Viewing art and appreciating it to the fullest

It is truly a wonderful thing when you consider how much we gain from our appreciation of art, what volumes it speaks about our own culture, and among cultures that make up the world besides our own. It is highly fashionable to understand something of what art is, how it tries to reinterpret our own scope of the world on an artistic level, and yet reveals so much of the human nature behind its creation. Today’s artistic minds are no different in the outgrowth of ideas onto a canvas’ surface, and some are possessed with similar qualities that those artworks considered classics have had in the past.
There is particularly unique insight coming from a lot of contemporary art, or so the label seems to include today’s works of art, with certain vagueness stemming from the lack of a dominant school of thought or ideology. Most date contemporary art beginning towards the late 1960s, most artwork could be defined easily by particular details prior to this, and there were trends of these preferences even through to the 1980s. After the Modernistic period of art was confirmed, much of the direction came to be rather disparate during periods of socio-political change, and many of the distinctions within art have been loosened dramatically.
With some critical opinions decrying the current of contemporary art to be devoid of "true beauty", critic Donald Kuspit was known to say that art had left the studio and found its’ way into the street, and that may not be that much for the worse with the blurring of many lines presently. Today, contemporary art seems to reflect those issues being faced by the world, and the emphasis on politics seems to have intensified of late. The shift drawing away from an ideal of beauty and purity to a complete opposing force of inspiration from socially oriented art, and often crosses the bounds of proper medium.
Though that is where the argument stops and conjecture begins as critics and artists alike clash in opinion over where the line is particularly between the various categories of thought, and it has been pieces of every different art movement being reevaluated in a similar way, in order to find that place that crosses over between art, artist, and audience, and creates a means for all of them to share space in the comprehensive concept to the artwork. Making the gaps in the points between art and life smaller and smaller, and creating new ways in which to comprehend the ways of the things we view around us.
Engaging mass culture with affecting the boundaries of perception through the means of the relevant issues shaping the world as we know it, and today there are many schools and studios of contemporary art that try to help shape the practice of contemporary art that will translate to the future, allowing us introspective glimpses into the artist’s thoughts. Creating interconnectedness that defies and defines what laws and life may continue to restrict, to analyze, and further define itself as multiple entities within one completely distinct from the sum of its’ parts.
When considering all of this information, at may seem overwhelming at first, but art is not impossible to understand if you concentrate on understanding what your tastes happen to be. When not thinking about these things, it is easy to overlook the value of what you are purchasing, and you may not be able to get the most for what you wish to spend. There are few lessons to learn that do not involve somewhat self-explanatory terms, but one must approach what appeals them with a frugal yet open state of mind, it can be much easier to find a good bargain with this mental state at hand.
Timing can sometimes be necessary to make the deal more lucrative for the buyer, and with some art auctions, it may be difficult to find some grounds on which to begin bidding. However, with studious attention to what you wish your end goal to be, and you will have found a way to acquire at least some kind of facsimile to show for your efforts. Depending upon how deeply you would wish to involve yourself in activities such as local viewings of artwork from contemporary artists, and perhaps you would even find a way to see the stirrings of the creativity from within, by becoming friends with local artists and networking.



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Buying Impressionist Cityscapes by Maria Marcotte

I have been looking for impressionist cityscapes in various mediums to decorate my home. I prefer to hang art that was created in the last fifteen years. There are so many great artists to choose from.
I have decided that I want to have three impressionist cityscapes painted in acrylic. I will be buying one called Stormy Desert that was painted by an artist named JoanAnn. The piece is painted on a 40” X 30” canvas and has flowering cactus plants in the foreground.
The next impressionist cityscape painting I plan to buy is called Tuscan Waterfall. The piece is a triptych and is on three gallery wrapped canvases. The artist lives in Tennessee and supports herself with her art.
The last acrylic impressionist cityscape that I plan to buy is called Autumn Dream. Autumn is my favorite time of year and the painting captures every color of autumn. The artist painted the sides, so there is no need to have it framed. I can’t wait to see this hanging in my home.
I have found only two impressionist cityscapes that I liked in the Gouache medium. The first was from an artist named Joe Wojdakowski and the subject is an area located in Wells, Maine. I’m not sure why I am so drawn to this particular impressionist cityscape, but I am and plan to buy it.
The other Gouache impressionist cityscape that I plan to buy features Big Ben in London. The artist is an Englishman named Alasdair Rennie. The scene is rainy and I like it a lot. It reminds me of my time in London when I was a child.
The first oil impressionist cityscape painting I bought was called Koi Pond Reflections. I’ve seen this artist’s work before and I always really like it. The painting was completed using brush and knife. The painting has not arrived, yet, because the paint is very thick and needs to complete the drying process undisturbed. I cannot wait to get it!
I really like having various styles of impressionist cityscape paintings. I don’t just like variety in the mediums; I like variety in styles and influences. I really fell in love with an oil impressionist cityscape painting called En Sendero that was originally purchased in Oaxaca, Mexico. I purchased the painting for just over three thousand dollars.
The oil impressionist cityscape painting of Paris that I want was painted by a well recognized painter Radik Atoyan. He is Armenian and signed the painting in his Armenian language. He has a unique way of using color that just makes his painting look special.
I have also been interested in watercolor impressionist cityscape paintings. There is an original painting that depicts an urban rainy night that I think would be perfect for me. The painting just makes me feel good to look into.
I made a purchase not long ago that was painted by an Israeli artist named Yosef Kosssonogi. The use of color in this watercolor impressionist cityscape is so vivid. I could not wait to hang it on my wall. After the shipment arrived with the painting, my brother came right over with a level to hang it.
I found a painting that reminded me of a vacation I took to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The impressionist cityscape painting was created by Adam Maeroff and I think that it is the perfect painting to complete my collection. Maria Marcotte

Buying Folk Art Paintings by Maria Marcotte

Buying folk art paintings has become a passion of mine. I’ve been looking for them everywhere it seems. I found a bunch of folk art paintings recently and I am having trouble deciding which one to buy.
There was a folk art painting by Rev. Howard Finster that is titled Howard in 1944. This is an all enamel folk art painting that was painted in 1988. The smile on this portrait is very engaging and makes me smile just as big.

I am also really taken by a folk art painting that was painted by painter Bill Dodge in Oct 1962. The title of the painting is First Trolley To Van Nuys. The painting is on board and depicts the center of town with all the people in town. They are in the windows and on the street. The town market, bakery, Hotel Van Nuys, an ice cream parlor and the Wing Lee Laundry are all depicted in vibrant color. The women in the foreground are against the Trolley and their signs say "Ban the Monster" and "Keep Van Nuys rural".

Thomas Chambers is one of America’s foremost folk artists. I found a piece by him that I just don’t like very much. It is a bit austere for my tastes. The subject is a fishing scene with villagers and boats. I don’t think that I will purchase this folk art painting because I just don’t like it.

There was a folk art painting I found called Alligator Fisher that was painted in 1940 that I really like. The blue of the bayou is very calming and the trees give it a very Southern feel. There is a swamp house in the painting and I like this one very much. It reminds me very strongly of Louisiana.

My mother started this passion of mine for folk art paintings. She had a folk art painting by John Roeder in our parlor growing up. I used to spend hours just staring into it. The trees were so relaxing to lose myself in. I have asked her to give me this wonderful folk art painting many times, but she says that I will have to wait until after her funeral!
I found one folk art painting during my journey that I felt sad every time I looked at. The name of the painting is A Letter from My Mother. The look in the girl’s face is so serious and sad. I have no idea where this folk art painting should hang. The painting itself is magnificent; it just makes me feel sad.

There is a whole subset of folk art paintings that represent black Americana. I don’t usually buy any of these pieces as they don’t speak to my experience. I did find one piece that I purchased for a collector friend of mine that loves this type of art. The folk art painting had a whimsical feel to it and a woman relaxing in a hammock. He hung this in his hallway and has loved it for a long time.

My brother likes folk art paintings as much as I do. He prefers animals to be the subjects of paintings he purchases. I found a lovely clouded leopard folk art painting for him last Christmas and he has asked that I keep my eyes open for more like it. He said that he will buy any art I find for him because he trusts that I know and understand his tastes.
I have kept my eyes open for animal themed folk art paintings for my brother, but I just can’t seem to find any as nice as the leopard that I got for him. The grand extent of animal themed folk art paintings I’ve found recently was a painting of two owls on a limb and I know that he would not like it. Ever since we were kids, owls totally freak him out. Maria V. Marcotte