West Coast Artists take a "deep dive" from Art Hamptons.

Eugenia Au Kim, teams up with curators Lisa Cooper and Joan Daidone to host a satellite exhibit to Art Hamptons across the street at The Design Studio, on Main Street in Bridgehampton. “Deep Dive. Journey beyond the Surface” features the work of contemporary women artists from Los Angeles and Hawaii as they explore the power, energy and mystical world of waterscapes, both real and imagined. The exhibit opens this week, and is open daily from 11am to 6pm.

West Coast Artists are taking a “deep dive” into the Hamptons Art Scene with a group show at The Design Studio, the interior design boutique. The exhibit is a collaboration between Interior Designer Eugenia Au Kim (www.designstudio-ny.com) and Elisa Tucci Contemporary Art (www.elisatucciart.com). Curated by Lisa Cooper and Joan Daidone, the exhibit showcases the work of Kaui-based artist Carol Bennett, LA-based “Flow” painters Suzan Woodruff and Kimber Berry, along with waterscapes of several
Hudson Valley artists.




The Art Exhibit entitled “Deep Dive. Journey Beyond the Surface” features new works by contemporary women artists as they explore the mystery, power and transformational qualities of water and waterscapes, both real and imagined. Using traditional, mixed and new media, including video paintings, the artwork transports the viewer on a journey to waterscapes both familiar and otherworldly.The exhibit features West Coast Women Artists in their first show in the Hamptons.

The exhibit includes a series of oil on wood paintings from Kauai-based artist Carol Bennett, mixed media acrylic paintings and an installation of Liquid Environments by LA-based Kimber Berry and sensual waterscapes from “Flow Movement” co-founder Suzan Woodruff. In addition, there are also “Video Paintings” by Hudson Valley artist, Rosalind Schneider.



For those interested in “living with art” that inspires and transform them, the exhibit showcases the work within elegant and balanced home settings, artfully designed by Feng Shui-inspired Interior Designer Eugenia Au Kim, known in the Hamptons and Manhattan for creating balanced and harmonious living spaces inspired by nature using organic materials and sustainable materials whenever possible.



According to Lisa Cooper, “Joan and I chose to collaborate with Eugenia because she has a deep appreciation for contemporary art. She is not the type of designer who looks for “art” as an accent to a piece of furniture. She has an emotional and spiritual connection to the work. She respects the work – and invites us to work as art consultants directly with her clients.”

The exhibit showcases artists and work that is exclusive to Elisa Tucci Contemporary Art, and is being shown for the first time in the Hamptons. The show will run through August 2nd, 2009.

What: Art Exhibit across from Art Hamptons
Deep Dive: Journey Beyond the Surface
Curated by Lisa Cooper and Joan Daidone, Elisa Tucci Contemporary Art
Where: The Design Studio, 2392 Main Street, Bridgehampton, NY

For more information contact: Joan Daidone, Elisa Tucci Contemporary Art, Joan@ElisaTucciArt.com or 212.982.0427

The art of "Conscious Collecting"

Everyone can experience the art of collecting.  Contemporary art is not just an experience reserved for the wealthy, elite or art historian.  Today there's a wide selection of original art by talented emerging and mid-career artists from around the world that's available and accessible to anyone who can afford a IPod or Flat Screen TV.  

Collecting contemporary art is a creative experience, a journey of self-discovery and self-expression.  When you buy art by living artists you not only enrich your own life, you actively support the world of living artists.

Buy Art You Love

Be a conscious collector by going to gallery and museum exhibits on a regular basis, checking out the art pubs, reading popular Art Blogs and Magazines, and learning about the artists that engage you and what influences their worl.  Think about how the work makes you feel.  Don't simply think of a work of art as decorating a room or going with a piece of furniture.  Your art purchase should outlive your taste in home decor.  Trust your gut and your instincts.  But avoid what feels too comfortable or overly familiar.  And don't be afraid to mix different styles and genre of art.

Talk to the Gallery Owner

Learn about the artist from the gallery owner.  Ask for a copy of the Artist Statement, a bio or CV. Find out where the artist has exhibited, where he/she went to school or who they studied with.  Ask about the artist's technique, influences, and the inspiration behind the work.  The gallery owner or dealer should be a good source of background information on the artist and the work.  If not, then maybe you should do your own homework and work with another gallery.  Don't give into sales pressure. The gallerist should be well-informed and enthusiastic about discussing the work, but not aggressive.

Living With Your Art

Buying your first or fiftieth work of art can be very exciting.  But don't get caught up in the moment and neglect some necessary precautions that will help safeguard your work.  If handled properly your artwork should last a lifetime and beyond.  Here's a few things to keep in mind to properly care for your artwork.

Document Your Purchase

* Request a Bill of Sale along with a Letter of Authenticity

* Get a copy of the artist's statement, resume and biographical information.

Keep it on the back of the artwork and put a copy in a safe place.

* Find out what type of artist's medium, for example: acrylic, charcoal, pastel,

watercolor, oil, etc.  Make sure you ask how to protect and take care of the

work.

Why Invest in Contemporary Art?

At a recent show in Miami, a 30-something well-dressed guy with a hint of NYC prep school in his voice asked me a question that I hear at every show,"Do you think this artist will be a good long-term investment?"

And my answer always comes in the form of series
of questions: "Do you love the artist's work?", "How
does it make you feel", "Could you live with it", "If
you it gave you years of pleasure and wasn't worth
any more than you paid for it, would you consider it a bad investment?"

By now, you probably see where this is going. If you're going to start collecting Contemporary Art by a unknown

artist and your budget is under $100,000, you need to think of investing in art from a different perspective.

If a safe long-term investment is your first priority, then I suggest you consider a CD. If you're an art enthusiastic and want to start collecting but are afraid of making a bad

investment।

Here's a few things you need to consider:

1) First and foremost, does the work engage you, does

it touch you in some way -- emotionally, spiritually, intellectually.

2) Do it seem very familiar, like you've seen it before, or it is unique or distinctive in some way.

3) Is the level of craftmanship or quality of the piece demonstrate mastery of the medium?

4) What does the artist' statement reveal about the artists, his vision and his intent?

5) Where has the artist shown before? Galleries, Museums,
Corporate and Private Collections

6) Who has influenced the artist and who has he/she studied with.

7) Is the artist a "career" artist or a weekend hobbyist?

8) How much can the gallery owner tell you about the artist। And is he/she passionate about art or in just making a sale?

But first and foremost, do you love the work। Can you see yourself living with the work for a long time. Can you see yourself gifting it to a family member or friend. How does it make you feel?

Unless one is collecting a "listed" artist (one that has been sold at auction), or an artist that has been collected and exhibited in major museums by noted curators and reviewed by prominent art critics, and bought and sold at auction or through top galleries over a period of time, it is almost impossible to guage the investment value of a work of art. And with artists such as Damien Hirsh, Julian Schnabel, Andy Warhol or other household art celebrity names, the prices are more volatile than the trading prices on Wall Street.

So if you're looking to invest in art, start with visiting as many galleries and museums as possible to cultivate your aesthetic taste and discover what you like and don't like. The more art you see and learn about, the more discerning your eye will become. You'll find yourself responding to different genres or styles of work -- abstract or figurative, conceptually or expressionistic, landscapes or folk art.

Ultimately, the reason to invest in Contemporary Art is not whether or not it will go up in monetary value over the years, but what it brings to your life, your home and your world view. How it expands your experience of humanity and the world around you.

When you think of how much you "invest" every year in new gadgets and gizmos and entertainment that may be enjoyable but fleeting. Think of owning something that will add something new to your life every day.