Original fine art prints are prints that are created by the hand of the artist.  The distinction is clear when you consider that fine art prints are conceived and executed as original pieces, and not as copies of an original painting.  Their intention is not to reproduce an original work of art but to create a new one. To avoid confusion, artists commonly refer to process of making fine art prints as printmaking and the resulting artwork as pulled or original prints.  Printmakers also describe their work by the classic printmaking techniques used to create the image. Examples include lithography (stone or plate), intaglio processes (i.e. etching, aquatint, engraving, etc.), and relief printing such as linocut and woodcut.

"Greater Than" by Lindsay Buckman

Artist Lindsay Buchman provides excellent examples of original fine art prints.  Her work, along with the artwork of many other talent artists, can be found at TheArtGallerist.com.  Printmaking has allowed Lindsay Buchman to bring contemporary appeal to her works.  Within her fine art prints there is a combination of both expressive and representational imagery. Each hand pulled print is composed of several layers of ink, creating rich textural qualities contrasted by structured and spontaneous forms. The exploration of metropolitan life has been the focal point for her latest impressions. Within this imagery the concept emerges, empowered with a sense of vitality. The metropolis lifestyle represents change, growth, and regeneration while being symbolic of  the past, present, and future. It is a visual sanctuary for her mind to wander, uncovering fragments of substance amidst an infinite amount of inspiration.

The next time you hear the words “fine art prints” do not immediately think of the mass-produced reproductions available at your local Target or big box retailer.  Think instead of the artist using his or her hands to skilfully cut, scratch, color, feel and create.  The results are unique and can never be exactly duplicated.  If you are fortunate enough to own a fine art print, treasure it for you own a true labor of love.  If you do not own a fine art print yet, browse TheArtGallerist.com to start your collection today.

The art community is extremely prevalent in Laguna Beach.  There are over 65 art galleries, an art museum, the Laguna College of Art and Design, a monthly gallery “artwalk” (wine and cheese open door event for viewing of Laguna art and socializing with artists and art patrons), as well as many installations of art in the public places around the city.  The crowing jewels of this thriving art scene, however, are the Pageant of the Masters and Festival of the Arts.

The Pageant of the Masters takes place during Laguna Beach’s Festival of the Arts.  During the world renown Pageant, real people pose to look exactly like their counterparts in order to re-create classical and contemporary works of art. This “tableau vivant” presentation is an extremely popular Laguna art attraction.

Fans of the now defunct TV sitcom, Arrested Development, will undoubtedly remember the living art scenes in which the Bluth family took part (and hilarity naturally ensued).  The Pageant of the Masters however, does not involve any hi-jinks of that sort.  Each life sized “painting” is reproduced as authentically as possible.  To see this process in action, check out the gallery on the Pageant of the Masters website (http://www.foapom.com/gallery/).

The Pageant of the Masters is just one of the many amazing elements of Laguna art.  The works of art and the artists that emerge from Laguna Beach have a very unique quality about them.  An example of this quality is seen in the work and life of Laguna artist, Fred Hope.  Hope’s dedication to his art earned him a spot in the Art Center College of Design under a full scholarship.  His talents paved the way for employment with Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney’s creative development subsidiary and think-tank (formerly WED Enterprises).  Today Fred is President of the Southern California Plein Air Painters Association (whose offices and exhibition studio are located in Laguna Beach) teaches drawing, painting, and design, and continues to be an award winning artist creating and selling beautiful Laguna art.

TheArtGallerist.com which has the distinction of being the first, largest and most visited virtual fine art gallery is also headquartered in Laguna Beach.  Many artists like Fred Hope who exhibit their work on TheArtGallerist.com come from Laguna Beach and are regular exhibitors at the Festival of the Arts.  For those unable to come to Laguna Beach to experience it firsthand, TheArtGallerist.com is the best way to experience Laguna art.

Ceramic art is an art form that has been around for a very long time.  Pottery found in the Japanese islands has been dated (using un-calibrated radiocarbon dating) to approximately 11^th millennium BC. Although the methods of production have modernized over the years, the basic art of making ceramics has endured.

Mark Hendrickson is no stranger to ceramic art.  In fact, Hendrickson has been working with clay since his introduction to this art form in the early 1970s. This artist relies on clay’s natural tendency to stretch and tear, which results in the inspiration for very beautiful and natural looking patterns. Hendrickson’s respect for his medium’s natural abilities has allowed him to create some incredibly unique pieces.

Lidded Jar #10

Lidded Jar 10 is a fine example of Hendrickson’s talent.  Lidded Jar 10’s striking earthy colors and upturned handle compliment the etched pattern of lines created and enhanced by the artist. Similarly, Basket Vessel 2, a dusky turquoise colored ceramic art piece, is decorated with a beautiful pattern of lines in randomly rotated blocks.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable examples of how Hendrickson works with and not against his medium of choice is seen in Lidded Jar 13.  The double upturned handle and shape of the ceramic art jar evoke a very oriental feel.  The shape of the handles, the feet on which the jar stands and the intricate lid must

have involved many painstaking hours of creation.  However, the bowl of the jar has a large and obvious hole where the clay has torn apart.  One would think that it would have been easy to fix or even discard this broken vessel.  Yet, the natural looking tear somehow completes Lidded Jar 13.  It adds authenticity, character and beauty.  This is not a broken or damaged vessel.  The flaw makes it complete.

Lidded Jar #13

Hendrickson’s ceramic art is very humanizing.  It reminds us that though we may feel stretched and pulled to our breaking point, we are still capable of being an object of great beauty and value.  The flaws do not detract from that.  They enhance it.

The value of ceramic art lies in its history, its beauty, its functionality and yes, even in its flaws.  The art form has been around for centuries.  We can expect future generations to unearth the ceramics of today with the same enthusiasm and wonder modern archeologists show when they discover a cache of these timeless objects.

Artist Adam Thomas

Adam Thomas is a relatively new artist to TheArtGallerist.com, but I guess that is something that can be said about just about all of the artists we work with.  Since the first time I saw his work, I knew he was the type of contemporary artist that we just had to work with.  From his subject matter to the command he has of his favorite medium, we immediately knew that Adam Thomas was destine for artistic greatness. Growing up in rural Michigan, Adam developed an appreciation for the natural world. The house that his father built was surrounded by forests and swamps – full of all kinds of plants and animals to study during the three months of summer vacation. He would spend hours watching great blue herons feeding in the swamps or collecting pond samples and researching the micro-organisms under his microscope. Today, Adam portrays his love of the outdoors through his oil paintings, capturing the essence of the sun breaking through dense forests, clouds or bouncing off petals of flowers. His work celebrates the natural world we live in. Adam has just moved again, but he was nice enough to spend some time talking to us about his career, and the things that shaped who he is as an artist.

When did you first realize that you had a talent for art?

In fourth grade when I took an art class and drew an elephant.  My mom said I use to draw a lot when I was younger and it surprised her that I put eye lashes on people in my drawings.  I guess she took it as I had an eye for detail.

What is your favorite medium and subject matter?  Why?

"Floating Feathers"

I enjoy painting clouds and trees in oil. For me, I think the colors are richer and with using several layers, I can create beautiful affects.  I have tried other mediums, such as acrylic and water color, but wasn’t able to achieve a feeling of warm light or depth. I think oil is forgiving and I like the fact that the medium takes longer to dry than acrylic.

How did you decide on and develop your artistic style?

Other than working with thin layers of Burnt Sienna, I am still establishing a single style.

Do you have a few favorite paintings that you have done over the years and why?

"High Above"

Yes. “Enlightenment” is a 4’ x 5’ oil painting of sunlight breaking through trees. The other one is called “High Above” and is 36” x 48”.  Both oil paintings feel like they are warm and self illuminating. I love looking at them.

What is it about you that make makes you a good artist?

My art work evokes happy emotions. If art creates bad emotions, it is still good art, but I am thankful that mine makes people happy. In addition, I think my skill set is starting to mature and I can actually successfully paint what I envision without reinventing the wheel every time I start a new painting.

What are you currently working on, and do you have for plans for a new series?

After I finish my current birch tree commission, I am going to start a series on moonlight river oil paintings using dark blues. The other two series I have swirling around in my head are water spouts based on the DOM in Cologne, Germany (and some from Prague) and a fun whimsical series using primates and parakeets.

What type of reaction do you hope to elicit from people who see your artwork?

I want my work to make people happy.

For people interested in buying fine art, what advise would you give them?

Buy art that you LOVE. The sofa will be replaced, the art is forever.

What is your philosophy about selling your artwork online?

Galleries take so much money that artists have to charge an arm and a leg to make any money.  Other than marketing, overhead is greatly reduced online. The buyer saves money and the artist makes more! Everyone wins!

If you could offer advise to young artists just getting started, what would you tell them?

Gosh, I could write a book on the subject!  Keep prices low. Create an e-mail list of people you know in excel and email them when you have a show or new work. Facebook and online art galleries work. And paint subject matter that people can relate to.

What is the best question anyone ever asked you about your art?

"Adventures in Youth"

I am always asked the meaning of the red tree in my oil paintings, and here is what I tell people.  Each of us is on a journey – whether for love, career, family or spiritual growth. As we journey, each of us searches for encouragement along the way. The Red Tree oil paintings seek to provide that encouragement and inspiration. The images reflect strong attachment to personal beliefs, aspirations toward goals, and staunch stability of purpose often in a wilderness of distractions. The Red Tree series evokes images of hope and promise and unwavering determination.

Thanks Adam!

I grew up in Massachusetts with artistic influences all around me.  My grandmother and my older sister both went to art schools and my mother frequently took me to the museums in Boston.  I developed an aptitude for drawing at an early age, but strangely enough, I grew up knowing very little about my most artistic ancestor.  I do recall my grandmother saying there was some guy with the funny name, Stephen Alonzo Schoff, back there in the family tree who had been a famous engraver.  I didn’t even know what an engraver did, and whatever his story was, it all seemed like boring ancient history to me.  I recall seeing only one example of his artwork while I was young; it was an old framed print in the attic.  It looked very intricate, but the attic was so dark and the print so dusty, it didn’t make much of an impression on me.

I went on to study art at a number of schools, including the Boston Museum School and Massachusetts

"Gosport" by Jonathan Small

College of Art.  I put my artistic career on the back burner when I took up windsurfing in the 1980s.  I was completely smitten by the sport, moved to the Rhode Island coast, and found myself selling surf and windsurf equipment for the next twenty years.  I still kept at my art, but on a casual basis.  Along the way I fell in love with a school teacher, we married, and had a daughter.

By the time I was 50 (in 2004) I had started to develop an interest in the family history.  The Internet is such a great tool for researching genealogy, and of course, my searches led me back to Mr. Schoff.  He was in fact my great great grandfather, i.e. my father’s mother’s father’s father, and he lived from 1818 to 1904.  I discovered there were collections of his work in some rather prestigious places, like the Smithsonian, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and the New York Public Library.  I learned that Schoff had studied with the French painter Delaroche in Paris in 1840, he had been a member of the National Academy of Design, he engraved vignettes on US currency, and he was friends with such well known artists as

and William Morris Hunt.  If you bought a book by Emerson, Hawthorne, Whitman, or Longfellow in the 1800s, there was a fairly good chance it included a portrait engraved by Schoff.  For me, with my artistic aspirations, it was like discovering I had royal blood.

"Southwest Gale" by Jonathan Small

I was even able to buy a few of his published prints at reasonable prices through on-line auctions.  I tried asking my father what he knew about Schoff, but by then Dad was getting on in age and his memory had grown dim.  My dad passed away in 2005, and while I was helping my mother clean out the old home I went searching for the print I remembered seeing years ago in the attic.  It had since gone missing, but I did find a package in one of my grandmother’s trunks with over 60 prints and preparatory drawings spanning Stephen Schoff’s entire career.  Now my interest in him was becoming a passion.  I traveled to Boston, New York, and Washington DC to see his collected work, I read and transcribed over a hundred of his letters from microfilm archives, I corresponded with art scholars, and found distant cousins.  I can now say with some certainty that I know more about Stephen A. Schoff than anyone else today.

Even though my store’s business was thriving, I was growing disenchanted with working in retail, and after seeing just how fine my ancestor’s art was; it felt like the time was right to start devoting myself to art once again.  I took some refresher courses at the Rhode Island School of Design, got out of the windsurf business, built a studio, and went into making art on a full-time basis.

Getting back to school, one of the first things I wanted to learn about was engraving and its sister art of etching.  Once I tried my hand at printmaking I came to fully appreciate what a master Schoff was.  There was no way I could ever begin to approach his level of expertise.   I can only bow down to his greatness and hope that my inheritance of 1/16^th of his genes has given me the foundation to develop into the as good an artist as I hope to be.  His patience and dedication was phenomenal.  He was commissioned by the Pennsylvania Historical Society to make a portrait of William Penn in 1859; and it took him the next four years to finish engraving the plate.  I aim to have that same kind of approach to my art; it will be finished when it is finished, no matter how long it takes.

During Stephen Schoff’s lifetime American art grew from a primitive infancy when there were practically no art schools here to a time when masters like Sargent, Eakins, Homer, and St. Gaudens could thrive.  I’m especially interested in 19^th century American art.  I get as much inspiration viewing a John Kensett painting as I do seeing anything made since.

"Littlenecks and Lace" by Jonathan Small

It’s no wonder that I got frustrated with art schools in the 1970s.  Abstract expressionism was in vogue, objective artists went into illustration, and people who thought they knew best looked down their noses at illustration as a lesser art form.  I have always been interested in objective art, and now that I’m older (and hopefully wiser) I’m able to make the kind of art that I like to make.  There are some absolutely tremendous works of art being produced now, and the market for representational art is strong.  I’ve shown in a handful of galleries and museums, I’ve managed to sell a few pieces, and I’ve even picked up an award or two.  I’m very excited to be represented by TheArtGallerist.com.

We are all familiar with this problem:  you have taken a photograph and want to enlarge it.  As you enlarge it, however, it becomes grainy and unfocused.  Do you ever wonder how photographers like Ansel Adams manage to avoid this calamity? Photograph artists use large format photography to produce the poster (and larger) sized images you see in art galleries.

Large format photography, like painting or sculpting, is an artistic skill.  A good photography must have the same elements of a good painting; depth perception, a focal point and use of color, for example.   Unlike a painting, however, a photograph is a snapshot of time.  To enlarge an object in a painting, the artist needs only the right size canvas and brushstroke.  To produce a large photograph, significantly more is needed.

"Goa Docks" by Photographer Jim McCabe

To start with, large format photography requires a large format camera.   Many large format cameras still have bellows on the sides, much like the cameras you see in old western films.  These bellows allow for the depth you see in larger photographs.  Large format photography cameras also have an available range of lenses.  Some of these lenses include macro, zoom and panorama.  A macro lens is used to take extreme close-up shots of small objects.  If you can see the veins in a bee’s wing or the hair on its legs in a large photograph where the bee is the focal subject, chances are a macro lens was used. A zoom lens brings an object into focus and detail when shot over a distance and a panoramic lens takes in a wide horizontal view.  While macro, zoom and panoramic settings are seen on point and click cameras, there is a very big difference between a setting and use of an actual lens.  The lens allows for a far sharper, detailed and professional photo.

Film is still a common medium in large format photography although some artists prefer digital.  There are advantages and disadvantages to both mediums; the choice between film and digital comes down to artist preference and photographic style.

Visiting a photography exhibit is a very rewarding experience.  Large format photography shows can exhibit everything from the beauty found under the ocean waves to the curling petal on a fading flower.  Photography reveals things about our world that we may never see otherwise. (The last time I was close enough to a bee to see the hair on its legs I was ducking for cover!)

TheArtGallerist.com carries a large selection of large format photography from emerging and professional artists.  Browsing the inventory at http://TheArtGallerist.com/ is a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the many different styles of art photography.

Artists tend to excel in different areas.  Some specialize in portraits, others in still life.  Some sculpt while others capture scenes from behind a camera lens.  Some create, others deconstruct.  There is a very special type of artist, however, that can take nature itself and reproduce it on canvas.  These are the artists that have mastered landscape paintings.

Landscape paintings differ from all other types of art.  The colors found in nature are extremely varied and the landscape itself is in constant motion.  Water laps at the edge of a sandbar, tall grass waves to and fro in the breeze, clouds drift in and out of the artist’s perception and the sun casts shadows at different angles throughout the day.  The challenge of landscape paintings is to capture the moment when all this motion pauses for a split second in perfect harmony and then to reproduce it in paint.

Cebolla Creek by Tom Lockhart

The landscape paintings that contain bodies of water (not to be confused with seascapes) demonstrate the unique skill set of the artist.    Bodies of water are seldom flat blue and are rarely still.  Even a quiet pond ripples as bugs play on the surface or the breeze whispers across its face.  Water has depth and subtle changes in color.  To show a ripple or a wave or even a few inches beneath the surface is a truly amazing feat.

Artists Tom Lockhart and Josh Moulton excel adding water to landscape paintings.    Lockhart’s Cebolla Creek Runoff is simply stunning.  Lockhart’s trademark use of bold color is well-suited to this piece; the whitesnow contrasts beautifully with the evergreens and the blue ribbon of Cebolla Creek looks fresh and cold from the melting snow.  The bumpy journey of the creek water over the rough creek bed is shown in the realistic rendering of the water’s surface.  Cebolla Creek Runoff is one of the many landscape paintings available at the Theartgallerist.com and can be viewed here: http://theartgallerist.com/product/cebolla-creek-runoff.

Old North Wharf, Nantucket by Josh Moulton

Contrasting Lockhart’s bold use of color is Josh Moulton’s Old North Wharf, Nantucket.  Mouton’s style is softer and carries a hint of nostalgia and romance.  In this painting, the water surrounding the wharf is serene and rippling gently.  Most striking, however, is Moulton’s ability to paint a reflection onto the water’s surface.   Also represented by Theartgallerist.com, Moulton’s Old North Wharf, Nantucket – a must see for all lovers of landscape art – is viewed here:  http://theartgallerist.com/product/old-north-wharf-nantucket.

Landscape paintings are like beautiful nature photographs.  They capture something that only is what is it is for a moment in time.  Then a blade of grass breaks or a twig falls.  The water shifts and a seed sprouts.  The scene that was will never be the same again except for what the artist has captured and frozen in time.

I want to be clear that when we talk about art websites, we are not talking about an artists own personal website.  Every artist should have their own website that they can promote and use as a place they can direct potential customers to view all of their work.  No one will ever be able to do a better job of optimizing their website for your name, especially if your URL includes your name.  The catch is while your website is the best for people who already know your name and are familiar with your work, you will have a hard time ranking high on the search engines for generic art search terms like “contemporary art for sale”.

At TheArtGallerist.com, we see ourselves and the role we as any traditional art “gallerist” would.  The only difference is that we assume responsibility for the online marketing and promotion of the artists we represent.  We have a vested interest in the success of our artists for the simple fact that we don’t earn a dime unless we successfully sell their artwork. We don’t limit our efforts to just putting an artist’s work on our website.  While this may be a hard concept for those not familiar with this level of service to understand, it is an important distinction.  If you invested your time, energy and money to promote an artist, how would you feel if a potential buyer that discovered that artist because of your efforts went off and purchased that artist’s work from a competitor?  That is very possible and very easy to do.  Once the new potential buyer has the artists name, there is nothing stopping them from either shopping that artist’s prices on another art website or contacting the artist directly to see if they can negotiate a better price.  The importance of price consistency and integrity in the business of fine art goes without saying.

So the take away of all this is by showing your work on multiple art websites you have not improved your chances of being found.  You have simply reduced the likelihood of your work selling from any one website by offering online alternatives.  The strongest online marketing website with the most traffic and strongest key word rankings that matter to you will always be on top of the list of places where artwork can be found.  The question is, once there will your work be found?  The likely answer to that question is maybe, but even if the answer is an overwhelming yes, is that website just an art website or the online gallery you want representing you?  Selling your art through multiple art websites does offer potential buyers a choice, but keep in mind the goal of every artist.  If you ever want your work be considered “collectible” and have the ability to raise the prices and value of your artwork over time, multiple art websites will make this very difficult because the natural inclination to close a sale is for the art website to start negotiating on price to sell your work.  I also know that if your prices are truly consistent then buyers will purchase from the gallery they feel most comfortable with, but giving potential buyers this choice in my opinion demonstrates your work and the galleries you work with are not that special.

What’s your opinion?

This closing did not surprise many in a town like Laguna Beach that boasts some 65 or so art galleries, but something that James Carona, the operating partner and manager of the Rohrer who is also a partner in two other art galleries in the west said did.  The comment he made that caught my eye and probably the eyes of many of those other art gallery owners was a comment he made when interviewed by the local independent newspaper.  Despite other reasons that were given for the closing, Mr. Carona acknowledged a growing shift to Internet sales for fine art.

While this is something we have been saying for years, he pointed out that “It’s all about maintaining relationships with clients. It matters less now whether people actually walk into an art gallery. We sell pieces all over the world through the web”.

"Floating Feathers" by Adam Thomas

As there are still those that feel the need to see and feel a work of fine art in person before they are willing to purchase it, many are becoming more accepting of buying fine art online when they know or have learned about the reputation and credibility of the online art gallery they are buying from.

At TheArtGallerist.com, we have taken many steps to ensure customers can feel completely safe and secure when buying fine art from us.  Since we work directly with juried artists who stand behind their work, we are able to do the same and do so by offering a 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.   If you want to buy art without risks, then buy from us as every sale comes with this guarantee.  If you are not satisfied for any reason with the fine art you have purchased from us, you can return it for a full refund.  Our accreditation by the Better Business Bureau in the United States with an “excellent” rating ensures our trustworthiness.

We value our customers and want them to not only continue to buy art from us but to recommend TheArtGallerist.com online fine art gallery to their friends.  We work hard every day to provide them with the best online art gallery experience, even providing them access to a separate “Artist Guestbook” where they can communicate with each artist directly before making their purchase decision.

To summarize, the closing of this art gallery undoubtedly means another will soon take its place.  At the same time one can conclude that traditional brick and mortar art galleries are also starting to realize that expensive fine art can be sold online if the art gallery has taken the steps to not only provide a good experience for customers, but has worked hard to maintain customer relationships once they are established.