Adele - Chasing Pavements

Shopping for Art made eas(ier) by Blair Douglas

Hans Wegner "Shell" chair from Wyeth, found on 1stdibs.com

"The Sledding Hill" by Joseph O. Holmes found on 20x200.com

There are a range of types of art patrons. We know the connoisseur, the collector, the decorator, the art lover, the novice... the clueless filler of barren wall space. If you find yourself nestled somewhere between the expert connoisseur and the utterly clueless, you may be realizing a glimmer of desire to invest in art, but not a great idea of how to go about it. It is, after all, a daunting task. Doing it the right way (avoiding finding a piece of actual garbage nailed above your dining table) takes some research, advisement, and precious time spent browsing. The good news is: the pursuit of purchasing art has gotten a whole lot more convenient.

The art world's answer to the realization that the young art patron's first "art shopping" stop is the internet, is a new and flourishing online art market. We use it because it is the fastest, easiest way to figure out what we like, how much it costs, and how far we have to go to get it. Try the veteran www.1stdibs.com for high end antiques, mid-century furniture, eclectic objet d'art and, most recently, fine art from some of the most prestigious art dealers. You can find limited edition photographs and works on paper on one of my personal favorites, www.20x200.com. The easy to navigate websites of www.artriver.com andwww.aperture.org are where to find prints by big name artists and works by lesser known emerging artists. I could have filled my walls 100 times over with the treasures found on www.lumas.com! Museum websites are a great place to order prints of little known masterpieces- just find a fantastic frame! And, if you are confident you have a great eye, you'll be surprised by what you can find on ebay. Really!

Many auction houses have online bidding features which allow you to bid live with those present at the auction. Try Heritage, Christie's house sales, Doyle's, and Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers for fine art, antique furniture and jewelry. Buying art and antiques this way guarantees a unique purchase. It is my favorite way to shop!

Often times, however, nothing compares to finding an old treasure in a vintage store, getting something meaningful on your travels, or stumbling into an amazing off-the-beaten path gallery. Let the online art world simply be one of many ways you fill your life with the beautiful things you love! The best little secret? The best reason to buy is because YOU can't live without it, no matter where it comes from!

Art in the city with Blair

Sitting on the UES having a glass of wine at Bergdorf with my good friend Blair, we started talking about new ideas for littlesecretsforyou.blogspot.com/ and I asked her to be a guest blogger on the site and share her endless knowledge about the art world. At the moment Blair is taking some time off until she starts her next big adventure at 1stdibs.com so it was the perfect time! She agreed to let me interview her to give her a little introduction.

1. When you moved into the city, did you know right away the art was the field you wanted to explore? Absolutely! Being in the art and/or design field is something I always wanted to do-- and hope I always am lucky enough to get be a part of it!

2. can you give us an idea of what the art world is like? Well, it's broad. I generally say it's divided into four parts: the dealer/gallery, the auction house, the institution (museums and universities), and the collectors and patrons. Each with different ways of seeing the art world, and very different motivations. It thrives on beauty, money, and emotion.

3. have you met any great artist? I never worked with living artists, so I haven't met any big name artists, hopefully I will soon!

4.have you bought any great art? I am certainly not yet the collector I want to be! But I spend a lot of time looking and shopping. I think shopping for art on a budget brings you upon some amazing treasures, because you have to look long and hard. It really hones your sense of what you like and builds your confidence.

5. You recently left the Alexander Gallery and got a new job at the brick and mortar venture of 1stdibs.com. Congratulations, what will you be doing there? It's 1stdibs at the New York Design Center-- it's so brand new and I think I'll be doing a bit of everything from sales to client relations...I'll find out when I start next week!

6. Whos your favorite artist and why? Hieronymus Bosch and Roy Lichtenstein. The strangest combination ever?

7.lets bring it back to fashion, who are you favorite designers and fashion icon? I like fashion that's classic and requires little effort. I will wear the same thing everyday if it looks good and fits well. I would have to go with Chanel, Phillip Lim, Missoni, Roberta Freymann (clothes, jewelry and furniture!) And the Upper East Side gallery girl in me loves Milly. 100 percent Jackie O' - Sophisticated, timeless, effortlessly chic...always!

8. what is your day to day attire at work? Black, black, and black.

9. what are your favorite shops on the UES? A lot of what I buy is in vintage stores around where I live. There are great little shops in the east 70's and 80's. But unfortunately I buy all the great stuff before anyone else can...kidding!

10. why do people call you bunny? Hmm...why wouldn't they call me bunny??!

street style looks in my favorite cities

New York

Paris

London

Tel Aviv

Levi's and Opening Ceremony have joined forces

The strong forces of Levi's and Opening Ceremony have teamed up again and the collection will be hitting stores in February-just in time for Fashion Week! It will be available at Levi stores, Opening Ceremony, and online. The collection will have a total of 8 pieces-4 for girls and 4 for boys and will retail between $175-300.

images refinery29.com