Christie's New York art sale sets contemporary record The US art season ended with a record-breaking sales total of $412m (£259.9m) for Christie's, with records set for works by 11 artists. Is it a good thing to invest in an artist today! Look at the figures, the proof is in the numbers but it is still a guessing game and you have to pick the right artist but always buy what you like the chances are others will like it too and that is what makes the difference. Jeff Koons sculpture Tulip, which graced New York's Rockefeller Center plaza, achieved an artist record of $33.7m (£21.2m). New records were also set for Franz Kline and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Christie's claimed the $412m figure was the most successful sale of post-war and contemporary art in history. "This truly was an extraordinary sale," said Jussi Pylkkanen, president of Christie's Europe, Middle East and Russia. "Clearly there's an enormous amount of energy in the post-war and contemporary market. It's highly likely that we'll see a continuation of records being broken." Smashing record The previous day, rival auction house Sotheby's had staged its most successful auction in its history, taking $375m (£236m). Koons" Tulip became the second highest figure paid for a living artist, following on from Gerhard Richter's 1994 painting Abstraktes Bild, which sold in October. Tulip was created between 1995-2004 and is one of five versions of the work. Kline's canvas, featuring broad black strokes, sold for $40.4m (£25.4m), smashing the previous $9.3m (£5.8m) record for his work. The Christie's sale also included Andy Warhol's Statue of Liberty, which sold for $43.7m (£27.5m). Basquiat's untitled work from 1981 sold for $26.4m (£16.6m), beating the artist's previous record of $20.1m (£12.6m), which was only set in June. Basquiat started out as a graffiti artist before finding fame as a contemporary artist. He died of a heroin overdose in 1988 at the age of 27. Rothko's Red Strip sold for $23.4m (£14.7m), just a day after large-scale masterpiece No 1 (Royal Red and Blue) sold for $75.1m (£47.2m) at Sotheby's.

The Glasgow boys

The Scottish Colourists From 3rd November 2012 until 23rd June 2013, the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh will host an exhibition of works by S. J Peploe. Last year, Peploe's still life 'The Coffee Pot" set the record at auction for a painting by a Scottish artist, selling for close to £1m. According to Guy Peploe, grandson of the artist and director of the Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh, Peploe and others in his group, 'The Scottish Colourists" used Winsor & Newton Artists" Oil Colour to make their brightly coloured and loosely handled paintings, inspired by Matisse and Fauvism. 'The Scottish Colourists', S.J Peploe, J.D Fergusson, F.C.B Cadell and G.L Hunter, were avant-garde artists at the turn of the 20th century; they enjoyed working in 'plein-air," directly from nature on the Côte d'Azur, the fashionable seaside resorts of the French Atlantic coast and the Hebridean islands of Burra and Iona. Samuel John Peploe Born in Edinburgh (1871), Peploe was an admirer of the paintings of Manet and dedicated himself to painting the 'perfect" still life. In his Edinburgh studio, Peploe would spend days arranging simple still life elements; bowls, vases, fruit etc. against a dark or black background. When satisfied with the composition, he would make the painting in one sitting, exploring tonal possibilities in the loose, fresh manner he so admired in Manet and the 17th century Dutch painter Frans Hals. If a passage of paint became murky or overworked, the whole thing would be scraped off and he would start again. Peploe had his first commercial success with these paintings and these and others can be seen at the Scottish gallery in October, coincidesing with the National galleries Scottish Colourists series. John Duncan Fergusson Born in 1874 in Edinburgh to a comfortable middle-class family, Fergusson trained briefly as a naval surgeon before enrolling at art school in Edinburgh. Two years of drawing from antique busts before being allowed in the life room did not suit the impatient Fergusson and he decided to teach himself by taking off to for Paris in 1897. Much taken with Impressionism, Fergusson built a painting kit from a cigar box on his return. He would take his oil colours outside, working directly in 'plein air," like the Impressionists, but on a very small 4x5 inch scale, with using the cigar box lid as a palette. Over the next ten years Fergusson honed the quick, loose technique necessary to capture moments in bustling street scenes in Edinburgh and Paris, and the fleeting effects of light in the landscape. The Fergusson gallery in Perth, Scotland, has a selection of his materials including his tubes of Winsor & Newton Artists" Oil Colour and Artists" Watercolour. (ill.) Fergusson moved to Montparnasse in 1907, frequenting the cafes and restaurants of fashionable Paris he fully embraced the bohemian lifestyle. Of all the artists he encountered, Matisse and the Fauves were to be a particular influence, reflected in his brighter palette. Friends with Peploe, they spent the summer of 1910 along the French Atlantic coast in the fashionable resorts of Étretat and Le Tréport, days on the beach painting and evenings with their French hosts. Fergusson loved the lifestyle, Peploe, rather shy and reserved, eventually returned to Edinburgh and studio painting. However, the influence of both Fergusson and Fauvism made his painting more loosely worked and richer in colour. Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell Closely associated with his art, Cadell's (b.1883) character was outgoing, flamboyant and witty. Like the other Scottish Colourists he was a great admirer of the American artist Whistler, who was notoriously accused by the critic John Ruskin of, 'flinging a pot of paint in the public's face,'." Cadell said of Whistler, …he had what some great painters have, a certain 'amateurishness" which I rather like and felt always in Gainsborough. I can best describe what I mean in these words, 'a gentleman painting for his amusement (of course it must be understood that the said gentleman is a genius as well)'.1 A tiny, jewel like rock, the Isle of Iona perches in the Inner Hebrides off the coast of Mull. The crisp light is reflected and intensified by the surrounding seas. Back from the trenches of World War I, Cadell recuperated here and was to return every year joined by Peploe from 1920. Known to the islanders as 'himself', Cadell was a popular figure, renting a croft overlooking the Sound of Mull and setting off for a day's painting dressed in full Campbell tartan. Cadell took the white sand bays, green seas and distant weather boiling up over the mainland for his subject. Painted mainly on 15 x 18 inch uniform boards that could easily be carried, they were prepared with a white absorbent ground. To realise the chalky appearance of sand, Cadell would dab most of the oil out of the paint before applying it, resulting in the brilliant white overall effect, suggestive of the characteristic light of the island. He also showed the everyday life of the crofts and the 9th century abbey. Peploe adopted a more systematic approach to painting on Iona and regularly chose the same view of Ben More as seen from the island, a pre-occupation mocked by Cadell as 'dreary." Neither artist was interested in cloudless skies and preferred days on Iona when the weather was changeable and they had to hunt the fleeting and spectacular effects of Hebridean light. Immensely popular, sales of Cadell's Iona paintings were to sustain him. Shipping magnate George Service, who he had met on Iona, bought over 130 works. George Leslie Hunter The fourth Scottish Colourist, G.L. Hunter (b.1877) moved to California when young as his father had an interest in orange groves. Hunter worked as an illustrator of magazines whilst preparing paintings for his first exhibition in San Francisco, however, all the work was destroyed in the earthquake of 1906. Devastated, Hunter returned to Scotland. He lived an itinerant life, travelling around Europe painting, often with his friend Fergusson. Hunter exhibited in New York in 1929 to great critical acclaim but soon after suffered a break down from which he never fully recovered. In the 1980s there was a resurgence in the popularity of figurative painting, which included a renewed interest in these artists. A series of auctions of the four Scottish Colourists achieved huge sales and re-established their reputations. Revered in Scotland as a direct link to Matisse, Picasso and the culture of Paris at the turn of the 20th century, the Scottish Colourists made an 'optimistic art," a 'Belle peinture" still prevalent in Scottish painting, full of the light of outdoors and the heightened colours of Fauvism. 1 Honeyman (1977), p.83 Bibliography: 1. Three Scottish colourists : S.J. Peploe, F.C.B. Cadell, Leslie Hunter, New ed. Honeyman, T. J., Edinburgh : P. Harris, 1977. 2. The Scottish colourists 1900-1930, F. C. B. Cadell, J. D. Fergusson, G. L. Hunter, S. J. Peploe 3. Royal Academy of Arts (London), 30 June - 24 Sept. 2000 , Group exhibition Catalogue www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/the-scottish-colourist-series-sj-peploe

Getting Art into a Gallery

An article by J P McLaughlin published in "Art Business Today"

The idea that artists sleep all day drink all night an spend most of their lounging about and only working when the urge takes them is a myth. Successful artists are, hard working serious people that are disciplined and professional.

Artists love what they do and should present it well and professionally at all times.

Galleries and artists exist for each other. This might not always seem to be the case but they exist for one and other. But sadly all too often the artist leaves the gallery deflated, after the gallery simply brushes you aside. Galleries are always inundated with artists turning up and expecting the gallery owner to fall at their feet, you can avoid this misery easily. There is a professional way to approach a gallery, or in other words give yourself the best chance to get work on sale.

I am starting with the things not to do and they are the most important ones believe it or not.

The basics are often what let you down. An art gallery, is a retail business. That means they are busy people and don't be fooled just because there are not loads of people around they are still working. A gallery is a business. It's an important point to bring home, you need to approach the gallery with this in mind – be professional – they are professionals. There is no other business that you would even consider walking into and asking for their full attention to look at something that might well be a waste of time for the them and you.

Let's assume you're going to a gallery that is appropriate for your work (this is a serious point). I've met dozens of artists asking to be shown in galleries and they have no idea who owns the gallery or what style of work they show. The only plan is get the work on the wall at all costs. Just think about this for a moment. You want them to show your work but you have not even taken the time to check what they sell. And yet here you are about to hand your life's work to a complete stranger with no idea who they are and how they operate. Find out who you are dealing with and if your work is what they sell. This is not rocket science, just use the internet, they will be there. Know who you are talking to.

Cold calling a gallery is risky but you can do it if you approach them in the right way. Walking into a gallery with your portfolio tucked under your arm might seem like a good idea but be prepared, you will get short shrift for this and your ego may not be able to take it.

There are very good reasons why this is a bad idea. Arriving unannounced and probably unwanted and interrupting them while dealing with a client and losing them a sale, how happy would you be with this artist. Be polite, be ready to have to leave and come aback at another time. As soon as you go in, introduce yourself and ask, for the owner/director of the gallery by name . This means that when you do meet the owner it is not a surprise to you. Do not just go into your pitch and open the portfolio and start showing work, ask if they have all the time in the world. Be prepared to come back when they have time or your ego will regret it.

There are certain things not to do once in the gallery. If the Gallery staff are talking to a client do not interrupt. Do not just hang about waiting for a break. You are a distraction you are in the way, leave and come back. You are clearly cutting into the most important part of any gallery, a potential client and sale, if you ruin this on your own head be it, you will never get in.

Do not pretend to be a client. You are wasting their time. If you keep them talking for an hour and then blurt out I am an artist after giving the impression you might buy work, you have blown it. Be professional announce right away you are an artist and why you are there.

Do not hang about once you have made an appointment to see them. If you want to see the work in the gallery do it on your own time.

NEVER, EVER bring your art into the gallery unannounced it is unprofessional and clearly unprepared. This will get you nowhere but back out the door

There are certain things you should do and they are not difficult to do.

Introduce yourself and your intention as soon as you enter.

Prepare a portfolio you can leave and one you can afford to lose be prepared to leave it.

You must have cards with your contact details on them this is a must so many do not even fulfil this basic need.

In this day and age you can have a CD of your work. A small printed selection of your best images, a business card (with your details) do not laugh I have seen artists with nothing more than their name on the card.

Get a web site set up, it does not have to be all bells and whistles, just something where people can check out your work and it is a great asset you can use to promote your work.

Even if you are not successful after your initial professional approach do not be afraid to ask why they do not want your work at that time, you never know you might actually learn something.

Make an appointment to meet the owners and discuss your work at the right time.

Get a friend to recommend you if they know the gallery or another artist that has their work there already. Just ask your friend for a recommendation or introduction to break the ice. Be professional make an appointment to talk about gallery representation. When you make your appointment let them know you have work in a portfolio or you can bring it in for them to see, either way do not turn up uninvited with stacks of work.

Be polite be punctual be professional and let them know you appreciate their time.

So you have made it into the gallery of your choice, well it is not over yet. The gallery wants to see more of your work they want to know what you have and when you can place it in the gallery to go on the wall. Remember this is a business and you need to make sure you both know what the deal is. Find out more about the gallery maybe If you are happy with what you see, then go ahead and arrange delivery.

But Remember the number one rule is take nothing for granted get the terms sorted out who is responsible for shipping, insurance, and terms of payment of commission, be professional.

One final item that is absolutely vital NO LIES!. You will get caught. There is nothing worse that telling porkies about how successful you are and you have done this and that, this will only ruin any relationship with the gallery and do not make up fake prices to impress the gallery. Once they find out you undercut them on price how long will you have work on the wall.

This is by no means the answer to all your questions but it will help you make the right impression to get your career moving in the right direction and if you are professional then other galleries will no doubt hear about you and get in touch. Good luck.

Dreamer ltd edition print by J.P McLaughlin

Dreamer by J.P McLaughlin is available as a Ltd Edition Giclee print with an edition of only 50 and an image size of 50 x 40cm.

Dreamer is currently on sale at Phoenix-art.net from 15/10/12 to 22/10/12

Dreamer

We often see posters of warm sunny places where we would love to be and Scotland looks stunning in the sunshine.

Unfortunately the truth is the sun does not shine every day, but that does not diminish the grandeur of the countryside but only enhances it.

But still when you are in the rain and mist you can dream of sunny afternoons in the highlands.

New Art Works From Jett Vivere

Jett Vivere's Red Wellies series have just been added to Phoenix-art.net

 

Ideas for paintings hit me anytime and anywhere so you never know where your next piece of inspiration will come from. Red Wellies was inspired by a day playing on the beach with my niece and my dog.

The first Red Wellies painting was multi-coloured and more elaborate in style. I had been experimenting with simplicity in my work around the time when the idea for Red Wellies began. This is when I decided to have a minimalist approach to the next piece of art work. Red Wellies evolved into minimalist illustration with just a splash of colour creating a unique bold original work of art.