Archive for February, 2010
Art Investment Guide
Second only in size to the US market, The UK art and antiques market is worth well over £4 billion a year, and holds a global share of some 26% of the world’s total art sales. In terms of volume, the UK is the largest marketplace for art on the planet.(1). In 2005, the index covering sales of old masters showed growth of 18.8%, while the similar index covering post-war and contemporary art rose 8.3%. Over the past five years, the average annual returns were 3.1% and 17.7% respectively.(2). That’s a better return than investing in stocks and shares.
Buying art can represent a fantastic long-term investment opportunity. In order to help you make an informed decision on the art you buy through The Art Ministry website, we have put together some key considerations to bear in mind when selecting work from our galleries. With over 25 years’ experience in the art market, our team have followed the same steps to ensure all work available in our Online Store is fairly valued.
1. Buy what you like
It’s important to trust your own taste when buying art. Our aim in providing this collection is to offer artwork for every budget that adds interest to your home or office, a talking point that enriches your environment and lifestyle. Great art needn’t be expensive, and buying artwork should primarily be an expression of your own personality. Like stocks and shares, the value of artwork can go up or down, so it’s crucial you buy what you like and can afford. Ultimately the true value of art is in the pleasure or feelings it evokes. The more people that find it appealing the more demand increases, which inevitably increases the value.
2. Do your homework and understand the value of the work
When you view a piece of artwork to buy, pay attention to detail. If you look into the way it has been physically created, how much time it took and the journey the artist went through in producing the piece, you will come to appreciate the skill of the artist and the effort involved in making the work. When it comes to value, don’t be taken in by the medium either. For example, oil paintings are in general more expensive than watercolours, but the latter can require more skill to achieve the desired impression.
The more artwork you look at and the more background information you obtain on various artists and how they work, the more you will learn what you like and why. Comparing the merits of a work with other artist’s work will help you determine the inherent value in any given piece and assist your buying decision. If you want to know what similar work has sold for, use a source like The Art Sales Index, which has catalogued art prices since the 1950’s, or the Mei/Moses Fine Art Index, which tracks various auction price indexes and compares them to the stock exchange to gauge relative performance.
The comparative merits include:
The artist’s exhibition history
The nationality of the artist
What country the artist works in
The medium the artist uses
The size and dimensions of the piece
The price their work has sold for in the past
3. Buy from a reputable dealer
Only buy artwork from a reputable dealer. The best ones will provide extensive background information on the artists in their portfolio, giving details on how they work and what inspires them. Knowing the artist’s passion might also help you find a work that is right for you. Click here to read ‘About the Artists’ at The Art Ministry.
Reputable dealers will also provide a ‘Certificate of Authenticity’ with all original and limited edition artwork sold. This will be signed by the artist and proves the work is 100% genuine and has been accurately valued. These also include the following information:
The title and visual description of the artwork
Edition numbers and collection details
Materials and techniques used
Size and dimensions of the work
The copyright holder
Distributor details
Release date of the artwork
Printer’s details if relevant
Comments from the artist
Notes on caring for the artwork
Sources:
1. The House of Commons Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport (Sixth Report)
2. ‘Is it just art, or is it investment?’ by Joe Bolger, Times Online 17th April 2006, quoting figures from the Mei/Moses Fine? Art Index
If you require more assistance with buying art from our website, please to contact us, alternatively, feel free to browse our to view the work of all our artists.
Looking for tips and advice on art and design, visit our blog.
Based in London, England The Art Ministry sources and commissions original works of art and collections to meet specific customer tastes and market trends and to supply the growing demand for life defining and inspiring products.
In addition to creating a viable and supportive environment in which artistic talent can flourish and reward committed artists with tangible success, both creatively and financially.
As a professional kids entertainer and parent of four, I would like to share some of my experience with parents who are looking for entertainment for their kids party. Folks usually turn to professionals for solutions, they are willing to invest their hard earned cash to put on a kids party that would be fun and memorable for both their child and their guests alike. The purpose of this article is to shed some light on some key points to consider when hiring entertainment for your child’s party.
Age appropriate:
What is the age range of the kids that you are looking to entertain? Usually, a parent would want entertainment not only for their child but for the guests as well. We know that your child likes Elmo, but you have invited other kids to the party as well. You may want to consider entertainment that would cater to the appropriate age group invited as opposed to just the birthday child. A professional entertainer would know how to make the birthday child feel special without making the other kids feel not included.
A clown isn’t just a clown:
Please consider the person behind the make up. Performers vary greatly in approach and style. The best example is when people hire a costumed character, let’s say Elmo. Please, consider the person who will be wearing that costume. Kids have an amazing intuition and can pick up on each others fears. A seasoned professional will know how to calm those anxieties very early on and bring the group together into the fun zone.
Use your best judgment:
Do some homework on the performer before you commit: Are they a full time kids entertainer? Are they patient and genuinely like children? (Kids require a lots of patience) Do they project a professional image? (Website, Demo, Costume etc.) Can you find reviews or testimonials on them? (Websites reviews, Local library reviews, etc.)
Budget:
Like any other service, you sometimes get what you pay for. Consider entertainment into your budget, a good entertainer can make your party all the worthwhile. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. If you want someone to do a magic show, a puppet show, sculpt balloon animals and do face painting for $150, then hire your neighbor’s teenage son. Make sure to give him a $50 advance to get the supplies from the dollar store. But if you want a professional, make sure that they are specialized in their field and they are at the top of their game.
Logistics:
Consider to ask the performer these logistical questions before you commit: How much space do you need? Can you perform indoors and outdoors? Do you provide your own sound equipment? What do you need us to prepare for your act?
Key Words to consider:
Let’s assume that you live in the San Francisco Bay Area Copy and paste the keywords that apply to you into your favorite search engine such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, ASK etc. Consider using broad geographic terms such as Bay area, San Francisco Bay Area. If you live in a large metropolis consider using your city name like : San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Ramon, Marin, Daly City, Menlo Park etc. San Jose Kids entertainer, San Jose children Entertainment Bay Area birthday party entertainer, Birthday party entertainer Kids birthday party entertainer, Bay Area Puppet Shows, birthday party balloons 1st birthday party, boys birthday party, bay area birthday party character, magic shows Party Entertainers in the San Francisco Bay Area, birthday party venues in the bay area birthday party ideas, party puppet shows, corporate entertainment party favors for kids, kids party favors, 1st birthday supplies, birthday comedian bay area birthday party themes, entertainer bay area, entertainers bay area clown, clowns, magician, magicians, mime, bay area party clowns, entertainers San Jose children entertainment for kids, bay area birthday party themes, the entertainers, the bay area entertainers, wedding entertainer, event entertainer Bay area kids events, bay area kids party, Clowns Childrens Entertainers Bay Area children party bay area, kids party San Francisco, Magicians bay area, Magic shows bay area.
A professional entertainer can bring your guests together into the happy zone and create an atmosphere of joy and laughter. A committed kids entertainer can also add magic and theatrics into the memories of kids and grown ups alike. As a Bay Area entertainer, I have committed myself to making my next child’s party the only party that counts. Now, it’s Show-Time!
Jungle Joe is a professional Puppeteer and ventriloquist residing in the San
Francisco Bay Area. His unique style makes his shows both educational and tremendously entertaining.
Valkyrie Movie Review - Plot
During World War II, Wehrmacht Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) is severely wounded in Tunisia, and is evacuated home to Nazi Germany. Meanwhile, Major General Henning von Tresckow (Branagh) attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler by smuggling a bomb aboard the Führer’s private airplane. The bomb, however, fails to detonate and Tresckow safely retrieves it to conceal his intentions. After learning that the Gestapo has arrested Major Hans Oster, he orders General Olbricht (Nighy) to find a replacement. After recruiting von Stauffenberg into the German Resistance, Olbricht delivers von Stauffenberg to a meeting of the secret committee which has coordinated previous attempts on Hitler’s life. The members include General Ludwig Beck (Stamp), Dr. Carl Goerdeler (McNally), and Erwin von Witzleben (Schofield). The Colonel is stunned to learn that no plans exist for after Hitler’s assassination.
After a bombing raid on Berlin, he lights upon using the plan Operation Valkyrie, which involves the deployment of the Reserve Army to maintain order in the event of a national emergency. The plotters carefully redraft the plan so that they can dismantle the Nazi regime after assassinating Hitler. Realizing that only General Fromm (Wilkinson), the head of the Reserve Army, can initiateValkyrie, they offer him a position as head of the Wehrmacht in a Post-Nazi Germany and recruit him into the fold. With the rewritten plan needing to be signed off by Hitler (Bamber), von Stauffenberg visits the Führer at his Berghof estate in Bavaria. In the presence of his inner circle, Hitler praises von Stauffenberg’s heroism in North Africa and signs off on the plan without fully examining the modifications.
At Goerdeler’s insistence, von Stauffenberg is ordered to assassinate both Hitler and SS head Himmler at the bunker Wolf’s Lair. At a final briefing, Colonel Mertz von Quirnheim (Berkel) instructs the committee members in how to use pencil detonators. von Stauffenberg also reaches out to General Fellgiebel (Izzard), who controls all communications at Wolf’s Lair, to cut off communications after the bomb blast. On July 15, 1944, von Stauffenberg attends a strategy meeting at Wolf’s Lair with the bomb in his briefcase, but with Himmler not present at the meeting, von Stauffenberg does not get the go-ahead from the committee leaders until the meeting is over. Meanwhile, the Reserve Army is mobilized by Olbricht, unbeknownst to Fromm, to stand by. With no action taken, von Stauffenberg safely extracts himself and the bomb from the bunker, and the Reserve Army is ordered to stand down, believing that the mobilization was training. Enraged, von Stauffenberg goes to the committee to protest the indecisiveness and blames the bungling of Goerdeler, who has been selected to be chancellor after the coup. When Goerdeler demands that von Stauffenberg be relieved, Beck informs him that the SS is searching for him and implores him to leave the country immediately.
On July 20, 1944, von Stauffenberg and his adjutant Lieutenant Haeften (Parker) return to the Wolf’s Lair. To von Stauffenberg’s dismay, he discovers that the conference is being held in an open-window summer barrack, whereas the plotters had intended to detonate the bomb within the walls of the bunker for maximum damage. While his adjuntant waits with a getaway car, von Stauffenberg leaves the briefcase at the meeting. With the bomb armed, von Stauffenberg leaves the barrack for the getaway car. When the bomb explodes, von Stauffenberg is certain that Hitler is dead and flees the Wolf’s Lair. Before shutting down communications, Fellgiebel calls Mertz about the explosion but cannot clearly convey whether or not the Führer is dead.
As von Stauffenberg flies back to Berlin, Olbricht refuses to mobilize the Reserve Army until he knows without a doubt that Hitler is dead. Behind Olbricht’s back, Mertz forges his signature and issues the orders anyway. With Operation Valkyrie underway, von Stauffenberg and his fellow plotters order the arrest of Nazi party leaders and SS officers and begin to take control of Berlin’s government quarter, which will allow them to command the entire Reich. Rumors reach Berlin that Hitler survived the blast, but von Stauffenberg dismisses them as SS propaganda. Meanwhile, Fromm learns from Field Marshal Keitel that Hitler is still alive. The General refuses to join the plotters, resulting in his arrest. When Hitler reaches the Reserve Army by telephone, the SS officers are released and the plotters in turn are besieged inside the Bendlerblock. The headquarters staff flees, but the ringleaders are arrested. Most are eventually tried and executed, while some commit suicide. Von Stauffenberg is executed by a firing squad.
Valkyrie Movie Review -Directed by
Bryan Singer
Valkyrie Movie Review - Produced by
Christopher McQuarrie
Bryan Singer
Gilbert Adler
Chris Lee
Written by Christopher McQuarrie
Nathan Alexander
Starring Tom Cruise
Bill Nighy
Eddie Izzard
Terence Stamp
Tom Wilkinson
Carice van Houten
Kenneth Branagh
Valkyrie Movie Review - Music by
John Ottman
Cinematography Newton Thomas Sigel
Valkyrie Movie Review - Editing by
John Ottman
Valkyrie Movie Review - Distributed by
USA/Canada
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
United Artists
Worldwide
20th Century Fox
Valkyrie Movie Review - Release date
December 25, 2008 (US)
January 22, 2009 (GER)
January 23, 2009 (UK)
Valkyrie Movie Review - Running time
120 min.
Valkyrie Movie Review - Country
United States
Valkyrie Movie Review - Language
English
Valkyrie Movie Review - Budget
$75 million (official) to $90 million (reported)