LIVING WITH ART BLOG

Never in our lifetime, have we seen or heard so much news of illness and death. To me, the most startling realization is that thousands of people are dying without the comfort of their families and without their lives being properly honored...

Frequently when I am in a conversation, reading a book, or watching television, an image of a familiar artwork apropos of the topic comes to my mind. In the initial days of the Coronavirus outbreak, I kept seeing a composite image that is on the cover of Maggie Taylor’s surrealistic painterly photography book, “No Ordinary Days.” 

In a time when all of our lives have been put on hold and we are not in control of decisions that affect us, it is important to connect with our best selves, and with the people and things we love and value. Art provides that connectivity and it comes in so many forms. Think about the profound changes in your life and what anchored you during that period. Use the arts to reconnect with those things...

Most Sunday afternoons you can find me in my Gallery, JRB Art at The Elms, in The Paseo Arts District. We are open on Sunday afternoons because it is a time that families can visit the Gallery together. Saturdays are usually dedicated to soccer, Little League, music or dance lessons, haircuts and buying tennis shoes. Being in the Gallery when children are looking at art is a remarkable experience...

Paintings can be hung anywhere, at least that is my personal philosophy. In fact, some of the art I enjoy the most is placed in the outdoor patios surrounding my home. Most visitors are not surprised to find a bronze or stone sculpture in a garden, but they do seem to be a bit startled to see a painting hanging among trees and shrubbery.

All of us are familiar with the disorientation that occurs when we remodel our living space or move to a new home. The things we love, including our art, are reduced to being just stuff on the floor...

Among the wonders of nature are the five senses most humans share: Vision, Hearing, Smell, Taste and Touch. These senses provide data to the part of our brain that creates our emotions. That is why listening to Harry Chapin sing “Cats in the Cradle” can make you cry. It is the reason you feel the sand and heat of the harsh desert when watching “Lawrence of Arabia.” It is why “A Tale of Two Cities” is regularly cited as one of the best-selling novels of all time. It is why it is almost impossible to look at a Denise Duong painting of a couple on a tandem bicycle with a dog perched in a wire carrier without feeling like someone is touching you. Similarly, who can be unmoved when viewing Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel...

Twenty or so years ago, in the back room of a well curated Gallery in Denver, I discovered a black and white photograph of Georgia O’Keefe. For me, it was love at first sight as I had long admired O’Keefe, both as a strong, independent woman and as an artist. When I took the photograph to the front desk to ask the price, it quickly became apparent that the photograph was a part of the owner’s personal collection and he had not planned on selling it...

Recently I was reminded of how important Balance is in the placement of art. In fact, balance may be the most important element, whether it be in one’s office or home. Too often we only focus on installing art...