james | Oil Paintings

Commissioning a Portrait – old way vs new way

In the past, portraits were commissioned to preserve the memory of a loved one or an esteemed individual. The people who were able to commission portraits were mostly members of the aristocracy. Today, the function of portraits remains the same but more people are able to afford it. For an artist, the human form can be a difficult subject to paint so portraits can take considerable time and effort. All that time and effort could be wasted if the client...

June 2, 2016By jamesUncategorizedoil painting from photo, portrait artist, portrait paintings, portraitist0 CommentsRead more...

Hotel Art: Why hotels hang paintings (and why you should too)

Most people would think that hotels display paintings just to decorate the rooms and lobbies but art serves a greater purpose than just being mere fixtures. People don't normally choose where to stay by the art that hangs on the walls but the art certainly helps to make their stay memorable. There are a variety of reasons for hotels to display paintings and these reasons are also applicable to homeowners as well. Capture the look and feel of a particular place...

June 1, 2016By jamesUncategorizedhotel art, interior design, meaning of art, oil paintings, paintings, themed art0 CommentsRead more...

Choosing a painting- So you want to give someone a painting…

Choosing a painting to give as a gift can be difficult. A painting can be a great gift to your friends or loved ones. Whether they are avid art enthusiasts or they just look at art casually, the painting that you give them could become the treasure that they would cherish for a lifetime. However, your gift could end up gathering dust in the attic if you make the wrong assumptions about the recipient. Here are a few considerations to...

May 31, 2016By jamesUncategorizedchoosing paintings, custom art, paintings as gifts, portrait from photo, retirement0 CommentsRead more...

Why should you buy a portrait of someone you don’t know?

Portraits were usually commissioned as a remembrance of the subject or as a part of family records. In the past, portraits were treated as a status symbol for the aristocracy. It became a medium for displaying their wealth, power and influence. Many of these portraits are now displayed in museums or kept in the private collections of other wealthy individuals. Numerous portraits painted by prominent artists are now widely reproduced and being offered for sale; certainly, paintings such as “Girl...

May 31, 2016By jamesUncategorizedfamous paintings, mona lisa, portrait gallery, portraitists, portraits0 CommentsRead more...

Starting Your Own Art Collection

It is easy enough to just buy the kind of artwork that catches your eye but building a collection is a different matter. It takes some skill and effort to build a meaningful and impressive art collection. Great collectors are respected for their exquisite taste and their talent in choosing and organizing their art. Collecting art does not necessarily have to be expensive but it can be a long term – and fun – hobby. Art is more accessible and...

May 31, 2016By jamesUncategorizedart collection, auctions, buying art, collectors, Gallery, provenance0 CommentsRead more...

Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt, 1633

Mysterious Paintings

Ten paintings with mystery surrounding them. Some are lost, others contain detail for which there is no simple explanation. Read on for more...

April 26, 2016By jamesUncategorizedhidden picture, Lists, lost, mystery, stolen art0 CommentsRead more...

Interesting Facts About Vincent Van Gogh

He is not the only Vincent in the van Gogh family His grandfather was also named Vincent. The artist's uncle whom he referred to in his letters as “Uncle Cent” also shares the same name. A year before Vincent was born, his mother gave birth to a stillborn son which they named Vincent Willem van Gogh. His brother Theo would later name his son after the artist. He became a pastor before he was a painter In May 1877, Van Gogh went to...

April 26, 2016By jamesUncategorizedbiography, ear, theo van gogh, vincent van gogh0 CommentsRead more...

The Louvre

The history of the one-time medieval fortress and now French icon, tourist attraction, and repository of many of the world's most famous paintings, the Louvre. The Louvre is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. Today, it is open to the public and has about 8.8 million visitors a year but it has not always been that way. The Louvre was once a medieval fortress that was turned into a palace. Over the years, royals accumulated their...

April 26, 2016By jamesUncategorizedmona lisa, paris, The Louvre0 CommentsRead more...

Wassily Kandinsky

The life of the abstract pioneer Wassily Kandinsky Wassily Kandinsky (16 December 1866 - 13 December 1944) Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter who is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of abstract modern art. As an art theorist, he believed that artists can express themselves in their works without being representational. He produced numerous paintings with a torrent of swirling colors, tangling lines and geometric shapes, leaving the observer with a completely subjective experience. His work and his theories about art...

April 26, 2016By jamesUncategorizedabstract art, Composition VII, kandinsky, russian art, wassily kandisnky0 CommentsRead more...

The History of Interior Design

A brief history of the development of interior design as a profession From cave dwellings to the mud huts of ancient Egypt to the domus of ancient Rome, humans have always decorated their homes to make them more pleasant. People have used animal skins, vases, sculptures, wall paintings, mosaic floors, chandeliers, mirrors and carpets to beautify their surroundings. Before interior design was widely recognized as a profession, designing was just a part of the building process so the task was performed...

April 26, 2016By jamesUncategorizedCandace Wheeler, decor, designer, Dorothy Draper, Elsie de Wolfe, interior design, Nancy McClelland0 CommentsRead more...

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