Tag Sale Discovery!

A visit to a neighborhood tag sale reminded me of another great way to collect Real Art for Kids. There on the living room wall was an original Pamela Holeman acrylic on canvas painting (48" x 36") for sale. Holeman's women were well known in the 1960's through the 1990's for their gorgeous juxtaposition of patterns and painterly colors. This painting was no exception. The reclining woman was wearing a lovely white on white dress trimmed with lace. She was resting on a multicolored quilt against a stunning background of peach tulips, white hydrangea and lavender bluebells. Although the painting was signed with the artist's last name on the front, and her full name, painting title, date, location and hanging instructions on the back, the price tag affixed by the resale company was a fraction of the real value.
Pamela Holeman was a Silvermine Guild artist in the 1970's and her work was frequently shown there, as well as at prominent galleries. I was able to buy this painting for 1/3 of the tag sale company's asking price so I hope my granddaughter, who has been quilt making since the age of 8, likes it. If not it will go into the galley at a great price for all!

Photography is Art

Why not hang family photographs in a child's room as an introduction to the art world? A casual, as well as a more formal, image can work beautifully. The kids can be involved in choosing the picture, as well as picking an appropriate mat and/or frame. My four year old grandson makes marvelous photographs......his eye view is just right for capturing unique angles. His father took fantastic photos of Pompeii when he was the same age. No one had quite captured the ruins from such a low, but powerful angle before! Photography is art, after all, and now is a great time to make wonderful memories, as well as honing your young photographer's eye.

Wear a Peg Wednesday! What a great Idea!

Pegs are clothespins, and the deal is to decorate one with your kids, and wear it on Wednesday, December 23rd, to remind the world to be a nicer place. The poster from Well H. Teddy explains it all.

"Alexandra Huber in America"......kiddies love her art....

Alexandra Huber's art attracts the kids because they get her and she gets them as well. She has never lost her childhood love of color and line, nor have the rules of art stifled her creativity. You know....the color inside the lines rule, and the grass is green rule, etc. Huber's work is exuberant and joyful, and very very collectable. Considering the fact she is an international star, the work is also very affordable. Recent European shows were close to sell outs despite the economic climate they are suffering as well. There are many pages of her works illustrated when you click on the title link. Ask your kids to tell you what they see and enjoy the viewing!

Ship's Return for little sailors

This stunning painting called "Ship's Return" is perfect for a nautical room. It's another gem by Theresa Prokop, retired nurse, turned painter. The piece measures 16" x 20", oil on canvas, and priced at $650. Theresa's work is widely collected and she is a very respected Folk Art painter. In an earlier post you can see a childhood slate bordered painting of an African American rural scene, which is also available. Her works never get old, and compliment period as well as contemporary homes. All this work is available through Beverly Kaye Gallery in Woodbridge, CT and on-line at http://www.Artbrut.com
Click on the green title above and you will come to this page.

A lovely game of marbles and memories......

This artist, with childhood memories intact, traveled with his family, sharecropping their way through the South, and finally landed in Connecticut. Willard James, Sr. has a wonderful portfolio illustrating this hard, but honest life, working through fields and orchards, and the joy inherent in each of his painting is obvious. 
"Steelee Man" is acrylic on board, 16" x 20", at $650 and brings me back to the days when my Dad reminisced about marble games in the schoolyard. Some things do change........and are worth capturing.

Forget Basquiat and Dubuffet, try Huber

Although I dearly love Basquiat and Dubuffet, not many budgets can afford them anymore. But, Alexandra Huber's engaging paintings are a different story. Her very affordable original works are not just for kids, but kids love them. Her art is in museum collections in Germany and many private collections in the United States. They have take 2009 art fairs by storm, even in these trying economic times. These delightful, childlike  25.5" x 19.5" mixed media pieces make quite an impact, and will be treasured for posterity. She also is well known for her 6" x 6" pieces which work well alone or in groups. Huber has had many one woman shows, and she's been published in many catalogues and as well as Folk Art magazine and Raw Vision magazine. One of my most popular artists at Beverly Kaye Gallery. Within the next month, new works will be posted on the site, but I always have a large portfolio of her works available. See much more of her work here

An Idyllic view of childhood....

Picnics. sailboats, harbors, country scenes all filled the canvases of Theresa Prokop when she started to paint. After a career as a nurse for many years, painting became a priority and her popular work became quite well known in the folk art world. I have several fine examples and the first one is called "God Bless America", which is oil on stretched canvas, with painted edges, needing no frame, 18" x 24", and the price is $750. It has a wonderful ABC border, resembling children's slates of earlier times, and is an idyllic view of a joyful African American community at work and at play. A work of art for the whole family and perfect for a child's room.

Sandy Mastroni, from painted furniture to Museums.....

How delighted would your kids be to know that a painter, who used to decorate furniture, and who is now in the Hurn Museum, could also be featured on a wall in their room? Jonas Brothers posters come and go, but real art lasts a lifetime. "The Lady in a Red Chair" is stunning in primary colors and perfect for a cat lover, as well as a child who appreciates bold colors. "My Cat Knows" will be published shortly in a book about Self-taught and Outsider artists, and "Red Hat, Yellow Vase" is subtle but smart. Consider real art, your children will thank you! Click on the title and you will be brought to more original paintings by this very popular self-taught painter.

Welcome to my world!

As a private dealer of self-taught and outsider art, I have learned that curious kids in the neighborhood, as well as my little grandchildren enjoy seeing much of the work I represent. Children are open to all types of art, so why spend money on temporary works when a lifetime collection can start when the collectors themselves are still very young? I dedicate this site to my Mother, who wisely brought me to Saturday classes at the Worcester Art Museum when I was just six years old.
You can see more of the art I represent here
and become a FAN of Beverly Kaye Gallery on facebook as well!