Steve Hanks Art--Watercolor Paintings with Amazing Detail

Canadian Beauty by Steve Hanks

A Mother's Warmth by Steve Hanks

Summer Rain by Steve Hanks

Steve Hanks paintings make collectors stop and ask--How does he do it?

His watercolor paintings have the detail and realism normally reserved for oil paintings or acrylics. His skill was born out of necessity. Steve was an oil painter for 15 years and then developed allergies to the paint in the 1980's. With practice (and OK--a true gift), Steve perfected his use of watercolor paints to be able to create the beautiful paintings he is famous for.

His subjects are varied, but  most often sensual women, or children. He strives to show the emotion and thoughtfulness of his subjects and the innocence of children through his work. I find that many of his paintings capture the relaxing times and moments we can all appreciate.

Steve has won many awards for his artwork, and was an invited participant in the 2012 Prix de West show at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

Enjoy this video of Steve being interviewed on Alberta's CTV:

J Watson Fine Art is pleased to offer Steve Hanks original paintings as well as select Steve Hanks Artist Proof limited editions from the artist's personal collection. Contact us at 661 476-7558 or e-mail info@jwatsonfineart.com or visit the Steve Hanks Art exhibit on our website for more information.

Commission a Painting by a Famous Artist--Advantages and Disadvantages

A commissioned painting by a famous artist is an option you may want to explore. If you have the means to do so, and an art dealer with the right connections, a commissioned painting can provide an opportunity of a lifetime.

Some of the benefits of commissioning a painting are:

* Interaction with the artist
Your art dealer can forward e-mail communication back and forth between the artist and you,
or in some cases the artist will speak with you on the phone.

*An insight into the creative process
With a commissioned painting, you may get a behind the scenes look at original sketch work, photos of the
painting in progress, and thoughts about the painting from the artist.

*Getting the composition and size painting you have in mind made to order
If you are looking for a particular subject matter in a particular size, rather than searching for that piece, you can simply specify your desires and presto--that is what you will receive.

It is important to realize however, that you will have to defer to the creative vision of the artist, and allow them to paint their interpretation of the subject. If there are factors that are very important to you, make sure your art dealer communicates them clearly to the artist on your behalf, or better yet, write them out and have the dealer forward your thoughts to the artist so everyone is on the same page at the start of the project.

*A Way to "Catch the one that got away" (almost)
If there was a painting you loved that already sold, you can ask the artist to do a variation on the same theme. While each painting will be a unique one-of-a-kind (and should be), the artist may be willing to do a painting with a similar setting, subject or color scheme for you.

*The ability to memorialize yourself or a loved one
It is much more involved to create a commissioned painting of a particular person or pet,  and not all artists will do them, but some famous artists will. For example,  Pino Daeni was kind enough to do this while he was alive, and he was a master artist. Several of our other artists will do this as well. A painting of a loved one or pet can hold great sentimental value in addition to being a beautiful work of art.

On the "down side", you won't see the painting first before committing to the project, so you should know the artist's work well enough to know that if the painting meets that artist's standards you will most likely be happy with the outcome.

Generally a deposit of 1/2 the cost of the painting is required for the artist to begin a commissioned painting, and the other half is due upon completion, which protects all parties involved.

Another "down side" is you will have to wait for the painting, and the time frame can vary, depending on the artist's schedule and the amount of time it takes them to create your painting, so it is not instant gratification, but being part of the process, and the other advantages mentioned can make up for this.

There may also be a premium over the cost of the artist's finished works of the same size, depending on the artist and art dealer. There is a lot more work involved for the artist and the art dealer in creating and arranging a commissioned painting, rather than the sale of a finished piece of art, but it can be a way to help a collector acquire the right "fit" for their art collection that they will enjoy for many years.

J Watson Fine Art can arrange commissioned paintings by several famous and award-winning artists. Contact us at 661 476-7558 or e-mail info@jwatsonfineart.com or contact us through our website to discuss commissioning a painting, or for assistance with adding other beautiful art to your art collection.
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Pino Original Paintings--2 Newly Available, 7 Just Sold

Lazy Afternoon by Pino Daeni (AKA Pino Dangelico)

Alone II by Pino Daeni (AKA Pino Dangelico)

Two Pino originals are newly available, but seven of his originals including some I posted about recently just sold. Pino Art is loved by collectors world-wide, and these went very quickly.

It is rare to find a classic Pino woman reclining composition in a smaller painting,  but we are fortunate to have one. Lazy Afternoon is a Pino original 12 x 18 with beautiful deep colors.

The other Pino original, Alone II, is unusual in that the model he chose for this painting has red hair.  Alone II is a 40 x 30. Both paintings are part of a prominent collection and have strong history.

Contact J Watson Fine Art if you would like assistance with adding Pino Art to your art collection. We are authorized Pino art dealers and love Pino art, too! We are also accepting consignments of Pino original paintings, so let us know if you have a Pino original you would like to sell.

We can be reached at 661 476-7558 or you can e-mail us at 661 476-7558. You can view more Pino art on our website, although there are some paintings that are not on the website and we can e-mail photos if you are interested. Be sure to sign up for our mailing list if you want to be among the first to know about newly available art.

Mian Situ Art--Master of the American West Artist

Lakota Spirit 20 x 16 Mian Situ Original Painting 

Lakota Girl 16 x 12 Mian Situ Original Painting

Point Alones Fishing Village, Monterey California 1875 by Mian Situ

 Golden Spike Ceremony by Mian Situ

These two Mian Situ paintings, Lakota Girl and Lakota Spirit, offer the opportunity to acquire original art by this talented artist whose art is part of the permanent collection of the Autry Museum.

Mian Situ was born in Southern China, and lived in Canada for ten years before immigrating to the United States. He is one of the top contemporary artists in Western Art.

Mian has won many awards including the Masters of the American West Purchase Award for Convergence of Cultures, (this painting was added to the Autry National Center’s permanent collection), at the 2009 Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale. He also won the Gene Autry Memorial Award at the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Masters Show.

He has been featured in many art magazines including Art of the West, Southwest Art, and Western Art Collector among others.

His large painting at the 2011 Master's show, Point Alones Fishing Village, Monterey, California, 1875, oil on canvas, 48 x 72 in. sold for $171,000.

The two smaller paintings are affordable treasures that would make a great addition to any Western art collection. Mian's paintings are often only available by draw for the winning collector whose name is selected from all the entries in the draw, so this is a great opportunity for an outright acquisition, without having to wait for a winning draw.

Both wonderful portraits showcase the artist's skill and the quality artwork of this Master of the American West artist.

Contact J Watson Fine Art at 661 476-7559 or e-mail info@jwatsonfineart.com, or visit the Mian Situ exhibit on our website for more information about Mian Situ art.

Have You Run Out of Wall Space for Your Art?

Pino Art at Manya Jewelers from J Watson Fine Art

Many enthusiastic art collectors have told me they have "run out of wall space" and are considering adding on to their homes just for their art. There are a few alternatives.

One alternative is to consider displaying part of your art collection at your place of business. Beautiful artwork can inspire creativity, and it can also help to attract customers and great employees.

I recently put a Pino painting in a jewelry store that had a white, orange and purple color scheme. The Pino Art complemented the color scheme beautifully, and it will bring attention (and customers) to the store. Many people have commented on the painting already. Manya Jewelers has beautiful custom jewelry by the way. Check them out if you are ever in Valencia, California.

 Another option is to temporarily donate some of your artwork to your favorite charity to exhibit. They can use it to decorate their regular space, or they might want to set up a special event for the exhibit and use it to help with a fundraiser.

A permanent gift of art to your favorite charity or to a museum is another philanthropic activity that can help you make room in your home for artwork, and that would provide a tax benefit for you as well.

There is also art storage. If you decide to put some of your artwork in storage, make sure that it is protected well, and that you have climate-controlled storage. If you are going to put your artwork in storage outside of your home, research art storage. There are places that specialize in fine art storage, so Google for one closest to you. Personally, I would prefer that fine art is on display somewhere being enjoyed, rather than in storage.

If there are paintings you really want to add to your art collection, and you don't have available wall space, you might also consider selling some of your previous art acquisitions to make room for the new ones. Contact a reputable dealer and get an estimate of value and discuss the possibility of a resale. We accept original fine art on consignment from select artists, such as G. Harvey, Pino, Antoine Blanchard, Morgan Weistling, Carl Brenders, and others, and help collectors market their artwork and broker the sale discreetly.

Of course, if you want to add on to your home, go right ahead. An "Art wing" would be lovely. Give us a call--we would be happy to help you find the artwork you want for the new addition. We have happy collectors throughout the US and Internationally, and can ship art to you crated and insured. J Watson Fine Art can be reached at 661 476-7558 or e-mail info@jwatsonfineart.com or visit our website at www.jwatsonfineart.com

G. Harvey Original Paintings & Rare Sold-Out Limited Editions in Mint Condition Now Available

Discussing the Fare by G. Harvey

Flower Market by G. Harvey

Cowboy's Payday by G. Harvey

Saturday Night Contract by G. Harvey

G. Harvey original paintings and rare sold-out at publisher limited editions can be hard to come by. We are fortunate to be able to offer several G. Harvey original paintings, and  now some G. Harvey limited edition art that was put away for posterity and sold out at the publisher years ago, has just become available to us.  

Flower Market serigraph is one of those rare G. Harvey pieces that collectors love. We have one in mint condition stored in the original folder with certificate for many years.

G Harvey is a brilliant American Impressionist who is known for his charming and nostalgic turn-of-the century street scenes and his wonderful Western paintings depicting cowboy life. He was honored with a one-man show at the Smithsonian, and his art is collected by Presidents, captains of industry, and art collectors world-wide.

View more G. Harvey art on the G. Harvey exhibit on our website, or call us at 661 476-7558 or e-mail info@jwatsonfineart.com for more information or to request a quote on any G. Harvey original painting or G. Harvey limited edition.

Fine Art Insurance--Moving or Transit Coverage May Not Be Included

If you are planning a move, or shipping a piece of valuable artwork to another location to sell, display or store, it is important to check with your insurance agent to make sure your artwork is covered in transit.

Even if you have insured your fine art while it is in your home against damage, theft, etc, a general insurance policy for fine art may not include transit coverage.

If you are shipping a painting to a dealer to sell on consignment, you may want to ask the dealer to ship using their account so that the artwork is covered under their transit insurance policy, as the rate may be significantly lower than if you were to obtain one-time coverage yourself.

Of course, the best outcome of a move or shipment of artwork is for it to arrive safely, so in addition to making sure you are covered by insurance, look for an experienced art shipper to pack and handle your artwork well.

Wooden crates are preferable to boxes for expensive artwork being shipped, and packing material should be appropriate for the type of artwork.

If you are shipping with Fedex, GoNavis, UPS or a similar carrier and having them do the packing, call first and make sure that the particular store has experience with shipping fine art, and the requirements for doing so safely.

There are also art shippers who can pack your artwork for you, and then ship through Fedex or other carriers, and some will drive your artwork themselves to its destination. Pick up from your home may also be available.Google fine art shippers in your area and get a few quotes as prices can vary quite a bit.