2012 Calendar

My award-winning painting Tarnished Silver will be featured on the cover and the inside of Contemporary Fine Art Interntional's 2012 Calendar. The inside of the calendar will feature the work of 11 other artists along with myself. The calendar can be ordered at this link. CFAI is also featuring an online interview with me which can be found here. Have a great day and be aware of the Beauty around you!

Art as an Investment

During these challenging economic times it can be difficult to know what to do with your money. Should you invest in stocks, real estate or just stay in cash? While I’m far from an economic advisor, I have run across a couple articles that talks about art as an investment. Trevor Richards in his article How You Can Invest in Art says: “For centuries an original painting has been seen as being prestigious.....and even today it is still very much the case. Art works are sold around the world, sometimes for millions of dollars, just because these works are seen as something of great beauty and also an item of immense investment value. Your purchase of an original painting means that no one else will have a work of art exactly like yours. It is a one of a kind, which makes it something special and very valuable.”

Trevor also points out one of the great benefits of investing in art: “One major advantage that an art collection has over other collectable items like stamps and coins is that you can admire your investment every day ...Because it can hang on the wall of your home or office where it is able to be seen by not only you, but by family and friends.”

Daniel Gross in his article Painting for Profit-Is Art a Wise Investment points out: “A J.M.W. Turner view of Venice sold at auction at Christie's in London on May 29, 1897, for $35,000 and then sold at Christie's in New York [April 2006] for $35.8 million—which yields about a 6 percent annual return for 109 years. Which is pretty darn good.” In the mid-2000’s Mei Moses Jiangping Mei created a fine art index which tracked the performance of fine art. In 2006 they found that over the last 50 years the S&P 500 returned 10.9 percent annually while fine art returned 10.5 percent annually. “And in the five years between 2001 and 2005, art trounced stocks.”

While this doesn’t mean you should sell all your portfolio and head down to the local gallery, it does show that original fine art can be a sound investment. I believe a person should invest in a painting if that painting speaks to them regardless of any profit potential. In this day and age beauty is such an important yet neglected part of the human experience. Art is both a refuge as well as a statement on the importance of beauty. But it is nice to know that the painting that is bringing you so much joy may also be increasing in monetary value as it hangs on your wall.

Mandarin Drake, oil on panel, 6"x8"

The Mandarin Duck is a close relative to the North American Wood Duck. They were once widespread throughout Asia but destruction of its habitat has reduced it to eastern Russia, China and Japan.

Mandarin Drake
oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290 framed. Contact Jason at luke_tako@yahoo.com to inquire.

Barrows Goldeneye, oil on panel, 6"x8"

The Barrows Goldeneye is a medium sized diving duck. They like to dive underwater for food which includes aquatic insects, crustaceans and pond vegetation. The simple colors and beautiful abstract pattern of the duck's feathers was the perfect vehicle for using a variety of paint thickness and texture. One of my favorite things to do in painting is to merge a painterly quality with realism.

Barrows Goldeneye
oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290 framed -SOLD

Autumn Shadows, oil on panel, 6"x8"

Last week I was driving around Lancaster County, PA around sunrise when I saw the beautiful interplay of light and shadows on this barn. I quickly pulled my car over and set up to paint. While Amish horse buggies wheeled past me, I completed a small 5"x7" field study in around a half hour, and snapped a few photos. I brought these back to the studio and used them to create this little painting.

Autumn Shadows
Oil on panel, 6"x8"
$290.00. Contact Art & Soul Gallery to purchase 717-761-1270

Waterfowl Festival!!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland, November 11th-13th. The entire town of Easton is transformed into a wildlife enthusiast's paradise. I will be exhibiting my newest artwork there, paintings that have not yet been seen by the public. Be sure to look me up at the Armory Building with the big bronze Canada Geese in the front. http://www.waterfowlfestival.org/

Settling Down, oil on linen, 18"x24"

This pair of Pintails is settling down in a nice quiet part of a mist-covered pond. This painting was an exercise in balance between design, and remaining faithful to the look of a typical mid-western wetland. I had most of the painting finished before our trip to Minnesota a couple weeks ago. While there I went to some wetlands close to my childhood home in Shieldsville, and did some small field studies. Though most of setting for this painting was done from my mind, when I compared the painting to my field studies, I was surprised at how close the colors from my mind were to the field study. The only thing I can figure is that growing up around these wetlands left a deep impression on me.


Settling Downoil on linen, 18"x24"
$2,190.00-SOLD