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Art is timeless and transcendental, and art appreciation is not compromised by ethnic, cultural, and geographic boundaries. People respond positively to good art because it inspires, uplifts, and shines a beacon on the universality of the human condition. But why do many people still hesitate to acquire original art, such as still life and face painting , even if they are fully aware of art's aesthetically-enhancing and life-affirming value? The answer lies in people's misconceptions about art patronage.
Many still hold the misguided notion that art collection is a passion that only old money and the nouveau riche can afford to pursue. It is the same fallacy that fuels the resentful assumption that the old rich collect rare still life and commission big-name artists to produce face painting immortalizing their aristocratic countenance, while the overnight millionaires acquire original art partly as a way to consummate their entry into the upper crust. But the pleasure (and sometimes, profit) of art collection ought not be the sole privilege of the jet set. Art is meant to speak to a wide audience, and limited edition prints of still life and face painting have made original art by classical realism artists accessible to art lovers from all walks of life.
Still life is a representation of inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit, dishes, books, etc. as arranged and perceived by the artist. Still life paintings that depict delicate floral arrangements and exquisite table settings are popular choices among those starting to acquire art. Art lovers who collect still life are fascinated by the meanings and symbols that hide behind a seemingly innocuous bowl of apples or a partly toppled stack of hardcover books. An intimate knowledge of how the artist uses colors and arranges objects to convey emotions helps art aficionados understand the significance of still life images. For instance, the warm colors in realist painter Starr Abbott's still life "Three Graces" represent love, romance and sensuality.
Face painting
In addition to still life , face painting is another genre favored by beginning art collectors. Face painting is an artistic rendering of a person's face that captures the subject's likeness, character, and personality. Some collectors acquire Victorian style face painting of anonymous subjects painted by famous artists, while others take art ownership to a more personal level by commissioning a renowned artist to create a face painting for them. A face painting elicits intrigue and fascination, especially if the artist has rendered the subject in a manner that both reveals hidden facets of the subject's character and leaves the final judgment up to the observer.
Budding art patrons who feel they cannot afford to buy expensive original still life and face painting can still own a piece of artistic genius by turning to limited edition prints. Limited edition prints are high-quality print reproductions of original art produced in limited quantities. Limited edition prints are the perhaps the most popular form of collectible fine art because they are faithful reproductions of the original and less expensive. Often, these limited edition prints are numbered and signed by the artists themselves. Many highly distinguished artists acknowledge the importance of reaching a broader audience by agreeing to limited edition prints of their original realist paintings and portrait drawings. Because limited edition prints are produced in very small quantities, they do not diminish the value of the original art or the limited edition prints . Limited edition prints of Starr Abbott's original artwork are available in museum-quality acid-free paper.
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