The Art Of Buying Art . Steven Rothman"

2014-12-08T17:37:00.003-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
In an ongoing effort to separate art world facts from fantasy, This is an interesting article I found on the web.
Successful artist/gallery relationships are built on trust, knowledge, cooperation and understanding, and the better and more informed artists are about how art galleries really work, the greater the chances that their gallery relationships will succeed and prosper. So are you ready to exorcise those erroneous notions? Excellent...
Misconception: Art galleries have people ready to buy any art they have to offer.
Reality: This isn't even close to being true. The opposite is true; a gallery has to convince their client base that work by new gallery artists is worth considering for their collections.
Misconception: Galleries are responsible for doing all the work and all the publicity for their shows. The only thing the artists have to do is bring in the art.
Reality: Active and continued participation and involvement by the artist is an essential part of any successful artist/gallery relationship.
Misconception: Galleries are loaded with money.
Reality: No way. The opposite is far more often the case.
Misconception: Galleries don't represent enough artists; they need more.
Reality: Sorry, wrong again. Most galleries already have more art and artists than they can handle. What they really need is more buyers.
Misconception: Getting gallery representation will automatically make an artist's career because galleries are the key to fame and the fast track to fortune.
Reality: There is no instant fix in artland, like one day you're nobody and the next day you're huge. Becoming successful and established as an artist happens gradually over a period of time, and is based on a consistent and successful track record of shows, accomplishments and sales. Getting gallery representation is nothing more than step one in a long and arduous process.
Misconception: Art galleries are the enemy. The relationship between artist and gallery is adversarial, not collaborative.
Reality: You're kidding, right? No gallery works against its own artists; they'd only be hurting themselves if they did. Galleries do everything they can to maximize the success of every artist they represent. Artists should return the favor by doing everything they can to maximize the success of the galleries that represent them.
Misconception: Collectors always pay full gallery retail prices for art.
Reality: Many collectors want to pay less than retail. Artists should understand this, be flexible about it, and be willing to split any discounts that galleries are forced to offer buyers in order to make sales. Here's something you probably don't know-- it's not uncommon for a gallery to take a hit by offering a discount to a buyer, eating the lost revenue themselves and never telling the artist.
Misconception: Galleries make huge profits.
Reality: Laughable.
Misconception: Galleries have hardly any expenses.
Reality: Rent, insurance, alarm system, utilities, phone bills, equipment, supplies, packing, shipping, transportation, furnishings, computers, publicity, art fairs, announcements, memberships, dues, advertising, employees, and so on and so forth ad infinitum.
Misconception: Galleries should pay for all incidentals including shipping, framing, hanging, travel expenses, and so on.
Reality: Be willing to split some of these expenses with the gallery, especially if the relationship is new and untested. The gallery is already investing plenty of time and money in you and your art... and hoping to sell enough of it to at least break even. If an artist is blue chip or the artist/gallery relationship is longstanding and successful, handling of expenses may be different, but in situations where the artist is unproven, the gallery needs all the help and cooperation they can get.
Misconception: If a gallery can't sell an artist's art, they're entirely to blame because they're not working hard enough to sell it.
Reality: Uh-uh. Outside factors like personal tastes, trends and fashions, reviews by critics, word of mouth, publicity, the health of the economy, and much more come into play all the time.
Misconception: If a gallery isn't interested in an artist's art, it's because they don't understand it.
Reality: According to whom? The artist or the gallery? It is incumbent upon artists to learn how to present their art effectively in relatively short periods of time. Established gallery owners see lots of art all the time and have acquired the skills necessary to make decisions reasonably fast. They simply do not have the time to sit and listen to artists' lengthy explanations about their art, and then be quizzed and judged as to whether they understand the art well enough yet.
Misconception: Selling art is easy.
Reality: So is climbing Mount Everest in your underwear. Selling a commodity that's generally expensive and serves no practical purpose is anything but easy. If you think otherwise, you have no idea of the verbal acrobatics gallery owners go through in order to make sales.
Misconception: Art sells itself and galleries have nothing to do with selling it. All gallery owners do is sit around while people come in and buy.
Reality: You can't be serious. No art sells itself. There's a huge difference between someone liking a work of art and buying it. That difference is called selling.
Misconception: Giving a 50% commission to galleries is too much. The artists are the ones who do all the work. Galleries only work for a few days setting up shows.
Reality: First of all, galleries typically have far more expenses than artists. Secondly, selling art is a full-time job-- at the gallery, over the phone, online, personally visiting collectors, exhibiting at art fairs, and more. Gallery owners spend all day every day trying their absolute best to make sales.
Misconception: Galleries get rich while artists stay poor.
Reality: The large majority of galleries have just as much trouble surviving financially as artists do. A gallery owner getting wealthy by selling art is very rare indeed.
Misconception: All artists contribute to the success of their galleries.
Reality: In the large majority of cases, only a few artists keep galleries solvent and afloat. Sales of art by the artists who do really well with a gallery often pay for the artists who tend not to sell well.
Misconception: Galleries are wealthy because they're the link between artists and rich people.
Reality: You still think that after reading all this?
Misconception: Just because a gallery has an artist's art, they have to display it and give the artist shows.
Reality: Far more often than not, galleries start slowly with artists, perhaps taking several works on consignment and showing them selectively to see how their clienteles respond. They also want to make sure the artists are responsible and easy to work with before getting in too deep. Assuming all goes well, a show is typically in the offing.
Misconception: Galleries have power and influence in the art world; they control markets and determine tastes.
Reality: The exact opposite is way far more often the case.
Misconception: When an artist leaves one gallery and goes to another, their collectors automatically go with them.
Reality: Unless an artist is already successful or hotter than hot, collectors' typically remain loyal to the galleries, not to the artists those galleries represent.
Misconception: If an artist gets a gallery show, they're automatically going to sell lots of art and make lots of money.
Reality: No guarantees whatsoever on this. Work hard, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best... just like the gallery owner is doing.
Misconception: If a show doesn't sell well, the gallery didn't want it to.
Reality: Are you saying that galleries sometimes deliberately sabotage their own shows in order to make as few sales and as little money as possible? This makes absolutely zero sense.
Misconception: Galleries only show art that's salable.
Reality: No way! Galleries bring new art and new artists to the attention of the public all the time. They deeply believe in the artists they show, in the validity of their art, and that the public at least deserves to see it-- whether they ultimately end up buying or not.
Misconception: Good publicity or good reviews by critics automatically translate into sales.
Reality: You hope.
Misconception: Galleries have the capacity to make museums either show or buy their artists' art.
Reality: Not even close.
Misconception: Gallery owners don't like art; they're only in it for the money.
Reality: Nobody who's "in it for the money" would ever be stupid enough to open an art gallery.
Misconception: Any gallery is right for an artist, no matter what kind of art that artist makes.
Reality: Galleries are extremely particular about the types of art and artists they show, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, only show very narrow and highly defined types, styles or genres of art.
Misconception: Regular communication between an artist and their gallery is not necessary; everybody understands everything and nothing really needs to be said.
Reality: Clear, open and ongoing communications are essential to any successful artist/gallery relationship.
Misconception: Galleries never need to be thanked or acknowledged for what they do. It's all about the art and the gallery really has nothing to do with anything other than exhibit it.
Reality: A little appreciation goes a long way. Galleries invest incredible amounts of time and effort in publicizing and presenting their artists. To repeat, no art sells itself.
Misconception: A gallery should show whatever works of art the artists wants them to.
Reality: Not true. Give the gallery flexibility in deciding what to show; let them curate the art. Galleries know what works best for them, what their collectors tend to prefer, and how to organize and present art in compelling and effective ways. The works of art that a gallery decides to show can certainly be open to discussion, but know that they have your best interests in mind when making their final selections.
Misconception: Galleries have a duty to look at and consider all artist submissions regardless of who the artists are, what their art looks like, or how well it fits in with the types of art that the galleries typically show.
Reality: Galleries are continually bombarded and overwhelmed with submissions, most have more than enough artists on their rosters, most have their exhibition calendars booked up at least a year in advance, most don't even have enough time to attend to the artists they already represent.
Misconception: Galleries should respond to an artist's every need, personal or otherwise.
Reality: This is a business relationship, not a personal one; always remember that. Save personal matters for friends and family.
Misconception: The relationship between an artist and a gallery should always be the same no matter what happens over time.
Reality: Things change; nothing ever remains the same. Artist/gallery relationships are always evolving, so be prepared.
Misconception: All galleries and gallery owners are the same.
Reality: Galleries are as unique and idiosyncratic as collectors (if not more so).
Misconception: No matter when you appear at a gallery that represents you, the gallery owner should show you immediate attention.
Reality: That's just plain rude and self-centered. At least give the gallery owner advance notice that you're coming, or better yet, make an appointment.

2014-11-24T16:56:00.001-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2014-11-24T16:31:00.002-08:00

How To Buy Art
I can help you learn the art of collecting the right art!
Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasing.
Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,wine ,diamonds or precious metals. Sotherby's last year just had close to a billion dollar month
But has art always been a commodity ?
Investing in art, what does that mean?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with this term . I hear it everyday. I get asked about investing in art at least several times a week. I myself invest in a lot of art.
But this is a very tricky term . Why ? Because like any other commodity ,we look at supply and demand.
But there is a difference with art, " It is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". This is usually based on a secondary market.
But let see, not in all cases. See legitimate galleries and successful artists want to hold value . We want to see talented artists create value on there work .We like to see a nice increase in the art over the years to come. I try to encourage my clients to buy originals. They will hold more value in the future, much more than a giclee or print.
See when we are buying art either through a gallery or an auction ,we usually run into two types of buyers. We have a buyer that loves the piece for the pure emotional connection, can't wait to hang the piece in there home .They look at the art for long term .The icing on the cake is if the artist does very well and the art increases in value. So we look at this as a long term purchase.Then years later they may want to sell, liquidate or pass down. Then we have the buyer who feels they are buying art for an investment. They are seeking art for a secondary market value. They may want to flip the piece quickly or wait a few years . Some may store the art and never showcase .
Well we know that a lot of the old masters works are selling for millions. We all hear how much these masterpieces have been selling for, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo and now Pollock ,Warhol's, Rothko and many more . But the last ten years maybe more, we are seeing an incredible increase in modern day contemporary artists whose works are selling for large sums of money. Could this be the next big trend. Well we did see a bubble with art in the early 90's and like any bubble it deflates . We saw a decline . But we are starting to see this incline happen again, why?
Well my theory is the internet and I do not mean buying art on the internet .I mean we can learn about the artist. See what they are working on .We can reach out to them, communicate with them .We can track their prices .Who is buying there art and why. I believe now we are buying the art and the artists career. You can read up on an acclaimed artist .See where there career is going .Who they are doing commissions for, A perfect example are artist doing commissions for country, government, ambassador relations or corporations .We can see who is acquiring this art.
So we do not have to wait for an artist to pass before we see an incline in value on the art and on the artist. We are seeing values of art go up to 200% within a 5 to 7 years

But Beware!
.
One red flag is price jumping to quickly within months. This game is played a lot with edition art . for example giclee's and prints.
The exception would be bronze sculptures .The reason bronzes, the editions are still considered originals even though they a have an edition. Each one will look a little different from the process and the patina. The medium is one of the most expensive processes in the art world .The foundry work alone is a craft and quite an expense for the artist. So yes this work goes up quickly because of the cost of materials ( metals ) and the long process to create a piece.

We all can get fooled with hype at times .
Do not get sucked into buy now because tomorrow it will be twice the amount. Please if investments were that great .We would be hearing about these artist on CNBC or in the Wall Street Journal and the Rupert Murdoch' s of the world would be buying this art. Trust me this art deflates on the secondary market dramatically. I am not taking anything away from these artist or there talent .They could be taking great photo's or painting great art. But most of the time the artist is inflating prices to create an urgency into buying his or her art .If you feel like you are being sold a timeshare in a gallery most likely you are. you are overpaying for your art.
These are my opinions. The best is to always do your research with this type of art.
Posted by Steven Rothman www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2013-05-03T18:28:00.001-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
Steve Rothman
Bellagio

One of the reasons I decided to open my own gallery "Bellagio International Gallery" was to have the opportunity to work with numerous artist .Where in the past, I had worked with one artist that owned numerous galleries. The Idea to bring in different styles of art which would give customers a variety of medium's and techniques to learn and experience all the different forms of art and artists from around the world.
We have such a variety of talent, major superstars and up and coming stars that are taking the art world by storm. We have a brilliant new artist from Quebec City .We also have some phenomenal veterans from, San Francisco, L.A. , New York , Argentina and even Russia
While selling art in Las Vegas I felt a little confined working with one artist. I wanted customers to be able to walk into a gallery and experience all forms of art .Give them a variety of choices to choose from. We all know every one's tastes differ .That's what was so exciting, to pull a variety of artist in one gallery. But keeping in mind not to make the gallery to overwhelming.
Again art does compete with art ,but a nice variety of completely different styles and mediums makes for a nice selection. Which has made for a very successful galley.
I love seeing new and young artist become a success ,the reason why is the art business is very hard to succeed in.

So when a new artist starts to take off, it usually means he or she is doing something new and different. Do not be afraid to buy from a gallery with a new artist, if you like their work. It is very difficult to have your work placed in galleries.
So the gallery has a good reason to put up the work, they believe in the artist.

2012-12-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
How To Buy Art
I can help you learn the art of collecting the right art!
Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasing.
Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,wine ,diamonds or precious metals. Sotherby's just had close to a billion dollar month
But has art always been a commodity ?
Investing in art, what does that mean?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with this term . I hear it everyday. I get asked about investing in art at least several times a week. I myself invest in a lot of art.
But this is a very tricky term . Why ? Because like any other commodity ,we look at supply and demand.
But there is a difference with art, " it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". This is usually based on a secondary market.
But let see, not in all cases.See legitimate galleries and successful artists want to hold value . We want to see talented artists create value on their work .We like to see a nice increase in the art over the years to come. I try to encourage my clients to buy originals! They will hold more value in the future, much more than a giclee or print.
See when we are buying art either through a gallery or an auction ,we usually run into two types of buyers. We have a buyer that loves the piece for the pure emotional connection, can't wait to hang the piece in there home .They look at the art for long term .The icing on the cake is if the artist does very well and the art increases in value. So we look at this as a long term purchase.Then years later they may want to sell, liquidate or pass down. Then we have the buyer who feels they are buying art for an investment. They are seeking art for a secondary market value. They may want to flip the piece quickly or wait a few years . Some may store the art and never showcase .
Well we know that a lot of the old masters works are selling for millions. We all hear how much these masterpieces have been selling for, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo and now Pollock ,Warhol's, Rothko and many more . But the last ten years maybe more we are seeing an incredible increase in modern day contemporary artists whose works are selling for large sums of money. Could this be the next big trend. Well we did see a bubble with art in the early 90's and like any bubble it deflates . We saw a decline . But we are starting to see this incline happen again, why?
Well my theory is the internet and I do not mean buying art on the internet .I mean we can learn about the artist. See what they are working on .We can reach out to them, communicate with them .We can track their prices .Who is buying there art and why. I believe now we are buying the art and the artists career. You can read up on an acclaimed artist .See where there career is going .Who they are doing commissions for, A perfect example are artist doing commissions for country, government, ambassador relations or corporations .We can see who is acquiring this art.
So we do not have to wait for an artist to pass before we see an incline in value on the art and on the artist. We are seeing values of art go up to 200% within a 5 to 7 years
But Beware!
It is real easy to walk into some artist owned galleries that sell only their own work and be fooled by the smoke and mirrors .
One red flag is price jumping to quickly within months. This game is played a lot with edition art . for example giclee's and especially photography.
The exception would be bronze sculptures .The reason with bronze.The editions are still considered originals even though they a have an edition. Each one will look different from the process and the patina. The medium is one of the most expensive processes in the art world .The foundry work alone is a craft and quite an expense for the artist. So yes this work goes up quickly because of the cost of materials ( metals ) and the long process to create a piece.

We all can get fooled with hype at times .
Do not get sucked into buy now because tomorrow it will be twice the amount. Please if investments were that great .We would be hearing about these artist on CNBC or in the Wall Street Journal and the Rupert Murdoch' s of the world would be buying this art. Trust me this art deflates on the secondary market dramatically. I am not taking anything away from these artist or there talent .They could be taking great photo's or painting great art. But most of the time the artist is inflating prices to create an urgency into buying his or her art .If you feel like you are being sold a timeshare in a gallery most likely you are. you are overpaying for your art.
These are my opinions. The best is to always do your research with this type of art.
Posted by Steven Rothman

2012-12-26T10:49:00.000-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
How To Buy Art
I can help you learn the art of collecting the right art!
Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasing.
Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,wine ,diamonds or precious metals. Sotherby's just had close to a billion dollar month
But has art always been a commodity ?
Investing in art, what does that mean?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with this term . I hear it everyday. I get asked about investing in art at least several times a week. I myself invest in art.
But this is a very tricky term . Why ? Because like any other commodity ,we look at supply and demand.
But the difference with art, " it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". This is usually based on a secondary market..
But not in all cases, see legitimate galleries and successful artists want to hold value . We want to see talented artists create value on their work .We like to see a nice increase in the art over the years to come. I try to encourage clients to buy originals! They will hold more value in the future, much more than a giclee or print
See when we are buying art either through a gallery or an auction ,we have two types of buyers. We have a buyer that loves the piece for purely the emotional connection, can't wait to hang the piece in their home and they look at the art for long term .The icing on the cake is the artist does very well and the art increases in value. So we look at this as a long term purchase.Then years later they may want to sell liquidate or pass down. Then we have the buyer who feels they are buying art for an investment. They are seeking art for a secondary market value. They may want to flip the piece quickly or wait a few years . Some may store the art and never showcase .
Well we know that a lot of the old masters work can be worth millions. We all hear how much these masterpieces have been selling for, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo and now Pollock ,Warhol's, Rothko and many more . But the last ten years maybe more we are seeing an incredible increase in modern day contemporary artists whose works are selling for large sums of money. Could this be the next big trend. Well we did see a bubble with art in the early 90's and like any bubble it deflates . We saw a decline . But we are starting to see this incline happen again, why?
Well my theory is the internet and I do not mean buying art on the internet .I mean we can learn about the artist. See what they are working on .We can reach out to them, communicate with them .We can track their prices .Who is buying their art and why. I believe now we are buying the art and the artists career. You can read up on an acclaimed artist .See where there career is going .Who they are doing commissions for an example artist doing commissions for country, government, ambassador relations or corporations .We can see who is acquiring this art.
So we do not have to wait for an artist to pass before we see an incline in value on the art and on the artist. We are seeing values of art go up to 200% within a 5 to 7 years
But Beware!
It is real easy to walk into some artist owned galleries that sell only their own work and be fooled by the smoke and mirrors .
One red flag is price jumping to quickly within months. This game is played a lot with edition art . for example giclee's and especially photography.
The exception would be bronze sculptures .The reason with bronze.The editions are still considered originals even though they a have an edition. Each one will look different from the mold process and the patina. The medium is one of the most expensive processes in the art world .The foundry work alone is a craft and quite an expense for the artist. So yes this work goes up quickly because of the cost of materials ( metals ) and the long process to create a piece.

We all can get fooled with hype at times .
Do not get sucked into buy now because tomorrow it will be twice the amount. Please if investments were that great .We would be hearing about these artist on CNBC or in the Wall Street Journal and the Rupert Murdoch' s of the world would be buying this art. Trust me this art deflates on the secondary market dramatically. I am not taking anything away from these artist or there talent .They could be taking great photo's or painting great art. But most of the time the artist is inflating prices to create an urgency into buying his or her art .If you feel like you are being sold a timeshare( art)in a gallery ,most likely you are. you are overpaying for your art.
These are my opinions. The best is to always do your research with this type of art.
Posted by Steven Rothman

2012-12-09T10:24:00.002-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasing.
Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,wine ,diamonds or precious metals. Sotherby's just had close to a billion dollar month
But has art always been a commodity ?
Investing in art, what does that mean?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with this term . I hear it everyday. I get asked about investing in art at least several times a week. I myself invest in art.
But this is a very tricky term . Why ? Because like any other commodity ,we look at supply and demand.
But the difference with art, " it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". This is usually based on a secondary market..
But not in all cases, see legitimate galleries and successful artists want to hold value . We want to see talented artists create value on their work .We like to see a nice increase in the art over the years to come. I try to encourage clients to buy originals! They will hold more value in the future, much more than a giclee or print
See when we are buying art either through a gallery or an auction ,we have two types of buyers. We have a buyer that loves the piece for purely the emotional connection, can't wait to hang the piece in their home and they look at the art for long term .The icing on the cake is the artist does very well and the art increases in value. So we look at this as a long term purchase.Then years later they may want to sell liquidate or pass down. Then we have the buyer who feels they are buying art for an investment. They are seeking art for a secondary market value. They may want to flip the piece quickly or wait a few years . Some may store the art and never showcase .
Well we know that a lot of the old masters work can be worth millions. We all hear how much these masterpieces have been selling for, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo and now Pollock ,Warhol's, Rothko and many more . But the last ten years maybe more we are seeing an incredible increase in modern day contemporary artists whose works are selling for large sums of money. Could this be the next big trend. Well we did see a bubble with art in the early 90's and like any bubble it deflates . We saw a decline . But we are starting to see this incline happen again, why?
Well my theory is the internet and I do not mean buying art on the internet .I mean we can learn about the artist. See what they are working on .We can reach out to them, communicate with them .We can track their prices .Who is buying their art and why. I believe now we are buying the art and the artists career. You can read up on an acclaimed artist .See where there career is going .Who they are doing commissions for an example artist doing commissions for country, government, ambassador relations or corporations .We can see who is acquiring this art.
So we do not have to wait for an artist to pass before we see an incline in value on the art and on the artist. We are seeing values of art go up to 200% within a 5 to 7 years
But Beware!
It is real easy to walk into some artist owned galleries that sell only their own work and be fooled by the smoke and mirrors .
One red flag is price jumping to quickly within months. This game is played a lot with edition art . for example giclee's and especially photography.
The exception would be bronze sculptures .The reason with bronze.The editions are still considered originals even though they a have an edition. Each one will look different from the mold process and the patina. The medium is one of the most expensive processes in the art world .The foundry work alone is a craft and quite an expense for the artist. So yes this work goes up quickly because of the cost of materials ( metals ) and the long process to create a piece.

We all can get fooled with hype at times .
Do not get sucked into buy now because tomorrow it will be twice the amount. Please if investments were that great .We would be hearing about these artist on CNBC or in the Wall Street Journal and the Rupert Murdoch' s of the world would be buying this art. Trust me this art deflates on the secondary market dramatically. I am not taking anything away from these artist or there talent .They could be taking great photo's or painting great art. But most of the time the artist is inflating prices to create an urgency into buying his or her art .If you feel like you are being sold a timeshare( art)in a gallery ,most likely you are. you are overpaying for your art.
These are my opinions. The best is to always do your research with this type of art.
Posted by Steven Rothman

HOW TO BUY ART

2012-12-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2012-12-08T15:58:00.001-08:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

Common Misconceptions Artists Have About Galleries

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In an ongoing effort to separate art world facts from fantasy, This is an interesting article I found on the web.
Successful artist/gallery relationships are built on trust, knowledge, cooperation and understanding, and the better and more informed artists are about how art galleries really work, the greater the chances that their gallery relationships will succeed and prosper. So are you ready to exorcise those erroneous notions? Excellent...
Misconception: Art galleries have people ready to buy any art they have to offer.
Reality: This isn't even close to being true. The opposite is true; a gallery has to convince their client base that work by new gallery artists is worth considering for their collections.
Misconception: Galleries are responsible for doing all the work and all the publicity for their shows. The only thing the artists have to do is bring in the art.
Reality: Active and continued participation and involvement by the artist is an essential part of any successful artist/gallery relationship.
Misconception: Galleries are loaded with money.
Reality: No way. The opposite is far more often the case.
Misconception: Galleries don't represent enough artists; they need more.
Reality: Sorry, wrong again. Most galleries already have more art and artists than they can handle. What they really need is more buyers.
Misconception: Getting gallery representation will automatically make an artist's career because galleries are the key to fame and the fast track to fortune.
Reality: There is no instant fix in artland, like one day you're nobody and the next day you're huge. Becoming successful and established as an artist happens gradually over a period of time, and is based on a consistent and successful track record of shows, accomplishments and sales. Getting gallery representation is nothing more than step one in a long and arduous process.
Misconception: Art galleries are the enemy. The relationship between artist and gallery is adversarial, not collaborative.
Reality: You're kidding, right? No gallery works against its own artists; they'd only be hurting themselves if they did. Galleries do everything they can to maximize the success of every artist they represent. Artists should return the favor by doing everything they can to maximize the success of the galleries that represent them.
Misconception: Collectors always pay full gallery retail prices for art.
Reality: Many collectors want to pay less than retail. Artists should understand this, be flexible about it, and be willing to split any discounts that galleries are forced to offer buyers in order to make sales. Here's something you probably don't know-- it's not uncommon for a gallery to take a hit by offering a discount to a buyer, eating the lost revenue themselves and never telling the artist.
Misconception: Galleries make huge profits.
Reality: Laughable.
Misconception: Galleries have hardly any expenses.
Reality: Rent, insurance, alarm system, utilities, phone bills, equipment, supplies, packing, shipping, transportation, furnishings, computers, publicity, art fairs, announcements, memberships, dues, advertising, employees, and so on and so forth ad infinitum.
Misconception: Galleries should pay for all incidentals including shipping, framing, hanging, travel expenses, and so on.
Reality: Be willing to split some of these expenses with the gallery, especially if the relationship is new and untested. The gallery is already investing plenty of time and money in you and your art... and hoping to sell enough of it to at least break even. If an artist is blue chip or the artist/gallery relationship is longstanding and successful, handling of expenses may be different, but in situations where the artist is unproven, the gallery needs all the help and cooperation they can get.
Misconception: If a gallery can't sell an artist's art, they're entirely to blame because they're not working hard enough to sell it.
Reality: Uh-uh. Outside factors like personal tastes, trends and fashions, reviews by critics, word of mouth, publicity, the health of the economy, and much more come into play all the time.
Misconception: If a gallery isn't interested in an artist's art, it's because they don't understand it.
Reality: According to whom? The artist or the gallery? It is incumbent upon artists to learn how to present their art effectively in relatively short periods of time. Established gallery owners see lots of art all the time and have acquired the skills necessary to make decisions reasonably fast. They simply do not have the time to sit and listen to artists' lengthy explanations about their art, and then be quizzed and judged as to whether they understand the art well enough yet.
Misconception: Selling art is easy.
Reality: So is climbing Mount Everest in your underwear. Selling a commodity that's generally expensive and serves no practical purpose is anything but easy. If you think otherwise, you have no idea of the verbal acrobatics gallery owners go through in order to make sales.
Misconception: Art sells itself and galleries have nothing to do with selling it. All gallery owners do is sit around while people come in and buy.
Reality: You can't be serious. No art sells itself. There's a huge difference between someone liking a work of art and buying it. That difference is called selling.
Misconception: Giving a 50% commission to galleries is too much. The artists are the ones who do all the work. Galleries only work for a few days setting up shows.
Reality: First of all, galleries typically have far more expenses than artists. Secondly, selling art is a full-time job-- at the gallery, over the phone, online, personally visiting collectors, exhibiting at art fairs, and more. Gallery owners spend all day every day trying their absolute best to make sales.
Misconception: Galleries get rich while artists stay poor.
Reality: The large majority of galleries have just as much trouble surviving financially as artists do. A gallery owner getting wealthy by selling art is very rare indeed.
Misconception: All artists contribute to the success of their galleries.
Reality: In the large majority of cases, only a few artists keep galleries solvent and afloat. Sales of art by the artists who do really well with a gallery often pay for the artists who tend not to sell well.
Misconception: Galleries are wealthy because they're the link between artists and rich people.
Reality: You still think that after reading all this?
Misconception: Just because a gallery has an artist's art, they have to display it and give the artist shows.
Reality: Far more often than not, galleries start slowly with artists, perhaps taking several works on consignment and showing them selectively to see how their clienteles respond. They also want to make sure the artists are responsible and easy to work with before getting in too deep. Assuming all goes well, a show is typically in the offing.
Misconception: Galleries have power and influence in the art world; they control markets and determine tastes.
Reality: The exact opposite is way far more often the case.
Misconception: When an artist leaves one gallery and goes to another, their collectors automatically go with them.
Reality: Unless an artist is already successful or hotter than hot, collectors' typically remain loyal to the galleries, not to the artists those galleries represent.
Misconception: If an artist gets a gallery show, they're automatically going to sell lots of art and make lots of money.
Reality: No guarantees whatsoever on this. Work hard, keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best... just like the gallery owner is doing.
Misconception: If a show doesn't sell well, the gallery didn't want it to.
Reality: Are you saying that galleries sometimes deliberately sabotage their own shows in order to make as few sales and as little money as possible? This makes absolutely zero sense.
Misconception: Galleries only show art that's salable.
Reality: No way! Galleries bring new art and new artists to the attention of the public all the time. They deeply believe in the artists they show, in the validity of their art, and that the public at least deserves to see it-- whether they ultimately end up buying or not.
Misconception: Good publicity or good reviews by critics automatically translate into sales.
Reality: You hope.
Misconception: Galleries have the capacity to make museums either show or buy their artists' art.
Reality: Not even close.
Misconception: Gallery owners don't like art; they're only in it for the money.
Reality: Nobody who's "in it for the money" would ever be stupid enough to open an art gallery.
Misconception: Any gallery is right for an artist, no matter what kind of art that artist makes.
Reality: Galleries are extremely particular about the types of art and artists they show, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, only show very narrow and highly defined types, styles or genres of art.
Misconception: Regular communication between an artist and their gallery is not necessary; everybody understands everything and nothing really needs to be said.
Reality: Clear, open and ongoing communications are essential to any successful artist/gallery relationship.
Misconception: Galleries never need to be thanked or acknowledged for what they do. It's all about the art and the gallery really has nothing to do with anything other than exhibit it.
Reality: A little appreciation goes a long way. Galleries invest incredible amounts of time and effort in publicizing and presenting their artists. To repeat, no art sells itself.
Misconception: A gallery should show whatever works of art the artists wants them to.
Reality: Not true. Give the gallery flexibility in deciding what to show; let them curate the art. Galleries know what works best for them, what their collectors tend to prefer, and how to organize and present art in compelling and effective ways. The works of art that a gallery decides to show can certainly be open to discussion, but know that they have your best interests in mind when making their final selections.
Misconception: Galleries have a duty to look at and consider all artist submissions regardless of who the artists are, what their art looks like, or how well it fits in with the types of art that the galleries typically show.
Reality: Galleries are continually bombarded and overwhelmed with submissions, most have more than enough artists on their rosters, most have their exhibition calendars booked up at least a year in advance, most don't even have enough time to attend to the artists they already represent.
Misconception: Galleries should respond to an artist's every need, personal or otherwise.
Reality: This is a business relationship, not a personal one; always remember that. Save personal matters for friends and family.
Misconception: The relationship between an artist and a gallery should always be the same no matter what happens over time.
Reality: Things change; nothing ever remains the same. Artist/gallery relationships are always evolving, so be prepared.
Misconception: All galleries and gallery owners are the same.
Reality: Galleries are as unique and idiosyncratic as collectors (if not more so).
Misconception: No matter when you appear at a gallery that represents you, the gallery owner should show you immediate attention.
Reality: That's just plain rude and self-centered. At least give the gallery owner advance notice that you're coming, or better yet, make an appointment.
My galleries are Bellagio International Gallery Please feel free to call if you have any questions on purchasing art 954-847-1778 Posted by Steven Rothman at 2:48 PM 0 comments

2012-10-09T16:33:00.002-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasing.
Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,wine ,diamonds or precious metals.
But has art always been a commodity ?
Investing in art, what does that mean?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with this term .I hear it everyday. I get asked about investing in art at least several times a week. I myself invest in art.
But this is a very tricky term . Why ? Because like any other commodity ,we look at supply and demand.
But the difference with art, " it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". This is usually based on a secondary market..
But not in all cases, see legitimate galleries and successful artists want to hold value . We want to see talented artists create value on their work .We like to see a nice increase in the art over the years to come. I try to encourage clients to buy originals. They will hold more value in the future, more than a giclee or print
See when we are buying art either through a gallery or an auction ,we have two types of buyers. We have a buyer that loves the piece for purely the emotional connection, can't wait to hang the piece in their home and they look at the art for long term .The icing on the cake is the artist does very well and the art increases in value. So we look at this as a long term purchase, years later they may want to sell ,liquidate or pass down. Then we have the buyer who feels they are buying art for an investment. They are seeking art for a secondary market value. They may want to flip the piece quickly or wait a few years . Some may store the art and never showcase .
Well we know that a lot of the old masters work can be worth millions. We all hear how much these masterpieces have been selling for, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo and now Pollock , Rothko and many more . But the last ten years maybe more we are seeing an incredible increase in modern day contemporary artists whose works are selling for large sums of money. Could this be the next big trend. Well we did see a bubble with art in the early 90's and like any bubble it deflates . We saw a decline . But we are starting to see this incline happen again, why?
Well my theory is the internet and I do not mean buying art on the internet .I mean we can learn about the artist. See what they are working on .We can reach out to them, communicate with them .We can track their prices .Who is buying their art and why. I believe now we are buying the art and the artists career. You can read up on an acclaimed artist .See where there career is going .Who they are doing commissions for, an example artist doing commissions for country, government, ambassador relations or corporations ,We can see who is acquiring this art.
So we do not have to wait for an artist to pass before we see an incline in value on the art and on the artist. We are seeing values of art go up to 200% within a 5 to 7 years
But Beware!
It is real easy to walk into some artist owned galleries that sell only their own work and be fooled by the smoke and mirrors .
One red flag is price jumping to quickly within months. This game is played a lot with edition art . for example giclee's and especially photography.
The exception would be bronze sculptures .The reason with bronze editions are still considered originals even though they a have an edition each one will look different from the mold process and the patina's ,The medium is one of the most expensive processes in the art world .The foundry work alone is a craft and quite an expense for the artist. So yes this work goes up quickly because of the cost of materials ( metals ) and the long process to create a piece.

We all can get fooled with hype at times .
Do not get sucked into buy now because tomorrow it will be twice the amount. Please if investments were that great .We would be hearing about these artist on CNBC or in the Wall Street Journal and the Rupert Murdoch' s of the world would be buying this art. Trust me this art deflates on the secondary market dramatically. I am not taking anything away from these artist or there talent .They could be taking great photo's or painting great art. But most of the time the artist is inflating prices to create an urgency into buying his or her art .If you feel like you are being sold a timeshare( art)in a gallery ,most likely you are. you are overpaying for your art.
These are my opinions. The best is to always do your research with this type of art.
Posted by Steven Rothman

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: www.bellgiointernationalgallery.comCommon Misconc...

2012-09-16T14:17:00.001-07:00

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
Common Misconc...: www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com Common Misconceptions Artists Have About Galleries Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on em...

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2012-08-23T14:48:00.002-07:00

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Common Misconceptions Artists Have About Galleries

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Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: Buying and Selling Art.

2012-07-30T15:15:00.001-07:00

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: Buying and Selling Art.: Socrates once said a man without art in his home, is a man without soul. Art it is strictly an a emotional purchase, as someone who sells ...

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: Buyer Be Aware what kind of art are you purchasi...

2012-07-30T15:05:00.001-07:00

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasi...: Buyer Be Aware what kind of art are you purchasing. Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,win...

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: Buyer Be Aware what kind of art are you purchasi...

2012-07-08T10:46:00.001-07:00

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: www.bellgiointernationalgallery.comBuyer Be Aware...

2012-07-03T11:04:00.001-07:00

Art Buying And Selling . Steven Rothman" If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".: www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
Buyer Be Aware...: www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com Buyer Be Aware what kind of art are you purchasing. Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing ab...

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2012-07-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

Buyer Be Aware
what kind of art are you purchasing.
Art has become a commodity ,we are now hearing about funds that are carrying art,wine ,diamonds or precious metals.
But has art always been a commodity ?
Investing in art, what does that mean?
There seems to be a lot of confusion with this term .I hear it everyday. I get asked about investing in art at least several times a week. I myself invest in art.
But this is a very tricky term . Why ? Because like any other commodity ,we look at supply and demand.
But the difference with art, " it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it". This is usually based on a secondary market..
But not in all cases, see legitimate galleries and successful artists want to hold value . We want to see talented artists create value on their work .We like to see a nice increase in the art over the years to come. I try to encourage clients to buy originals. They will hold more value in the future, more than a giclee or print
See when we are buying art either through a gallery or an auction ,we have two types of buyers. We have a buyer that loves the piece for purely the emotional connection, can't wait to hang the piece in their home and they look at the art for long term .The icing on the cake is the artist does very well and the art increases in value. So we look at this as a long term purchase, years later they may want to sell ,liquidate or pass down. Then we have the buyer who feels they are buying art for an investment. They are seeking art for a secondary market value. They may want to flip the piece quickly or wait a few years . Some may store the art and never showcase .
Well we know that a lot of the old masters work can be worth millions. We all hear how much these masterpieces have been selling for, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Michelangelo and now Pollock , Rothko and many more . But the last ten years maybe more we are seeing an incredible increase in modern day contemporary artists whose works are selling for large sums of money. Could this be the next big trend. Well we did see a bubble with art in the early 90's and like any bubble it deflates . We saw a decline . But we are starting to see this incline happen again, why?
Well my theory is the internet and I do not mean buying art on the internet .I mean we can learn about the artist. See what they are working on .We can reach out to them, communicate with them .We can track their prices .Who is buying their art and why. I believe now we are buying the art and the artists career. You can read up on an acclaimed artist .See where there career is going .Who they are doing commissions for, an example artist doing commissions for country, government, ambassador relations or corporations ,We can see who is acquiring this art.
So we do not have to wait for an artist to pass before we see an incline in value on the art and on the artist. We are seeing values of art go up to 200% within a 5 to 7 years
But Beware!
It is real easy to walk into some artist owned galleries that sell only their own work and be fooled by the smoke and mirrors .
One red flag is price jumping to quickly within months. This game is played a lot with edition art . for example giclee's and especially photography.
The exception would be bronze sculptures .The reason with bronze editions are still considered originals even though they a have an edition each one will look different from the mold process and the patina's ,The medium is one of the most expensive processes in the art world .The foundry work alone is a craft and quite an expense for the artist. So yes this work goes up quickly because of the cost of materials ( metals ) and the long process to create a piece.

We all can get fooled with hype at times .
Do not get sucked into buy now because tomorrow it will be twice the amount. Please if investments were that great .We would be hearing about these artist on CNBC or in the Wall Street Journal and the Rupert Murdoch' s of the world would be buying this art. Trust me this art deflates on the secondary market dramatically. I am not taking anything away from these artist or there talent .They could be taking great photo's or painting great art. But most of the time the artist is inflating prices to create an urgency into buying his or her art .If you feel like you are being sold a timeshare( art)in a gallery ,most likely you are. you are overpaying for your art.
These are my opinions. The best is to always do your research with this type of art.
Posted by Steven Rothman

2012-07-02T17:28:00.002-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2012-07-01T10:16:00.002-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2012-06-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2012-05-22T14:23:00.001-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
Socrates once said a man without art in his home, is a man without soul.

Art it is strictly an a emotional purchase, as someone who sells art for a living .You have to know your clients.Buying art is personal .I tell my clients, it is like falling in love for the first time .You know your in love, you know that you want this person,their is no reasonable explanation why. Love at first sight it's unexplainable. But it is real.
Art is very similar ,you see a painting or a sculpture and it moves you ,you gaze at it, stirs an emotion within.You may even fall in love with it .Do you buy it, well most people walk away.There are many reasons why, one is price,another justification. The kids school,car payments the new shoes.I have even heard the excuse" what would I do with it".We get scared just like the guy who fantasizes about his neighbor or co worker but still never asks her for a number or a date.
When buying a great piece of art their are three rules ,you have to love it ,it should be within your means and third most important again "you have to love it". I hear sales consultants ask do you have a place for it .Ok good question but 90% of the time, if they love it and can afford it they will find a place for it .
Justifying selling art: You love it, you can afford it but what is stopping you from putting the piece in your home. First of all you will hear every excuse in the book .First I tell my clients,,art will not get you to work in the morning,it will not cook you your breakfast and it will not jump up and down when you come home.
Art is strictly a piece of beauty that is frozen in time .Art moves you like music ,it touches deep like a past love, an unforgotten memory.When you look at a great piece of art ,you fall in love ,you wonder how the artist read your thoughts. How does the artist know what I am feeling . This is called being connected to the art.
Art is a visual stimulation, one of the strongest senses we have,Why deny yourself this feeling, But people do,they do not allow themselves to feel good .In this day and age you would think we would gravitate to anything healthy to make us feel good ,The smart ones do, they surround themselves with positive and beautiful things that won't break the bank.
I love when I bring a piece of art to a client that has an average car ,average house and some of the most incredible art I have ever seen .Just like Socrates stated your home is a sanctuary.Why not surround yourself with beauty.
Posted by Steven Rothman "If you can sell art ,you can sell anything". at 3:

2012-05-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

2012-05-19T18:25:00.002-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com
One of the reasons I decided to open my own gallery "Bellagio International Gallery" was to have the opportunity to work with numerous artist .Where in the past I had worked with one artist that owned numerous galleries. Also to bring in different styles of art to give customers a variety of medium's and techniques to learn and experience all the different forms of art and artists from around the world.
We have such a variety of talent, major superstars and up and coming stars that are taking the art world by storm. We have a brilliant new artist from Quebec City .We also have some phenomenal veterans from, San Francisco, L.A. , New York , Argentina and even Russia
While selling art in Las Vegas I felt a little confined working with one artist. I wanted customers to be able to walk into a gallery and experience all forms of art .Give them a variety of choices to choose from. We all know every one's tastes differ .That's what was so exciting, to pull a variety of artist in one gallery. But keeping in mind not to make the gallery to overwhelming.
Again art does compete with art ,but a nice variety of completely different style's and mediums makes for a nice selection.Which has made for a very successful galley.
I love seeing new and young artist become a success ,the reason why is the art business is very hard to succeed in.So when a new artist starts to take off, it usually means he or she is doing something new and different. Do not be afraid to buy from a gallery with a new artist, if you like their work. It is very difficult to have your work placed in galleries.
So the gallery has a good reason to put up the work,they believe in the artist.

2012-05-19T16:59:00.002-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.co
Bellagio International Gallery has experienced an amazing year in Fort Lauderdale Florida ,carrying artist from all over the world .
Start paying close attention to to a few women artists that have been creating some amazing work.
These artists are definitely worth taking a look at . These are artists are Sue Averell, Joelle Blouin, Regina Lyubovanaya, Pamela Suhkum ,Jenny Simon and Laura Shipley .Each one of these artists are clearly defined in the style of art they paint and mediums .
It is not just a men's game in the art world any more .Women artist are making big statements with new and innovative style's

2012-04-30T18:19:00.001-07:00

www.bellgiointernationalgallery.com

Steven Rothman "If you can sell art ,you can sell anything".Apr 30, 2012 06:15 PM

featured artist this month
Sue Averell

Painting is more than just a creative discipline; it is my
vocation. Even as a child I looked at the world with the eyes of an
artist, trying to figure out how to capture what I saw on paper. My style has
evolved through the years, but it stands today as a process of escaping the
confines of optical reality.

It is my intent to enable the viewer to feel the energy I put forth in the
creation of my works through the use of expressive paint and color application.
All of my paintings are made by applying thick, juicy layers of paint which is
often wet into wet, allowing the color on top to almost melt into the layer
below.

Rather than painting photographic imagery, I strive to create my own reality
on canvas. I leave ambiguities in the finished painting so that the viewer is
able to participate in the completion of the piece and see something new each
time they visit the image.

Sue was born in Ohio in 1957, but her family soon moved to Southern California where
she spent her childhood. Even as a child, Sue spent much of her time drawing
and knew early in life that she was going to be an artist. Her signature style
intrigues both new and experienced collectors. Averell’s paintings are
displayed and collected world-wide, and are included in collections in London,
Switzerland, France, Germany, Thailand, Singapore and the United States.
Please send this to Sue Averell on our behalf:

Hi Sue,

We received Rainbow Chicago today at our home. The crate in which it was delivered was huge, needless to say we were shocked to see how large the crate was. I don’t think we realized what we had acquired until we saw it.

The delivery men carried the crate off the truck and left it in our garage since it was too big to fit in our front door.

We spent about 30 minutes getting it out of the crate and carrying it into our house.

When we bought it from Steve , we had no idea what we really had purchased.

It’s overwhelming Sue. We can’t put the impact into words.

We were so nervous buying it, it’s a lot of money for us even though we are collecting, we hadn’t ever collected like this before. So fair to say, it was a huge decision for us.

Now, we can see it, we just don’t know what to say. I’m speechless, my wife is too, we just sat and stared at it.

Sue, we’re stunned.

Our boys, Ben and Brian haven’t seen it yet. They are 8 and 5 years old. We started collecting so we could expose them to art and educate them. Most importantly we wanted to open their minds, to teach them about imagination. Imagination means anything is possible, anything. At least that is what my parents and Jen’s parents taught each of us.

We also wanted a legacy to pass onto them.

They won’t have any idea how fortunate they are to someday inherit this, not until they’re older will they really get it.

When they do get it, they will be so educated, and open to all the possibilities the world has to offer.

Jen and I weren’t really sure if collecting art would do this for our sons, but now to see Rainbow Chicago, how could it not?

Ben and Brian are so lucky, as are Jen and I.

I will say this, when you are in museums, and I say when because it’s very clear to me that will happen for you, please call us or Steve.. This piece, it belongs in a museum, not our house, doesn’t it? I can imagine as I sit here staring at it, someday it will be part of an exhibit at the Getty, or maybe the National Museum in DC, something like that. This piece will be in the exhibit, it will have to be.

It’s way, way beyond our home, and our family, it’s something the entire world has to see. I realize that may sound contrite, but it’s true.

I was thinking about the first time I saw Picasso in DC, I walked through the Museum and came across his blue period pieces. I didn’t know he painted those. I certainly didn’t know what to say then, It was overwhelming. I have the same, exact feeling now when I look at Rainbow Chicago. I didn’t want to leave the Museum, and I don’t want to stop looking at this piece either.

Thank you, for the labor, passion and intensity with which you painted this. I understand you labored over it for almost a year.

It shows Sue, it shows. It’s the most amazing painting we have ever seen.

Simply put, I’m stunned, my wife is too.

Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough.

I wish my dad could be here to see it, I know Jen wishes her dad could too. Who knows, maybe they’re looking at it now and are stunned like we are.

Paul D

On Behalf of Jenifer and Paul D

Ben and Brian too.