(Published April 2016) Meeting in the Middle – the title of Aleta Pippin and Greg Reiche’s first collaborative piece, which now hangs in a corporate office building in Houston, Texas. Spanning over 12 feet long and reaching over 3 feet high, this monumental work merges Aleta’s acrylic and resin abstract panels with Greg’s kinetic glass and steel grids. Aleta and Greg have been showing their work alongside each other at Aleta’s gallery – Pippin Contemporary (closed 12/31/2019) for three years, but the idea to create a piece together didn’t transpire until about six months ago.

A group of attorney’s in Houston, who have collected 26 of Aleta’s paintings so far, contacted Aleta last November 2015 to request a very large piece for their conference room.

“I wanted to give them something extraordinary,” said Aleta. “I felt that individual panels was the way to go, but it seemed that making three or five individually painted panels simply wasn’t as dramatic as it could be.”

Then something clicked, and that’s where Greg came in.

“I have to admit, I was surprised when Aleta asked if I would like to collaborate on this piece,” explains Greg. “I have great admiration for her work and was quite flattered by the request, but was also a bit skeptical at first as to whether it would work well.”

They decided early on that Aleta would create the painting first, and Greg would respond. Aleta painted five panels with acrylic paint and a resin surface. The piece then went to Greg’s studio, where he worked from her color palette. The piece was completed within two months…and the results were nothing short of spectacular.

Golds, blues, purples and subtle reds in Aleta’s panels blend together among interesting textures, and the resin finish adds a luminosity to the piece that lends itself well to the effects of Greg’s iridized glass tiles. The tiles perfectly pick up the gold and purple hues, and the three dimensionality of the steel grid adds a dynamic contrast to the surface of the piece. Just as in his own sculptures, Greg uses brass wire to attach each glass tile to the steel, adding another texture and glint of gold to the overall composition.

Meeting in the Middle, Pippin-Reiche Collaboration, 40″ tall x 12.5 feet x 3″ deep

 

Although unsure at first, Greg was amazed at the outcome.

“In the end, I think it worked beautifully,” says Greg. “The combination of her luminous, organic paintings with the linear grid structure and iridized surfaces of my glass work, worked surprisingly well. I love the way the diverse mediums play so well off each other and the incredible depth of color and luminosity of the entire piece.”

Aleta concedes. “I’m thrilled that Greg agreed to do this. Personally, I’m so excited about how beautifully it turned out and it is such a unique piece that I can see it becoming an important part of Greg’s and my work. It gives each of us the opportunity to reach a market that we weren’t as able to access on our own.”

The artists were so enthusiastic that they immediately started a second collaborative piece, Soliloquy, to hang in the gallery. This work is a bit smaller in size, 54 x 47”, but creates a similar impact with glass and steel grids moving along both sides of a vertical acrylic/resin panel, which glows with purple hues and tangible texture.

“All in all, I would say it was a fantastic match,” commented Greg. “I can see the potential for some amazing collaborations in the future, as we work together to push the boundaries even further.”

(Published July 2015) You’ve just looked around your home and realize there’s something missing, something that has the power to make your décor pop. We’re talking about art. The right pieces will literally move your décor from “okay” to fantastic. So, how do you begin? Where do you look for the “right” pieces? And just exactly what are the “right” pieces anyway?

If you’re like many people, purchasing art can prove a bit overwhelming. Here are some tips to guide you, as you search out that perfect piece(s) of art, the one that will give your home that “drop dead” gorgeous look.

First, there are a few myths that need to be debunked.

Myth 1: Art should match your sofa.

Great art looks good anywhere. It doesn’t have to match your sofa. Of course if you’re getting ready to purchase a piece to be placed in a certain area, you may want to consider the color and find a piece that enhances it. However, don’t make your purchasing decision based solely on such strict criteria. Remember, if you do purchase an original piece of art, it will stay with you long after the sofa has changed, the walls have been repainted, and you’ve even relocated two or three times.

Myth 2: Original art is a good investment.

It seems to be a common line in many galleries, to tell potential buyers that purchasing an original piece from an up and coming artist is a great investment. They’ll tell you that the artist’s prices have risen steadily over the years or that the artist is just on the brink of making it big. All of that may be true. However, unless you know people who are interested in purchasing art, you will not be able to resell your investment piece and make a profit. The only people who really make a killing in the art market are those who purchased Picasso 50 years ago.

The best reason to purchase an original piece is because you love it. I have several original pieces from other artists in my home, which were purchased because I loved them. (And yes, they are up and coming artists whose prices have risen steadily over time.)

To say that you should love a piece is not an understatement. Art should evoke an emotional response. That response may be from the color, composition, or even something intangible like reminding you of a poignant happening in your life.

Myth 3: My child could have painted that abstract piece.

Yes, children paint wonderful pieces, but to suggest that a child can produce some of the beautiful abstract work that is in the market is dismissing artists’ creativity too quickly. Actually, most abstract artists learn to draw and to paint representational work before they evolved to abstract work. All good art conforms to guidelines of line, shape, form, atmosphere, design, and rhythm. Each artist finds their voice, much the same as a writer, and that voice may express in paint, sculpture, stained glass and on and on. And in each of those categories, there is a myriad of expressions limited only by the artist’s imagination.

You’re Ready to Purchase

Before you go shopping, stop and consider a couple of things – Do you want to purchase an original piece of art or a retail piece and how much money are you willing to spend?

Originals vs. Reproductions

There are inexpensive reproductions found in department stores, flea markets, even retail outlets in the malls. These paintings are fairly inexpensive in the $75-$400 price range.

Giclees have been extremely popular. A giclee is a computerized reproduction of an original piece that is usually “printed” on canvas. Some artists, or their employees, paint into this reproduction, giving it the texture and look of an original piece. Usually these pieces are numbered in the lower corner, like any reproduction, so there’s no question in the buyer’s mind.

Giclees are good buys if you’d like to have a piece that looks like an original, at a lower cost. It’s also a way of collecting the work of an artist you like, but an original is out of your chosen price range. (Not all artists agree with mass production and will not produce giclees.)

Some artists create Limited Editions of their sold pieces. These may be printed on acrylic and affixed to an acrylic backing. They may be giclees as described in the preceding paragraph or they may be printed on some other structure. Since they are are Limited Editions of original work, they will probably be priced higher than the giclees found in department stores.

Nothing matches the beauty of an original piece of art. If you’ve decided to go that route and have designated the amount of money you’re willing to invest, you can probably find a piece. It may take a little doing but it will be worth it. Visit the Internet. Check out the local galleries. Talk to friends who have artwork you admire.

 

What to look for in art?

Are you looking for a certain color, a certain pattern or even a certain size? If you’re purchasing an original, you should love it. If you’re purchasing art purely to finish the décor in your home, then you’ll want to find pieces that enhance the décor. There are several retail outlets that sell reproductions and prints, many already framed – Target, Hobby Lobby, Overstock.com, and Wayfair.com, just to name a few.

Why not spend a day looking at the various options. Check out artists’ websites, local galleries, as well as the retail outlets. You may decide to purchase an original after you see all of the amazing art that is available. And don’t forget the outdoor Art Festivals; these are a wonderful way to connect with an artist and to purchase an original piece.

If you choose to purchase an original, do a background check. Ask about the artist’s career, sales history, and make an intuitive assessment of the integrity of the person trying to sell the piece to you. Personally, I think original work truly adds to the quality of any environment.

Have fun with this. Take your time. The right piece will show itself. And it’s worth finding it, because art will add sizzle to your décor.

© 2002 by Aleta Pippin, abstract painter, updated July 2015. 

(Published May 2015) This week at Pippin Contemporary we watched artists paint on Canyon Road, hung new art in the gallery, and visited with our friends from American Art Collector Magazine. Check out our week in photos and follow us on Instagram @PippinAbstractArtist for more behind-the-scenes Pippin Pics!

Cody Hooper paid us a visit on Saturday with these stunning paintings full of energy and light. We hung six new pieces in the gallery – visitors keep commenting on their depth, saying that peering into his panels is like entering another world.

Local artists lined the street on Canyon Road for the Passport to the Arts Quick Draw, where they created beautiful works of art in a short time frame. The paintings were then sold at a live auction benefiting the Santa Fe Public Schools Music Education Program.

New sculpture! ‘Mode’ by Troy Pillow is a contemporary stainless steel piece with kinetic elements.

Gallery Director Ashley Wilson and Marketing Director Kelly Skeen at the Art Collector Magazine party at the beautiful La Posada. Always a great event with the Santa Fe art community..and with great hosts!

Greg Reiche brought several new Bloom sculptures in preparation for his upcoming show, “Into the Wind,” opening next Friday. More new pieces are on the way – and big things will be happening to our courtyard!

(Published May 2015) A public sculpture dedication, new paintings, and excitement for our upcoming show this month. Check out our week in photos and follow us on Instagram for more Pippin Pics @PippinAbstractArt.

Aleta Pippin brought in several new paintings from her studio that we hung in the gallery. This piece is called Celebrate Color, a 60″ x 36″ oil/canvas. Come visit the gallery to see Aleta’s other new pieces!

We spent Earth Day in Los Alamos for the grand opening of the new Nature Center where Greg Reiche’s sculpture was dedicated. The rain runoff from the roof cascades onto the stone, then goes into a reservoir that waters surrounding plants, while kinetic glass above it changes with light and air movement. A stunning sculpture and a beautiful Earth Day dedication ceremony.

We love Cody Hooper’s artistic depiction of the “Desert Rain” we had this week. We’ve been sharing some paintings on Instagram from our artists that aren’t always hanging in the gallery or not yet added to the website…follow us @PippinAbstractArt for more “first look” opportunities.

We’re ready for Santa Fe summer – less than three weeks until our first show and then the Summer of Color begins!