Art Lover Wants to Make Visiting Online Galleries More Enjoyable

A new curated online art gallery is on a mission to make the process of viewing art online more like visiting a gallery than searching through a warehouse.

Crimson Lake by Alice (Hye Ryung) Yang
Crimson Lake by artist Alice (Hye Ryung) Yang

In the Love It Art online gallery, art lovers can discover and collect contemporary art and design from emerging artists in Vancouver, British Columbia and beyond.

“Love It” exemplifies the moment when an art lover really likes what he/she sees. To facilitate these types of moments, Love It Art gallery will have a year-round art calendar that showcases emerging talents from around the globe.

Love It Art is the brainchild of Mina Fung, a Chartered Accountant in Canada and a Certified Public Accountant in the US. After working more than 10 years in the accounting and corporate finance world, Fung found her calling in the art world in 2014.

After many attempts to find artworks she loved by visiting galleries and viewing online warehouse platforms, Fung decided to combine her passion for art with her business background to launch Love It Art. Her goal is to provide a personable and enjoyable experience for art lovers and offer a non-crowded space for artists to showcase their work and tell their stories.

“Art has been a passion since I was a kid.” Mina Fung says. “I have fun connecting with artists and learning about their creative processes. I want to bring the fun factor to the art lovers. When it comes to buying art, art lovers themselves are the experts on what they want. I just need to provide an environment for facilitating their discovery and selection process. With a diverse background, professionally and culturally, I can help source art to suit people’s taste, style and budget.”

The gallery has a roster of twelve artists including Vancouver-based artists Rebecca Chaperon, Sarah Gee Miller and Mira Song, as well as Seoul-based artist Alice (Hye Ryung) Yang. The gallery mainly shows original contemporary art and design that is visually stunning, vibrant and whimsical.

To see the scale and impact of the artworks, art lovers can visit the gallery’s virtual 3D exhibition anywhere and at any time, from desktop computers or mobile devices.

The first virtual exhibition is called “Transcendence” and showcases the large-scale works of Alice (Hye Ryung) Yang. This solo exhibition is on view through May 19, 2015.A

At the bottom of the  FAQ page, emerging artists can find more details on the types of works Mina Fung is interested in displaying and instructions for submitting art for consideration.

LINKS

Love It Art

Gallery Specializes in Original Paintings Priced Under $500

ARTISTS. A new online gallery called Fifty Artists, is catering to art lovers who would love to support artists but are turned off by high-end gallery prices. Fifty Artists specializes in offering affordably priced one-of-a-kind originals

fiftyartistslogo“Early on, the team talked a lot about our own experiences buying art,” said co-founder Jason Kallas. “Our adventures ranged from awful encounters to celebrated interactions. These impressions shaped our belief that buying original paintings is harder than it needs to be. At Fifty Artists, we believe there is a large gap between how traditional galleries are marketing their artists and the reality of current shopping trends.”

Jason Kallis and his partner Gail Kallis believe that most galleries lack the capabilities to promote their artists and sell artwork online. This in turn makes it hard for potential customers to find artists they love and can afford.

Fifty Artists exhibits paintings and illustrations inspired by a range of art movements. They do not sell prints or reproductions.

“Everything is original and under $500. This has broad appeal no matter the size of your wallet,” commented Jason. “Rather than compromising on quality, we opted to sell smaller works.”

"Snow Day Driving" is a 12 x 12 inch oil on canvas painting by Chin H. Shin
“Snow Day Driving” is a 12 x 12 inch oil on canvas painting by Chin H. Shin

Jason and Gail believe “smalls” are fantastic for a lot of reasons.

“Small paintings are perfect for the newbie seeking their first original piece as well as the seasoned collector,” said Gail Kallis. “Smaller works are more about personal enjoyment versus a monetary investment.” Buying smaller works also removes the pressure of finding a single, great piece. Small artwork fits into tight spaces, can be purchased online, and travels easily.

Smaller, original paintings are perfect for commemorating special occasions and make extraordinary gifts.

"Red cross" is a 22.5 x 30-inch oil and cold-wax painting by Karen Darling.
“Red cross” is a 22.5 x 30-inch oil and cold-wax painting by Karen Darling.

“We chose the name “Fifty Artists” because that’s who we want to represent. We want to promote fifty talented artists and thought the number fifty personified other positive characteristics,” Gail added. “To us, Fifty Artists says we take pride in who we represent and that the collection is curated. The number also indicates there will be spectrum of styles, but as a customer, you’re not going to be overwhelmed.”

"Today's Weather" is a 14 x 14 inch watercolor and ink painting by Marsha Boston.
“Today’s Weather” is a 14 x 14 inch watercolor and ink painting by Marsha Boston.

The Fifty Artists website includes abstracts, cityscapes, portraits, and a variety of other subjects.

Artists seeking representation through FiftyArtists are encouraged to apply online.

LINKS

Fifty Artists

About the Application Process for Artists

 

TurningArt Memberships Help Art Lovers and Artists

With so much art now available from multiple online and retail venues, it can be challenging for artists to get exposure and earn income from their art. At the same time, it can be difficult for art lovers to commit to buying that single perfect piece to display in a prominent space in their homes or offices.

TurningArtLogoThe art enthusiasts who founded TurningArt understand this dilemma. So they came up with a fun, affordable, risk-free way for more people to discover, experience, and buy art from talented artists across the country.

For just $10 a month, TurningArt members can display a rotating selection of museum-quality prints in their homes or offices. Members can choose to display a different art print as often as they like.  For every dollar they spend on a TurningArt membership, they will bank an Art Credit that can later be used to purchase the print or the original of any art that would like to keep.

In addition to getting exposure that help you find new audiences, you can earn money for every print of your work that a member “rents” or buys.

TurningArt has set standard sizes and prices for the reproduction prints. The 16 x 20 inch prints sells for $65 unframed, and $140 framed. The 24 x 30-inch prints cost $105 unframed and $260 framed.  It’s up to you to determine how much you want to charge for your original. (Original works sold through TurningArt  typically are priced between $300 and $5,000.)

For more details on the TurningArt commission and royalty payments, see the Artist FAQ section on the TurningArt website. The Helping Artists tab leads to instructions on how to submit artwork you might want to make available through TurningArt.

The Story Behind TurningArt

TurningArt was started by Jason Gracilieri, an art lover in Boston who was finding it difficult to fill an empty wall in his home: “I was trying to find something that I really loved. Something that had meaning for me and just fit perfectly. While I searched in the little free time that I had, that empty wall stayed empty for a very long time. I thought there had to be a better way.”

How It Works

When someone signs up for a membership, their first print arrives framed and ready-to-hang. Each piece is printed on a high-quality material that displays rich, vibrant colors, captures subtle detail, and remains crinkle-free. The black frame is made of a natural, recycled material that won’t warp or dent. When they return their first piece and exchange it for something new, shipping is always free.

Gift Service

To encourage more people to give art as gifts, TurningArt offers 3-, 6-, and 12-month gift memberships. Through press releases, TurningArt has been promoting gift memberships as wedding gifts.

“Couples starting out may not have the money or the inclination to purchase art, especially if they’re renting or haven’t developed their personal style as a couple,” said Gracilieri. “Gifting a TurningArt membership will help create that special home environment, and allow them to discover the art they love.”

Gift-givers can select the first print or email the recipient a TurningArt gift notification with instructions on how to select their first piece.

LINKS

TurningArt

How  Artists Can Show Their Work

FAQs for Artists

Good Advice for Choosing an Online Art Gallery

ARTISTS. If you plan to sell (or buy) original art through an online gallery, check out the credentials and expertise of the people running it. Not all galleries are run by professionals experienced in the art market.

NewBloodArtIn fact, some online art platforms operate without much human oversight at all, which can be risky to both artists and buyers. For example, if the online gallery isn’t run by someone who has seen the actual art and built a relationship with the artist, can the buyer have faith that the art is accurately priced, archivally sound, and offers investment potential?

If you are a new or emerging artist, look for a gallery run by an art expert who can mentor you on issues such as realistically pricing work and managing the release of works for sale.

“The emergent stage for an artist is a sensitive one,” explains Sarah Ryan, curator and founder of New Blood Art in the U.K. “If an artist fails to price realistically at the start of their careers they risk damaging their future careers significantly.” For example, if the work that you make available on an online gallery is priced too high, and you later sell that work offline for substantially less than the online price, then your reputation can suffer. Prospective future buyers may feel misled.

New Blood Art understands the importance of accurate pricing and manages it very carefully. The gallery strives to create a steady following of collectors for each artist they represent, and prices are gradually increased in response to demand. Prices go up by securing regular sales from clients who know they are buying at an attractive and realistic price point.

Ryan started New Blood Art in 2004 because she recognized that selling art online “offered an economically viable way of selling truly affordable artwork by talented young artists without being crippled by the overhead of a physical gallery space.”  The staff at New Blood Art visits all of the UK graduate art shows to find the best new talent. The site currently offers more than 2,000 pieces at prices as low as ₤50.00.

“Over the last nine years, we have built good relationships with both the clients we serve and the artists the we represent. We have a good track record for identifying artists that have gone on to do very well and whose work has increased in value over time,” says Ryan.  “As a gallerist, it is vital to get to know artists personally over time, assessing their commitment to their practice and the quality of the work they produce. This insight is key when determining investment potential for clients.”

Ryan not only gets to know the artists whose work appears in her online gallery, she also interacts with art buyers: “I do interact with personally with our clients and often meet with them and speak on the telephone. Without this interaction, I’m not sure we would have the same loyalty.”

NewBloodart_12574

ABOVE: One of the works featured on New Blood Art is “Untitled II,” a 175 x 175 cm mixed-media  painting on canvas by artist Emma Devane. A 2012 art-school graduate, Devane  was featured in a newspaper article about the advantages of collecting recently graduated artists.

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New Blood Art

About New Blood Art

 

Guide Shows How To Sell Fine Art Photography Online

To learn how PhotoShelter’s website and back-end tools can be used to improve online sales of your fine art photography, check out their new guide “The Fine Art Photographer’s Tour of Photoshelter.”

PhotoShelterFineArtPhotographersGuideThe 16-page guide talks about how to build an audience, attract new clients, and make the online buying process totally seamless.

The first section shows how PhotoShelter can help your brand remain front and center throughout the entire ordering process. The authors note that “Your brand’s overall look and feel are especially important because you are asking potential clients to see premium value in your work—and pay a price in accordance with that value.”

The second section highlights PhotoShelter themes that let your images speak for themselves: “We hear from art buyers again and again that the number-one thing they want when viewing a photographer’s work online is an easy-to-navigate site with all of the contact and purchasing information readily accessible. Fine art photographers should think of their website like a gallery show—you want it to be clean and free of clutter, and to showcase your images in a well laid out and thoughtful way.”

In the section on building an audience, PhotoShelter emphasizes the fact that their websites are optimized for SEO (search engine optimization): “If you appear at the top of search results, then you’ll get more visitors to your website and thus more potential clients. This means no Flash-based sites (Google and other search engines can’t ‘crawl’ these site) and a focus on page factors that affect your SEO ranking (page title, image captions, meta descriptions, etc.)

The guide emphasizes that fine-art photographers should be keywording and captioning all of their images and galleries with relevant terms that buyers might be searching for: “Gallery owners and artist reps tell us that their clients are using search engines more and more—for example, to purchase photos that commemorate a trip or event.”

The final section of the guide talks about some of the options for having your images printed and delivered to your clients. For example, you can use one of PhotoShelter’s four integrated print vendors or browse the PhotoShelter Print Vendor Network. Through this network of 220+ print vendors worldwide, you can link up with any vendor that matches your specific needs—whether it’s a lab in your neighborhood or closer to client overseas.  You can reduce shipping costs by having a fine-art print created and shipped from a lab that is closer to your where your customer lives.

Although PhotoShelter can totally automate the process of accepting and processing orders for fine-art photo prints, you can choose to handle some parts of the process yourself. For example, if you want to sell signed, limited edition, or framed prints, you can make your own prints or work with the vendor you have been using for years.  Or, you can simply use the website as a “window into your business” and communicate with clients before they make a purchase. Even if you print and ship the order yourself, you can collect the payment online through PhotoShelter’s shopping cart.

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The Fine Art Photographer’s Tour of PhotoShelter

About PhotoShelter

 

Art2pO Enables Artists to Sell Works for Digital Display

Art2pO has launched a way to buy and sell art in a digital format for display on high-resolution flat-screen TVs, tablets, and monitors. Buyers can browse the website www.Art2pO.com, searching for images by artist, price, color, country and genre (digital art, photography, or video art). Purchased images are delivered via secure download from the Art2pO website.

Each one-of-a kind or limited edition image is digitally watermarked by Digimarc and copy-protected using state of the art encryption. The image is assigned a unique registry number and is registered, along with the legal owner’s information, with the Digital Fine Art Association (DFAA). If the image is resold, the next purchaser is also registered with the DFAA and the image is re-watermarked.

The DFAA stores ownership information on every image sold to retain provenance and the ownership trail. Each image has a downloadable Certificate of Authenticity and a secure record verifying the artwork is authentic. Instructions on how to resell a piece of art are available in the website.

Artists who want to sell works through the site can upload their images to http://www.Art2pO.com along with a brief description of each piece. A commission on the selling price is charged to the artist on each sale. Artists may sell one of a kind images or a limited edition series. Galleries may buy and sell images and collections on behalf of artists as long as they have the artist’s written consent.

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Art2pO

 

Saatchi Online Announces 12xTwelve Art Collection

ARTISTS. Here’s another example of how galleries are working to expand exposure for emerging artists while reaching out to potential new collectors of original works.

Saatchi Online is a global platform for emerging artists founded by Charles Saatchi who, over the past 25 years, has been discovering new artists and helping some of them to become household names. Saatchi Online’s mission is to help emerging artists find an international audience for their work and to provide art lovers with a high-quality online gallery where they can discover new art.

Saatchi Online recently announced its 12xTwelve holiday collection that features 65 new works of art from its worldwide community of emerging artists.

Rebecca Wilson, Director of the Saatchi Gallery London and Head of Artist Relations, Saatchi Online, has invited a select group of artists to create one-of-a-kind art exclusively for the 12XTwelve project.

Among the works for sale are original paintings, etchings, and drawings, as well as prints and photographs which are available in limited editions of just 12. Each work is the same size: 12 by 12 inches.

Left to right: Frozen Content by Jaap de Vries, Breakfast by Theron Humphrey, and Untitled by Clara Hastrup exclusively available on Saatchi Online.

With prices starting at $100, the art in the 12xTwelve collection can be an affordable gift for seasoned and aspiring collectors or an opportunity for art lovers to add to their own collections.

LINKS

About Saatchi Online

View the 12xTwelve Holiday Collection