The global art market continues to experience strong growth and wanted to pass along some information on the current state of the global market and the top 10 artists in global sales.  Hope you will  find it interesting

http://news.artnet.com/market/artnet-data-shows-global-art-market-boom-continues-65684?utm_campaign=artnetnews&utm_source=072414daily&utm_medium=email

http://news.artnet.com/art-world/fractures-in-michelangelos-david-may-cause-statue-to-collapse-13425?utm_campaign=artnetnews&utm_source=050214daily&utm_medium=email

Nice article from ArtNetNews about famous politician artists…..

http://news.artnet.com/art-world/politicians-who-had-brushes-with-art-11291?utm_campaign=artnetnews&utm_source=042514daily&utm_medium=email

Collectors at TEFAF

The art world is constantly talking about “collectors” but—except for a few recognized personalities—they remain rather elusive creatures, often preferring anonymity to the limelight.

Art insurer AXA Art has attempted to strip away the mystery with their International Collectors Survey, published to coincide with TEFAF 2014. Titled Collecting in the Digital Age, it bases its results on an online survey of 1,000 collectors. (All are clients or potential clients of AXA Arts global network.)

Here, the 10 facts that surprised us most:

1. Online buying has a long way to go
TEFAF’s annual report claims that online sales are growing at a dizzying 25 percent annually, but not all collectors are convinced. Only 34 percent of the respondents to the survey have purchased artworks online in the past, and 42 percent simply don’t see the point, saying that they couldn’t see themselves buy online in the future.

2. This is a man’s world—and an old man’s world at that
While Dasha Zhukova is a front page favorite, she is nothing like the average collector. Three quarters of the surveyed collectors were male, and 73 percent aged 40-69. Art-lovers under 29 make up only 3 percent of the collectors surveyed.

3. Forget Frieze Masters, contemporary art is where it’s at
Older art seems to be all the rage—and the trend has been embraced by art fairs, spearheaded by Frieze Masters. Yet collectors overwhelmingly favor contemporary art (82 percent). Only 12 percent purchase antique art. 39 percent go for modern and Impressionist, followed by 19th century art.

4. On the other hand, those who collect as an investment tend to go for safe value (i.e. older art)
If substantial return is what you are after, it seems that “tried and tested” is the way to go. 43 percent of the collectors who defined themselves as investors purchase modern and Impressionist art as well as contemporary art. The returns are generally lower than with rising stars—but so are the chances of a market crash.

5. Installation and video art are not that hot
You wouldn’t know looking at some art fair offerings, but only 14 percent of collectors go for video art and installation. The overwhelming majority (nine out of ten) collect painting, and more than half go for works on paper. Easy-to-hang remains a strong criterion.

6. Art advisors are less influential than they pretend
When buying, collectors rely little on external advice (paid for or not). 65 percent collect on “gut instinct” and only 21 percent use the services of an art consultant.

7. Conceptual art dominates the art world but collectors love pretty things
We might have thought that things had changed since the days of the Medici, and that the strength and relevance of a conceptual piece might woo collectors just as much as its appearance. Not one bit. According to the survey, 80 percent of collectors say they buy art because “they love to own beautiful things and to surround themselves with them.” “Occupying myself with art and developing a comprehensive knowledge of art” comes second.

8. Photography is a favorite
Often considered a poor cousin of fine art and with still relatively-few galleries dedicated exclusively to the medium, photography is faring well with collectors. It’s their fourth choice after painting, works on paper, and sculpture.

9. Critics matter—but only a little bit more than Twitter
Who said art publishing was in a dire state? According to the survey 58 percent of collectors turn to printed media, trade journals, newspapers, and books while seeking information on the art they purchase. Social media are not far behind, faring a solid 51 percent. It is worth noting that less than half the respondents said they found articles about trends on the art market and the value of particular objects relevant. What they want instead is information on individual artists.

10. It’s not all about art fairs
While 95 percent of collectors go to art fairs and see them as a key source of information, an overwhelming majority, 73 percent, still prefer the personal service they get when buying in a gallery.

Cathedral Mountain Lodge by Thomas Kinkade

Visit the Gallery to enter or enter online for a chance to win a 12″x 18″ Framed SN giclee of Thomas Kinkade’s newest painting, “Cathedral Mountain Lodge”. You can pick up an entry form in the Gallery or enter online at www.thomaskinkade.com/contest

For more information on this painting:  http://thomaskinkadebirmingham.com/pdfs/CathederalMountainLodgeIRC.pdf

Lyric Theater undergoing $7 million renovation

Taken from The Birmingham News:

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Those of you who have already seen Turner Classic Movies annual “TCM Remembers” tribute to the screen legends who died this year might recognize a familiar, old theater that serves as the location backdrop for the video.  More:  http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/12/birminghams_lyric_theatre_feat.html?_wcsid=FEABF8727D85E9F63B05A0C8C8DE5CEC353459D0A05C268E13E172D05229A5F4

Certainly God ordained art because He created people with this talent.  But in His creation what purpose does it serve?

From A Christian Perspective: The Purpose of Art

What then, is the use of Art?  What purpose does it serve?  There are many, of course, but one that often goes overlooked in Christian circles is truth-telling.  For example, in the Scriptures we find art used frequently in the form of poetry.  Poetry is the creative use of language that attempts to express a reality or truth about the world and the way things are.  It employs pictures, metaphors, and symbols.  Consider Psalm 11:1-3

In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to my soul, “Flee like a bird to your mountain, for behold the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright heart; if the foundations are destroyed what can the righteous do?”

We need communication that employs propositions and arguments while relying on reason and logic, such as we find in the epistles of the Apostle Paul.  But the realities about God and His truth are so grand, majestic, and transcendent that we also need communication that relies on metaphor, images, and symbols.  In other words we need art.

Artists are trying to communicate truths about reality as they see it. They are saying, “This is true, or this is beautiful, or this is good.”  The great conversation of human history is a debate over the definition of these terms.  Some Christians today disagree with people who are trying to answer these questions with art, but instead of joining the discussion, they decide to throw art itself out the window, or the define art so narrowly as to truncate its value.  But if we limit our minds, hearts, and voices to propositional argumentation only, we risk creating a deafening silence where there ought to be loud praise to God.

J.R.R. Tolkien referred to artists as “sub creators” who bring new worlds to life, worlds quite unlike our own.  He used art to display truth through a “strange and arresting lens.”  Tolkien’s art is masterful because it transports his readers to a platform from which they can see eternal truths in new ways.

What about artists who are not believers?  Can we learn from them in the same way we learn from Ben Franklin, Immanuel Kant, or Mark Twain”

A wise man one said that if you want to understand philosophers and the bizarre things they say sometimes, you need to understand the questions they are trying to answer.  In the same way, we may encounter art that prompts us to ask, “What was the artist thinking?”  That is exactly the right question to ask if we are to thoughtfully interact with our culture as it gropes in the dark for answers.

Well, we have recently discovered an excellent guide of step by step instructions for hanging a painting from the Xanadu Gallery in Phoenix, AZ, and wanted to pass it along to our readers.  Just click the graphic above to open a pdf version of the guide.  Hope you will find it helpful.

Please note as well that Insky’s Thomas Kinkade Gallery offers no charge hanging service to our collectors.  We also offer free delivery and in-home showings.  We hope you will take advantage of these services.

“We are Inspired by Art”

Robert Holder

About 15 years ago they announced plans to begin donating art from their collection of nearly 5000 pieces.  The program was called “Fifty Works for Fifty States” and the Birmingham Museum of Art was the recipient of art donated from this program.

For the full story on the Vogels:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/abigailesman/2012/07/22/great-american-art-collector-herbert-vogel-dies/

New art adds the perfect finishing touch to the new look you want to
create.  Quality fine art enhances the décor of any space by making
it look and feel “finished”; more warm and comfortable.  In
addition quality art is fun to collect and will be enjoyed for a
lifetime.  Insky’s Thomas Kinkade Gallery offers no-interest financing
options to help facilitate the purchase of original and limited edition
art for home or business.  An in-gallery ninety day layaway program is
available for short term financing and 6 month and 12 month no interest
financing is available from GE Credit for longer term, larger dollar
purchases.  Visit the gallery to see our great selection of fine art and
let us give you the details on our financing options