07/29/10

An Architect Who Turned to Art

Park City's Phoenix Gallery features the work of artist Curtis Olson. Here's a bit about this intriguing artist, from artistsandartisans.com.
Curtis Olson started making art on a full-time basis less than a decade ago. Before that, he'd been practicing architecture in California and Wyoming for twenty years.

"One Friday about eight years ago, I was driving to my grandmother's memorial service in Missoula, Montana and thinking of the unfulfilled dreams she'd had in her life," he said. "On Monday morning I quit my job and began my art career. I lived on credit cards for a year until it finally began to be a bit profitable."

He'd been making art in his spare time throughout his first career, thinking that someday he'd make it full time. "But I...

Posted at 03:13 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

04/01/10

A Conversation with Aisling Art Installation

Gallery MAR is pleased to hang most of our collectors' works as a complimentary service. But occasionally we call upon the experts, particularly when it is a tricky hanging job. When we do, we call Dave with Aisling Art Installation.

How did you get into the art installation business and why?

For years I was a finish carpenter to help pay for my skiing career. After that I worked for our family business, Park City Transportation. Then about five years ago a good friend of mine, Brian, at Peak Art & Frame, asked me if I would be interested in helping his frame shop by handling all of their installations and deliveries. He knew I had been a carpenter and he needed someone that was skilled and very personable. Until this past summer, I was doing...

Posted at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1

12/03/09

Phoenix Gallery's Annual SMALL Invitational

If you had walked by Phoenix Gallery on Sunday night and peered into its brightly lit and colorful gallery space, you might have noticed that this wasn't just any old gallery party. In the center of the room was a ping-pong table, where a very heated tournament was taking place. Energetic people were bustling about hanging up paintings, while others huddled in front of artwork intently discussing it. Instead of a gallery full of potential art buyers, it was actually a room full of artists dropping off their artwork for the big upcoming show - the Phoenix Gallery's Annual SMALL Invitational.

Now in its second year, this spectacularly fun show features small pieces (less than one square foot) of artwork from some of Phoenix Gallery's favorite artists. This special gathering on...

Posted at 02:56 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

04/13/09

Local Park City Gallery Owner Comments On The National Art Scene

The art market in New York is so different from the contemporary market in the Southwest and in our region that we might as well be on different planets. For our regional art market, prices are determined by the artist’s price list and recent sales. Most artists in this region increase their prices about 5-10% every few years; again, depending on sales and availability, as well as exhibitions and press, etc. Artists and their prices are rarely volatile and it’s even more rare to see decreases in their work’s value. Although you’re never going to make millions investing in regional artists, you’ll also never see huge decreases in value. Again, at Gallery MAR, we always recommend investing in art for yourself, for your life, and buying what you...

Posted at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

03/05/09

Gals: Stanfield Fine Art To Host Famous Romantic

Long before book publishers approached Italian artist Pino Daeni, the expressive painter already enjoyed a thriving reputation for his warm, nostalgic style and ability to convey movement in his portraits.

Nonetheless, it was Pino's 20-year career illustrating romantic scenes for Bantam, Harlequin, Penguin and several other major publishers that earned him global recognition. Pino ruled the industry of romance, illustrating covers for over 3,000 popular novels. Using an unknown, long-tressed male model in his early works, Pino made famous the now iconic symbol of manly ultra-romanticism - Fabio.

Daeni impacted the arts world more quietly with his private works, maintaining an impressive fine arts collection that has earned him a reputation as one of the industry's most...

Posted at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

02/23/09

Ryan Brown’s Center for Academic Studies

Gallery MAR artist Ryan Brown (of Utah) has recently opened a new art training school in Provo, modeled after the prestigious Florence Academy of Art in Italy. The Center for Academic Study and Naturalist Painting (CAS) is an answer to the growing need that a number of students find when seeking traditional academic art instruction. This Academy teaches the same classical techniques and methods of drawing and painting taught at the best ateliers and academies in the world. And it’s the only academic training center, based on the 19th century artisanal art school, west of the Mississippi. The CAS is now presenting an open figure drawing class and an anatomy class and they are currently looking for students and artists who wish to participate with the center.

This is...

Posted at 04:37 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0