy overpriced art. Yes, it's hard to tell if it's overpriced sometimes, but if your gut tells you it is, then it probably is.
5) Look for a good deal on art. One genre of art will generally command a higher price than another based on market trends. If you like realist landscapes, but contemporary art is currently selling for comparably higher prices, then buy your landscapes! Chances are the tides will turn and you will have made a good investment. Also, economic downturns are often an excellent time to buy art. Artists, like anyone else selling a product, are hurting. Prices will generally come down. Though an artist may not put his or her work explicitly "on sale," chances are that you will be able to negotiate a lower price than what is advertized. This works best when buying direct from the artist.
6) Continuing from the last point, don't be afraid to negotiate. Prices are not set in stone. Artists love to sell their work. There is no harm in asking for a better price, especially if you are considering purchasing more than one of the artist's pieces.
7) If you are starting your collection on a budget, there is nothing wrong with buying good prints and giclees. After all, the biggest reason to collect art is for enjoyment. You can certainly enjoy a quality reproduction almost as much as the original. Plus, when just starting out, you can buy more pieces this way. The key to buying reproductions is ensuring that they are limited editions.
8) Be wary of print editions much larger than 200-300, they will generally not be as valuable. When buying giclees do your homework: Check that the "limited edition" which you are buying is truly limited. Some artists will sell the same giclee in a variety of sizes, making each size a separate limited edition. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but your giclee will have less value if 2000 of the same image have been sold, regardless the size of the picture.
Okay, if you stick to those principles you should be able to get off to a good start. Most importantly though, have fun buying the art! Talk with the artists, learn their creative process, find out what inspires them. You'll soon become an expert on a particlar artist's work, an added bonus if you decide to resell it in the future.
Having said that, art is best collected for love rather than money, and generally any single piece of art will not appreciate significantly in value for a number of years. So, collecting for the pure enjoyment of the art is the best mindset to start with.
There are however a number of tips you can follow to make your collection as valuable as possible, and improve your chances of making a return on your investment:
1) Collect work from living artists who are currently creating art, and making a living doing so. These pieces have a much more likely chance of becoming valuable down the road.
2) Don't try and buy based on what somebody is telling you is "hot" at the moment. All art goes through hot and cold spells. There are good artists in every genre, so go with a genre that you personally enjoy and find good artists within that genre.
3) Do buy from serious emerging artists. This takes a little more risk as it is harder to research an unknown artist. If possible, talk to the artist. Figure out how "serious" he or she is, how long they have been painting etc. You can often find really beautiful and high quality art from these people, at very affordable prices.
4) Do not buy overpriced art. Yes, it's hard to tell if it's overpriced sometimes, but if your gut tells you it is, then it probably is.
5) Look for a good deal on art. One genre of art will generally command a higher price than another based on market trends. If you like realist landscapes, but contemporary art is currently selling for comparably higher prices, then buy your landscapes! Chances are the tides will turn and you will have made a good investment. Also, economic downturns are often an excellent time to buy art. Artists, like anyone else selling a product, are hurting. Prices will generally come down. Though an artist may not put his or her work explicitly "on sale," chances are that you will be able to negotiate a lower price than what is advertized. This works best when buying direct from the artist.
6) Continuing from the last point, don't be afraid to negotiate. Prices are not set in stone. Artists love to sell their work. There is no harm in asking for a better price, especially if you are considering purchasing more than one of the artist's pieces.
7) If you are starting your collection on a budget, there is nothing wrong with buying good prints and giclees. After all, the biggest reason to collect art is for enjoyment. You can certainly enjoy a quality reproduction almost as much as the original. Plus, when just starting out, you can buy more pieces this way. The key to buying reproductions is ensuring that they are limited editions.
8) Be wary of print editions much larger than 200-300, they will generally not be as valuable. When buying giclees do your homework: Check that the "limited edition" which you are buying is truly limited. Some artists will sell the same giclee in a variety of sizes, making each size a separate limited edition. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, but your giclee will have less value if 2000 of the same image have been sold, regardless the size of the picture.
Okay, if you stick to those principles you should be able to get off to a good start. Most importantly though, have fun buying the art! Talk with the artists, learn their creative process, find out what inspires them. You'll soon become an expert on a particlar artist's work, an added bonus if you decide to resell it in the future.
Recommended Reading
I just wanted to put a quick post up letting you know that the latest issue of Art Business News has an excellent article for emerging artists. It's called "Breaking Into the Art Market," and has some valuable tips for artists. If you can get your hands on a copy then read it.
You can also check the website at www.artbusinessnews.com.
You can also check the website at www.artbusinessnews.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
