Zatista The premier source for original art online

If you are at all familiar with social media, you know Pinterest. That ghastly site that makes you want to shop, bake, cook, craft, and workout all at once. Launched in 2010, the website acts as a virtual bulletin board and bookmark for everything you love, love, triple love on the Internet. Known as the first stop for DIY projects, home décor ideas, and wedding planning, the site has not only attracted 25 million users, but keeps them there… probably for several hours… a day.

What I love about Pinterest is its ability to be a one-stop shop for online browsing and “window shopping”. I can simultaneously shop for shoes for that dinner party while I plan my new bedroom with all the finishing touches, and be linked to products’ original websites. 

At Zatista we utilise the powers of Pinterest to share our art. We create boards geared towards our favourite timeless photography, American paintings, hand-pulled prints, as well as boards full of art that are meant to inspire thoughts of the coming spring weather, or remind us of the beach.

Many may not realise it, but Pinterest is an excellent resource for shopping for a finishing touch to a room. With access to original art marketplaces like our own, Pinterest brings multiple art suppliers to you in one neat webpage. But how do you go about finding art perfectly suited to your dazzling taste on Pinterest? Start by checking out some of Zatista’s boards and the works we’re loving, or just browse what Pinterest’s Art category has to offer. Many of the pins may not link to a product’s site, but this is the best place to start. Look for colours you want, styles, and even specific mediums.

To make your searching as simple as possible, we’ve tried to check off all your searching tactics – great gifts, artworks under a certain price, decoration for the man-cave. It’s all there on our Pinterest boards.

What’s great about Pinterest is not only does it bring you to original artwork you can invest in, but it is a center of ideas on how to introduce art into your home. It can teach you how to be an at-home curator, so to speak. When you check out our Pinterest boards, you’ll find ideas and inspiration for integrating original artwork into your home as well as ways to decorate with art, and around it.

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest. If you don’t know where to start when choosing which artwork is the best investment for you, Pinterest can be a great ease into the process. We swear… Pinterest can be Producti – OH! Look at that Cupcake recipe – sorry. Productive.

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crusadeforart.com

As an update to Kate’s post last week on the Crusade for Art tour, I’m happy to report that Jennifer Schwartz‘s initiative to merrily bring art to the people is in full swing. After a successful first stop pop-up event in sunny Venice, CA, folks walked away happy, and with free art. Yes, you heard me!

crusadeforart.com

Straight from the Crusade for Art blog, “In case you need a refresher, five local photographers are curated into the project in each tour city. They each give away ten signed copies of one of their images in a 6x9ish size. The artists need to have chutzpah too, since they actively engage people walking by. This group was tops.”

The five artists featured in the Local Photographer Showcase (from left): Bootsy Holler, Tom Johnson, Shannon Leith, Kurt Simonson, Jeff Rau – each holding the image they gave away

The Crusade blog continues, “There wasn’t a single moment of pause – it was a chorus of “Would you like to become an art collector today for free?” and “Would you like an original signed photograph to take home today?”. Art guns blazing, charm for days – these photographers were amazing and each made it a point to have meaningful conversations with their new collectors about the image, about themselves, about the project, about the awesomeness of art.”

If this sounds 100% cool to you, check out the Crusade for Art blog for behind the scenes details of Lady Blue’s journey and meet up with the tour on one of their stops.

Crusade for Collecting Art crusadeforart.com

Feel the excitement and join the crusade! How can you resist hobnobbing with real live artists and taking home free art? I know I can’t!

crusadeforart.com

Because we at Zatista heartily believe in the cause, we have co-sponsored the Crusade for Art tour and welcome you to catch the fever. If you do, be sure to report back to us here on WallSpin about your experience.

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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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According to The New York Times’ Arts Beat blog, “The once-grand Knoedler gallery [in New York] has been accused again of selling a forged painting for $5.5 million that was attributed to an American master, in this case, the artist Mark Rothko.”

Knoedler & Co. Photo: galleristny.com

The NY Times continues, “The Martin Hilti Family Trust sued the gallery on Tuesday, stating that a forensic analysis of the work “Untitled (1956)” reveals that a particular red pigment used in the work “was not developed until the 1960s, years after the purported ‘1956’ date of the work.”

Untitled,1956 attributed to Mark Rothko

Arts Beat states, “This suit is the fourth filed in Manhattan federal court against Knoedler & Co. since it closed its doors in November 2011. It names Knoedler’s owner, Michael Hammer, its former president Ann Freedman, as well as Glafira Rosales, the Long Island dealer currently being investigated by the F.B.I. for supplying this painting and dozens of others to Knoedler.”

Left, the “Elegy” painting that the dealer Julian Weissman bought from Glafira Rosales and sold to an Irish gallery that later demanded its money back; right, Motherwell’s “Spanish Elegy (Alcaraz) XV,” from 1953, which is part of the catalogue raisonné sponsored by the Dedalus Foundation. Photo: NY Times

“One of the suits, filed over a $17 million work attributed to Jackson Pollock, was settled in October. A second suit was brought by Domenico DeSole, the chairman of Tom Ford’s fashion firm, and his wife, Eleanore, over a $8.3 million work attributed to Mark Rothko, while a third was filed by John D. Howard, a Wall St. executive, over a $4 million painting attributed to Willem de Kooning.”

A PURPORTED POLLOCK A Rosales painting signed “J. Pollock” and sold for $17 million to a London hedge-fund director who is suing for a refund. Photo: NY Times

“Mr. Hammer’s lawyer, Charles D. Schmerler, said: “The Hilti complaint rehashes the same baseless claims contained in the prior lawsuits. Given the attention this matter has received, it is not unexpected to see copycat suits filed. We plan to aggressively litigate this case and expect to see Knoedler and Mr. Hammer fully vindicated.”

From in-depth Vanity Fair article, "A Question of Provenance" PHOTO: BY NINA LEEN/TIME & LIFE PICTURES/GETTY IMAGES

“Ms. Rosales’ lawyer has said that she has never knowingly sold any forged works.”

The forgery stamp that the Dedalus Foundation put on the back of the disputed Motherwell “Elegy” as part of a court settlement.

“Ms. Freedman’s lawyer, Nicholas Gravante Jr, provided a statement from her that said: “These paintings were exhibited in museums around the world and heralded as masterworks. This particular Rothko was featured at the Beyeler Foundation in 2002. The personal vendettas and professional jealously behind the attacks on the works and on my reputation should be obvious.”

What’s the truth? There’s a lot of reporting out there on this topic. Do a little reading on the topic and you be the judge. Let us know what you think here on WallSpin.

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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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