Antiques and Collectibles

Art presents itself in many shapes and forms today – to me it is always interesting and gratifying to appreciate other peoples art. You don?t necessarily have to enjoy it personally to accept the hard work that has gone into it and the thought behind it.

As a contemporary artists myself – I find it gives you freedom to express your inner feelings.

If I had a bad day it terribly reflects in my paintings appearing more dramatic. On the other hand I also find it calming to paint seasoned skies.

Art is a very personal thing, what appeals to one person, others despise - the appeal is in the eye of the beholder. As a contemporary painter I find that these days there so many things classified as art which makes it more satisfying. As an idea take spray painting, some people do this but also use stencils. Myself I often really admire some of the spray gun graffiti scene. Very clever youngsters do some amazing creations. Although many people would view this as vandalism.

Just look at pavement artists sketching out their pictures in chalk. This surely is a talent, but one that many passers by can enjoy but yields the artist very little money. Many of us have been to Paris and the “Montmartre” region where the artists set their easels on the pavements doing quick caricatures much to everyone’s amazement and amusement.

More unusual perhaps are sand sculptures which feature in the Canary Islands and I am sure other places. They range from biblical scenes to dragons with real fire breathing out of there nostrils.

Mosaics too are greatly interesting and colourful as these designs can be used on plant pots, walls, gardens etc. and in oh so many ways.

Posters - somebody has to design them so they are thought provoking and catch the eye.

This is a amazing challenge for children too, who are encouraged to do posters for any number of things from road safety to recycling the environment. I love to see what sense can be made of driftwood collected along the beach. I believe a special type of person is needed to do this with a very good imagination and creativity.

On this theme also delightful paper weights can be made from nice pebbles once they are cleaned, painted and varnished. It is also fun searching for the pebbles in different shapes and feeling how smooth they are when you run your fingers over them.

Designing and making your own cards not only brings pleasure to many, but also brings individuality to the recipient.

Papermache is another form of art I have never tried, but I really like the results that people manage to achieve. Decoupage in this day and age seems to be very popular, along with scrapbooking, felting, patch working and needlepoint.

There are so many forms of art there surely has to be something to suit everyone. Help is at hand as there are many workshops running in many crafts stores as well as local schools. Art brings happiness to many people, creating it or enjoying the art of others – it also relaxes you and can make you a host of new friends, so enjoy !…

This article was written by Anna Meenaghan of http://annameenaghanart.com

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Art collecting is an extremely popular hobby today because more and more people are beginning to appreciate the finer things in life, as well as the talents that others want to share with the world! Art collecting is also perceived as an investment because the instability of economies around the world makes investing in various markets extremely risky. There are literally millions of dollars in the art industry as a result.

There are millions of art collectors around the world today, but there are ten top tips that each and every one of them should adhere to, regardless of experience. Beginners and experts alike should pay attention to these tips because they can help an individual infinitely enhance their collection, as well as ensuring that they have fantastic artwork lining their walls in the years to come!

1. Do not buy art if you do not like it! The whole point of art is that it enhances your life in some way. You should be proud to display it on the walls of your home or office, and not so ashamed that you have to hide it away. Buying art purely and simply because it is an investment in denying another individual with different tastes the opportunity to own a piece of artwork that he or she loves, so ensure that you only own art that you actually feel something for!

2. Before investing in any piece, whether it is another to add to your collection or your first piece of artwork, make sure that you do your research. Take a look around the local art galleries and visit as many as you possibly can before settling on one piece. The staff at most galleries will be happy to talk about art in general or individual pieces with you, and every single person that you talk to will teach you something new!

3. When visiting the galleries, be sure to ask whether they have a mailing list. Many of them will have either an email list or a snail mail list, or both, because they actively court business. Adding your name to those lists will ensure that you get to hear about special events that they have as well as openings, which again will help to enhance your art education.

4. Join some of the museums in your local area. Although museums do not offer art for sale, they often release magazine publications at least four times a year. The magazines will give you hints and tips on valuing your art as well as promoting local galleries and publishing interesting articles about collecting art.

5. Search the stands of your local newsagents or art magazines and subscribe. Again, they will publish articles on collecting art and also advertise lectures around the country that may be of interest to the art collector.

6. Do not forget to visit any non-profit art centres that happen to be in your town or city, as well as any art fairs that come within driving distance. There will often be art offered for sale as well as artists and experts that you can talk to that will happily help guide you through art collecting. This will give you access to information that is not available anywhere else!

7. Look up fellow art collectors. They may have joined local galleries and museums or attend the same lectures. Exchanging ideas and information can be a satisfying experience and help you to enhance your own collection.

8. Go to your local library and check out several books on art collecting. Any books on the subject will give you valuable information, hints and tips that can ensure that your collection will be infinitely better than if you went into collecting blind with little knowledge about art.

9. Find out when art critics publish columns in local and national newspapers and make sure that you read them. Although the critics’ columns only reflect their personal opinions, you will soon find a critic that you tend to agree with and can actually use his or her research to find new resources, exhibitions and galleries to tap into.

10. Use the Internet. There is a wealth of information out there just waiting to be accessed, and that information can really help you to build your knowledge base and collection. The Internet will also give you access to the galleries outside of your local area so you have a better market to browse!
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Museums can give students an opportunity to learn how to interpret real world phenomena and objects by gathering information from primary source materials. They can and must integrate their institutions at all levels, especially when one considers that taxpayers support the vast majority of museums.

Many people who are history lovers, or enthusiasts, will often purchase museum replicas that match the artists and the displays that impress them the most when visiting museum galleries. While it can be very difficult to find quality stores that sell such amazing artwork, replicas and history gifts can typically be found online very easily.

Museums have recognized that we cannot rely on traditional exhibition techniques to reach out and impact upon broad audiences. We need to rethink our methods completely so that the expertise of our curators is unlocked, and so that we can move out of our traditional, object-centered comfort zones.

Art can also motivate and inform people what they need to know either about a person, or about the world in a positive way. However, some art also contains negative influence. Art can be created from almost anything, but whenever possible an artist should use the best materials they can find or afford. Traditional materials can be bought at a local arts and crafts supplier.

Museums have existed in China for one hundred years. The first to be established was the Nantong Museum in 1905. Museums have grown out of exhibitions, and museum creators have developed their museum display techniques from exhibition design.

For the internet treasure hunter, and explorer, a great resource for locating high quality history gifts and museum replicas can be found at this unique Ancient Egyptian Art.

I went to an show in 2006, that was at the Lygon arms, Broadway. The exhibitor was Sue Macartney-Snape who has the day job of illustrating topical characters in the Telegraph, I think the area in the Telegraph was called the “Social Stereotypes” section. I had wanted to buy one of Sue Macartney Snape’s prints at the show but found myself in the annoying circumstance of having no cash to spend.

I have since heard how fashionable her pieces have become with her caricatures eagerly sought after by many members of high society. Personally I’m sure that many of the characters Sue Macartney Snape illustrates have several of her caricature paintings secreted away somewhere in there houses. I digress once again, I went looking for some of her work online and found a few sites that allowed me to buy prints of her work.

I specifically liked the print “collecting cuttings” with the gorgeous characters that she makes feel so bright and happy among the structure of an English garden reminding me of relatives getting their heads together over Corporate fundraising. I had Sue Macartney Snape’s print sent to me via the mail and it now has pride of place in my Fitted kitchen. There was a limited run on the prints of six hundred and each print was 22” X 18” without a mount. A picture framing company mounted and framed the print and was really pleased with the finished product.

If you haven’t had the delight of looking at her artwork should check her out as she has a extravagant take on the weird hierarchy that is British society.