Home Is Where the Art Is

Posted on December 8, 2012by lvartscouncil

Bringing home a new painting or sculpture is akin to welcoming a new life into your household. The emotional attachment is amazing! Oftentimes you think you know where you will display it—but very soon the artwork will guide you to where it wants to live.

Shortly after the Arts Council’s annual benefit auction, Art for Everyone, on November 11, 2012, we surveyed the buyers about their relationship with their new purchases. We asked them two questions:

• How often do you purchase art?
• What attracted you to the artwork?

Their answers revealed the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Joanne Stathos was charmed by Kim Robertson’s acrylic painting, Cascade of Cabbage Roses because the colors and brush strokes immediately caught her attention.

To me the painting has a sunny disposition—it brightens a wall in our living room that needed a pick-me-up. It just brings a smile to my face each day!

Michael and Miria Ioannou enjoy living with art and purchase it regularly.  They acquired five pieces at the auction this year and already hung all of them in their new condo in Toronto.

Light and Airy by Melissa Paramus

We’ve added to our Melissa Perhamus collection –a grand total of two!

Twelve Elaesser an encaustic  and multi-medium piece by Lee Lechey

From the Past by Rudy Ackerman

Tango by Vivian Fishbone

Tiny Worlds by Nina Boodhansingh

We are drawn to non-representational or abstract art. They attracted us for various reasons: color, movement, engagement. They really complete a more modern, streamlined space.

Timothy Frey and his wife bought a watercolor print, Santa by Angela Garrison. They usually buy art while on vacation, although they stumbled onto this event while strolling at the Promenade.

We host the Christmas family get-together at our house.  Since we have five grandchildren now, we thought Santa would be nice to hang aside our tree.

Stephen and Marianne Phillips are avid collectors and picked up two pieces at the auction to complement their contemporary furnishings in their new condo on Hilton Head Island.

Untitled by John Altobelli

Wooden Vessel by Jim Fazio

We already owned an Altobelli but we love his fluid, abstract style. And the black cherry vessel is beautifully executed.

Charles and Susan Kalan bought an original watercolor, Spring Red by William Christine, to add to their collection of work by artist recipients of the Allentown Arts Commission Award.

Michael and Sybill Stershic buy art far less for their own collection than they used to, although they enjoy attending art shows and auctions regularly.  In spite of space constraints, they still bought four pieces:

Frank Sinatra – The Voice, a serigraph print by Leroy Neiman.

We thought it would be a great gift for our son – and he loves it.

Weyerbacher an acrylic by John Gaydos.

It was a chance to get a reasonably priced painting of a local subject by a local artist for the Discover Lehigh Valley office.

Covered Bridge photograph by John Harry.

We know the artist, plus the photograph is excellent.

Meadow’s Bridge, Hellertown, an acrylic on canvas by James Doddy.

Nice piece, excellent technique.

Like so many artists, Photographer John Harry enjoys buying the work of colleagues.  About the photograph, Little Lehigh 5, by Bernhart Hochleitner, he sadi:

 I like the technique; it is a good complement to some of my work. I hung it in the spare bedroom, which I use as a short-term gallery.

He was also attracted to two small acrylic paintings, Pears and Grapes by John Gaydos.

I like the artist and the size and subject. I also have just the right space in the kitchen for them.

Bruce and Karen Ellsweig buy art often and were especially drawn to the red iridescent Christmas Bowl by James Harmon.

It fits perfectly on our dining room table.

What was the last piece of art that you bought?