Social Networking for Art Collectors Update – artmarketblog.com

Social Networking for Art Collectors Update – artmarketblog.com

This is an update of my previous post with a few new additions. Social networks are all the rage at the moment so I thought that I would put together a list of the top social networks that would be of benefit to art collectors and art investors. Joining a social network gives you access to the knowledge of other art collectors and investors as well as the opportunity to view the work of artists from all over the world.  Below is a list of the top ten social networking sights that cater specifically to people interested in visual art.

http://www.openartcollection.com/

Open up your collection — and reap the rewards. By sharing your collection with other members you can nurture a network of fans and followers. As a collector you will benefit from the feedback and input of discerning art lovers, which could raise the profile of your work.

http://www.artween.com/

Register for free and you can link up with all the galleries that enthuse you and receive their latest news, as well as invitations to events. You can also discover artists from close to home or further afield and give international exposure to your own art before a public which is inspired by a common passion: art.

http://artkabinett.com/

Make new art friends from around the corner or globe. Discuss, blog, critique, and interact with other fine art enthusiasts just like you. Join the world’s free and fun social network which allows independent savvy collectors to link up and share their passion for art!

http://fineartamerica.com/communicate.html

FineArtAmerica.com is home to more than 10,000 artists, art collectors, and gallery owners from around the world.   Each day, these members are busy: posting new artwork, participating in online discussions, issuing press releases, advertising upcoming events, forming new art groups, chatting live online, and much more!

http://www.myartspace.com
myartspace is an online community with more than 50,000 artists, collectors, students, teachers, gallerists, curators, critics and art appreciators across the world. myartspace is free and open to all. Members can create a profile of themselves and upload an unlimited quantity of their work including images, music, audio narration and video.

http://www.artreview.com
artreview.com is an exciting new social networking site for the artworld, creating a global forum for discussion, interactivity and debate. artreview.com is a unique blend of editorial and community content, combining the insight and critical weight of some of today’s most important artworld voices with the input and opinions of everyday enthusiasts from around the world.

http://www.artmesh.org
#artmesh is an inspiring and innovative network for those who live and love the fine arts. The difference to other art communities is the fact that – additionally to just showcasing artist’s work – #artmesh focuses on the interests of art lovers and art professionals as well.#artmesh is about communication and collaboration, about inspiration and the exploration of the boundless possibilities of a progressive and innovative virtual art-network.

http://www.artslant.com
ArtSlant.com, the #1 contemporary art network, launched in Los Angeles in February, 2007. It is a sophisticated website that brings a local and in-depth focus to the contemporary art scene. ArtSlant’s profiles put the spotlight on everyone in the art community. Artists, art professionals, art orgs, and art lovers can have their own showcase to exhibit their work, expose their business or talk about their involvement in the scene. In our community you will also find picks and reviews, jobs and opportunities, schools, blogs, and groups.

http://www.artlog.com
Artlog is the place for you to connect with folks, share your work and discover innovative new art & design. Artlog is for art makers, insiders, organizations and art lovers. This global community of art lovers, artists and industry insiders is only as vibrant as you make it. So follow interesting artists, make professional connections, post your work and let your voice be heard – “If you see something, say something!

http://www.independent-collectors.com/
Independent Collectors is an online tool targeted at modern and inquisitive collectors. It makes building a personal network and sharing information about topics like artists, galleries or events much easier and faster. In their personal profiles, collectors can talk about art preferences and present their own collection. Specific search functions help to find like-minded collectors or those living in the same area.

http://www.artselector.com
The artselector contemporary fine art collective was originally set up by MA Fine Art graduates of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Royal College of Art. artselector offers an innovative visual directory of international contemporary fine artists, independent curators and galleries

http://www.rhizome.org
Rhizome’s community includes thousands of artists, academics, curators, critics, and other new media art enthusiasts. Profiles is a collection of community profiles that contains artist portfolios, blogs, biographies, and other details on each individual member. Profiles was developed in the hope of sparking connections and collaborations across regional or cultural boundaries and strengthening the new media art scene as a whole.

http://www.labforculture.org/en/labforculture/browse
We work with and for artists, arts and culture organisations and networks, cultural professionals and audiences in the 50 countries of Europe, as well as providing a platform for cultural cooperation between Europe and the rest of the world. Our mission is both to ensure that all those working on cultural collaboration have access to up-to-the-minute information and to encourage the cultural sector to become more experimental with online technologies.

http://www.artbistro.com
ArtBistro brings members of the visual art community together to network, advance careers, and to foster a community with exclusive benefits where information about artists and designers is provided by artists and designers.

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications

College Art Online – artmarketblog.com

College Art Online – artmarketblog.com

'Delaware' by Mindy Kober 45.00" x 38.00" $1000.00

There are many online galleries selling the work of student artists but the recently launched CollegeArtOnline.com is definitely one of the best. Since the site was launched on the 1st of March 2009, CollegeArtOnline.com has attracted plenty of attention by offering a fantastic range of affordable works of art by a group of highly talented student artists. According to their website “CollegeArtOnline.com was developed to bring art to the masses. As its name implies, the website sells original works of student art at affordable prices. CollegeArtOnline.com enables art enthusiasts the chance to buy an original piece of art and collect works from artists who are hitting their prime in the art world. With prices ranging up to $3,000 and the average piece costing around $200, CollegeArtOnline.com is able to offer original artwork at affordable prices to the client”

To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the work being sold by CollegeArtOnline.com and was able to identify several artists whose work I am definitely going to consider purchasing. One artist whose work immediately appealed to me was Houston, Texas born Mindy Kober. According to her bio “In her large scale drawings on paper, she juxtaposes stereotypical American characters and icons into foreign or created environments, where they can interact in various ways. These cultural relationships explore themes of politics, colonialism, diaspora, and nationalism, and environmental issues. Sampled images are taken out of context and combined in new ways for the viewer to interpret.” Definitely an artist worth watching.

Making the task of browsing the myriad of available works much easier is the excellent layout of the site which gives potential buyers the opportunity to either search for works using very specific parameters or effortlessly browse through the works on offer. With each work clearly priced and the shipping cost available without having to make enquiries or type in address details, all that the buyer has to do is decide which work they want. CollegeArtOnline.com takes a very reasonable 25% commission from works sold but registration is free for both buyers and sellers.

Check out College Art Online here:
http://www.collegeartonline.com

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications.

Susan Graham at Compound Editions – artmarketblog.com

Susan Graham at Compound Editions – artmarketblog.com

Susan Graham Vessel for Safekeeping (Survivalism) 2009 Porcelain Edtion of 50, plus 10 APs $250.00 each

It is good to see that there are people willing to make a stand against the global economic crisis and start new ventures to promote the work of emerging artists even though many would shy away from making such commitments. Two such people are the owners of Schroeder Romero and Winkleman Gallery who launched Compound Editions, a collaborative fine art multiples publishing venture, in November last year. The latest offering from Compound Editions is by New York based artist Susan Graham who has created a fantastically witty work that is very much a memento of our times. “Vessel for Safekeeping (Survivalism)” is a sort of “alternative” mantel piece ornament that consists of a hand sculptured and hand glazed porcelain lacy box which contains a porcelain credit card and porcelain scissors.

We all like to think that we have complete control over our financial status but Graham’s use of a very fragile and rigid material in the construction of the box, card, and in particular the scissors, suggests that we do not have as much control as we may think. Although a pair of scissors is provided to cut up the credit card the porcelain scissors are completely useless as though mocking the helplessness of the viewer. Even though we can’t cut the credit card with the scissors the fragility of the porcelain credit card makes it very vulnerable to damage, just like our financial status, if not properly taken care of. Graham also appears to be suggesting that our identities are very much defined by our financial status and that people judge others according to their financial means in much the same way as the sort of ornaments that a person has on their mantel piece can say a lot about them and and their family.

“Vessel for Safekeeping (Survivalism)” is an edition of 50 plus 10 APs and can be purchased for $250 from Schroeder Romero and Winkleman Gallery or by emailing compoundeditions[at]gmail.com

Further information and other editions can be found here:
http://compound-editions.blogspot.com/

Susan Graham has been included in numerous exhibitions in the United States and Europe including recent shows at the Tucson Museum Of Art, John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, Michigan; the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers, the Sherman Gallery at Boston University, Hunter College Leubsdorf Gallery, New York; the Musee d’art et d’industrie de Saint-Etienne, and the Musee International des Arts Modestes, Sete, France.

More info on Susan Graham and her work can be found here:

http://www.susangrahamart.com/

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications.

June Online Art Auctions – artmarketblog.com

June Online Art Auctions – artmarketblog.com

George S. Zimbel: 'Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder, The Seven Year Itch, New York, 1954'. Being auctioned by artnet auctions

Online auctions can be a great source of art for collectors and investors as long as you buy from a reputable auctioneer that offers a guarantee of authenticity and condition. All the auctioneers listed below are extremely reputable and totally trustworthy so you can feel confident in dealing with any of them. There are always great bargains to be had so it’s well worth taking the time to browse through the catalogues, you never know what you may find!!!!

Canadian auction house Heffel.com is currently auctioning a selection of works by Eastern Canadian and Western Canadian modernists including works by Paul-Emile Borduas, Leon Bellefleur and Mary Frances Pratt. This auction finishes on the 25th of June.

Browse works here:
http://www.heffel.com/online/Index_E.aspx

iGavel is currently auctioning a selection of Fine Art and Antiques from Southern Estates and Various Owners which finishes on the 30th of June. This diverse auction features a group of psychedelic posters from the San Francisco music scene of the 1960s, a number of old master paintings, work from the Florida school, paintings by accomplished American illustrators working in the first half of the 20th century and other works by notable 20th century artists including Bernard Buffet, John Newton Howitt, Oliver Chaffee, A.B. Davies, Hattie Saussey and John Stobart.

Highlights from the decorative arts include a 17th century ivory inlaid Spanish vargueno, silver and objects of vertu from Gorham, Tiffany and Cartier, coin silver, American weather vanes, Venetian glass, 18th Century Georgian Furniture, 18th Century pewter and many interesting group lots.

Browse items here:

http://auction.igavel.com/AuctionHelp.taf?S=N&R=2&C=2&return=50&sort=1&ST=1&days=&category_id=&_start=1&keyword=E3AB&_UserReference=7F000001471891E7E8D3991F1FD44A35006E

Now through June 25, artnet Auctions is featuring Icons: 20th-21st Century Photographic Portraits, a special sale of 250 original fine art photographs of legendary figures including Muhammad Ali, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jackie Kennedy, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and Kate Moss by renowned photographers from Louise Dahl-Wolfe to David LaChapelle.

Browse works here:

http://www.artnet.com/AUCTIONS/Pages/Common/Search/LotSearchResult.aspx?LotSearchState=1&Keyword=icons%20sale&SearchIn=AllArtWorks#scroll=1

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications.

Selling High-End Art Online – artmarketblog.com

Selling High-End Art Online – artmarketblog.com

There are many different websites where one can buy and sell art but most of those websites are for artists to sell their work directly to the public. What if you want to sell a valuable and prized work from your collection?. Are there websites that cater to the secondary market?. The answer to both questions is definitely, yes. When selling a valuable work of art on the secondary market the first thing that would pop into most people’s heads would be one of the major art auction houses. Of course, the big art auction houses are extremely good at what they do but if you feel that the work of art you want to sell would benefit from being exposed to a much wider audience, or you would like a more flexible selling option, then there are several online alternatives. The sites that I have chosen represent the very best of the secondary market online art brokers. There are several less prestigious alternatives but when it comes to selling a valuable work of art you will want to make sure you have the right people for the job. It might not seem like a big deal but displaying your work of art for sale through an online broker with a bad reputation could not only result in your work not selling but could also mean that your work will continue to be associated with that dodgy dealer for years to come. Therefore, if you are wanting to sell a valuable work of art on the secondary market I suggest you use one of the sites that I have listed below or do plenty of research before using another site.

http://www.artcycle.com

ArtCycle is a new online art broker that not only provide a place to sell you art but act as the agent for the whole transaction. One of the great things about ArtCycle is that there is no cost to you if ArtCycle do not sell the artwork. According to their website:

“As a consignment service, we offer a unique environment for art collectors to buy and sell work in a way that is personally and financially rewarding. We are not an auction house nor are we a traditional gallery. We are collectors, like you, who bring years of expertise coupled with a fresh take on how art should be purchased.”

ArtCycle is a very attractive option for those wishing to sell higher end works of art but don’t want to take the traditional art auction house route.

http://www.artnet.com

Artnet are one of the world’s top online destinations for pretty much anything to do with buying and selling fine art. As well as a price database, online magazine, videos, event listings and more, Artnet also conduct online auctions. Artnet online auctions are only for serious collectors as you have to apply to become a seller on artnet. After your application is reviewed by artnet, you will, if approved, be offered the opportunity to sell via artnet Online Auctions. The vetting process ensures that the quality of work auctioned via artnet remains high and that the sellers are reputable.

http://www.artquid.com

Artquid are another relative newcomer to the online art broking world who have proven themselves to be worthy of inclusion in this list. According to their website:

“ArtQuid is a global marketplace for Art and Antiques, where professionals (Art dealers, Art galleries, Artists) and individuals (Collectors) from around the world can create their own online Private Gallery so that interested buyers can browse and purchase any items they want directly from any location.”

A very professional site combined with very low fees starting at 9.95 euro makes artquid well worth considering. Because the site is relatively new I would suggest using artquid in conjunction with another more established site such as artprice.com.

http://www.artprice.com

If you have anything to do with fine art you will undoubtedly have heard of artprice, the world’s most popular database of art auction results. As well as the price database, artprice.com also has an online classified section where you can advertise works of art, antiques and design that you want to sale. The great thing about the artprice.com classifieds is that when you search the price database for a particular artist you also a list of the works by that artist which are advertised for sale in the classified section. This means that every time someone searches for information on the artist who created the work you are selling, the item you have for sale will

http://www.askart.com

AskART are a very well known and well established site that is primarily an online database that contains information and price data on over 155,000 artists. As well as providing information on artists, askart.com also provide a marketplace section where anyone can advertise a work of art that they want to sell.

According to their website, the benefits of using AskART are:

• Your ads go live on AskART immediately, giving you exposure to our over 70,000 daily visitors.

• Ad notification is automatically sent to all collectors in our database who have registered an interest in your artist.

• They offer low fees and easy administration

• Buyers contact you directly – AskART collects no other fees or commissions.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post there are many more websites that allow people to sell art online but many of them are far from adequate for those looking for a secure and reputable broker with a proven track record. The sites I have listed above are by far the best of the online art brokers and offer superior service plus a greater chance of a successful sale.

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications.