Art Portfolio of Romsey celebrates the work of one of Britain’s most popular living artists, ‘The People’s Painter’, Jack Vettriano. The UK’s largest ever retrospective of Vettriano’s prints features an exceptional collection of five new signed limited editions taken from his latest series of paintings, three of which are based on a French Riviera theme. There will be many rare editions for sale including the hugely popular Along Came a Spider.

Jack Vettriano was born in Fife, Scotland in 1951 and left school at the age of 16 to become a mining engineer. Vettriano experimented with drawing figures in his teenage years, but was first encouraged to paint when a girlfriend bought him a set of paints at the age of 21. Vettriano spent the next 14 years teaching himself to paint, gaining inspiration from his local town of Kirkcaldy and in particular the local art gallery, The Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery.

The turning point in Vettriano’s career came in 1989 when two paintings were accepted for the Royal Scottish Academy’s annual exhibition in Edinburgh. Both paintings were sold on the first day of the Exhibition and marked the beginning of Vettriano’s new career as a full time artist. The following year, an equally enthusiastic reaction greeted the three paintings which he entered for the prestigious Summer Exhibition at London’s Royal Academy.

His new life as an artist began. In November 1999, Vettriano’s work was shown for the first time in New York, when twenty paintings were displayed at The Fifth Armory, Park Lane. Fifty collectors from the UK flew out for the opening night of the Fair and all twenty paintings were sold out within an hour of the opening. Jack Vettriano’s most recognisable painting, The Singing Butler, which was originally rejected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, sold at Sotheby’s in April 2004 for £744,500.

Vettriano has become a phenomena, and there has been a huge media interest in his life and work. In 2003 he was awarded an OBE for Services to the Visual Arts and was subject of a South Bank Show documentary, ‘Jack Vettriano: The People’s Painter’. He has also received an honorary degree from the University of St. Andrews.
In the last 25 years Jack Vettriano has had a number of sell out Exhibitions in Edinburgh, London, New York, Hong Kong and Johannesburg. His work is collected by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Tim Rice and Robbie Coltrane.
Loved by the public but often dismissed by the critics, major art galleries refuse to hang Vettriano’s paintings. Peter Howson, one of Scotland’s most respected living painters, attacks both art critics and curators for their scorn of Vettriano’s work. “If Tracey Emin, Martin Creed and Damien Hirst can get into the Tate, the Jack Vettriano deserves to be in national collections as well - I think the elite really have a fear of him.”
Vettriano has commented “I’m often dragged into the debate about whether my work should be shown in public collections and whilst I feel that this is for others to decide… I’m delighted that fans of my paintings will now be able to see a body of work of which I’m very proud”.
Vettriano’s discovery of painting has led him to become one of the most popular artists of our time, and an inspirational figure to many. His figurative oil paintings present a nostalgic commentary, often with an air of romance and sensuality that has an almost universal appeal. His figures describe an intense state of affairs, creating a narrative which is left for the viewer to ponder.
Jack Vettriano divides his time between his homes in Fife, London and Nice.
“Lovers, Strangers and Stories” gives the public the chance to have their very own signed limited edition Vettriano. This is one art exhibition certainly not to be missed.

If you are reading this article, you surely are interested in Dollhouses, or maybe you’re more than that, like a collector. It’s great to see how the Miniature Dollhouse hobby spreads like wildfire , more and more people getting involved in such activities.

Now, you probably purchased or built a Dollhouse already. If you didn’t, you should do that first, since we first buy the Dollhouse, and then buy the furniture.

When you’re ready with your Dollhouse, you can start searching for Miniature Dollhouse Furniture after your personal needs. Do you live in a house, or in an apartment? It doesn’t make any difference. You can live anywhere, still you know what furniture you have or need. All of your furniture selections depend on your rooms’ style or the space in your rooms, since you can only put a piece of furniture where it’ll fit. This is the case of furniture too. Your furniture needs to fit to your Dollhouses color, style, design, architecture and every other criteria you look for when buying furniture.

First of all,stay within your budget . Some custom or hand made furniture may be too expensive for you. If you can afford it, go ahead, no problem. Whatever you do, you need to find the best available furniture out there for your budget.

Generally, where you can purchase Miniature Dollhouses, furniture is also available. These pieces come in a wide variety, you can find everything from bathroom furniture to bedroom furniture. Maybe, if it’s your case, you should look for some unique, hand-made furniture, it may match your needs perfectly. However, hand-made pieces are mostly more elegant, and give more style to your own Dollhouse.

There is something special about both hand-made and Artisan furniture. These are produced by craftsmen and women. Since these are very detailed, a lot of effort has to be put forth and a lot of patient work has to be done. Hand-made and Artisan furniture is available for anyone, but it can easily leave you broke! So be sure you are making the right decision before purchasing custom furniture Those who can afford it anyway, don’t have to think that much.

So many great ideas created a lot of interesting pieces of furniture. Couches exist among furniture, but not any type of couch, but the ones that can be turned into a bed! Yes, you are indeed surprised! We could’ve easily imagined how to find a Dollhouse bed or chair, but an extensible couch too? Isn’t this simply amazing? I guess we all agree: it is.

A lot of fun and amusement comes when simply choosing a Dollhouse. Things get even more interesting when searching for furniture. If you don’t find the appropriate furniture where you bought the Dollhouse itself, you can also check somewhere else. Even more, if standard furniture can’t match your needs, you can go for it, and order a hand-made or Artisan Dollhouse. You pay more, but you end up being satisfied.
Finally, you should all know that books in the area of building furniture are available. By reading such a book, you can learn how to make furniture all by yourself. It is simply amazing to see, how this miniature industry and hobby grows everyday, but for a good reason, since a lot of us find our enjoyment in Dollhouses, and of course, in getting the best furniture.

There are many reasons why one collects coins. There are collectors who collect on the basis of the coin’s future perceived value, some collect coins coming from just one particular period, some on metal type and some for a coins historical value.

There are also those who enjoy collecting everyday common coins, gaining pleasure from inspecting mint marks and dates on their everyday change. Others have a collection of coins coming from different countries. Some coin collectors spend thousands on rare gold and silver coins from the period of the 1800’s until the early 1900’s.

The hobby of coin collecting can give pleasure and fun to an individual of any age. Many coin collectors began their collection when they were young children, collecting dimes or pennies and many of them have made coin collection a lifetime hobby.

The hobby of collecting coins involves spending money from the very start so it is good to join a coin collectors group to get ideas and help from knowledgeable and experienced collectors.

You need somebody to buy your coins from, and it may be hard to find a coin dealer of good repute when your are new to the hobby, so having someone that has been in this hobby for years can be of great help to guide you on choosing an honest and knowledgeable coin dealer.

Begin by acquiring a big magnifying glass and examine coins in a bright area so you can spot mintmarks, errors and to clearly read dates on worn or damaged coins.

Decide on what coins to collect and buy a “bookshelf folder” for that series.

You must also have storage, such as clear tubes made of plastic or coin tubes having top screws to keep your coins in until you are ready to put them in a coin album; storage can also be good for keeping duplicate coins.

You must learn about different coin values. Follow what types of coins are sold, and how they are priced, based on dealer pricing. “A Guide Book of United States Coins” or universally known as “the red book”, which is published yearly, provides a good outline of the U.S. coins history, information on basic coin grading, coin descriptions from past to present including a list of errors to watch for, average U.S. coins retail cost, and an explanation of errors which occurred in the “minting process”.

Monthly publications from “Coinage” (coin collecting magazine) contain many useful facts and information as well articles about your new found hobby plus a lot of great photos.

You will be spending so much interest and concentration on the coin’s general state that eventually you can walk away from certain coins that show evidence of abrasion, and will then be experiencing the fun side of coin collecting.

Spend ample time reading, looking at photos, learning from experienced collectors and asking as many questions as needed from not only other collectors, but dealers as well. The hobby of coin collecting is a continuing process that will last for as long as you are continuing the hobby.

Take pleasure in what they call the “Hobby of kings” that has turned to be the “King”of hobbies.

For more great information on coin collecting guide be sure to visit http://www.coincollectcenter.com

Acquiring antique furniture is a love shared throughout the world by many people. Many travel great distances just to attend auctions, sales, and events. Buying vintage antique furniture is not only a way of characterizing your fashion but is also an endowment both historically and financially. Acquiring Antique Furniture pieces is also a great way to fill the need for household furnishings, investment, and hobby in one fell swoop. Just keep in mind when looking for antique furniture; pieces must be at least one hundred years old to be antique.

Antique Style Furniture is popular and will almost always appreciate in value because of its solid wood construction and beautiful craftsmanship. Furniture today is not crafted like it once was and people want pieces with fashion and character that will hold up for a very long time. Antique furniture is beautiful pieces of history that you will want to display in your home with pride. When looking for pieces of furniture you may ask how do I know how old they are for certain? A bit of research about the origins of the item can help you date it easily. Having problems dating a piece you may be interested in? Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a well-respected antique furniture dealer. Sack, Albert. 1993. The New Fine Points of Furniture: Early American: The Good, Better, Best, Superior, Masterpiece (Hardcover). Crown; is a great resource to have when looking for early American furniture.

Antique furniture is valued on account of its workmanship, or the materials of which it is composed. Antique furniture is made from better quality wood that will likely outlast new furniture purchases; they are also often less expensive than new pieces. Price guides such as the Husfloen, Kyle. 2008. Antique Trader Furniture Price Guide. Krause Publications is a great way of establishing retail value. Please note however that “retail value” is what you might expect to pay at an antique mall or show. Having the item you may be interested in purchasing appraised by a professional appraisal service is always a wise decision.

Antique furniture pieces are becoming a lot more popular but caring for them takes extra effort. Lumber and wood does not dry out from a deficiency of oil but rather from a deficiency of moisture. As such, storing your pieces in high heat dry areas such as in your attic should be done a little as possible. Wood shrinks and swells with changes in humidity resulting in the loosening of glued joints, veneers, inlays and marquetry. Lack of humidity also causes gaps to appear where two pieces of wood come together such as tabletops made from several boards. McGiffin, Robert. 1995. Furniture Care and Conservation. AltaMira Press is an excellent resource on furniture care and conservation.

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