A New and Artful Year Begins!

Welcome to 2013! I'm looking forward to all that the New Year brings! New beginnings, fresh starts, and new adventures!

Please take a few minutes to watch the latest Artful Living video that gives some suggestions to the beginning art collector as well as the seasoned one.

Thank you again to all of our Gallery Friends and fans that have shown your support and patronage in 2012. It is with great warmth that I send you tons of appreciation and thanks!

Have a Safe, Happy, and Artful New Year!

CJ

Artful Holiday Giving....

Please take a few minutes to view the Holiday Gallery segment that we recently shot at the Artful Deposit Gallery in Bordentown City, NJ.

I believe the main focus of Artful Living is to encourage people to bring art into their lives. I also want to help "de-mystify" the art world. By watching the videos on Artful Living, you can gain the confidence to walk into galleries and experience art comfortably and not feel intimidated.

I mention that we have a new artist that works in ceramics. Many of Dahlia Guzik's pieces are food safe, so they are functional as well as lovely. She keeps her work very affordable (some small spoon rests start at $11.) and I was thrilled to see some people make their very first purchases in an art gallery this weekend past! A gentleman came back late Friday night to buy a small piece for himself because he said he was "thinking about it all night." He was so excited to own an original, hand made, one of a kind piece of art.

So sit back and relax and I thank you for your time.......Tis the Season to be Artful!

Cheers!

CJ

Mugs!

"Does it have to Match?"

So, I answer the phone, and a woman asks, "Is this the woman from Artful Living?" and I say,
"yes, this is CJ." After around five minutes of her story surrounding the rehanging of their
house and that she was readying for Family Christmas, etc....she gets to the point of her call.

"Do all the frames have to match if the artwork is hanging on the same wall? Is it okay, if they are in
different frames, in the same room, but on different walls?" An Artful Intervention was needed!

I was smiling to myself as she went on about her concern, and I realized she was truly fretting about
it. So, when I shot a pic of one of the gallery walls, and a glimpse of three pieces at home and sent
them to her, it assured her that when you are collecting original pieces of art, they are in frames that
are hopefully selected by the artist or a framing professional, and should be suited to that piece of art.

Let the artwork exist as its own entity and try to hang pieces near one another that visually complement
and don't overpower one another.......

It's an Artful Holiday!!

It's a wonderful time of the year....the transition from the Harvest Season with all of its Blessings to the mad rush of the Holiday Season! Here comes baking and cooking and decking the halls! Why not make this year's shopping an Artful breeze! We are proud to say we are on our first re-order of the Artful Living With CJ "Have an Artful Day" mugs featuring the artwork of gallery represented artist, Thomas Kelly.  Just click on the Shop section and shop away! "Picnic at the Swing," and "Pushing the Elephant," are decorated in the USA on fabulous 15 oz ceramic mugs...

Soon to arrive are two more Thomas Kelly gems, "Flowers Again," and "Fight in the Museum."

We also have a limited supply of hand-painted and signed Artful Living T-shirts by Hanneke deNeve. This internationally acclaimed Expressionist has been a mainstay at the Artful Deposit Gallery since 1986, and her work is celebrated by many. Hanneke brings the color and joy to this wearable T, and they are machine washable and dryer safe. Available for $40. each! Call today at 609 298 6970!

Let us help you stay Merry, Artful and Bright, and to all our art lovers, Have an Artful Night!!!

A Video Introduction.....

Good Morning! Please take a few minutes to watch this video snippet about Artful Living....I hope you're enjoying a cup of coffee in one of our fabulous mugs! Check out "Picnic at the Swing" and "Pushing the Elephant" by artist Thomas Kelly in the Shop and Area Retailers section of this site.....

                    
                  Thanks for watching and Have an Artful Day!!! Best Always, CJ

Have an Artful Day......

Good Morning and welcome to the all new Artful Living site. After being in the retail fine art world for many years, I've come to realize there is a whole group of people who are missing out on the beauty and wonder of having art in their lives. I guess there is a stigma attached, or maybe an apprehension about the cost of buying art, whatever. All I hope is that Artful Living will be a very user friendly site where we share some valuable and "artful tips," and you can shop on line for some very artful products. We hope to take the mystery out of the art world, and encourage people to explore the world of art around them.

Art is Everywhere!! Just the other day I was in line at my bank in Bordentown City. I happened to look up and noticed the lovely plaster and gold leaf detail all over the ceiling. It was just lovely, and I smiled thinking I was pleased that I had noticed it....that was the craftsmanship from an artisan from long ago. Art is in the schools, Senior centers, galleries, frame shops, book stores, in the beautiful sunset as you drive home.....

I hope you will bookmark Artful Living and we will chat soon! As always, be safe and well, and
Have an Artful Day!

CJ