In case you haven’t heard, the economy is rather soft right now.  It is clearly time to hunker down, re-evaluate your values and priorities, and act according to those values.  All this means for you, a person of taste and sophistication, that it is time to buy art.  It is also time to listen to live music, eat good food and drink good wine with people you care about, take the time to chat with your neighbors, and get involved in helping others in your community.  Consider also exercising more, getting out in nature, planting a garden, going out dancing, and calling your mother.  But this is your favorite frame shop and gallery’s newsletter, so let’s focus on that first thing – buying art. 

      

 New Offerings – Good Values 

I went to Las Vegas in January and New York in February to find new art worthy of your consideration.  I came back with some great pieces.  Of course, I had an eye for value as I was shopping.  I found some incredible deals on posters printed by a Korean company that has some proprietary printing process that allows them to produce amazing quality posters for affordable prices.  Their posters are mostly museum posters, but with foils and three-dimensional elements on high quality paper.  They look like originals, but at the price of a poster.  There are also a selection of European scenes, landscapes, abstracts, and urban landscapes from another good publisher.   

 

Good value does not always mean cheap, however.  I also bought some of the most expensive pieces we have ever had in the store, but they are worth it.  My absolute favorite piece is a figure by Terry Hallman, an artist who studied at MCAD, and has made it big with her rich figural multi-layered paintings.   Says Hallman, “It is in the layers in my art that expose the passage of time.  Each completed work possesses a unique history in which the layers represent the way things were, and the finished piece defines the way things are.”  I must confess, I am captivated by all her paintings. 

I found some unusual landscapes and florals, and some just plain beautiful pieces.  We have a number of oil paintings on canvas at great prices, from still-lifes to landscapes to figures.  I have a soft spot for abstracts, and brought back some very interesting abstracts in mixed media, watercolors, oils, and acrylics.   

Other beautiful new offerings to brighten your living space include antique design prints, engravings, botanicals, and architectural images.  We also scored some antique engravings and photo gravures. 

 

Other Places to Buy Art 

Of course, Carter Ave. Frame Shop is not the only place you can buy good art.  Consider looking for art in your travels, at art fairs, and directly from artists you know.  There are a number of good galleries and antique stores in the Twin Cities worth your perusal.  Check out the Twin Cities Gallery Guide at www.twincitiesfinearts.org/galleryguide.html.  Online art shopping can be a blast, but be careful.  Know what you are buying and be sure you are buying from a reputable dealer.   

My guess is that lately you are thinking more about what is important in life.  Economic hardship has a way of doing that to us.  We have been thinking a lot, too.  We love having the opportunity to help you find art you love.  We love helping you show off art you love with good design and framing.  And we really appreciate your business.  Thank you!  Now get out there and buy some art! 

Tim Smith

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