The Gift of Fine Art

"Old Man of the Sage" by Tim Shinabarger

It's that time of year again where the leaves have fallen off the trees, plans have been made to gather with family and temperatures are dropping.  Unless of course you're down South, then the sun is shining and the weather is probably perfect.  It's also the time of year where marketers fight for your share of holiday shopping.  I'm not going to ask for a piece of your holiday shopping action, I just want to say that art, truly is a perfect gift.  Whether you're shopping for that person who has everything already, a loved one that you've given gifts to for years and have run out of ideas or someone you just care a lot about, fine art makes for a very special gift!

I've always felt like a great gift is something you would love to have, but don't always make it a priority to purchase for yourself.  It makes it that much more special when you receive it.  I think fine art falls into that category for a lot of people.  Everyday that person wakes up to the painting you gave them, they will think about the wonderful time you spent together over the holidays, or at their birthday celebration.  Not to mention, all the other positive emotions they'll feel every time they view that work of art because good art will stir the emotions in all of us.  Maybe it will remind us of our favorite fishing hole, or that backpacking trip into the back country where we came face to face with some big horn sheep.  Whether it's a big painting or a little sculpture, every time they look at that piece of art, a smile is going to stretch across their face.

"Basking in Evening Light" by David Graham

You may notice that almost every gallery in the country has a holiday miniature show.  Miniatures by the Lake in Coeur d'Alene kicks it off in September, and then there's a parade of terrific small works shows all across the country.  Small original paintings are perfect around the holidays, because they're small so people can always find room for them if their walls are full, and their price points are going to be significantly less than a larger painting.  If you're visiting family across the country, miniature paintings can be carried onto an airplane for the trip home.  I've always thought there was something special about small paintings, because they're meant to be viewed from close range, so you really get an intimate look at the brush strokes and technique of the artist.  From an artist's standpoint, it presents a whole new set of challenges, because how do you create an intriguing work of art in such a limited space?  That little painting you come across may or may not tell a story on canvas, but there will definitely be a story to tell when you give it as a gift.

As you're out and about shopping this holiday season, don't forget to visit your local galleries.  Even if you're not in the market for paintings, you may find a great miniature sculpture, original etchings, books on your favorite artists, handcrafted jewelry, horse hair pottery or custom hunting knives for that special someone.  If you happen to be in the Coeur d'Alene area, be sure to stop by Coeur d'Alene Galleries on Saturday, November 29th where Michael Dudash, Joe Kronenberg, Kyle Paliotto and Abigail Gutting will be hanging out and painting, talking about their works and having a great time!

"Rough Road" by Kyle Paliotto

"Mountain Winter Dusk" by Michael Dudash

"Crossing Over" by Joe Kronenberg

"Like A King" by Abigail Gutting