Studio Art Direct selected for Red160 permanent art program in Seattle
Bold graphics printed on plexiglas by artist Joe Futschik.
The target audience for the apartment buildings to be called Red160 are young professionals working in high tech related industries. As part of their services, Studio Art Direct helps clients select art works designed to enhance the image and feel of a building. Art often plays a unique marketing roll in helping clients lease or sell multi family projects. For this project, Janelle Baglien of Studio Art Direct selected works that are graphic with saturated colors, large abstract paintings, and prints on modern surfaces such as plexiglas and aluminum.
Selected artist include: Bill Park, Jeni Lee, Joe Futschik, TL Lange, and Parvez Taj.
About Studio Art Direct, Inc.
Studio Art Direct provides turn-key art programs for hospitality, healtchare, corporate, multifamily, and institutional buildings. The firm specializes in works created by Oregon and Washington artists. Studio Art Direct online ( http://www.studioartdirect.com ) is areas largest source for contemporary regional artworks in the United States.
Putting artists to work in the recession, Studio Art Direct completes installation of extensive, permanent art collection for continued care facility featuring local artists
Just a few artists selected for Holladay Park art program. L-R Zeb Andrews, Allan Stephenson, Doreen Wynja, Donna Young, and Jeff White
Artists were selected from the www.studioartdirect.com online art collection and direct from the studios of painters and photographers throughout the region. Final selections were honed from over 250 works presented. The residents of Holladay Park Plaza were included in the selection process. One artist was selected for each of 18 residential areas. Much of the art depicts scenes from around Oregon including the coast, vineyards, urban Portland, the Columbia Gorge, and Central Oregon. Although initial focus groups studies with the senior residents conducted by Studio Art Direct president Janelle Baglien indicated lyrical abstracts as a preferred genre, ultimately residentent’s primarily selected nature and landscape art works.
Typically, artwork selected for senior housing or healthcare settings is selected from national or international publishers and in no way support the local art community. Therefore, a lack of connection to the art or artist exists – either visually or monetarily.
The Holladay Park Plaza art program put money directly in the pockets of many local artists, framers, fine art printers and installers in a very tough economic year. The management team of Holladay Park Plaza deserves recognition for supporting local artists and craftsmen and going the extra mile to involve the residents in the process.
After all art was installed, Studio Art Direct and Holladay Park Plaza threw an art party with music, champagne, and appetizers. Serveral of the artists selected attended giving the residents an opportunity to learn more about their art and the process of creating it. Baglien also set up a blank canvas for a group painting involving residents and project artists.
About Studio Art Direct
Studio Art Direct, headquarted in Portland, Oregon, provides turn-key fine art solutions for healthcare, hospitality and corporate environments. www.studioartdirect.com features 1000 original paintings, limited editions giclees, fine art prints, and photographs created exclusively by emerging and established fine artists from Portland, Oregon and the surrounding region. The online art collection is now available to the general public for purchasing.
Studio Art Direct gives advice to Art Calendar for article on starting a successful artists organization
You can read the article in Art Calendar's February 2010 issue.
Art of Hotel Modera Video – modern hotel art by Studio Art Direct
Porrtland, Oregon – Studio Art Direct provided nearly 500 works of art by local creative professionals for Hotel Modera in Portland, Oregon. The Hotel Modera is a mid century modern marvel with sustainable design and packed full of sculpture, paintings, and photography by Portland area artists. Watch video:
Art Trends for 2010 – online art sales will increase
Forbes Magazine, makes a “bold prediction” that art will finally sell online in 2010. Studio Art Direct www.studioartdirect.com agrees based on increased online sales in 2009. According to Susan Adams of Forbes, “Art will sell online. Back in the late 1990s, auction houses tried, and failed, to sell art over the Web. Sotheby’s partnership with Amazon and eBay’s acquisition of bricks-and-mortar auction house Butterfield & Butterfield (now Bonhams & Butterfields) both flopped as it became clear buyers wouldn’t blow $5 million on a Barbizon plein-air painting; for those kinds of prices, they wanted TLC and in-person schmoozing. Buyers have since cozied up to the Internet, and things are finally changing. Christie’s says $95 million was bid or underbid last year using its online LIVE system. Expect more online art commerce soon.
We agree with this 2010 prediction, on a local level, and smaller scale than Christies, of course. We have seen an increase in online sales in 2009. Works have sold to customers from San Francisco to France.
We would also add to the prediction: Online art will become regionalized and more specific with certain websites providing genres or localized art making the search process easier for customers; supporting local regional artists – on an invidual and corporate level – will increase. Some companies, such as large healthcare providers are now making it a mandate that at least 80% of the artwork be created by local artists; and the popularity for archival quality giclees will continue to rise and more artists incorporate the medium into their portfolios.
Read full story in Forbes Magazine:
A Mad and Beautiful New Year by Studio Art Direct
A visual snack celebrating the end of a mad year. Studio Art Direct celebrates the beauty in 2009 through art. Set to the theme from Mad Men…a thank you to our clients, colleagues, friends and artists.
Sincerely,
Janelle Baglien/President
Studio Art Direct completes permanent art installation for Holladay Park Plaza
Portland painter Mitch Baird was one of the 12 local artists selected for Holladay Park Plaza art program.
Portland, Ore. – Studio Art Direct recently completed installation of and extensive and permanent art collection for Holladay Park Plaza senior care facility in Portland, Oregon.
The art collection features a dazzling display of 58 paintings and photographs created by 12 regional artists. Each artist was selected by the Holladay Park residents from a collection of over 250 works of art curated and presented by Studio Art Direct’s president Janelle Baglien. Artists ranged from emerging to well established painters and photographers. Much of the art depicts scenes from around Oregon including the coast, vineyards, urban Portland, the Columbia Gorge, and Central Oregon.
“We worked closely with the executive committee and residents of Holladay Park Plaza to create an art program that resonated with the seniors,” says Baglien. One artist was selected for each of the 15 floors of the building by the residents.
The remaining art for group rooms and breezeways were selected from openedition prints by floor representatives. The program is designed to be easily rotated each year. A standard mounting was designed so that paintings could be moved utilizing existing security mounts requiring no additional holes. ”This was a challenging project because we needed to work with artists who were willing to create custom and unique giclees of their original work specifically for this project. We also wanted to included the residents in the selection process. These two elements added a lot of extra research, development, and selection time to the process, but overall the results were priceless,” explains Baglien.
Typically, artwork selected for senior care facilities is done so by designers and there is rarely input from the residents. Artwork is also often selected from national or international publishers and in no way supports the local art community. Seniors feel a lack of connection to the art and the artist when they have been excluded from the selection process yet they must live with the choices everyday. “We believe that seniors need to be respected and their opinions valued. It is more work, but as corporate art specialists, it is our duty,” says Baglien.
The art of Holladay Park Plaza put money in the pockets of many local artists, framers, fine art printers and installers in a very tough economic year. ”The management team of Holladay Park Plaza lead by John Larson and Pam Johnson need to be commended for supporting local art and going the extra mile to involve their seniors in the process,” says Baglien.
On December 9th, the seniors will get to meet their artists, Donna Young, Mitch Baird, Allan Stephenson, Zeb Andrews, Doreen Wynja, Brian Cameron, Jeff White, Marla Baggetta, Allan Bruce Zee, William Vanscoy, and Susan Luckey Higdon at a reception at Holladay Park Plaza. Artists will mingle and talk about their process and residents will have a chance to connect and learn more about the art gracing the walls of the place they call home.
How to present your art portfolio on I-Touch and other mod presentations idea
Portland, OR – Studio Art Direct occassionally cruises the internet for up-to-date ideas for artists. Here is a great video we found on YouTube that shares ideas on how to create a portable and interactive art portfolio on an I-Phone or I-Touch. Great stuff!
Art of a recession – Studio Art Direct shares how to market your art business in an economic downturn
Janelle Fendall Baglien, president of Studio Art Direct and author of the article, warns that the list is long and to achieve each step could take as much as a year, but urges artists and art related businesses not to be overwhelmed. Just chip away at it, now, while you have the time.
Studio Art Direct
For artists and galleries, a recession can be a scary time. But an economic downturn can provide great opportunity.
An economic downturn is a great time to market.
Tough times may actually provide us our best opportunity to reach out to art customers with little or no competition because so many of our competitors are doing just the opposite of that in an attempt to save money.
Competition is easing.
Everyone has the bravery to seek out clients in good times, creating an atmosphere of extreme competition. Reaching your customer with your message proves to be exceedingly difficult. NOW is the time to have faith in your art or service, to reach out to your customers and to secure your success for the future.
A slow down in art sales means time.
Time to get your business in order and create marketing systems. Update your website, create postcards that are generic and all-purpose, photograph images, update your resume, create effective electronic files for your art with title, size and price of each image in jpeg format (low res for emailing), produce an online and offline portfolio for presentations to galleries, clean and organize your studio. Think positively, be an example of confidence, and get ready for 2009.
12 Steps & cost effective ways to market now:
Build that database.
I can’t express how important it is for you, whether you are with a gallery or not, to build a powerful email and mail database. Get all those business cards you have in a pile on to your computer – especially email addresses. Take one day each week to put all new contacts in your database. Treat it like gold and back it up often.
Email is the most effective and inexpensive ways to market a visual medium like art – use it! I recommend Outlook (PC) or Entourage (MAC) for an excellent email and database system.
Submit an article online.
Everyone knows about the internet, but not everyone knows the free ways to get exposure on the internet. You can write an article about your art, how you do it (how to), your clients, or anything somewhat newsworthy and submit it to one of the many sites that accept them. At the end of every article you should have one succinct paragraph that begins with About (You). Here is where you mention your art business and have a link to your website. Each site has it’s guidelines on how the articles are to be written, so make sure to follow them. This will help establish you as a leader in your industry as long as the information you share is helpful and not self-promoting. Go beyond art websites (big competition) try more open source like www.searchwarp.com
Use guerilla marketing techniques.
Use www.overnightprints.com or www.modernpostcards.com and have some postcards made (and don’t forget business cards!). During your slow time, go down to your city art walk or art events or a busy cultural event and hand them out. Put your message directly into the hands of prospective customers. Make sure you have an attractive offer. This could mean a discount on your art or a small art card giveaway. Be creative. Entice people to visit your studio, gallery or website.
Take care of your best asset – previous art buyers.
Client retention is the best form of marketing. Finding a new art buyer is 100 times harder than selling to your existing or past clients. So treat anyone who has bought art from you like they are a cherished aunt. Send them a Christmas card this year (make them yourself). Throw a “client appreciation” party in your studio or home. Stay in touch with them. Love them. Build a relationship with them. Their referrals and future buying power are your very best asset. You should have a separate or tagged database that includes art buyer clients only (for the above purposes).
Max out online opportunities.
Set up an account on www.myspace , www.facebook and www.linkedin . You can set up an account with a social networking site, giving more information about your business and connecting to other businesses to network and exchanges leads.
Start a blog .
Update it often with new work and thoughts about your process of creating. Use www.wordpress.com It is my favorite – lots of template choices,user friendly and FREE. I recently discovered you can download Movie Media to the blog. I haven’t done it yet. But have someone video tape you in your studio talking about why you create, how you create, your process. It is a great way to create a bio that sells. Load it to your blog. Load it to your website. Load it to www.youtube.com and send the link to your database.
Change your website address.
Your website address should be YOUR name – this will help your website pop up when people Google you. To buy a new domain name or check availability of it, go to www.dotster.com or www.verio.com . Have your new domain name DNS directed to your existing website.
Register your blog and website.
Be sure to register your domain website and blog with all major search engines and online directories. Most is free. Do not use paid services. They do not work unless you can spend a fortune. The goal is to get your name all over the web! Sign up for Google analytics as well. You can track who people are that come to your website.
Cross pollinate with other businesses.
If you’re feeling the pinch of the economy, most likely other businesses in your area/industry are feeling it as well. Find other businesses that don’t compete with you but have similar clients. Try to get a deal to hang your art or exchange postcards promoting each other’s business. Or if your business is online, do a link exchange with other businesses. Do not over due the link exchange or Google may lower your organic search results. Be selective in who you work with both online and in the brick and mortar world.
Consider submitting to art publishers.
Yes, a double edged sword, but art publishers will get you exposure, especially online. And you can receive a small but steady income. Check out www.editionslimited.com as a great example of quality and popularity.
Send out Press Releases.
Press Releases can be a very effective way to bring attention to your art business. If you have something that impacts the community or are inspired to create because of something that impacts your community, then you can have someone write a press release for you. If you hire someone to do it for you, make sure they know how to write and distribute it. Again, remember the topic must be something that impacts the community and not just a self-serving piece promoting your business. Personally, I like www.fineartamerica.com for press releases. It is free and fairly easy and art related. It also gets picked up readily by Google. Look at other free PR sites on the web. Type in a search – “free press release websites” and cull through them.
Create a list with full contact info for ALL press related contacts and websites. Use it often.
Paid services will submit your release to specific regions or trade publications. It is worth the cost for an important release. In my opinion, PRNEWSWIRE and BUSINESS WIRE are the best if you are going to pay: http://www.businesswire.com http://www.prnewswire.com
Create a new body of work.
If your current body of work is not selling, take this time to open your self up to new ideas and let the creative juices flow. Keep marketing your current body of work, but play around with new ideas now. Personally, I believe with a recession comes the desire for the public to want to be surrounded by uplifting and inspirational colors, art and ideas. Be the messenger of hope.
To get an idea of what colors will be popular in the next year or so, look to new car colors and home accessories – they lead trends.
About Studio Art Direct
Studio Art Direct is a professional corporate art services firm serving the West Coast. Clients include interior designers, architects, art consultants, medical facilities, hotels, multifamily, commercial, corporations and institutions. http://www.studioartdirect.com is the largest resource for emerging and established art created by artists from Oregon and Washington in the U.S. The website features all mediums including original paintings, limited editions, sculpture, photography and glass works. The online gallery is open to the general public 24/7.
About the Author
Janelle Baglien, President of Studio Art Direct, is an artist and 20 year veteran of corporate marketing and communications.
Contact:
Janelle Baglien, President
Studio Art Direct Demystifies Commissioning Art for Corporate Projects.
Tetherow Golf Club Art Commission
Portland, Oregon – It is a rare occasion when we can find the right number of artworks, in the right size, in the right colors, in the right style for a corporate art project. So often times, more often than not, we commission works of art specifically for resort, office, medical, or hospitality projects.
Commissioning art is a leap for most clients, even for design professionals. People are simply more comfortable buying what they can touch, feel and immediately relate to. But the satisfaction of commissioning art specifically designed to capture the feeling, aura, image or design of a company or interior style is an exciting and rewarding process for everyone involved.
Rarely do you have an opportunity to breathe your ideas into a work of art. Who would dare? But many artist leap at the opportunity. It pushes them into places sometimes unknown. Allows them to spread their creative wings on a work of art guaranteed to sell and often is some of the best work they create.
Commissioned works of art can bring elements of surprise and a feeling of ownership to the buyer that simply can not be gained in buying off the shelf.
Here are some helpful tips for commissioning artworks for corporate art projects:
Start with size:
Parameters always start with size and substrate – assuming the artist you have chosen is working within the style, palette and genre you already prefer. So start with size. If you have some graphic skills, take pictures of the walls you want to place art on, measure something to make it to-scale, and place an artwork image into the photograph in the size you want. You will find that often the size that you think you need is not big enough. Creating a to-scale image will help you understand the balance of space to artwork. This is the starting place for all Studio Art Direct projects. It is often required in projects that are still in construction document form – meaning the space is not built yet. We use graphic design programs to “program” a project including floorplans showing location, and to-scale images of art sizes and concepts in elevation form – often including the specified wall colors, furniture swatches and flooring.
Choose a color palette:
We know, we have heard the old saying “art doesn’t have to match the couch.” And it does not if you are a collector. But if you are looking for artwork for a corporate project often the interior design scheme and style is of utmost importance. A few basic color swatches is the perfect place to start. When the options for artwork are in the millions, honing down selections to a palette helps define the process and makes what could be overwhelming manageable.
Choose a style, genre and medium:
There are some basic guidelines we often share with clients. If you are a medical facility, stay away from red and abstract paintings. Instead consider landscapes that are soothing – they are proven to lower heart rates and aid in healing. If you are a condo developer longing to attract the young and hip, choose abstracts and large graphics. If you want to create a feeling of serenity and peace, go with colors in the same palette as the room in soft, subtle, minimalist shapes. If you want to create excitement, go with bold strokes in contrasting colors to the space. For a style that seems to appease all the art connoisseurs that may be weighing in on your choice, abstracted landscapes will make 68% of employees, customers and visitors happy. Know that you will never get 100% consensus.
Choosing a medium, such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, monoprints, photographs, encaustic, or mixed media, doesn’t require knowledge of the medium itself. What you are looking for is a style of art. How the artist gets there should be left to the creative professional. But know that watercolor, photographs and print-makings will most likely need to be framed and under glass. This incurs additional expense.
Find the right artist, for the right project:
Artists are enormously talented and can shift from medium, to style, to genre depending on the body of work they are currently creating. But working within their current groove will garner the best results. So, search online at sites like www.studioartdirect.com or from thousands of artist websites and find a style, palette, medium and genre you like and contact that artist with your ideas. Don’t make a watercolorist paint with oils. Don’t ask a figurative painter to do landscapes. Don’t ask an abstract artist to do realism. Chances are they can do it, but there studio and mind is set up for creating their current body of work style – so find the right artist for the right project.
Know that some artist are offended when asked to create a commission. And that is perfectly OK. Don’t feel jolted. Move on. There are many artist who enjoy the commissioning process and are more than happy to work with you. It is a vetting process.
Communicate your vision:
Your vision and ideas should be communicated to the artist verbally. Talk with several artists. Find someone you feel comfortable with and who you feel understands your vision, budget and goals.
Get it in writing:
At Studio Art Direct, we have Letters of Engagement for every commission. The Engagement clearly states our expectations and the process including progress viewings of artwork, schedules, payment terms and conditions. Remember that contracts are merely an outline of expectations for both parties. Conflict only arises when expectations are not met – so spell it out. Revise as needed and get a signature. And remember, no matter the contract, the artwork is always the sole ownership of the artist. For the life of the art. Any use beyond the contract agreement is expressly prohibited by federal law.
If you don’t have “an artistic bone in your body” – though we at Studio Art Direct would challenge that – then speak your vision through an artist. You will achieve great satisfaction, and so will the artist.
Commercial brokers and the art of leasing- how to improve leasing with art
Art seen through the windows can make an empty space come alive and attract attention.
In today’s competitive office and commercial real estate market, commercial real estate brokers need to get creative when it comes to leasing space. One way to do that is with art.
Art can turn a life-less space into a feast for the eyes and senses. As with residential home staging, customers want to feel an emotional connection to the place where they will do business. Of course, many other factors play into leasing commercial and office space, but with the feirce competition that exists, whatever you can do as a broker to make a space more appealing can help close the deal. Here are some ideas:
- A boring “for lease” sign on the window is not going to get you noticed. Fill empty, foreboding windows with art and creative vinyl graphics. The effort will help make the building come alive. This is an especially good strategy for urban areas with pedestrian and slow moving traffic. You will entice customers to take a closer look.
- Turn a large, soul-less space into an art gallery. The art will add vibrancy and character to a life-less space and help clients understand the scale. Often shows that are up for one month or more will get publicity in the local newspaper art gallery listings. And this is a good way to get press for a building.
- Publicize an art show/open house party. You will draw excitement from the broker community, potential leasors, and the public. You will also receive media coverage for the event and substantially increase traffic through the space.
As a broker, this may sound overwhelming because art is not your expertise. However, all you need is a good partner. Just contact a local art curator to handle artists, logistics and PR. Find them through your regional arts council. All you need to do is make sure that insurance and landlord issues are resolved.
About the author
Janelle Fendall Baglien is an artist and 20 year veteran of marketing and publicity. She is president of Studio Art Direct, Inc., a Portland, Oregon firm specializing in enhancing healthcare, hospitality, commercial, office and corporate spaces with art created by regional artists. http://www.studioartdirect.com
Studio Art Direct shares research on art for senior care
Studio Art Direct conducts study to determine the art preferences of seniors in continued care community. Results are surprising. Many senior care communities are decorated with artwork chosen by interior designers, art consultants and the community’s executives. Seniors are rarely involved in the process. The results can create a firestorm of negative feedback from the residents. Especially those living in communities with a large contingent of independent living residents.
Often assumptions are made about the type of art that seniors (age 76-86) prefer. Still life, realism landscapes, florals and other artwork that does not challenge the viewer are status quo. However, research conducted by Studio Art Direct, a corporate art consulting firm in Portland, Oregon, found that today’s seniors want to be challenged and rate abstracts paintings as their number 2 preference for art.
When Studio Art Direct was hired to provide artwork for a 16-story continued care facility in Portland, Oregon, President Janelle Fendall Baglien went right to the source – the seniors – to find out what they wanted to see in the art that would decorate their common hallways, lobbies, and public areas. The effort, blessed by the management, garnered surprising results.
Passion by Karen Silve, Portland, OR
Gathering a focus group of 30 residents, Baglien presented an eye-popping visual show of art genres and styles designed to be part educational, part informational. Each category was split into easy to understand sections covering the various styles of paintings – from non objective abstracts to pure representation. Genres included, but were not limited to, regional landscapes, intimate floral and nature photography and paintings, print makings, glass arts, multi media, digital arts, and fiber arts. Baglien provided each person in the group with a simple to understand polling sheet that allowed them to privately and without
Yellow Flower by Zeb Andrews, Portland, OR
the influence of other members rate the art. Several options for rating were available. Members could check a box, make a comment, and/or rate by number. Though the results were sporadic because of the groups varying levels of cognitive ability, over-arching themes easily became apparent as Baglien privately reviewed and tallied the polling.
“The most surprising outcome of our research was that seniors preferred abstract paintings. It came in #2 out of 14 genres and styles presented,” explained Baglien.
Baglien’s research indicated the following:
1. Supporting the local art community was important.
2. Strong and uplifting colors were highly regarded.
3. Art that was “interesting” and did not become tiresome was of high
By Liz Tran, Seattle, WA
appeal. Therefore, works of art with varying degrees of abstraction were favored over very representational styles.
4. Abstract paintings rated high. It was a surprise to the management and even the peer group. Several comments were made ”I like abstracts, but other people living here will not.” Yet, abstracts rated #2 overall.
The following genres received majority voting:
Spring Dusk by Mitch Baird, Portland, OR
#1 Regional (Oregon) landscape paintings in varying degrees of expression. Paintings with uplifting color pallettes were preferred.
#2 Abstract paintings that were soft, colorful and lyrical in style were highly regarded. Replies included “I like to see something in the painting I can relate to.” Completely non-objective and geometrical abstracts with harsh lines and color were not preferred.
#3 Modern color photography of the region including urbanscape shots with varying degrees of abstraction were preferred.
#4 Historic photography of region – though interestingly rated high, several comments indicated lack of color.
#5 Intimate floral and nature photography and paintings. Many were attracted to bright colors but several commented that florals were “tiresome”. Yet this category rated high overall.
#6 Fiber arts with texture such as highly artistic quilts.
#7 Graphic prints such as mono-prints and other printmaking techniques.
Works of art that rated low in overall polling were: figurative & drawings, colorfield abstracts, minimalist works, modern digital arts and mixed media.
The presentation was specifically designed for seniors. Large images and print, easy to understand categories, a dialogue that assumed a basic knowledge of art, state-of-the-art presentation equipment including a microphone were key factors in the success. Artworks presented were those of the great masters and regional artists.
The process required a considerable amount of extra effort for Studio Art Direct but the results were price-less. “The feedback has helped us hone down art options and create a program that will feature one regional artist per floor. All artworks are designed to be rotated yearly,” said Baglien. The process also provided the seniors a voice. “What started out as a potentially contentious issue, ended up being educational, fun and inclusive for the seniors.”
Studio Art Direct is in the process of selecting 18 local artists and photographers for the project. Each floor within the community will choose the artists they want to hang. All artists selected will attend a wrap-party where community members will get to meet their artist and learn more about their processes for creating. Meeting the artist will further the seniors experience with art. ”As we grow older, it is important to continue learning. I think it is great for artists to mingle with the seniors and share their knowledge,” said Baglien.
Oregon landscape paintings go pop-up
Studio Art Direct will transform vacant storefronts at the Pearl Design Center into “pop-up” contemporary art galleries
Donna Young
Portland, Oregon – The impromptu exhibition, called Interpretative Landscapes (Oregon’s 150th) is an art event in celebration of Oregon’s 150th birthday. The art show will feature 8 of Oregon’s best landscape painters interpreting the landscape through paint on canvas and mixed media. With help of curator and show organizer, Studio Art Direct, each artist will transform an empty ground-level storefront into their own temporary art gallery.
Sidonnie Caron
The storefronts have been empty since the downturn, and for a few days will come alive with beautiful paintings showcasing the natural beauty of Oregon. Artists include Sidonie Caron, Donna Young, Scott Gellatly, Kathleen McIntyre, Mandy Main and Jeni Lee.
The recession has brought out the creativity in curators and artists, yet the pop-up art gallery concept benefits commercial brokers. “We transform a dark, empty space into an art gallery and swing open the
Scott Gellatly
doors for a party. We get to use the space for free. The landlord and surrounding businesses enjoy an evening full of creativity and foot-traffic and the artists make some sales,” says Janelle Fendall Baglien, president of Studio Art Direct.
Baglien says that the economic downturn was the reason behind the “pop-up” show idea. “We have an online art gallery www.studioartdirect.com which features local/regional artists. The site was originally designed as a portfolio for our corporate art clients, but as traditional galleries are shuttering, we are finding an increase in traffic to our website from general public art buyers as well as an increase in established artists submitting their work to the site. So the pop-up gallery concept is a powerful platform for our artists. It gives us a physical space.”
Jeni Lee
The Pearl Design Center (PDC) is a perfect environment for this pop-up art show. Located right on the edge of the Pearl District, a famous area known for First Thursday art walks which attract thousands, is a block full of design oriented businesses with ample parking. To add to the fun, the PDC businesses including Craft & Design, Quince Flowers & Events, Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, Architectural Elegance, Studio Olivine, and Northwest Framing Commercial will be open serving complimentary food, beverages, and fun giveaways.
Interpretative Landscapes – Oregon’s 150th
August 6th, First Thursday
5:00pm – 9:00pm
Pearl Design Center
NW Savier St. & NW15th under the Freemont Bridge in the Pearl (1427 N.W. Raleigh Ave)
Presented by Studio Art Direct, Northwest Framing Commercial Division and participating Pearl Design Center businesses.
Studio Art Direct creates an art collection for Happy Valley City Hall that honors the past and celebrates the future
Combining historic photographs, original paintings, and limited editions by local artists, Studio Art Direct created a City Hall art program that honors the past and celebrates modern art.
Historic panels on frosted plex
Portland, Oregon – The city of Happy Valley developed very quickly over the past several years because it became part of the Oregon’s famed Urban Growth Boundary. With that, homes parks and schools replaced farmlands. To honor the past, Studio Art Direct worked with locals to gather historic images of the farms and people from the late 1800’s on.
Jason Tuck, Happy Valley Development Director
The beautiful old photographs, some as small as 3″x5″, were drum-scanned for the highest quality and resolution then optimized in Photoshop cleaning scratches, balancing color and creating consistency throughout all images. The historic images were then printed on 4′x4′ frosted plex panels with beveled edges. On each panel, Studio Art Direct supplied a brief history based on its research. Each panel was hung in the large, main lobby windows with an Arakawa cable system. The light shows beautifully through the frosted plex illuminating the historic panels.
60x48 by Donna Young
Studio Art Direct also commissioned two local artists to paint 48×60 oil on canvas landscapes reminiscent of the valley’s scenery. In an abstract landscape style of painting, Donna Young and Scott Gellatly painted beautiful artworks capturing the aura of Happy Valley.
For the “planning area,” Studio Art Direct’s president, Janelle Baglien, used modern technologies to create 8 two-layered, floating art installations which showcase some of Happy Valley’s parks, buildings, and landscapes. Original plan drawings were scanned and printed on
Plex panels with a landscape rendering floats over modern photography.
frosted plex with beveled edges. These images, including the original “skinny paper” sketches of the new City Hall, were then floated 1/2″ over another complimentary photograph printed on Sintra or sustainable bamboo. Each 20×30 multi-layered art piece was mounted with beautiful 1″ aluminum standoffs for a modern look. The result is three-dimensional and takes a standard architectural or landscape rendering and turns it into a true work of art.
In addition to commissioned and “out of the box” giclee applications, we provided open edition and limited edition paintings by regional artists for office and general areas through out the building.
Giclee on canvas by Marla Baggetta was stretched on 2" bars for depth and drama.
Studio Art Direct requests artist submissions for healthcare in Pacific Northwest
Blossom Blue by Katie Simmons
With the slow down in the U.S.economy, Studio Art Direct predicts a substantial increase in giclee/reproduction art sales in 2009/10. This is good news for regional painters, print makers and photographers.
Historically, sales of original paintings significantly decrease with a recession. However, there is still a need to fill blank wall space with quality artwork. Especially for the corporate clients we serve. Inexpensive posters are out of favor, while more “original-looking” artwork is in demand. Giclees on canvas and paper are an excellent solution at an affordable price.
The demand for giclees comes from our existing customer base:
a. Direct corporate art sales to healthcare facilities, hotels, offices, resorts, and institutional clients.
b. Online sales to West Coast design professionals placing artwork in projects.
c. Online sales to West Coast framing shops providing art as an add-on business line.
d. International sales to general public.
To meet the demand, we are creating a print-on-demand program and increasing the availability of reproductions for sale on our website at www.studioartdirect.com .
We are seeking artists submissions for our giclee art program.
All works must be created by artists residing in Oregon or Washington as we support a sustainable business model – regional business supporting regional artists.
We will purchase reproductions on an on-demand basis directly from artists and will work with local fine art printers for production. Studio Art Direct will handle all customer fulfillment including sales/marketing, billing, framing, shipping/delivery and/or installation. Essentially, we become the sales and production arm for your art.
For artists & photographers, this could mean an income stream during lean times.
We know there are a lot of local artist creating outstanding 2-D work, but we need your help finding them. We are asking you to get the word out to your photographer and artist colleagues, or submit your work. If you are interested in learning more, please read on for details or call 503.230.9390.
MORE INFORMATION FOR ARTISTS
We will be curating giclee art until June, 2009.
Artists must be residing in Oregon or Washington. Artwork must be of the highest quality and suitable for healthcare facilities. We have a priority preference for soothing, healing and uplifting artwork.
HOW TO SUBMIT: Artists are to submit (3) low res jpeg images of their art work to info@studioartdirect.comwith GICLEE in the subject line. Art will be reviewed by our team for suitability for our clientel.
Accepted artwork will be uploaded to www.studioartdirect.com online art gallery in appropriate categories by our staff. We will work with artists to hone artist statements, resize and optimize images for the web.
Submissions are to include:
1. Title and original medium
2. Size including image size and paper/canvas size
3. Giclee substrate (canvas, bamboo, paper, other)
4. Artist wholesale price
5. Retail price
6. Artist’s full contact information
7. Brief artist bio/statement/resume
Images must be, or ready for, the creation of a high resolution digital file (enough for high quality printing at at least 150 DPI for an oversized print – approximately 36×48+.) We prefer that the pre-press have also been completed, calibrated for your printer and approved by you.
ABOUT STUDIO ART DIRECT
Studio Art Direct, the region’s largest source for art created exclusively by Oregon & regional artists.
Our website www.studioartdirect.com receives 60K unique hits per month. We sell directly off the web on an international basis but the majority of our sales are to clients and projects we directly seek and solicit to.
For more information, visit www.studioartdirect.com and click on “clients & projects” for 2008 project list.
Studio Art Direct shares 2009 color trends for art
Artist Sidonie Caron uses the sunset palette for "On Wings of Doves"
As you might have guessed, these color combinations evoke a beautiful sunset memory – reds, oranges, yellows, and golds. These colors are not artificially bright nor mistaken for muddy earthtones. They are rich and elegant feeling – vibrant and natural at the same time. Some are describing this palette as “comfort colors infused with energy and sophistication.”
metallics. The luster and texture of metallic accents are essential to the
“Ahhh” factor here, so bronze, copper, and warm golds are added for depth, pop, and a high level of sophistication.
Studio Art Direct completes a successful year of corporate art services
Artwork for PacTrust office building in Vancouver, Wa.
Portland, Oregon – Studio Art Direct is proud to have completed so many outstanding art and graphic projects in 2009. Here is a partial list of projects and clients. For more detailed info including photos and links, CLICK HERE
Tetherow Golf Community, Bend OR (Rebecca Etlin & Glenda Anders of Ankrom Moisan Artchitects) – custom commissioned paintings for club house lodge.
The Strand Penthouse, Portland OR (Stu Ankrom of Ankrom Moisan Architects) – custom commissioned paintings for penthouse condo.
Esquire Apartments / The Brasserie Montmartre, Portland OR, (Carl Coffman of Norway Development) – full exterior redesign, interior finishes, logo, website, graphics, signage and art. www.esquireapartmentsportland.com
Premier Storage Hillsboro, Hillsboro OR, (Jeff Norris of Storage Partners)- full graphics and signage package including logo, corporate ID, signage & wayfinding, brochure, display advertising, open house party, postcard advertising.
Greenhills Country Club, San Francisco CA (Marilyn Soljaga of Soljaga Design Group)- custom commissioned gicless for prestigious clubhouse.
Forest Edge Apartments, Portland OR, (Brian McMahon of Township Development)- full graphics and signage package including logo, corporate ID, signage and wayfinding, and brochure.
Well Arts Institute (Nonprofit 501(c)3, Portland OR - pro bono design and graphics including logo, brochure, theater programs, marketing plan budget and calendar, and PR.
Hotel Modera, Portland OR (Alan Battersby of Posh Ventures)- 340 works of art for luxury hotel in Portland, Oregon. Winner of NW Design Awards, Peoples Choice IIDA Oregon Award, Boutique Hotel Magazine Best Lobby Award.
333 Office Building, Las Vegas NV (Equastone)- custom artwork featuring photographs of Las Vegas strip, dancers, celebrities, and Hoover Dam from 1920-1950. Reproduced on canvas.
Sacred Heart Hospital, Eugene OR (American Art Resources) – black and white photographs for new hospital in Eugene. Images from the Oregon Natural Beauty Collection.
River Park Landing, Astoria OR (Chester Trabucco) – graphics, signage, website and investor presentation brochures for this unique condo project located on the Columbia River. www.riverparklanding.com
Talent Medical Staffing, Portland OR (Warren Johnson) – logo, graphics and website for this start-up company headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
PacTrust, Vancouver WA (PacTrust) – custom giclee on canvas artwork for Class A office building.
“Our business was built on a sustainable model – regional business supporting regional artists. But we are very excited to report that we have exported local artwork to Hawaii, Atlanta, San Francisco and Las Vegas,” explains Janelle Fendall Baglien, president of Studio Art Direct.
With 60,000 hits to www.studioartdirect.com website, online sales have increased 50% in 2008.
The prospects for 2009 look promising despite the economic downturn. As consumers and business-to-business clients try to save money, sales of reproduction artworks are expected to increase. “Our focus will be on custom Giclees with hand embellishments by the artist this coming year. We are trying to achieve an original look and feel at an affordable price point,” says Baglien.
Studio Art Direct will also introduce a sustainable art line with art images reproduced on bamboo, hemp, and FSC certified Green materials. Baglien explains that eventhough art purchased locally is sustainable – for the economy, community and environment - people are looking for an even deeper level. “We are really pleased to introduce some of the first sustainable/green art solutions available in the United States,” explains Baglien. Studio Art Directs GreenLine will be available in March 2009.
Studio Art Direct adds art line for medical facilities
Serene landscapes, like this painting by Studio Art Direct's Marla Baggetta, are proven to improve patient outcomes in healthcare facilities.
Portland, Oregon- As the healthcare industry continues to build and renovate facilities at a breath-taking rate, Studio Art Direct is keeping pace with artwork specifically curated for placement in hospital, memory care, continued care, outpatient, and other health related environments.
Twenty years ago it was unheard of for a medical facility to invest hundreds of dollars into artwork. But the healthcare industry has realized that environment – design, colors, artwork as well as functionality – can improve patient outcomes, reduce staff stress and burnout and increase effectiveness in delivering care. And it is not a theory. It’s known as evidence-based design, and there is a considerable and growing body of research and information to prove it (The Pebble Project/Center for Health Design, Texas A&M University College of Architecture, and Georgia Institute of Technology, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.)
Because researchers have found that the additional cost of design improvements such as art for public spaces and patient rooms quickly paid for themselves through operational savings and increased revenue, medical facilities have become more sophisticated in their art selections.
To meet the demand, Studio Art Direct is curating hundreds of new original and limited edition works created exclusively by Pacific Northwest creative professionals. Works must meet specific medical design criteria.
Choosing the right art for medical facilities can be a complex task. Each area of a healthcare facility requires artwork that is conducive to patients, visitors and staff. For example, patients in recovery from surgery need to view specific kinds of images designed to lower blood pressure, reduce stress and lessen discomfort. Areas like Chemotherapy require very realistic images that are still and clear for patients who may be experiencing nausea. Artwork for dementia and Alzheimer facilities need to evoke long term memories and other senses such as touch and sound. Chaotic, ambiguous or surreal images need to be avoided in psych facilities.
Over the next 10 years, it is estimated that $200 billion will be spent on hospital construction in the United States. This amount does not include other healthcare related facilities such as memory care, assisted living, in-patient mental facilities, out-patient facilities, therapy centers, and oncology and surgery centers.
Locally, facilities like OHSU, Kaiser, Providence and Legacy are incorporating sophisticated artwork into their facilities. The application of art and design in these healthcare settings will continue to grow as returns on investment, improved patient outcomes, and employee retention are realized.
Studio Art Direct
