Sculptor to show work through the Gallery at Cabana Home Stores

From the Gallery at Cabana Home...

Bronze on view at Cabana Home- Mill Valley

Cabana Home Stores in Santa Barbara and Mill Valley have been selected as representatives of the Artists and Sculptor, Darcy Sears.

Sears, A resident of Northern California studied with Eugene Daub, Tebby George, Bruno Lucchesi, and Peter Rubino to hone her craft as a sculptor, working in clay, ceramics and bronze.

Darcy Sears Sculptures, Nudes, Bronze. At Cabana Home, Santa Barbara

 

Sears says that she’s driven by her need to mold life out of clay. “I watch life unfold, and discover moments of beauty in an ordinary day. These moments inspire my work.” She says.

Sears considers Clay a medium with no boundaries or limits.  “Wings can sprout on anyone and trees can have wheels.” She says with a wry smile.  “Clay enables me to transform the mundane into something magical.”

Seated Nude, Clay. Sold

Figure above: “I am interested in the alchemy of the finishes as well.  A rust finish makes my ceramic sculpture look like metal.”

Male Standing, Ceramic

Sculptures by Darcy Sears ranges from realistic to whimsical, from classical to abstract, from serious to playful. One series may explore classical figures, some in stoic stance, others may be emerging from vessels, as though they are breaking out of confining spaces.

Angels, Bronze. 8"H

Sears is primarily interested in line and form, the contours of the human body.
“I explore the figure in all its imperfections.  All sizes and shapes of the human figure are beautiful and complete in my eyes. While I use models in my work, I may not portray them in a realistic way. I want to capture their mood, spirit, and the essence of who they are.”

Modigliani Woman

Female Torso, Ceramic

Sears often balances large forms on small bases which is inspired by the ancient symbol for     women, “V”.

Above, Left: Dancer with Attitude, Bronze. Right: Seated Nude, Bronze

Darcy J. Sears is a San Francisco Bay Area sculptor who has been working with clay for twenty-five years. Born in Southern California, she received a B.A. degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She spent many years in the corporate world before becoming a full-time artist.
Darcy’s work has been exhibited in galleries in both California and France. In the summer of 2007 she was an artist-in-residence at Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie, an artist town west of Avignon, France.

The program culminated with a successful solo exposition of her work. She participated in the group exhibition, “France Amerique” in Paris and exhibited at the Claire de Villaret Galerie there.

Sears work has been exhibited on three occasions in France, in 2002, 2007 and again in 2008.

White Goddess, Bronze

Darcy’s sculptures are in private collections in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Her work is also available exclusively through retail galleries in California, including Cabana Home Stores in Mill Valley 415.383.0201, and Santa Barbara, CA. 805.962.0200.

For More information: info@cabanahome.com


Goodnight moon.

ART, ART, ART

Art, Art, there is never too much art…

The Mona Lisa

Warhol's Marilyn

  

One of the greatest joys in my life is living with art! Living with it, around it, sometimes even on it. Art on the walls, on the floor, and the furniture we sit on. There is art and architecture in everything we do and everywhere we go, from the home we live in, to the buildings we frequent, the landscaping that may line a particular street, and even the car we drive (well, most cars!).

In our stores, we are fortunate to represent fine art to our clients and customers. Fine art over decorative art, one of the keys to our happiness! 

We consider a project only partially complete after the furniture, lighting, rugs and accessories have been installed. Ironically, often the last thing to be considered is the art- the very thing that will outlive most of the furnishings!

Clients that are serious collectors will think this article is preaching to the choir, but it’s for those that don’t consider themselves collectors that I address here. The word “collector”, used after the word “art”, is a heady phrase. Who says you are an art collector, or that I am? Is there a litmus test that determines this? Or do the Editors of Architectural Digest or Town & Country crown us with this label?

Neither.

You are a collector when you have an interest in a field, and have begun to collect objects within that interest. Perhaps there is a particular genre or direction of your collection, perhaps not. There is no wrong way to be a collector…taste is not a factor, though we certainly hope one exercises a modicum of taste when choosing what to display and where.

Recently we worked on a project where color, pattern, texture and layering is evident from the front door to the back, both inside and out. We worked diligently with the homeowner to help them reach their goal, and it shows.

When it came time for art selection, we presented a work to which the homeowner responded, “My kids could do that”!

Really? Your kids can do this? I thought to myself.

Hmmm…

Well, they didn’t! Still thinking to myself.

No, your kids cannot do this. Definitely thinking to myself -among other things!

Do yourself a favor, and those of us who deal in fine art, never be guilty of letting those words cross your lips.


The same client said they thought it was weird that someone would select art for them.

Hmmmm ….I thought to myself, as I looked around the room at the things that had been put up temporarily.

“We like to buy things while we’re on vacation”, the lady declared.

“Oh, I see”, looking around the house. I saw a tropical poster from the Caribbean, a Didgeridoo from Australia, and a framed piece of lace from Italy.

Here is my advice on buying vacation art: Didgeridon't! 

The Beatles try their skills at the Didgeridoo

As I thought about the art that I see on vacation, I often see expensively located “high-end” galleries that are in the business to sell stuff, often referred to as art (See poster below)

A Hawaiian Poster, “Catch the Wave”

The ones that sell high-end, limited edition, autographed paraphernalia like baseballs and newly printed and signed Miro lithographs (the man’s been dead for 31 years - born in 1893, died in 1983! Read the small print…it might say,”Plate signed by Miro”.  Don’t know what plate signed means? Better ask your art dealer.

Joan Miro “Sculptures II”, Facsimile signed Limited Edition Lithograph ($49.99 on Ebay). 

The paintings or drawings may even be beautifully framed, and the work often signed by an old master. How is it that these chain store art dealers can continue to find works signed by artists who've been dead for decades when the most reputable galleries in Europe and America cannot? 

The Miro above says "Facsimile signed". Do you know what that means? Do you buy it based on the word of the vacation gallery salesperson, or from your local art dealer?

Buyer beware! How can you know if you;re dealing with a reputable art dealer when you're 10,000 miles from home and not likely to be back, ever, which is most likely what they're counting on. By the time you figure out that you bought a pig in a poke, you're long gone, and out of site is out of mind.

When traveling, stick to local products like olive oil, cheese or wine for your fond travel memories, and leave the art for a professional art dealer, or for you to deal with at home.

An art professional can guide you along as you traverse the endless opportunities in the art world, They can help you focus on your area of interest, or perhaps broaden your palette, they can expose you to artists who aren't readily available in your area, and they can research the history of an art work helping to lessen the possibility of buying a worthless canvas or overpaying for a work of art.

The benefits of working with a reputable professional are endless, as are the pitfalls venturing out on your own.

FAMOUS FORGERIES

Below: Han van Meegeren sold $60 million worth of fake Vermeer's to everyone from Hermann Goring to the government of the Netherlands.

 Above: John Myatt's 200 forgeries were sold at the worlds greatest auction houses.

  

AND THE WINNER IS...

The highest price ever paid for a painting at auction (as of today).

Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies of Lucian Freud”, 1969.

Francis Bacon's "Three Studies of Lucian Freud" is considered by many to be his defining work. It's a triptych that was completed in 1969, and depicts Bacon's friend and fellow artist Lucian Freud.

The painting sold at Christie's for $142.4 million- the highest price ever paid for an artwork at auction.

So, now do you want to buy art while on vacation? I hope not.

Good Night Moon