Buying Painting

The term Expressionism was first used to describe the movement in the magazine produced in 1911 called “Der Sturm”, and was usually linked to paintings and graphic work that challenged academic traditions at the time. The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche later helped to define the area of modern expressionism better by clarifying the movement’s links to ancient art before any more modern interpretation had, and applied his own unique philosophy to the movement. He has been quoted stating that disordered and ordered elements are present in all works of art, but that the basic traits of Expressionism lay in the mainly disordered aspects.

When speaking on buying paintings of the Expressionist movement, it is always a good idea to review what elements make Expressionism unique, and to gain an understanding of some of the artists representative of this particular artistic movement. The agreed upon intention of Expressionist artwork is not reproduce a subject accurately, but to instead portray the inner state of the artist, with a tendency to distort reality for an emotional effect. The movement is closely associated with its’ beginnings in Germany, and has a few different but overlapping schools of thought within.

The Expressionist point of view was usually conveyed through the use of bold colors, distorted forms, and a lack of perspective. Generally, a piece of expressionistic art is one that is expressive of intense emotion, and much of this kind of artwork occurs during times of social upheaval. Though it can be argued that an artist is expressive by nature, and that all artwork is truly expressionist, there are many who consider the movement particularly communicative of emotion. Later on, artists like Kandinsky changed 20th century Expressionist work through the formation of Abstract Expressionism.

The art historian Antonín Matějček was elemental in coining the term as the opposite to the Impressionist movement as well, and though Expressionism seems well defined as an artistic movement, there have never been a group of artists that called themselves Expressionists. The movement was primarily German and Austrian, and many of the different groups of thought were based around Germany at the time. Another artistic movement that heavily influenced Expressionism was Fauvism. This kind of artwork is characterized by primitive, less naturalistic forms, and includes the works of famed painters Paul Gauguin and Henri Matisse.

With this influence firmly in place, Expressionism grew into striking compositions that focused on representing emotional reactions through powerful use of color and dynamic approaches with subject matter, and seemed to counter the qualities centered on by the French Impressionism of the time. Where French Impressionism was to seek rendering the visual appearance of objects, Expressionism became an opposing movement seeking to capture emotions and subjective interpretation, and it was not important to reproduce a visually pleasing interpretation of the matter that the painting represented.

Expressionism has crossed over into many differing fields of artistic vision, with sculpture and filmmaking being primary examples today, and have influenced many people throughout the course of its’ existence as a movement in art. These visions have combined over time to create the comprehensive idea of what Expressionism has become, and many people have found this type of art very appealing and eye-catching. Throughout this century, much Expressionistic artwork has come to be representative of what art can come to be, and many people have been influenced by this very emotional artwork.

When I started my own painting gallery I was flooded with request from my relatives to get one for their houses. Like some wanted a good painting for their drawing room and some wanted a soothing one for their bed room.

Buying painting for relatives is a very specific thing as they are usually concerned about the right painting for the space with good colors that match their walls. Most of the time, the color is the only consideration.

Many of my relatives like to have some specific painting but that is another story. But while getting the painting for them I need to consider their tastes, likes and dislikes. One relative may want a painting of food and wine but the other might just hate it.

Mainly the place where the painting needs to be hanged is more important as size constraints is the most important aspect of any painting. The content of a painting also should be appropriate where the painting is to be hanged. Therefore I always visit the person before buying a painting for them as I can judge where they want to hang the painting and what would suit their lifestyle. The color can be a deciding factor on what looks good into their rooms and if the color is just right the painting can hang on the walls a long time.

If the relative is very religious minded I would like to opt one for them but it is the most difficult choice. The symbolism on religious painting may not be the right choice for them. As people see different symbolism from different perspectives and it may not be a right choice.

If that relative has already some painting into their houses getting from the same artist can be a great asset to them and they would appreciate the same as they already have one and they have hanged it in to their house for a long time.

Buying a painting of a vacation which they have recently visited can be a good choice as this would give them a chance to remember those good times for a long while. Of course having artists representation of what they saw would be a good idea.

The relative I know likes some painting from Middle Ages and I happen to see one on one of my pursuits I immediately picked it up and the relative was so happy with it and it adorns the place into his home. Most of the home owners would not want to spend money on the original piece so they would love to have a reproduction or a print of the same which will cost much less.

My old aunt is very difficult to please and it is a very difficult choice. I got the Landscape paintings in a romantic style, which adorns her study and she loves to watch the painting all the time.

My sister when she got married she made it clear that people gifting her the painting should not get her any modern art. The paintings in any home come to life if it is the right choice and it can make the owner feel so many emotions while looking at the paintings.

The art exhibition is always fun but a mixed media art auctions have a lot to offer. The vibrant painting and the colors used by the artist are always a surprise. Mostly the polish artist Zamy Steynovitz is quite famous for his usage of colors.

The main fun visiting the mixed media art auctions is you just won’t know what you will get. The pebble art piece which featured a bare-chested chariot driver cracking a whip was made in 1960. The pebbles used were very interesting.

The other piece which was found through mixed media art auction was a mirrored wall hanging that showed a Manhattan skyline. The piece was made from the World Trade Center building’s chunks which represented the pieces before the destruction of the building.

The mixed media auctions surprise is all the categories of art. The acrylic painting was very unusual because of its subject. IT was of a red sea dragon with a beautiful woman. It seems the artist was influenced by Salvador Dali which was HP Love Craft and his love of the games of Dungeons and Dragons.

The other thing which was found in the auction was a 3-D art collage shadowboxes. The title was True Confessions of a Mermaid Gone Bad. It was professionally listed as framed art with glass in yellow stained wood.

The different styles can be seen only during art auctions of Mixed Media. The design of two peacocks on a hand stitched wall hanging was inspired by Scandinavian design. The beautiful piece was surrounded with decorative border and the frame was in a good condition.

The Mixed Media art auction also displays hand made cards of vintage images, ink and very decorative papers. Also the item seen was listed as beautiful abstract tin art. It was measuring two by two and a half feet and it would have decorated some body’s wall very nicely.

The mixed media art auctions have a list of unusual version of mainstream subjects and so many art functions have the image of poppies painted on canvas. There was one oil white painted poppy with an emerald green background.

The vintage maps also can be found in the mixed media art auctions. The maps when they become old they are no longer useful for what it was intended to be used. The map becomes an art after its usefulness is over. The maps usually look good framed and displayed along with other paintings.

Mixed media art auctions really do have a lot of different kinds of art represented. There was an artist with items listed whose medium is purses. She makes purses from cigar boxes and solders a handle and various embellishments on the side. The purses are really quite delightful.

Looking at my love for painting a local businessman whom I know financed a gallery locally for me. He was keen on the place in town for religious paintings and he respected and liked my choice in other paintings. This made me look at the religious paintings everywhere and I have been buying what I like for many years now. I have been lucky to find some beautiful religious paintings.

The favorite artist whose paintings I liked was not a famous one but I just happen to find him while searching for religious paintings. He had some of his pieces at a local show. Mostly he sells his paintings via internet. I liked what he had painted and it was difficult to express my feelings when I saw his first paintings. He has used the scripture psalm 139:14 and was filled with layers of color.

When the paintings arrived, I called my patrons for a private viewing and they were all impressed. It was like I was a successful religious painting buyer. The paintings were five original canvases. The title of the piece was long but very apt. It was known as ” I will praise thee for I am fearfully made marvelous are Thy works and that my soul knoweth right well” One of the enthusiast wanted to buy it immediately but I took four months from him to show off the paintings in my gallery. Finding religious painting is a hard but satisfying work.

After so many months I feel I have become an expert at trying to find good religious paintings and getting some good ones. The paintings I try to find are in various mediums. My favorite is oils, earth minerals, and acrylic. Personally I do not care if the artist has signed the painting but most of my clients want the artist to sign their paintings. So I try to find the ones which the artist has signed.

The artist I know calls his paintings a Religious Graffiti and he uses symbolism in his paintings. He says his paintings are inspired by the original ancient storytelling frescoes of Pompeii, Italy.

Many of my clients request for particular subject in the religious paintings. For that I have looking for paintings of Mary and Jesus and of Mary and Angel Gabriel. These are all time favorites with the people and they want to hang it in their classic homes. The other family wants me to find a painting of Madonna with child in oil for their church. The one which was my favorite was of Our Lady, Jesus and St. Giovannino which was very provocative and I did not let it go for six months and was proud to keep it my gallery for so long. For that I made the policy of keeping the paintings in my gallery for a minimum of four months. That is due to the attachment I get with the paintings and do not like to part with them.

While in Atlanta while buying religious paintings I found an abstract triptych which was my current favorite. It was called Guardian and Angel. My clients loved it and want some more paintings of the artist and they have asked me to track down the artist.

The only paintings i do not touch is the paintings of Jesus on the cross. The problem is not with me I don’t care much for it either but I do not mind keeping it my gallery but my gallery financer business man made it clear form the beginning that I will not put that image in my gallery.

The other favorite of mine is modern oil paintings and have been picking up for the show at gallery. The painting I found called Village in winter which was painted by Fern Isabel Coppedge was a American painter. It depicted the snow and I was reminded of my childhood days.

When on a trip to Pennsylvania, I found Clouds over Buckingham which was a nice modern oil painting and was in a private collection. This artist’s work sells well. The buying of modern oil paintings has taken me to various cities and villages in United States. The place I like was Main Line, Pennsylvania where I found and got Leaning Silo. The artist is named Arthur Meltzer. I did not know of him earlier with this painting I was impressed by him.

The other place I like was Long Island City where I found one modern oil painting by a French artist named Georges Antoine Rochegrosse. It was a masterpiece painted in 1900 and the subject was flowers. This was so good that I think it will do well in the show.

Apart from United States I found that the Internet was a good source for acquiring the modern oil paintings. I found a art dealer in the United Kingdom who can find for me good items for show. He showed me a painting of a Nude Beauty by Allan Douglas Davidson who is a British artist.

The other modern oil painting I came across was of a young Bohemian woman wearing flowers in hair and large gold earrings. The painting is against a dark background which highlights her perfect cream skin.

The most beautiful modern oil paintings that I have found is a still life which is so real looking. The details of the painting is so beautiful and it depicts the blooming rose.

I found an original Max Ernst modern oil painting and I felt very lucky. The title of the painting is Arizona Desert. It is so beautiful that I think I got it for a very cheap price and it is worth much more. It will be good for my show and it will adorn some clients walls.

The Spanish artist Grifoll’s work I liked was of a clown, which I am not sure will sell well. But since I liked it I would pick it up and hope that some one would like to keep at their homes for their collection. The paintings about Paris are my weakness and in this I do not mind any era or style. The modern oil paintings by Edouard Cortes I picked for my show which was of flower vendors and a horse carriage.

The modern oil paintings depicting roses are a plenty and I plan to get some and group them for my show. The painting I bought called Roses by Theresa Bernstein was painted in 1940’s. She was 111 when she died.

The popular theme is Nautical. The nautical paintings are not my favorites and I do not want to keep it in my show. There are many people who are interested in nautical and they are trying to change my mind about showing them. Many people tell me that I cannot have show of modern oil paintings that does not show ships. One of my assistant brought a modern oil painting of a ship and it had an interesting history. The ship was not appreciated by me but I still bought it.

The painting I have been looking for is by Bettylane Resnik which depicts antique street scene. The art catalog depicted the really colorful street scene. I am trying to find the current owner and once I find it. This will complete my show.

The impressionist cityscapes I have been looking for are the ones which are done in the last fifteen years and they are great way to decorate a home. The artists are plenty and to choose from is very difficult.

I was looking for impressionist cityscape, done in acrylic. The one I found was known as Stormy Desert it was by an artist called Joan Ann. The painting is done on canvas and has cactus flowers in the foreground.

The other I liked is known as Tuscan Waterfall. The artist is from Tennessee and selling paintings and earning out of it is her only income.

Yet another is called Autumn Dream. The painting captures all the colors of the autumn and autumn being my favorite season I loved it. The artist has painted the sides also therefore there is no need to frame the paintings. I cant wait to hang it in my house and admire it every day.

The one painting which I saw was from the artist named Joe Wojdakowski. The subject is common enough it is about the area located somewhere in Maine. I do not know why I was attracted to this particular painting but I am and am planning to possess it.

The Englishman named Alasdair Rennie has painted Big Ben in London. The rainy day is depicted in the painting and it reminds me of myself in London when I was a child.

The first City impressionist cityscape I possessed was Koi Pond Reflections. The painting was done with brush and knife therefore it takes a long time to dry the paint. The artists work I had seen and really liked it.

Different styles of City impressionist are very exciting and I like the style and influence, the mediums etc. The painting I fell in love was oil impressionist painting is called En Sendero.

Radiik Atoyan painted the cityscape of Paris. The painter is Armenian and signs all his painting in his mother tongue. His painting look special because of his unique way of using colors.

The water color impressionist cityscapes are also a passion for me. The original painting depicting a urban rainy night is my all time favorite.

The one I purchased earlier was painted by an Israeli artist named Yosef Kossonogi. The colors are so vivid I cannot wait to hang on my wall.

To complete my collection I bought a painting by Adam Maeroff which always reminds of my vacation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I think it is a perfect painting.

The paintings of food and wine are mostly purchased by the restaurant owners and hotels. I have bought about hundred of paintings and have been selling to the hotels or restaurant owners who like to proudly hang into their dining rooms. I sell them for profit and have already sold about eighty out of hundred I had.

A painting of food and wine was sold to the bar in my neighborhood. It was by Michael Godard and it was named Pop Olive. The owner loved the painting on site and hung it in his bar.
Michael Godard is quite popular painter among the restaurant owners and I can close my eyes and buy it and know that I can sell it overnight at good profits. The one which I got was known as Olives Gone Wild which was sold immediately to again a bar owner and he said it was fantastic and fun.

The painting I liked was known as Chocolatey which I bought immediately and sold it to the candy store. Of course the candy store did not buy it but I will show it to others.

The painting of a large apple was an original oil painting and was sold to a pie shop in my area. The galleries I go to have many choices available on food and wine. The apple painting I liked and picked up immediately and was sold.

The acrylic painting I bought was known as Passion Splash it was of food and wine because in the painting the woman is drinking red wine. It was sold to the wine bar. It was a personal favorite and was sad parting with it.

The painting I kept for myself was known as Perfect Cherry and I liked it so much that I hung it in my dining room. The red color in the painting is beautiful. I have displayed with a spotlight on it.

The fish shop in New York City got a painting by Marie M Vlasic and it depicted lobster. It looked so good in their lobby and all the clients appreciate it.

The dessert place owner wanted a painting of a pear and he informed me to keep an eye for such painting. It was due to the fact that the owner had several pear recipes and the desserts were very popular among the clients. I found painting of four pears on a glass table. The artist was used to paint a new painting every day and I asked him to paint six more paintings of pear. These I sold to the dessert place owner. The owner was so pleased with the paintings.

A friend of mine owns a local beer bar. I bought a oil painting which was close up of a bottle of beer unopened. It was perfect and I bought it for him.

My brother has a shop and he sells jams. Once I found a painting of large spoon and strawberry jam I immediately took it and gifted to him. He was so pleased that he hung it inside his shop.

If you are planning to buy a painting for any of your relatives it becomes easier as you know their taste and since you know their specific taste it becomes easier for you to buy a painting if you see one. Sometimes the relative you are buying for just is interested in colors and is not very specific about the painting.
It becomes challenging for you to get the good painting for that space in their house. If the relative house is decorated in a traditional way you will be looking out for some good traditional or folk art painting.
Find out where they are planning to hang the painting and the wall if small you will buy a smaller painting. Of course if the whole apartment is small you cannot buy a large painting which will not look good in the house.
Color can be the deciding factor in a painting if you know your relative is of vibrant personality then you will be advised to get vibrant color paintings in her home to make it look more appealing. The furniture and the walls can also give a idea about what will look nice there.
If you know that your old relative is religious minded then it becomes easy for you to go in for a religious paintings and they will be appreciated by your relative. If your relative is open minded about the religion you can get him/her the symbols of the religion but you will have to know in advance if they are going to appreciate the same or not.
The artist’s earlier works if already seen by the relatives then it is a good thing to purchase the painting for them. As they are the ones who have admired the artist for a long time and if they get the painting of the same artist it will be a very good thing for them.If you know that person has just visited the place like beach or a mountain then you can get the themed painting for them which they will appreciate and it will be a reminder of good times for them.
Few relatives are not ready to spend the amount the artist is asking for their painting and some of them are interested in the earlier paintings then you can go in for prints of the painting which looks equally good.

Some relatives enjoy landscapes and the very fond of them then you can get the landscape for their house which they will appreciate. Some are musically inclined and to give them the musical painting will make them happy.
Some of the relatives advise not to pick up paintings from some of the painters as they dislike their work. So stay away from them. Of course it is best to show the painting before buying to the relative it is for as they
are the best judge of what will be their likes and dislikes and what will suit their walls at their homes

Children are such a joy in what ever they do. Putting what is on their mind on paper is the best done by children. They have such pure minds that whatever they see they paint.

They are so much fun to look at and always a wonder when you sit and think what must be going on in that child’ mind when painting.They are such innocent souls and to express themselves by painting is a perfect thing for the child. Some people prefer buying the simple strokes by children. For me to sell these paintings are like enjoyment and fun.

Mostly the children’s paintings are bought by schools, children’s hospitals, etc. But you will find some of the children’s paintings at offices too.
The one I got particularly interested in was the one I bought for children’s hospital for their waiting room. The painting was named “Where the Wild Things are”. It was from the book of the same name and it got good memories of my childhood. The Book was by Maurice Sendak.
The waiting area of Physical Therapy in a rehabilitation center got a Children’s art print by Jim Daly. The parents can read and enjoy themselves. This also keeps children entertained.
Even the homes without children sometimes prefer the paintings by children. One such home owner puzzled me by commissioning me to hand children’s art in their hallways which had no children at home and had a very cold look to it.
Here I chose the painting from the same artist who specializes in the mini paintings which are so beautiful even though they are simple. I put them in the same frame and hung them in the hallway and it had a great effect and gave warmth to the place.
The Painting was so good that I purchased many of his paintings which go by the name of Lollipop Art. The balance paintings I plan to give it away as gifts to my family and friends.

A family’s daughter’s room needs decorating and they were all exercise freak and loved bicycles. The bicycle as a theme for the children’s art was a challenge I took upon myself . Here I found an painting of a woman on a bike with a child and yellow balloon. It was an acrylic painting signed by the artist.
The other child artist is Stephanie Bauer for whom one of my client specially asked for. While searching for the painting from the artist I found a painting called Dragonfly unfortunately it was not for sale. While searching for the other paintings I found a print of the same and my client was more than happy to get the print and now it has a proud place in his daughter’s room which she loves as it is pink in color.
A Children’s dancing class/studio needed some paintings of children in the form of dancing. After a long search I found one named “Little Girl Ballerinas”. This was apt for the studio as it was very vibrant and colorful. The studio owner loved it.
The three sister’s room having different personality altogether got three different painting for their rooms. The first one got acrylic painting called “Sports Girl”. She is the athlete of the family.
The next one got was a print of the water color from Pily Torres and it looked good after proper framing and hanging in the shy and quiet girl’s room.
The third one was interested in dancing. For her room I got a folk art ballerina and had different shades of pink. This one looked good as it is without the framing and she loved it.
One family I knew wanted a Mural for their house and they were not interested in the small paintings. The one I got was a fantasy scene of a castle and a unicorn leaping. The home owner loved it and it looked good in that house.

Watercolor paintings are one of my passions. The one I like the best is the painting of
an Italian village in 1890 and was painted by artist Y. Gianni. The painting is very lively and lovely to look at.

The other one I found was of an artist named William B Gillette of a pebble beach and the waves and it has hills on the one side. It was it pastels like soft greens, blues, browns and purple. It was so beautiful and my client loved it.

One friend’s cabin needed a watercolor, which I found of Charles Dickens Wader a known
artist from New York whose painting was of soft mossy green color with a lake and Lake
House.

Romeo Tabuena is one artist, which one of my clients loves to collect, and he already has
two watercolors directly in the fifties while he was in San Miguel. The third one I found for my client and he was happy to pay me the price I asked. Another client a Lawyer wanted to decorate his office and I was commissioned to do so.

Keeping his interest in mind, I put up watercolors of two polo players playing on a horse.
It was appreciated by my client so that that the painting is discussed in all the meeting they have.

Looking at the lawyers office the other person gave me his office to redecorate and
unlike the lawyer he loves to hunt and I gave him a watercolor painting of Mallard ducks
flying above a marsh the painter is well respected and goes by the name of Jim Killen. The client loved it so much that he hung it in his reception area.

A Local radio station’s director got a watercolor painting of Bob Marley, which was about
sunflowers. It was beautiful and perfect for the environment.

The artist Raoul Dufy has dedicated his work to Mozart, which I found three and was a
fitting watercolor for my musician friend, known as “Homage to Mozart”

I sold cattle in Landscape by Henry H Parker to a friend for his mother. The watercolor
looks to beautiful in her mothers house that they are on the lookout for something similar but with no luck.

Nevertheless, some the painting I do not find very appealing but keeping in mind my
clientele I buy them and my friends pick it up without any fuss.