Look at these Paintings Cross-Eyed...they pop into 3-D

Look At These Paintings Cross-Eyed, And They Pop Into 3-D

There’s no need for lenticular sheets, Avatar-themed polarized glasses, prisms, or red-blue anaglyph glasses to see the 3-D images in Theo Prins’s DIY stereoscopic paintings. Just go cross-eyed.

It’s a pretty simple trick: When you look at the center of the stereoscopic pair above, place your finger about halfway between you and the screen. If you converge your eyes to focus on your finger--i.e., go cross-eyed--you’ll notice the images on the screen begin to overlap. Adjust your finger's position until the images completely overlap. (Because you're still focusing on your finger, the images on the screen will be blurred.)

If you’re doing it correctly, you’ll see three images on the screen. The center image will have depth and the two outer images will not. The hardest part, actually, is to remove your finger and allow yourself to focus on the screen without uncrossing your eyes.

For more, please visit:  http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665007/look-at-these-paintings-cross-eyed-and-they-pop-into-3-d

For paintings that rotate in and out of your lobby or conference room every 3 to 6 months or so, give us a call at 888-440-9260 and ask for Lisa!

Plantable Furniture - A New Trend?

Is this the trend to come? Apparently it is (according to a recent Design*Sponge visit to the Stockholm furniture fair). Plant-able furniture that can grow your garden inside your furniture (think small flowers and herbs?). It can be useful both inside the home, out on the balcony patio or in the garden. It is truly the new wave of multipurpose furniture for small space gardeners.

Always something new and exciting in design!  If you're looking for artwork for your space, call Art Rent & Lease at (888) 440-9260 for a free consultation from one of our designers throughout the US.  You can also visit our website at:  www.artrentandlease.com

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.studiogblog.com/shop-for-garden-products/furniture-garden/garden-trend-plantable-furniture/

A Sign of Better Times Ahead, Remodeling Market Index Reaches Four-Year High

From the National Association of Home Builders

A good indication that the remodeling market is heading into a recovery, the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for this year’s first quarter rose to 46.5, up from 41.5 in the fourth quarter of 2010 and its highest level since the fourth quarter of 2006.

Great news for those of us that supply products and services during remodels, such as artwork.  Adding or changing artwork in your space is an inexpensive solution with high impact.  Art enhances a company image, improves employee morale and can really make a great statement for clients when art is placed in the lobby and conference rooms.

For information on art for your space, including our fantastic rotating art rentals (we swap out your art every 3 to 6 months), call us for a free initial consultation at (888) 440-9260.

A link to the complete article from NAHB:  http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2011-05-02/Small+Builders+and+Remodelers/index.html

The Art of Hanging Art #1

Courtesy of Nielsen Bainbridge via: http://michaels.com/The-Art-Of-Hanging-Art/as0108,default,pg.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dbd6f5a13e06ecb,0

Hanging art is easier than you think. All it takes is a little creativity and planning. Below are helpful hints and creative ways to make your walls say everything you want them to.

Plan your layout:

	It's important to achieve the right balance between your wall space and the frames you want to display. Larger frames can stand alone, but smaller frames should be grouped together for impact. Clustering several works together will enrich any space. Choose the pieces you want to use. For visual interest, use frames of varying shapes and sizes and hang frames both vertically and horizontally. Lay it out on the floor first. The simplest way to create a grouping is on the floor. This gives you the chance to arrange and re-arrange without making holes in your walls. Think of the arrangement as one large picture. The most effective groupings are large oblong shapes. Arrange the pieces from the border of the shape to equal the space you have measured off. Play with the interior space. Change the pieces around. Check the balance. Step back and look at the arrangement. Make sure you balanced the heavier and lighter pieces, as well as spread color throughout the grouping. How do the frames look next to each other? Re-arrange until you feel the group is visually balanced. Measure the distance between the pieces on all sides. The grouping should be centered in the space (equally distant from the ceiling and the anchoring piece of furniture). Measure the distances between the pieces carefully and write them down. Stay tuned for The Art of Hanging Art #2 & #3!  If you need help with art for your space, call us at (888) 440-9250 - we have art for rent, we lease art and we sell art throughout the US.

Things you can use to Decorate your Walls!

"Symphony in Red" by Catherine Kleeman

From Home and Garden, Home Decor:

A painting or print isn't the only thing you can use to decorate your walls. The next time you try to fill some wall space, consider a few of these ideas to help ...

Rugs: Some rugs can be amazing works of art. Look for longer pile rugs without bound edges. You can even hook your own rug -- there a hundreds of patterns available and you can pick your own colors. Either way, don't overlook a rug as a potential focal point in your room.

Quilts: aren't only for keeping us warm at night. Quilts can also be amazing works of art and they can also be a good investment.

Mounted Cut Outs: Letters, cartoon figures, theme objects -- whatever you like -- carefully and neatly cut out the shapes, mount them to a board and then raise them off the wall with a few pieces of cut wood behind them. Quick, easy wall hangings.

Clustered Baskets: come in all shapes, sizes, colors -- or your can paint and stain them to coordinate with your room. You can arrange a cluster of baskets with endless possibility and it's an inexpensive way to create a wall hanging.

Broken Ceramic Mosaic: If you're a little more on the creative side, try your hand at a broken ceramic mosaic for your walls. Build a simple wood frame on a piece of wall board as your base. Then use broken tile, dishware, buttons, notions -- whatever you fancy to create a one-of-a-kind wall hanging for your room.

For the full article, please visit:  http://www.listmyfive.com/ab6e2fa2/The-Top-Five-Things-You-Can-Turn-into-a-Wall-Hanging

If you'd like information on art rentals, an art lease or purchasing art for your office, please call us at (888) 440-9260 - we feature paintings, sculpture and wall hangings as shown above.

Art So Good You Could Eat It!

From Fastcodesign.com

Here's a brilliant way to get kids excited about art museums: Turn all the boring stuff -- the exhibit catalogs and the signage and the like -- into 55 pounds of mouth-watering, teeth-rotting, brain-addling candy.

Apparently, it works for adults, too, because Andreas Pohancenik's graphics for the exhibition Design Criminals -- made entirely, fantastically out sugar pastillage -- were a smash, earning the UK-based Austrian designer a nomination for the prestigious Brit Insurance Design Awards recently.

For the complete story, visit:  http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663326/an-edible-art-book-made-from-sugar-paste?partner=co_newsletter

The Art of Paintings and Rugs - $85 Monthly Rental

Yes, $85 rental per month for an 8' x 11' hand-made wool rug and an original 36" x 36" painting.  These 2 pieces can really change the look and feel of a room or office.  We have dozens of rugs and thousands of paintings to choose from, give us a call at (888) 440-9260 for a free consultation anywhere in the US!

Give Your Office a Makeover

Framed Limited Edition Photographs in a client's Conference Room

$95 per month, tax-deductible rental

You don't need to spend a fortune investing in expensive artwork, a little will go a long way!  For as little as $25 to $100 per month you can lease or rent artwork for your lobby, entry, hallways or conference room.  Ask about our free initial consultation and call us for more information: 888-440-9260.

Evolving Your Strategies - Delivering Value to Clients

As the saying goes: Innovate or evaporate.  Strategic artwork placed in the building lobby, conference rooms and main hallways adds value:  prestige, beauty and mission.

A renewed focus on business strategies and entrepreneurship will be seen at all scales of practice. What’s the perfect domestic/global project mix? What are some new ways to respond to client needs to combat the ever-increasing competition for projects? Delivering value will be an emphasis in client communications, while continuous marketing will be pursued in all markets and sub-markets. Creative new strategies are essential to the new business paradigm, as are investments in people, technology, and research.

Call us about renting, leasing or purchasing artwork for your public spaces - you can make a big impression for just a few dollars per day: 888-440-9260.

For the complete article visit:

http://www.di.net/articles/archive/new_opportunities_but_little_recovery/

Carver Carl Wright's Sculpture in "Motion"

Dove Gray Indiana Limestone

18" x 18" x 24" 650 lbs. Approx.

Indoor or Outdoor Installation

Rent/Lease $270 per month, $6,500 Purchase

Will be showing March 4, 2011 - October 9, 2011 at the Courthouse Galleries in Portsmouth, VA

For more information on an art rental, art lease or consulting, please call us at (888) 440-9260

Visit Carl's gallery at:  http://www.wsggallery.com/Sculpture-Pages/Motion-Sculpture.htm

EXCITING color trends: Gray and White!

Interior Design Trends: Gray and White
Posted: 20 Nov 2010 by COLOURlovers

When someone thinks of 'colorful' most of the time gray and white are not the colors that come to mind. The twosome are dull, yet calming. What I like most about gray is that it's a neutral, and when another color is added it always livens it up.

"Untitled" by Art Rent and Lease Artist John Haubrich

22" x 30" Unframed, $105 monthly art rental

As for white, it also meshes well with other tones just as gray. Gray and white together radiate a serene ambiance. Being that gray and white have calming and relaxing qualities, they work well in bedrooms and powder rooms. What do you think about gray and white? Is it calming to you or just plain boring?
 
We love gray and white and this work by artist John Haubrich.  For more information on art leasing, art rentals or art consulting call us at (888) 440-9260 x710.

If you Lease (Car, Office Equipment, Art), PLEASE See This

In simple English, if you lease anything for your business the way you account for the lease may change. There is a lease accounting change proposal proposed that will completely revamp te way you account for leases, and NOT in a positive way.

Here's a summary from BOMA International:  http://www.boma.org/RESOURCES/LEASEACCOUNTINGCHANGEPROPOSAL/Pages/default2.aspx

If you want Deloitte'sExposure draft on Lease Accounting (all 51 pages) click here: http://www.boma.org/SiteCollectionDocuments/Org/Docs/Resources/LeaseChangeProposal/Deloitte%20Lease%20Slides.pdf

Innovative Office Interiors

Innovative Office Interiors

From Inc.com - innovative office interiors: bright, colorful, peaceful, quiet - what makes you happy and productive in your office?  A few carefully chosen pieces of art can help and won't break the bank.  We rent art to business clients so they can write it off as an expense while filling empty spaces!

http://www.inc.com/ss/worlds-coolest-offices-2010/innovative-interiors#1

For information on renting art, an art lease or corporate art consulting, give us a call at (888) 440-9260 x710 - your initial consultation is always free!

CFO Guide to Art Rentals and Art Leases

You need artwork for your lobby, building, or conference room, but don't have thousands of dollars to spend.  What's your option?  To lease or rent.

The factors to consider:
Rental vs. Lease, short term vs. long term, use vs. ownership.  All good questions when considering whether to rent or lease artwork...with one exception:  Tax Deductibility.

Artwork is NOT considered a depreciable asset by the IRS, so a company that purchases artwork or leases with a purchase option CANNOT expense or depreciate the art.  See The CPA Journal on Federal Taxation for Revenue Ruling 68-232:  "a valuable and treasured art piece does not have a determinable useful life. The ruling also distinguishes between the condition of the artwork and its life. While the actual physical condition of the artwork may influence the market value placed on it, its condition will not ordinarily limit or determine the artifact's useful life. Accordingly, works of art may not be depreciated."

The solution:
An art rental CAN be expensed if structured properly.  Renting art solves two problems:  one, you need artwork and two, you have limited capital.

Why rent from Art Rent and Lease?
1. Art you rent is tax-deductible as a business expense;
2. Low up-front costs: typically just the first and last rental payment in advance plus any installation or design costs;
3. No one will know it's rented but you and your accountant;
4. Rentals allow you to rotate your artwork every so often if desired;
5. Simple rental agreement with terms from 1 week to 24 months or more;
6. No fixed purchase requirement at the end of the rental.  Your options are to continue renting on a month-to-month basis, return the artwork, or negotiate a separate purchase;
7.We make it easy by providing solutions that include help with budgeting, artwork selection, framing, installation and collection management;
8. If you need it fast, we can deliver and install anywhere in the US within days (photo shoots, movie sets, special events);
9. We're a woman-owned business established in December 2000 and have placed artwork across the US to virtually every type of industry;
10. We have thousands of original paintings and sculpture to choose from, much is eco-friendly and sustainable;

For more information on a True Art Rental, call Lisa Powell at (888) 440-9260 x710 or visit our website: http://www.artrentandlease.com/

Why Rent or Lease Art?

Why rent or lease art?  Simple:

1)  A business can expense a rental payment on artwork
2)  Low up-front cost conserves capital
3)  No one knows it's rented but you
4)  Our consultant visits your office to view your space,
     we'll make recommendations and provide a cost
     estimate/proposal, complete installation, voila!

We have thousands of original paintings and sculpture
available from artists throughout the US, with prices from
$25 to $800 per month per painting, and groups of 6 - 8
paintings starting at $195 per month. 

We've rented art to Hedge Funds, Insurance Companies,
Banks, Law Firms, Medical and Dental Offices, Building
Managers, and more - it's simple, cost effective and always
on-time.  Call us for more information or to schedule a free
consultation: (888) 440-9260 x710

**Woman owned, established in 12/2000 with offices in
New York, Austin, Boston, Washington D.C., San Diego,
Minneapolis, Portland OR, Sacramento and Philadelphia.

American Flag Art - Veterans Day Collage

A large scale single work of art that when viewed from one side shows an American Flag and from the other side shows Central Park in New York.  By artist Antonio Perez Melero, it measures 42" x 56" x 3" and is a collage with applied relief: acrylic, wood and silkscreen on canvas.  Available for rent, $350 per month, framed.  For a free consultation on art rentals or leasing art please call us at 888-440-9260 x710 and visit the website:  http://www.artrentandlease.com/html/Detail.asp?WorkInvNum=536&artistname=Antonio Perez-Melero&whatpage=artist

Investing in Art

"Joy" by Francine Kohn

From CNBC.com

Art auctions have helped to raise more than $600 million for Lehman Bank’s creditors. “Inside this big organization was a very good corporate collection of contemporary art which was put together early on, in the 90s, with a continuous effort to find young art that hadn’t been discovered by the global audience,” said Tobias Meyer of Sotheby’s.

 Interested in a corporate collection with tax advantages?  Consider renting artwork.  Contact us for a free consultation, 888-440-9260 x710.

Title Insurance on Artwork?

From an article at http://www.artinfo.com/:

Why is it important to have title insurance on an artwork?


For one thing, it creates financial permanence and security in the art transaction, which can’t happen without a third-party insurance product behind it because of the way art transactions are done in the world. So, for example, just because there may be an indemnity behind a transaction, it doesn’t mean that a company will have the financial stability to provide that indemnity. So unless you have a third-party risk-transfer method, you can’t have finality to the transaction. It affects everything from your typical buying and selling and gifting to how a trust and estate attorney might create the trust and estate plan.

The other issue is a valuation issue. Title has an effect on the economic value of a work of art, and it’s just not a credible valuation without understanding the ownership issues. If you have a piece of real estate where there are liens and encumbrances on it, nobody would buy it unless they were assured clear ownership. So it’s an application of valuation that every single asset class goes through, and up until now nobody really thought about it from an art perspective.

From Art Rent and Lease:  If you're purchasing artwork, consider utilizing title insurance.  If you're interested in leasing or renting artwork from any our artists (never a provenance issue!), please contact us at (888) 440-9260 x710 and visit our website:  http://www.artrentandlease.com/

IFMA Trade Show a Great Success

Lisa Powell (L) and Artist Ronda Waiksnis (R)

Thousands of Facility Managers from the US and abroad attended the show in Atlanta, where exhibitors showed their sustainable products, processes and efficiencies.  Art Rent and Lease featured Peachtree City, GA artist Ronda Waiksnis and her beautiful original oil paintings at the booth, and look forward to working with the dozens of prospective clients that need artwork in their facilities!  We rent, sell and lease art to corporate, healthcare and hospitalit clients in the US and provide consulting, design, framing, installation and management services - a one-stop shop!

Congratulations to Steve Krupka of Virginia for winning the Apple iPad giveaway at our booth, and thanks to the hundreds of people that stopped by to learn more about original artwork!  Many thanks to Sephanie Weber of Artful Decor Gallery, located at the International Market Square Design Center in Minneapolis, for helping at the booth and for working with us to provide beautiful prints, framing and original works for clients.

Looking forward to IFMA in Phoenix in 2011 - see you there!

What's Your Color Emotion?

Visit http://www.colouremotions.com/ website - they're conducting an internet survey of reactions to colours.  Take a brief colour survey and then compare to the other 21,000 + participants.....interesting!  What colour do you link to love, anger, fear, hatred?  Take the survey and find out!

Colors are an important part of our lives, especially when it comes to artwork and the feelings it creates.  For information on art for your home or office, visit our website at http://www.artrentandlease.com/