Author: Cowley Abbott

  • Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

    Lot 147: Ronald York Wilson, Prehistoric Enigma
    mixed media on paper, 8.75 x 9 ins
    Estimate: $400-600

    Accessible Art Picks in the February Online Auctions

    Cowley Abbott’s February online auctions are divided into three categories: Canada & Abroad, Three Dimensions, Works on Paper & Prints. I am going to highlight some of my (more affordable) picks and provide a bit of background information as to why I chose them.

    Lot 14: W.E. Atkinson, Shades of Evening
    oil on canvas, 20 x 16 ins
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    In my previous blog post, I mentioned how I like auctions because they expose you to a wide range of art, making you consider some artworks you wouldn’t have otherwise sought out. For example, I am generally drawn to abstract art because I studied it in school and it is modern and often colourful. If I were to look to buy art at a gallery I would probably seek out a modern art exhibition. That being said, the artworks that strike me the most in this month’s sales would be considered quite traditional: George Reid’s Sketch for “Spring” and William Edwin Atkinson Shades of Evening. They are both soft and romantic, with a very impressionistic quality. This goes to show that auctions can open your eyes to new things – they provide the opportunity to surprise yourself!

    Lot 58: Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh
    etching, 10.25 x 8 ins
    Estimate $250-350

    Etchings are a beautiful type of printmaking that require an impressive and painstaking technique. The image is first etched by hand into a copper plate, then submerged in acid, then run through a printing press. The process requires an incredible attention to detail with essentially no margin for error, and as a result I feel that etchings deserve more attention than they often receive. Manly MacDonald’s etching Baker House Close, Edinburgh is a charming and delicate depiction of a Scottish street scene, and it has an estimate of only $250-350.

    Lot 104: Marion Post Wolcott
    Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939
    gelatin print, 10 x 8.75 ins
    Estimate: $1,000-1,500

    Marion Post Wolcott was a notable American photographer, best known for documenting poverty and deprivation in the United States during the Great Depression. Her photographs are in the collections of large museums such as the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is exciting to see one of Wolcott’s historical photographs from 1939 offered in the February Works on Paper & Prints auction: lot 104, Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939.

    Lot 153: Harold Town, Stretch Blue on Grey
    serigraph, 40 x 28.5 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Harold Town’s Stretch Blue on Grey is a fantastic print. The stretched-out blue bands are fun and would add the perfect pop of not-too-bright colour to a room. It was made in 1971, so it bears that 60s/70s mod aesthetic, yet it could also pass as contemporary. With an estimate of only $300-400, it is really a great opportunity!

    Lot 168: Ivan Eyre, Echo
    etching, 10 x 13 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Echo by Ivan Eyre is another example of the intricate etching technique, as well as an example of the accessibility of the artist’s prints in comparison to his oil paintings. Eyre is a contemporary artist whose work is in demand at the gallery level and auction level. Eyre’s acrylic painting Amber Pass was in Cowley Abbott’s June 2021 live auction, with an estimate of $80,000-120,000, and the work sold way above the estimate for $228,000. The artist’s prints, such as Echo, with an estimate of $300-400, are evidently a much more accessible way to own one of his works. Bonus: it is nicely framed!

    Lot 76: Catherine Widgery, Businessman with Attaché Case
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000
    Lot 81: Catherine Widgery, Woman with Baby Carriage
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    Two aluminum maquettes for Catherine Widgery’s art installation “City People”  are being offered in the Three Dimensions sale. Located on Front Street across from Toronto’s Union Station since 1989, “City People” consists of various pedestrian figures made of painted aluminum – some are stationary and mounted on the wall, while many are mounted on pedestals. Businessman with Attaché Case and Woman with Baby Carriage are a fun opportunity to own a piece of Widgery’s process in creating the famous art installation.

    I invite you to browse the three February auction sessions, and feel free to contact us for any further information at info@cowleyabbott.ca. The auctions close March 1, 2022.

  • Cowley Abbott wishes you a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s a look at prominent couples in art, who flourished together in both romance and creativity

    In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, Cowley Abbott profiles a selection of some of our favourite artist couples. These artists shared a personal chemistry which helped form the background of their lifelong artistic pursuits.

    Kosso Eloul & Rita Lentendre
    Photo Credit: David Cooper, 1987, https://digitalarchive.tpl.ca/objects/257222

    Painter Rita Letendre met Kosso Eloul while travelling in Italy in 1962. The couple married two years later, moving between Los Angeles and New York before settling together in Toronto in 1969. The two shared many fundamental artistic ideas, and their respective predilection for geometric abstraction both contrasts and compliments the other in interesting ways.

    Rita Letendre, Untitled
    Price Realized: $28,800
    Kosso Eloul, Maquette for ‘Zen-West’
    Price Realized: $6,000
    Françoise Sullivan, Danse dans la neige, 1948, Performance
    Photo Credit: photographie de Maurice Perron
    Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Québec
    https://www.aci-iac.ca/fr/livres-dart/francoise-sullivan/oeuvres-phares/danse-dans-le-neige/

    When Paterson Ewen met Françoise Sullivan in 1949, their relationship formed the basis of a fruitful creative exchange. Sullivan was a member of the influential group Les Automatistes, and introduced Ewen to an entirely new milieu. Ewen’s artistic development was deeply impacted by the Quebec group’s experimental abstraction.

    Paterson Ewen, Untitled
    Price Realized: $20,400
    Joan Mitchell and Jean Paul Riopelle in Chicago, about 1957
    Photo Credit: Anonymous Photographer; Yseult Riopelle Archives
    https://ago.ca/events/joan-mitchell-and-jean-paul-riopelle-creativity-and-collaboration

    Over the course of a 24-year relationship, Joan Mitchell and Jean Paul Riopelle lived and painted together. The two influential painters sustained a rich exchange of creative ideas, sharing their deep commitment to their art. As documented in the Art Gallery of Ontario’s 2018 exhibition Mitchell/Riopelle: Nothing in Moderation, similar formal and intellectual concerns become clear when viewing the work of both artists side by side. 

    Jean Paul Riopelle, Sans titre (circa 1959)
    Price Realized: $504,000
    Josef and Anni Albers
    Photo Credit: The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, https://albersfoundation.org/artists/biographies/

    Among the most notable artist couples of the 20th century are Josef and Anni Albers. The two met in 1922 during the heyday of the Bauhaus art and design school in Weimar, Germany. In 1925, they married in Berlin. Following the closure of the school in 1933, the couple fled Nazi rule and resumed their careers at the Black Mountain College in North Carolina. The Albers’ extraordinary union fueled

    one another’s creativity, each developing into leading figures of twentieth-century modernism. Josef and Anni Albers were married for 51 years.

    Josef Albers, I-S f (Danilowitz 195)
    Price Realized: $10,320

    Romantic partnerships can form the basis of a dynamic, fruitful exchange of ideas, artistic concerns and formal practices. Cowley Abbott invites you to watch for the works of these art power-couples, along with many more, featured in our upcoming auctions.

  • Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team: Peter Ohler, Senior Canadian Art Specialist & Western Canada Representative

    Peter is our western Canada representative, offering services related to private sales of fine Canadian artwork. Prior to establishing Ohler’s Fine Art in 2018, Peter’s career began in 1980 at Masters Gallery in Calgary. His role in the Canadian art world has certainly evolved since then, having handled many, many works of art and carving a distinctive role for himself within the industry. In 2022, Ohler’s Fine Art was acquired by Cowley Abbott with Peter joining the firm as the company’s Western Canada Representative, continuing his work in private sales while pursuing artwork for inclusion in Cowley Abbott’s live and online auctions. Peter continues to advise clients who wish to buy or sell art, providing expert evaluation and advisory services through this new venture with Cowley Abbott. Peter recently came to Toronto for a brief visit and we were able to pick his brain on a few things! 

    Peter, you are a new member of the Cowley Abbott team and we are delighted to have you join the ranks! You reside in Calgary, your hometown, and act as our western Canada representative – a very exciting development for the firm as we begin to represent the country from coast to coast! Can you share a bit about your role at the auction house and what services you are providing for western Canada?

    So far, I’ve done lots of shipping for you. You seem to be landing some great pieces for your upcoming auctions. It makes sense that your western clients would want to send their fine art east where the market seems to be stronger. This is not a surprising development but a big change for me as I have spent most of my career sourcing things in the east to sell to clients out west.

    While I will continue my work as a private dealer, I will also assist Cowley Abbott any way I can. Primarily working to secure consignments for your exciting online or live sales. I happen to know where a lot of great art is hanging.

    It is evident that you enjoy handling works by artists that involve research and mining for information. In that vein, do you have a favourite artist, period or movement? Perhaps there is an artwork or artist that has had a major influence on you?

    I’m old school so the Group of Seven is still where it’s at for me. The first Canadian art book I read was Russell Harper’s Painting in Canada. The stories of the early group members canoeing and painting in northern Ontario were captivating. Of the group JEH MacDonald has always been my favorite. Man could he paint. If I only end up with one picture at the end of all this, I would like to own a great MacDonald Algoma oil sketch. I’ve had a couple recently but of course I sold them.

    If you wish to discuss acquiring or selling an artwork privately contact Peter at peter@cowleyabbott.ca to discuss how we can provide this fast, confidential and stress-free service. We will also buy artworks if you would like a quick sale. 

  • Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team: Katherine Meredith, Canadian Art Specialist & Montreal Representative

    Katherine is our Montreal Representative with nine years of experience in the Canadian auction industry. Together with her academic background in art history, she has developed a specialty in the Canadian post-war abstract art movements. She is passionate about writing – on topics of fine art, art collecting, and the auction world.

    Katherine, you have been a member of the Cowley Abbott team since 2016 and your role has greatly evolved over the last few years. You now reside in Montreal, your hometown, and act as our Montreal representative – a very exciting development for the firm as we begin to represent the country from coast to coast! Can you share how your role at the auction house has advanced and what services you now provide for the province of Quebec?

    I started working at the Cowley Abbott Toronto gallery in 2016 in a Client Services position, and then became a Canadian Art Specialist in 2018. In 2020, during my maternity leave, I moved to Montreal and returned to Cowley Abbott as the Montreal Representative. My current role involves many of the same aspects as when I lived in Toronto, such as online valuation inquiries and writing for the auction catalogues, but I am also excited to now offer a face-to-face and bilingual service in Montreal and its surrounding areas. I meet with clients in person to view and pick up artworks, and I organize regular shipments to Toronto for a hassle-free consignment process. I have to say though, I do miss Toronto and seeing the Cowley Abbott team in person on a regular basis, and I am really looking forward to more trips back to the city in this upcoming year!

    As a lover of art, you have always promoted collecting art at auction and we know that you wish to encourage younger audiences to become active in the auction world. Can you tell us a little bit about why this topic interests you? You have started a new blog on art collecting at CowleyAbbott.ca. We can’t wait to read the next instalment!

    I am an art historian and art lover, though I feel very strongly that art can be appreciated at many levels and price ranges. Of course, I swoon over the enormous Riopelle and Borduas paintings at museums, but I also get excited about a $300 etching that can bring colour or charm or mood to your own walls at home. There has been a recent resurgence of interest among young people in home decor that is unique, vintage and sustainable, rather than what you’d find at a big box store. I think this trend is also carrying over into art collecting, and online auctions are the perfect fit for this audience, being a platform for finding original and quality artworks at a wide price range. My blog aims to dispel some misconceptions about the auction world and make it approachable to new collectors. So stay tuned! 

  • Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team: Perry Tung, Senior Canadian and International Art Specialist 

    Perry pictured here with resident evaluator Katherine Gray and host Nick Uhas on the set of the Netflix show Blown Away, Season One. Photo courtesy of Marble Media.

    Cowley Abbott has rapidly grown to be a leader in the competitive Canadian auction industry since its foundation. Our expansion into the international art market with a dedicated department and the offer of a rare painting by the enigmatic superstar David Bowie in our first International Art Auction in June 2021 led to notable exposure for both the artwork and the firm, selling for $108,120 (a new global auction record). We invite you to become acquainted with our specialists in our new blog series and learn more about Cowley Abbott’s pivotal role in the auction industry.

    Perry Tung, Senior Canadian and International Art Specialist

    Perry is a fine art specialist and auctioneer with over 20 years of experience in both the primary and secondary art markets, with knowledge of both Canadian and International Art. Perry joined Cowley Abbott in December of 2020 and began building the International Art Department, a very exciting venture for the auction house. Did you know that Perry has volunteered his time for countless charity auctions over the years and also was a guest judge on a hit tv television show?

    Perry, you have been a regular commentator and lecturer on Canadian art and the auction market in Canada during your years in the industry. As a guest judge on an episode of the acclaimed Netflix show, Blown Away, you had the opportunity to work directly with artists and witness glassblowers creating artworks in real time. Tell us more about this experience and how you came to be involved. Any memorable moments from Pop Art Blowup?

    One of the show’s creators saw a tv interview I had done and contacted me. We met, they pitched the show and a couple of months later we were filming the episode. The most memorable thing was learning about glass blowing, the terminology and techniques. It was amazing to be in the hotshop with these talented artists and watch them create something inspired by Pop Art.

    Also, readers should note that “Blown Away” is still available to watch on Netflix! Tune in and watch Perry evaluate the talented contestants!

    Each year you volunteer your time as an auctioneer for various charity events across Toronto, including Art with Heart’s Contemporary Fine Art Auction benefiting Casey House and Snap! A Contemporary Canadian Photography Auction for the Aids Committee of Toronto. These are fantastic causes! How long have you been volunteering as an auctioneer for these charity auctions? When do Art with Heart and Snap! take place this year? We are excited!

    I’ve been involved with Art with Heart for eighteen years and with Snap! for about fifteen years. This year is the Twentieth Anniversary of Snap! and we are excited to host the live broadcast from Cowley Abbot on March 24th. Art with Heart will be in October this year and we are delighted to host the previews again at our galleries.

    Perry Tung can be reached directly by e-mail at perry@cowleyabbott.ca. Stay tuned for the next installment of “Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team” in a week!