Sinister in Monochrome: the Drawings of Mercedes Helnwein

I've recently had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the drawings of Mercedes Helnwein. Daughter of the Austrian-Irish artist-provocateur, Gottfried Helnwein, Mercedes shows influence of her father's watercolour paintings, without relying on his heavy-handed visual and visceral upset. Concentrating on the female figure, the incorporation of small or hand-held props, and the artist's impeccable technical drawing abilities, Mercedes Helnwein presents a body of portraits almost exclusively in graphite chiaroscuro that have an unmistakable and delectable sense of sinisterness. Helnwein's beautiful figures seem to have walked right out of an ad from a 1950s issue of Good Housekeeping (or Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Irony, however, is injected into the subject matter and conceptual elements of the renderings with situational humor, awkwardness, or juxtaposition of the figure to her environment and/or prop. Helnwein's drawings are an examination of the female figure, donned in mod clothes, and disoriented, if not displaced, extending to the viewer a lovely, clean rendering of beauty in a vulnerable and most honest means. The artist is currently working toward her November 2009 exhibition at Merry Karnowsky Gallery in Los Angeles, California, working on her second novel, and consistently collaborates on films with her brother, Ali Helnwein.

-Joel Sager

For the love of artists

Recently I received the following video clip on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=1335894615&k=ZZBZ46UYPV5OUCD1QB64VVTVTWAG This was posted by artists Carlos Michael Finn. We met Carlos about 5 years ago through another artist. We have visited him in Denver many times over the last few years. He in turn has come to visit us on many occasions. I love Carlos. I love this video. The video really made me miss Carlos, but it also reminded me why we have PS:Gallery. We opened the gallery to provide a quality location for artists to show their work. We wanted to provide not just a wall, but a nurturing environment that would show their work with the same kind of energy in which it was created. We wanted to have a place that artists would be proud to show their work in. We have been very fortunate in our lives to meet and know many very talented artists. We hope in some way that we can covey a little bit of what we love about each of the artists we show. Take a look at Carlos' video, come in and check out his work, ask me about Carlos and what makes him great, not just as an artists but as a person. My next few blogs will be dedicated to many of the artists that I call "Friends"

Jennifer

The Price of Art (continued)

There is a long time value to art. Most people will replace their house every ten years or so, their car every five years, their wardrobe every year, but an investment in an original piece of art will be with you forever and often handed down to future generations. The beauty of it is, unlike those stocks and bonds that float around in cyberspace, you get to enjoy your art investment everyday. Now, I would never sell a piece of art as a financial investment. Art generally goes up in value, but that's not the reason to invest in art. The true investment is in your own personal aesthetic. Whether the art sparks a memory, stirs an emotion, or you just love the way it makes the room, the investment is in your own personal surrounding. Try hanging your stock certificate on the wall and getting that kind of reaction.

True, original art come with a price tag. You can read Jennifer's post below to see what goes into pricing original art. In addition to all of those reasons, keep in mind the rarity. Like a Mickey Mantle baseball card and the Hope Diamond, when you buy an original piece of art, you are the only person in the world with it. You can't say that about your shoes or your car. I think there is something very special about knowing your investment in art is uniquely your own.

So keep in mind the next time you toss your cell phone for the latest model or put your shoes in a plastic bag because their out of style, remember for a small monthly investment, you too could own original art. While savings for retirement and college for the kids is very important, so is making an investment in your own aesthetic.

Chris