Investing in art has many aims and triggers.
You may be investing in art pieces that inspire good feelings or reflections of your outlook on life; or you may consciously aim to see a financial return and get your primary satisfaction from spotting a talent early on and making wise decisions about purchases that accrue in monetary value, whether in private or public collections.
Here's the first in a series of blogs which focus in on two or more of our artists to make the case for why they stand out from the crowd and offer all kinds of rewards to their buyers...
The artist duo we're highlighting this month often share a studio but differ entirely in aims and ethos. We're convinced their close friendship and candid creative interaction have stimulated the contrasting development of Wendi Weller and Denise Liebermann.
We select and show art primarily on the basis of creativity and quality, rather than pre-existing reputation: Wendi and Denise put a big tick in both boxes. Since last year, they regularly exhibit at our Georgian town-centre space, attracting a string of international sales and commissions.
Their work has a distinctive edge and energy - yet they engage viewers totally differently. Arresting, irresistible images appeal either to emotional or intellectual triggers.
With her background in textiles and block printing and a passion for garden design, Wendi innovates with rich and lustrous colour, pattern and form to create her own brand of floral art, experimenting with botanical reality and fantasy.
Tuned into interior trends and fashion, she designs paintings to enhance contemporary and boho interiors as well as more traditional settings. Her work appeals across generations, cultures and nationalities.
Transitioning between semi-abstract and semi-figurative floral art, canvases are usuaully large. They always carry an exuberant ‘feel good factor’, especially as statement pieces in a room: “My garden is my inspiration and my studio there is an oasis of creativity and positivity that translates into my work. I love it when people instantly respond to my paintings in a sensory, expressive way.”
Cerebral or thoughtful is more typical of the reaction to Denise’s core work. Her striking large and lean oil paintings of figures – or figures with dogs – have immediate impact. Yet they also invite interrogation. She explores 21st century themes of identity, introspection and connection, playing with co-existing ideas of human attachment and detachment.
Working with a limited palette and taking on daring feats of perspective and pose, Denise often depicts ambiguous figures who curl into a chair or turn away from us. They may not be holding our gaze – their features may not even be distinct - but they are crying out for us to look at them and interpret their story.
They’re not about likeness but about the human condition and our deepest feelings. About solitude, strength and, sometimes, rebellion. The dogs, often equally present, are resilient, intelligent creatures suggesting the human-to-animal emotional bond, so vital in many people’s lives.
Denise adds: “When you look at my paintings you’ll first notice the daring perspective and foreshortening or the unusual viewpoint. Then you’ll wonder what came before and what happens next. I want you to enjoy wondering and reflecting.
“Chris invites viewers into this story. We have a really positive artist-gallery relationship – not to be taken lightly at any stage in an artist’s career but especially near the beginning.”
Comentarios