Author: Cowley Abbott

  • 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 [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

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

  • Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

    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