Hey, kids! Bonjour, good morning, greetings and salutations!
Well, all of my art (and lunch) money this year went to artists based in the UK, Russia, Latvia, Canada, and France. That's just incidental though as I don't necessarily care where the art originates from. Still, it's nice to know one's collection spans multiple countries...
I'm not entirely sure whether these are
really my top acquisitions of the year as I think I could pick out other paintings equally as great. I'd also like to say in recent years I've been able to subsidize my art buying compulsion by selling off once beloved (untouchable) prints. I own zero Jeremy Geddes now. I shockingly and horrifyingly let go of a rare El Mac. So yeah, I'm now tapping into my own bone marrow and the excreted DMT from my own pineal gland.
I already know what my top 5 acquisitions for 2016 are (will be). All are currently being paid off...
George Morton-Clark -
Untitled
(c. 2015) 33cm x 46cm oil on canvas
An experimental piece and much smaller than his usual work. The artist is currently working on a high profile (but for now secretive) project for Elevate London, specifically for Sue Whitely former head of Givenchy. This painting along with another companion piece I own is a result of his newer work with Elevate.
George Morton-Clark -
In A State of Red
(c. 2014) 85cm x135cm oil on canvas
I recall being in a hotel room in Michigan when I reached out to the artist back in Oct 2014 about this painting. Just before he left for a trip to India, he agreed to a deposit. Subsequently, the artist shared that the painting was all of a sudden quite popular as his galleries in Germany and Switzerland were asking for it... but for them it was too late
George Morton-Clark -
Selfie Art
(c. 2013) 150cm x 120cm oil on canvas
This painting was a part of "The Devil's Cabinet" show exhibited at Imitate Modern (London) in Feb - Mar 2014. The show was so popular that Beach Blanket Babylon in Shoreditch asked to host the show the following months - Apr - May 2014. There were a couple of narcissism themed works in the show. In one write up this piece was also referred to as
The Art of Taking a Selfie 2. This painting was also used on the show's program guide. There's an Instagram image out there where a class of art school students from West Thames College attended the show on a field trip - and they're each holding the program guide with Selfie Art prominently displayed! I had known half the works sold during the initial exhibition run...so I was a bit surprised when learning of this painting's availability later in the year. I finished paying it off earlier in 2015.
Jana Brike -
Crowning of a Young Queen
(c.2014) 23 x 23 inches, oil on canvas
Exhibited at Modern Eden Gallery in SF back in January 2015. The show was curated by Stephanie Chefas who now runs her own gallery in Portland, Oregon. It's thanks to her I was able to get an inside track on this piece. The painting has been featured in Beautiful Bizarre magazine as well as countless other blogs and social media posts.
Jana Brike -
Goldilocks' Holiday
(c. 2015) 16 x 12 inches, oil on canvas paper
Exhibited at Modern Eden Gallery in SF back in May 2015. About the painting, Jana writes, "
This painting is an emotional self portrait of certain experiences and feelings I went through growing up. It is beautiful to me, and very personal."
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I quite loved your new Esao Andrews acquisition! I know I need to add another Andrews piece to my collection. For now, I fear that I'm taking it for granted that he'll continue making masterful work at relatively affordable prices.
