Original Local Art

We are blessed to live in a city/region, that recognizes and appreciates fine art.   Art breeds excitement, cultivates imagination and promotes a positive, creative energy overall.  We’re lucky to live in a place that focuses so much energy on fine art!  Take a drive or walk around downtown Chattanooga and the surrounding areas and just look around.  Try to find someplace where there isn’t art in public view.  It’s nearly impossible. There are sculpture gardens here and there, statuary on many street corners, fine art galleries scattered throughout downtown and many events that foster the creative talents of many local artists.  The Hunter Museum is the obvious resource perched regally and towering above the river for all to see.  Snuggled close-by is the art district at Bluff View and many more venues that demonstrate our city’s commitment to the arts.  Over the past several years, Chattanooga has become a mecca of sorts for fine art and artists–something that our beautiful city–and thereby us, had long missed out on.  Historically we would have to travel to Asheville or some other ‘cultural’ town to experience the transforming power of fine art outside of a museum setting.  We’ve come a long way baby.   Chattanooga, with its exploding art scene is home to some truly talented artists!

Now, here at the auction house, we almost always have a nice sample of paintings and other pieces to auction but this month I’m really excited to present two specific pieces to you.  The first piece is a mixed media piece created by Joe Helseth.  This auction entry excites me for many reasons.  Many years ago, I was introduced to Helseth’s work was at one of the spectacular black-tie functions that Chattanooga CARES sponsored.   In what might’ve been their silent auction (my memory fades, lol) there was a beautiful neo-classical drawing of the Nike of Samothrace done in charcoal and pastels that completely mesmerized me.  The rich and poignant blue background acted as a visual springboard of sorts, propelling the Nike off of the page and into flight.  I had never forgotten those pieces and recently in a conversation with  some good friends, I was happy (ok ok, and maybe a little jealous too) to learn that 2 of those Nikes live in their home on Lookout Mountain.  Well as life would have it, this month I’m excited to have one of Helseth’s pieces to offer to you.  This one is a mixed media work and is titled ‘Informal Venus’ and is dated 1999.  I can’t wait to see how it fares in the auction and who the lucky winner will be!

But I can’t stop there…we also have a sculpture by someone you’ve all heard of, Terry Cannon.  Terry is a local artist who has works in the collections of some of Chattanooga’s greatest fine art purveyors!  This month we have one of his free-standing sculptures to offer.  It’s one of his very familiar, brightly colored fish sculptures that is mounted on a wheel.  Typical Terry whimsy!  If by some chance you aren’t familiar with Terry’s work, you obviously haven’t seen the bicycle that Terry made on the exterior of one of our downtown hotels. You can see many examples of his work here: http://www.terrycannon.com/gallery.html .

If you want to add one of his pieces to YOUR collection, here’s your chance! So get on down to the auction tomorrow and lay your claim!  We’ll look for you tomorrow…at the auction! That’s all for now…Mike 😉