Saturday, November 24, 2012

What About the Price??



by Cat Corcilius
"A Good Squeeze" 12x9 Original Oil

Everyone has a different opinion about what kind of art they like, and along with that, what price they would pay for it. Unfortunately sometimes a high price can lead some people to think that because the price is high, then of course it must truly be “art.” Price does not always indicate what is good art and what isn't. I paint both Western and Contemporary still life's at prices that offer something for everyone.  
 
When you buy a piece of art, you are purchasing something you truly love and want to see every day.  Something about it just grabs you; maybe as a kid you watched your Mom squeeze lemons or oranges for juice with an old green glass juicer like the one in my contemporary painting, "A Good Squeeze."  Or maybe the flowers you see in a western painting have always been your favorite.  You choose your purchase with care, western or contemporary art, once you have it, you take the time to find just the perfect spot for it. 
 
To some people the price includes the value of the artist who painted it, their reputation, how well known they are, and that is perfectly acceptable, they are buying for investment as well as for the beauty of the painting. 
 
If you would like to know the price of one of my western or contemporary paintings, please ask….there is no obligation.  I’d love to hear from you if you have any questions or comments about one of my paintings.

Monday, November 19, 2012

How I choose things to paint

                                              "Moonshine Gambler" 14x18 Oil



Old Brown Jug
When I was a kid, my family wasn’t rich, both my parents worked and I was a latch-key kid before it became a popular term for kids who came home from school to an empty house.  Saturday was shopping day.  My Mom loved to go to second-hand stores.  Inevitably she would find something she needed for the house, and the price was  always right.  Of course she dragged me along and what started out as a chore for me soon became a treat as time went by.

Mom always wondered what stories the things we saw could tell.  She taught me to look beyond the dirt and dust that was prevalent in the second hand stores, to see the beauty and history hidden in long forgotten objects that were once held dear by someone.  

The valuable lessons my Mom taught me carry over into my life now as an artist.  A few weeks ago I found an old brown whiskey jug in a second hand store. The old jug was a deep rich mahogany brown that shined a smooth mellow glow in the light.  I imagined a western or contemporary painting telling a story about moonshine whiskey, a gambler and a gun.   And yes, I wondered what sights this thing had seen, had it really held moonshine and who might have owned it?  You can see how I used the old brown jug in my western painting called "Moonshine Gambler"