Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team: Anna Holmes, Senior Canadian Art Specialist

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott Updates.

Anna is a Senior Specialist of Canadian Art at Cowley Abbott, having more than ten years of experience in the Canadian art world. While continually remaining highly engaged with all aspects of art and culture, Anna is passionate about absorbing as much as she can through exhibitions, shows, talks, publications and more.

The Toronto arts scene is robust, having expanded and grown immensely over recent years. As one of the members of Cowley Abbott who was born and bred in Toronto, Anna, what have you noticed in terms of the arts and culture community in the city?

I grew up going to exhibitions and shows at the AGO, ROM, TSO, National Ballet, etc. with my parents. I am thankful for those nostalgic memories, as it fostered a steadfast interest and love for art and culture from a young age. It is a wonderful sign of growth for the arts community of Toronto to see new art galleries popping up and art institutions being founded. Private galleries and auction houses, for example, are no longer primarily located in the Yorkville area, but are now scattered throughout the city, signalling positive expansion. The pandemic certainly changed how we interact with and appreciate art exhibitions, creating exciting virtual opportunities (which Cowley Abbott embraced), but it really is exhilarating to be back at our Canadian art and cultural institutions in-person again. Attend an exhibition or show as soon as you can!

Cowley Abbott now holds a twice-yearly Inuit and First Nations Auction, amongst the many other exciting auctions. This is an exciting venture and one that all of the team feel strongly about in terms of learning and respecting the artwork. You have a profound interest in historical Canadian art, but we hear you also enjoy studying Indigenous art?

I do indeed have a profound interest in historical Canadian art – anything that I can sink my teeth into that affords me the chance for a deep dive into research, but this also applies for Inuit and First Nations art. I had the rare opportunity many years ago to work with and learn from a friend with vast experience in Inuit art. (Actually, my entrance essay for the Christie’s Master’s program explored the sculptural creations of the Inuit artist, Manasie Akpaliapik.) As a result, I enjoy discovering new artists and having the opportunity to handle Inuit artworks entrusted to CA for sale – the tactile element is wonderful. With fantastic organizations like The Inuit Art Foundation, which seeks to support Inuit artists through the beautiful Inuit Art Quarterly (subscribe today!), as well the recent publications on Indigenous and Inuit artists from the Art Canada Institute, we can learn more about this beautiful and unique art form and the many talented artists. Make sure to visit the AGO’s current exhibition, “Robert Houle: Red is Beautiful”, and read all you can!

Anna Holmes can be reached directly by e-mail at [email protected] Stay tuned for the next installment of “Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team” in a week!

Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team: Patrick Staheli, Canadian Art Specialist and Manager, Online Auctions

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott News & Press.

Patrick graduated from OCADU in 2005 and has 15 years of experience working in fine art galleries and auction houses. Joining the Cowley Abbott team in 2019, Patrick has enthusiastically continued developing his knowledge of historical, modern and contemporary Canadian art.

Patrick, you are immersed in art in all aspects of your life, as you are an artist yourself! This is of great benefit to Cowley Abbott and wonderful to have an artist on staff. Can you tell us a bit about your art practice and inspiration?

It has definitely been useful to draw on a familiarity with painting materials and processes. I often find myself looking very closely at paintings and thinking about the process the artist went through. It is such an immense privilege to be surrounded by incredible works by so many different artists each day. My own paintings are a mix of different influences, sort of a dialogue between geometric structures and more painterly forms. It’s abstract, but I see it as a “content-based abstraction”.

As an alumnus of the Ontario College of Art and Design, you walked the halls that many celebrated Canadian artists also frequented. Can you share what your studies at OCAD were focused on and how that experience informed your decision to work in the art world?

The history associated with OCAD is pretty fascinating. It’s so rewarding to look at art and also learn about the lives of artists, local histories and the wider social and cultural contexts. While I was at OCAD, the focus was very much on studio practice, and it was a great time to experiment with different mediums and connect with peers and teachers. Any long-term creative pursuit is going to have ups and downs, but painting seems to have a way of constantly pulling me back. So I feel very fortunate to be working in a field where I’m very much engaged with art of the past and present.

Patrick Staheli can be reached directly by e-mail at [email protected] Stay tuned for the next installment of “Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team” in a week!

Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott News & Press, Cowley Abbott Updates, How to.

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 [email protected]. The auctions close March 1, 2022.

Trucs et astuces pour la collection d’art

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott Updates, How to, Sale Updates.

Lot 147: Ronald York Wilson, Prehistoric Enigma
mixed media on paper, 8.75 x 9 ins

Sélections d’œuvres d’art accessibles dans les ventes en ligne de février

Les ventes en ligne de février de Cowley Abbott sont divisées en trois catégories : Canada et à l’étranger (Canada & Abroad), Trois dimensions (Three Dimensions), œuvres sur papier et gravures (Works on Paper & Prints). Je vais mettre en évidence certains de mes coups de cœur abordables parmi ces ventes, ainsi que les motifs pour lesquels je les ai choisis.

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

Dans mon blog précédent, j’ai mentionné à quel point j’aime les ventes aux enchères, car elles nous exposent à un large éventail d’art, nous faisant envisager certaines œuvres d’art que nous n’aurions pas recherchées autrement. Par exemple, je suis généralement attirée par l’art abstrait parce que je l’ai étudié à l’université et parce qu’il est moderne et souvent coloré. Si je cherchais à acheter de l’art dans une galerie, je chercherais probablement une exposition d’art moderne. Cela étant dit, les œuvres qui me frappent le plus dans les ventes de ce mois-ci seraient considérées comme assez traditionnelles : Sketch for « Spring » de George Reid et Shades of Evening de William Edwin Atkinson. Ils sont à la fois doux et romantiques, avec une qualité très impressionniste. Cela démontre que les enchères peuvent nous ouvrir les yeux à de nouvelles choses – elles nous donnent l’occasion d’être surpris !

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

Les eaux-fortes sont un beau type de gravure qui requièrent une technique impressionnante et minutieuse. L’image est d’abord gravée à la main dans une plaque de cuivre, puis immergée dans de l’acide, ensuite passée dans une presse à imprimer. Le processus nécessite une attention au détail pointue et ne permet aucune marge d’erreur, ce qui me mène à penser que les eaux-fortes méritent plus d’attention qu’elles n’en reçoivent habituellement. L’œuvre de Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh est une représentation charmante et délicate d’une scène de rue écossaise, avec une estimation de seulement 250 à 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 était une photographe américaine de renom, surtout connue pour avoir documenté la pauvreté et les privations aux États-Unis pendant la Grande Dépression. Ses photographies font partie des collections de musées tels que le Smithsonian et le Metropolitan Museum of Art. Il est excitant de voir l’une des photographies historiques de Wolcott de 1939 proposée dans la vente aux enchères d’oeuvres sur papier et gravures : 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

Stretch Blue on Grey de Harold Town est une œuvre d’art fantastique. Les bandes bleues allongées sont amusantes et ajouteraient la touche parfaite de couleur à une pièce. Ayant été complétée en 1971, elle porte l’esthétique « mod » des années 60/70, mais elle pourrait aussi passer pour une œuvre contemporaine. Avec une estimation de seulement 300-400 $, c’est vraiment une belle opportunité !

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

Echo par Ivan Eyre est un autre exemple de la technique d’eau-forte, ainsi qu’un exemple de l’accessibilité des gravures de l’artiste comparativement à ses peintures à l’huile. Eyre est un artiste contemporain dont le travail est en demande au niveau des galeries et des enchères. La peinture d’acrylique d’Eyre, Amber Pass, figurait dans la vente aux enchères en salle de Cowley Abbott en juin 2021, avec une estimation de 80 000 à 120 000 $, et l’œuvre s’est vendue bien au-dessus de l’estimation, pour 228 000 $. Les tirages de l’artiste, comme Echo, estimé entre 300 et 400 $, sont évidemment un moyen beaucoup plus accessible de posséder une de ses œuvres. Bonus : c’est joliment cadré !

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

Deux maquettes en aluminium pour l’installation artistique « City People » de Catherine Widgery sont proposées dans la vente Trois Dimensions. Situé sur la rue Front en face de la gare Union à Toronto depuis 1989, « City People » est composé de diverses figures de piétons en aluminium peint – certaines sont fixées au mur, tandis que d’autres sont montées sur des piédestaux. Businessman with Attaché Case et Woman with Baby Carriage présentent des occasions amusantes de posséder un morceau du processus de Widgery dans la création de la célèbre installation artistique.

Je vous invite à parcourir les trois sessions d’enchères de février. N’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour toute information complémentaire à [email protected]. Les enchères se terminent le 1er mars 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

Posted by & filed under Charity Auctions, Cowley Abbott Updates, social media.

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

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott News & Press, Cowley Abbott Updates.

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 [email protected] 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

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott News & Press, Cowley Abbott Updates.

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 

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott Updates.

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 [email protected]a. Stay tuned for the next installment of “Introducing the Cowley Abbott Team” in a week!

Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott Updates, How to, Sale Updates.

Starting an Art Collection & Why You Should Look to Auctions

Lot 14: Peter Deutsch, High Fidelity
vinyl copolymer on canvas
estimate $1,000-2,000

Collecting art can be fulfilling and add personality to your home. As a thirty-something-year-old art specialist, I have quite a few friends and family members buying their first homes and asking me where they can buy art to put on their walls. For many reasons (admittedly including the fact that I work at an auction house), I recommend online auctions as a way to start and build an art collection. Cowley Abbott’s January online auctions offer great examples of accessible art in a range of styles, subjects, and media. I am happy to share some general art collecting advice and my affordable art picks from the current sale.

Lot 39: Robert Montgomery
The People you Meet Become Ghosts Inside of You and Like This You Keep Them Alive
colour photograph
estimate $1,200-1,500

Browse Indefinitely

It is important to spend time surrounded by art in order to create a context for yourself. Find ways to look at art on a regular basis, through museum and gallery visits, Instagram accounts, the Google Arts & Culture app, and scrolling through online auction listings. Every time you see a work of art, let yourself react to it. Ask, “do I like this? Why or why not?” These experiences will help you develop your personal taste.

Lot 73: Rita Letendre, Northern Legend
serigraph
estimate $300-500

Learn (some of) the Lingo

Art comes in many forms and materials, and it is worth learning their differences, for the purposes of both aesthetics and value. The general categories include painting, drawing, prints (of which there are many types – etchings, silkscreens, lithographs, etc), photography, sculpture and mixed media. An oil painting is a one-of-a-kind work of art, but also more expensive due to its rarity. Prints, which are duplicate images from a limited edition, are often more readily available and affordable than original paintings. For example, lot 73 is Northern Legend, a 1967 print by Rita Letendre. The estimate is $300-500, far below the typical prices in the tens of thousands for her oil paintings.

Lot 110: Ted Harrison, Ice Moon, Hockey Game
two serigraphs
estimate $600-800

Be Patient and Enjoy the Journey

Please take your time in this process. When someone asks me for advice on how to find a work of art for their home, I often have to tell them that they should not expect to find something in a day or even a week. Don’t just buy something quickly to fill a blank wall. That being said, if a particular work really grabs you for whatever reason, then go for it! It is better to buy something you love even if you have no idea where it will find a place in your home. Art collecting is a lifelong journey that is never complete – it is always evolving and it reflects how your personality and tastes have changed. Looking at every piece in your collection is like an old journal or photo album–every piece you collect along the way will remind you of a particular moment in your life.

Lot 111: Raphael Montpetit, Dégel
oil on board
estimate $500-700

Trucs et astuces pour la collection d’art

Posted by & filed under Cowley Abbott Updates, Cowley Abbott Videos, How to, Sale Updates.

Comment commencer une collection d’art & pourquoi vous devriez vous tourner vers les enchères

Lot 14: Peter Deutsch, High Fidelity
copolymère de vinyl sur toile
estimation  1 000 – 2 000 $

La collection d’œuvres d’art peut être épanouissante et ajouter de la personnalité à votre maison. En tant que spécialiste de l’art dans la trentaine, j’ai pas mal d’amis et de membres de ma famille qui achètent leur première maison et me demandent où ils peuvent acheter de l’art pour mettre sur leurs murs. Pour de nombreuses raisons (y compris le fait que je travaille dans une maison de vente aux enchères), je recommande les ventes aux enchères en ligne comme moyen de démarrer et de constituer une collection d’art. Les ventes en ligne de Cowley Abbott de janvier offrent d’excellents exemples d’art accessible dans une gamme de styles, de sujets et de médias. Je suis heureuse de partager quelques conseils généraux sur la collection d’art ainsi que mes choix d’art abordables de la présente vente.

Lot 39: Robert Montgomery,
The People you Meet Become Ghosts Inside of You and Like This You Keep Them Alive
photographie en couleurs
estimation 1 200 – 1 500 $

Parcourez indéfiniment

Il est important de passer du temps entouré d’art afin de se créer un contexte.Trouvez des façons de voir de l’art régulièrement, par le biais de visites de musées et de galeries, de comptes Instagram, de l’application Google Arts & Culture et en parcourant les listes d’enchères en ligne. ​​À chaque fois que vous voyez une œuvre d’art, laissez-vous réagir. Demandez, “est-ce que j’aime ça? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?” Ces expériences vous aideront à développer votre goût personnel.
Lot 73: Rita Letendre, Northern Legend
sérigraphie
estimation 300 – 500 $

Apprenez le jargon

L’art se présente sous de nombreuses formes et matériaux, et il vaut la peine d’apprendre leurs différences, à des fins esthétiques et de valeur. Les catégories générales comprennent la peinture, le dessin, les gravures (dont il existe de nombreux types – eaux-fortes, sérigraphies, lithographies, etc.), la photographie, la sculpture et les techniques mixtes. Une peinture à l’huile est une œuvre d’art unique, mais elle est aussi plus chère en raison de sa rareté. Les tirages, qui sont des images en double d’une édition limitée, sont souvent plus facilement disponibles et abordables que les peintures originales. Par exemple, le lot 73 est Northern Legend, une sérigraphie de 1967 de Rita Letendre. L’estimation est de 300 à 500 $, bien inférieure aux prix typiques de plusieurs dizaines de milliers de ses peintures à l’huile.
Lot 110: Ted Harrison, Ice Moon, Hockey Game
lot de deux sérigraphies
estimation 600 – 800 $

Soyez patient et profitez du voyage

Veuillez prendre votre temps dans ce processus. Quand quelqu’un me demande des conseils pour trouver une œuvre d’art pour sa maison, je dois souvent lui dire qu’il ne faut pas s’attendre à trouver quelque chose en un jour ou même une semaine. Ne vous contentez pas d’acheter quelque chose rapidement pour remplir un mur vide. Cela étant dit, si un article en particulier vous attrape vraiment pour une raison quelconque, alors allez-y ! Il est préférable d’acheter quelque chose que vous aimez même si vous ne savez pas où il trouvera sa place dans votre maison. Collectionner des œuvres d’art est un processus qui dure toute la vie et qui n’est jamais complet – il évolue constamment et reflète l’évolution de votre personnalité et vos goûts. Regarder chaque pièce de votre collection est comme un vieux journal ou un album photo – chaque article que vous collectionnez en cours de route vous rappellera un moment particulier de votre vie.

Lot 111: Raphael Montpetit, Dégel
huile sur bois
estimation 500 – 700 $