Zatista The premier source for original art online

Intent on supporting artists and their art, an initiative called Crusade for Art has a mission to bring about a new interest and appreciation for art in regular Joes… and Bobs, or Sues. The Crusade for Art aims to ignite a passion – creating new art lovers, collectors and patrons. It is all about creating a discussion around art and connecting lovers with creators.

Jennifer Schwartz Crusade for Art van Lady Blue

Founded by Jennifer Schwartz, Crusade for Art is currently on the road, probably (hopefully) rocking some Dobie Gray, driving across the US-of-A in a 1977 VW bus, by the name of Lady Blue.

Crusade for Art van Lady Blue in New Orleans

Much like Zatista, the Crusade stresses buying original artwork, and representing the photographers creating that art. Essentially, Lady Blue herself will pull into a bustling, and of course artistic metropolis, will set up a pop-up event showcasing local and national photographers and their works. The catch is, the photographs are not for sale. Participants and passersby are encouraged to peruse the works and choose the work that gives them that love-love-triple-love feeling. Then they can engage in activities, and even get a chance to speak with the particular artist before taking the artwork home with them.

Crusade for Art on tou

The tour breaks down the stigma of art collecting and gallery hunting, and creates a space for artists to connect with the future aficionados in their own area.

Check out if Lady Blue will be setting up near you:

Los Angeles, CA – April 6

San Francisco, CA – April 13

Portland, OR – April 17

Seattle, WA – May 1

Chicago, IL – May 24

Cleveland, OH – May 26

New York, NY – June 2

Washington, DC – June 5

Richmond, VA – June 9

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The View I by Sharon Sieben on Zatista.com

Not that I would ever follow such guidelines or suggest them to a fellow artist, but the other day, out of curiosity, I searched “Best Subjects for Selling Paintings.” I found the following list on About.com, whose source was an Art Business Today survey done in 2003 based on sales of paintings in the UK. Further online research and other highly random and unscientific inquiries found that most lists fall in line with this one. Here they are in reverse order, with examples courtesy of Zatista artists. See if you can guess number one before you reach the end!

Sleeping Fox by Anne Lively on Zatista.com

10. Nudes.  9. Impressionistic landscapes.  8. Wildlife.  Do you agree with the bottom three placement of these themes?

Matador Beach, Malibu, California by John Kilduff on Zatisa.com

7. Seascapes, harbour, and beach scenes.  6. Figure studies (excluding nudes).  5. Dogs. How about the next three?

Violet Soul by Stephen Cimini on Zatista.com

4. Abstracts.  3. Modern or semi-abstract landscapes. 2. Local views.  Do you think these belong near the top or not?

Illuminated Pond by Silvia Trujillo on Zatista.com

1. Traditional landscapes.  This seems accurate, given the prevalence of this theme in both public and private collections throughout the centuries to this day. Sales figures and popularity aside, what do you think are the best subjects for painting? Let us know your choices and why.

Brian Sylvester is a guest blogger on WallSpin, and an artist on Zatista.

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The false Mary Todd - before and after restoration on nydailynews.com

In recent art news, it has been determined that a famous portrait of President Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd, which has been hanging in the Illinois governor’s mansion, is a fake. This deception was discovered by an art restorer, who found that the portrait is actually of an anonymous woman with elements added to the painting to make it appear as Lincoln’s wife.

The Goose Girl by Stanley Royle (originally credited to William Leach) on ireland-information.com

Art forgery is not a new concept, and I was surprised to learn that, according to Wikipedia, there are three categories of forgers: the person who actually creates the fraudulent piece, the person who discovers a piece and attempts to pass it off as something it is not, in order to increase the piece’s value, and the third who discovers that a work is a fake, but sells it as an original anyway.

A City on a Rock by 19th century forger Eugenic Lucas was once attributed to Goya on wikipedia.org

The Association for Research into Crimes against Art, or ARCA, is a non-profit organization that studies, offers education, and reports on art-related crime. A quick glance at their statistics shows that out of all countries, Italy leads the world in art crime. In 2001, 142,258 forgeries were recovered. A staggering number!

Leonardo or not? The controversal La Bella Principessa on telegraph.com

For art collectors, the best way to avoid frauds is to use common sense. Only deal with reputable dealers, and make sure each work comes with a certificate of authenticity. Educate yourself fully about the artists that you are interested in, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus a Vermeer fake by Van Meegeren on essentialvermeer.com

On Zatista, you can only find real works of art from real artists. There are no fakes or forgeries, just original artwork that is 100% guaranteed so you can always buy with confidence.

Brian Sylvester is a guest blogger on WallSpin, and an artist on Zatista.

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New Beginning 1 by Konnie Kim on zatista.com

Now that that the holidays are over and the season of making good on resolutions has begun, here are ten ways to bring more art into your life in 2012:

1.  Visit a museum or gallery – Museums and galleries are perfect spots for artistic inspiration and a low cost or even free way to spend an afternoon.

2.  Attend a lecture – Lectures are often intellectually stimulating no matter what the subject is, be it an artist’s talk or art historical exposé.

Abandon by Laura Carter on zatista.com

3.  Take a class or workshop – Most communities offer a wide variety of classes and workshops. If you’ve wanted to try your hand at creating some of your own art or crafts, this is the perfect way to start.

4.  Volunteer at a cultural institute or community center – Volunteers at museums and cultural centers are usually given free passes to events and shows. This is a great opportunity for a wide exposure to all types of art while helping to keep these institutions strong.

Tall Grasses - Blue by Michelle Han on zatista.com

5.  Check out some of the many wonderful art zines and artists blogs online – The internet is full of art blogs and zines, and most offer an unflinching view on the art community around the globe.

6.  Rent a movie about an artist’s life – There are many documentaries and biopics about artists out there.  Spend an evening and get to know your favorite.

Eucalyptus by Mary Lea Bradley on zatista.com

7.  Set aside daily time to create something (anything) and don’t forget to have fun – It only takes a few minutes each day to create something unique. Remember, practice makes perfect!

8.  Fill your coffee table with oversized art books – Go to your local bookstore and browse the bargain section. You can often find art books at a fraction of the original price.

Theater Crowd, King Street by Jacquelyn Sloane Siklos on zatista.com

9.  Take a walk with full attention to your surroundings – Both the city and the country are full of examples of artistic forms, natural and manmade, very much like a museum on the go.

10.  Last but not least, buy original art from Zatista.com – Zatista is the Internet’s premiere source for original art. With new additions added weekly, there is something for every taste.  Enjoy!

Brian Sylvester is a guest blogger on WallSpin, and an artist on Zatista.

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Here are some items I came across this weekend. Some are gifts, some are not. Either way, I thought I’d share them with you. Let us know what cool things you’ve found this holiday season, here on WallSpin.

1. Gift for the kids – What’s not to love about this modern doll house?

Brinca Dada Dylan Doll House from brincadada.com

2. Gift for the photo lover – Customize your own View Master:

Custom Viewfinder from image3d.com

3. Gift or brilliant idea for the cocktail party – A great way to keep track of your glass:

Chalkboard Wine Glass from chalkboardchina.com

4. Recipe for the holiday menu – This is a proven crowd pleaser:

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle from foodnetwork.com

5. Gift for the art lover, yourself or otherwise – There’s nothing better than the real deal from Zatista.com:

Looking South by Jan Ter Weele from Zatista.com

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