Thursday, March 26, 2009

Park West Gallery: Breaking ART NEWS!


Park West Gallery Newsletter

Attention Park West Gallery Newsletter fans - the March issue is here!

> CLICK HERE TO READ ISSUE 7

This month's features include:

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Park West Artist Yaacov Agam Builds Sculpture at Entrance to World Games Stadium


Yaacov Agam, Park West Gallery Photo courtesy of Ron Schimon

Innovative Kinetic Artist Honored by International World Games Association

United States of America (Press Release) March 25, 2009 -- Yaacov Agam has recently completed work on a sculpture gracing the entrance to a new stadium built in Kaohsiung, Taiwan for The World Games 2009, which will take place in July.

The sculpture entitled “Peaceful Communication with the World” is, as with much of Agam’s work, an exploration of how art exists and can interact with time.

By walking through the sculpture on their way into the stadium, visitors are invited to experience, rather than merely “view,” the work. The piece consists of nine 10m high hexagon pillars positioned in diamond formation — or square, depending on where you are standing.

All 54 sides of the nine pillars are painted in different patterns and hues, totaling more than 180 shades. A closer look reveals that the one side of each pillar is also lined to segment the structure into sections.

The purpose of the segment, Agam said, is that as children grow, their perception of a pillar will change because they will see whole different pillars as their eyes hit at a different height.

“Yaacov has been a member of our Park West family of artists for 30 years, and we are constantly impressed but never surprised by his achievements,” said Gallery Director Morris Shapiro. “He is firmly established in the history of art. We’re thrilled that the world will be able to experience Agam’s work up close at the World Games.”

About Yaacov Agam
Apart from his influence on the evolution of the visual expressions of the period, Agam extended the fourth dimension (time) into his large scale sculptures. Examples include the monumental fountain at La Defense district in Paris, the Fire and Water Fountain in Tel-Aviv. The unity through the diversity of his creations emphasizes the scope of his prophetic artistic intuition. Agam’s art explores not only new dimensions, but also experiments with new technologies and unique materials. Additionally, Agam never fails to take part in the historical events of his time. From creating a revolutionary environment for the Elysee Palace in Paris to producing a multidimensional art work for President Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Begin of Israel in order to promote peace in the Middle East, Agam strives to make his work not only exist in time, but relevant to the time from which it comes.

Park West Gallery Art Auctions at Sea Featured on CNBC


Park West art auctions at seaPark West Gallery cruise art auctions were featured on CNBC's new documentary "Cruise Inc. Big Money on the High Seas"!


Show Summary: It's the ultimate getaway... an exclusive look inside the $30-billion cruise industry. Correspondent Peter Greenberg spends seven days aboard the Norwegian Pearl, one of the newest in Norwegian Cruise Line's fleet.

The 15-story floating city is a destination of its own. It's a hotel, a shopping mall, a casino and full-service Spa - sailing the oceans of the world.



Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Park West Auctions: A Great Art Experience


"Dear Park West Gallery:

Recently we were invited to a VIP cruise event aboard Freedom of the Seas. We had an excellent week and very much appreciated the invitation. The Park West personnel were outstanding and very professional in seeing that all their guests had a great art experience (in addition to a very nice vacation week).

Meeting Noah Elias, Tim Yanke, and Marcus Glenn was really a great privilege. Watching Noah and Tim paint was a true honor. Thank you for that experience.

As expected, Royal Caribbean was great and the ship is a real beauty. We had a wonderful time – and are now on diets!

The Park West staff was superb. We can’t say enough. You have excellent people doing the job! Keep up the good work.

Thank you again."

Marla & Spencer
Cicero, Indiana

Monday, March 23, 2009

Detroit Free Press: Celebration honors Detroit peace leader's life


THE DETROIT FREE PRESS

March 22, 2009

Celebration honors Detroit peace leader's life

Before he died, Olusola said he didn't want hope to be lost

BY AMBER HUNT and NICK MEYER, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

Weusi Olusola made a request of those who loved him before he died: Do not mourn my passing, but celebrate my life.

And so, instead of a funeral Saturday, friends and family gathered to share stories about the antigun and community activist who died March 13 of Stage 4 bladder cancer.

"Five days before he died, he told us he did not want people to lose hope," said Saba Gebrai, program director of the Park West Foundation, which earlier this month gave Olusola a lifetime achievement award.

Olusola was 38. He died six days after receiving the award during a gathering attended by hundreds of metro Detroiters and entertainer Bill Cosby.

Born Willie Brown Jr., Olusola survived a drive-by shooting at 16. Then an All-State basketball star and marching band member at Murray Wright High, he was left paralyzed from the waist down.

He changed his name and became one of Detroit's foremost antigang activists.

Ten years after he got shot, Olusola cofounded Pioneers for Peace, a group of shooting survivors who speak to children and young adults about violence.

The hundreds who paid their respects began by walking along Rosa Parks Boulevard near West Grand, accompanied by a marching band. Then they stopped at the community center, where Pioneer members, family, friends and city leaders gathered and spoke of the need to further Olusola's work.

"That's all he wanted," said his 24-year-old sister, Christine Hall.

"He did more than most people on two feet," said Kali Sichen, who heads a youth program near Atlanta. "He stood for self-determination, love, commitment. Those are the things that put the community in a positive light." Full Article

Contact AMBER HUNT at 313-223-4526 or alhunt@freepress.com.

Friday, March 20, 2009

A Celebration of Life


On Saturday, March 21st, the family of Weusi Olusola and Pioneers for Peace invite you to honor and celebrate Weuisi's life by committing to be a pioneer.

“We want every youth, adult, block club, organization, school, fraternity, sorority, musician, high school band, private and government agency, corporation and elected official in southeast Michigan to come to the park, grab T-shirts and march,” said Saba Gebrai, director of the Park West Foundation, which worked with Olusola on several peace efforts.

Weusi died of cancer six days after receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Park West Foundation at a gathering attended by hundreds of metro Detroiters, including Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence, Detroit Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr, Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson and representatives from the Detroit Police Department, Boy Scouts of America, the NAACP, the Million Mom March, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the FBI, the Michigan State Police, the Detroit Rehabilitation Institute, members of Pioneers for Peace, hundreds of friends and family and entertainer Bill Cosby.

Make a commitment to life, peace and love. Make a commitment to invest in youth and community. Join us on March 21st.

Read More about Weusi Olusola:
The Detroit Free Press - March 16, 2009
The Michigan Chronicle - March 20, 2009

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Park West Gallery Spring Sale: Ideal for All Your Spring Gift-Giving Needs


Park West Gallery Spring Sale

Fine art and jewelry treasures make perfect
birthday, Mother's Day and graduation gifts

SOUTHFIELD, MI, March 19, 2009 -- Plan a spring outing to the elegant Park West Gallery. Tour 3-1/2 acres of beautiful galleries and gardens while shopping for unique birthday, Mother's Day and graduation gifts.

From now through May 15th, more than 250 works will be on display from some of the world's greatest artists including Rembrandt, Picasso, Linda Le Kinff, Marcel Mouly, Goya, Simon Bull, Dali, Marcus Glenn, and Itzchak Tarkay. Customers can find the perfect gift in Park West's outstanding collection, which features paintings, jewelry and even autographed sports memorabilia. In honor of Park West's 40th anniversary, some prices will be reduced by as much as 40 percent.

Sale hours: Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Thursday, Friday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. / Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sale items are also featured on the web at the Park West Seasonal Sale.

Park West Gallery is located at 29469 Northwestern Highway, Southfield.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Park West Gallery Blog Poll #4: The Results



Thank you to all who participated in Park West Gallery's Blog Poll #4!

Question: I typically collect artwork from...?

Here are the results:

Art Galleries = 41%
Art Fairs = 38%
Art Auctions = 17%
Internet Websites = 4%
Flea Markets/Garage Sales = 0%

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Be sure to vote in this week's poll:

Question: If you could dine with any of the following masters, who would you choose?
  • Salvador Dali
  • Pablo Picasso
  • Joan Miro
  • Marc Chagall
  • Rembrandt van Rijn
Voting ends Tuesday, March 24 at 9am EST

Park West Foundation - Celebrating a Life and a Cause


Article and Image courtesy of the Detroit Free Press

Weusi Olusola, Detroit Free Press

March 16, 2009

Written by Rochelle Riley


A life’s goal will matter after death

Weusi Olusola lived every day with a sense of purpose.

So it’s no surprise that his funeral will have that same sense of purpose.

On Saturday, Olusola’s family will host a peace march and life celebration to honor the 38-year-old antigun and antigang activist who died Friday of cancer. The march will begin at 11 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at West Grand Boulevard near Rosa Parks Boulevard. The celebration will begin at 1 p.m. under tents behind the Joseph Walker Williams Center, 8431 Rosa Parks, where Olusola last played basketball standing, and where, for 20 years, he played wheelchair ball.

Olusola was paralyzed at 16 by bullet wounds from a drive-by shooting that left an 8-year-old girl dead. Ten years later, he cofounded Pioneers for Peace, an organization of shooting survivors who convinced hundreds of kids that a long life legal is better than a short life with guns.

Celebrate a life and cause

In life, Olusola rarely asked for anything. But now his family and friends are asking for him.

“We want every youth, adult, block club, organization, school, fraternity, sorority, musician, high school band, private and government agency, corporation and elected official in southeast Michigan to come to the park, grab T-shirts and march,” said Saba Gebrai, director of the Park West Foundation, which worked with Olusola on several peace efforts.

His family members are asking all of southeast Michigan to come to the march and walk for him. They are asking southeast Michigan to come to the life celebration and sign up to be a Pioneer for Peace for him, offering guidance to young people in a city that saw 344 homicides last year and 8,443 violent crimes in just the first half of 2008.

They are asking youth organizations to set up tables under the tent for him, to explain to young people how they can change their lives.

The 38-year-old activist would want people to come and say good-bye on Saturday. But he also would want them to come to work.

Contact ROCHELLE RILEY at 313-223-4473 or at rriley@freepress.com.

Gift of inspiration

The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan today announced a donation of $2,000 to the Andrew Olusola Education Fund, created to provide a college education for Weusi Olusola’s 11-year-old son. Other donations may be sent to the Andrew Olusola Education Fund, 29469 Northwestern Highway, Southfield 48034.

“He’s just an inspiration to all of us with all the work he’s done,” Terry Ahwal, the institute’s director of development, said in announcing the donation and an employee drive for the scholarship fund. “I keep thinking of that quote, some people live until they’re 90 years old and live a short life — but he’s going to live forever.”

Donations also can be made to Olusola’s foundation. Send checks to Wheel to S.U.R.V.I.V.E., 29469 Northwestern Highway, Southfield 48034. Click Here for the Full Article

Learn More about the Park West Foundation

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Customer Corner


We just wanted to drop you this quick note to say how thoroughly pleased we were with the Park West Gallery - Freedom of the Seas VIP Cruise. Throughout the week, we were completely pampered, entertained, and educated well beyond our expectations. We collected art from artists we got to know and appreciate. And we even made new art collecting friends. Everyone, without exception, from Park West Gallery contributed to making this a successful event. Thank you so much for including us in this program.

Lesley & David N.
Miami, Florida

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THANK YOU PARK WEST!!! We had a wonderful time on the cruise - you were all so helpful and such gracious hosts. The artists were fun, down to earth people we could really communicate with which helped to open our eyes into their "painting" world. Thank you again for a spectacular time. Hope to see you again soon.

Mike & Janette W.
Tampa, Florida

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I felt compelled to write and thank you for making this cruise a very memorable one. I would think many individuals don’t understand what exactly has to happen to pull something like this off. From coordinating the artwork presentation/education, reserving multiple meeting areas, as well as being receptive and cognizant to all the various individual needs of each client, I felt every single detail was orchestrated and managed with the utmost proficiency and professionalism.

Having the ability to meet, talk with, and spend quality time with the artists is a remarkable and memorable experience. This is a great concept and opportunity by having the artists interact with the buyers, it makes the artwork become more meaningful to the new owner. This is certainly a noteworthy idea.

I would again like to thank you for making this experience a fantastic one. You did a GREAT JOB!

Patrick & Nathalie R.
Fort Myers, Florida

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I want to thank you for the beautiful cruise (Norwegian Jewel to S. Caribbean) in January and the wonderful art extravaganza. You all made it a memorable trip I just received my first Fanch seriolithograph which is hanging in my living room and reminds me of many happy memories.

Winter is still hanging on in Wisconsin, you are so fortunate to enjoy the sunshine in your many ports of call. I send my warm greetings to all of you and again thank you for a wonderful cruise.

Lauren P.
Delavan, Wisconsin

------------------------------

If you're reading this while with Marko [Mavrovich], please thank him again for the wonderful time we had with him. I still can't believe that we now have met the artist we "fell in love with first" as we began our art collecting adventure in April 2002. When we got that piece -- Field of Dreams -- we never imagined that we would meet him one day.

We look forward to seeing you again.

Tim & Roberta G.
Commerce City, Colorado

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Park West Gallery Artist Speaks to Fine Art Magazine


Park West Gallery, Linda Le Kinff

"THE LUCKIEST DAY OF MY LIFE was the day I met Mr. Albert Scaglione. You don't need many art dealers. You need the best. The trick is to find him amongst the others.

There are not great artists without great dealers, because, while one is creativity, the other is its revelation;...they can only exist in recognizing each other and working with each other.

The triumph of the artist will be that of the dealer, but the artist will never have any limelight or recognition if his dealer doesn't bring it about. The only way for an artist to exist is to be seen by others. The art dealer offers this to him."

- LINDA LE KINFF


Published in Fine Art Magazine, Spring 2009

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Park West Gallery Blog Poll #3: The Results


Thank you to all who participated in Park West Gallery's Blog Poll #3!

Question: If you were renowned as a “master artist”, in which medium would your skills be recognized?

Here are the results:

Oil Painting = 37%
Drawing/Sketching = 20%
Acrylic Painting = 19%
Watercolor Painting = 12%
Sculpture = 12%

-------------------------------------------

Be sure to vote in this week's poll:

Question: I typically collect artwork from...?
  • Art Galleries
  • Art Auctions
  • Internet Websites
  • Flea Markets/Garage Sales
  • Art Fairs
Voting ends Tuesday, March 17 at 9am EST

Park West Gallery Director Morris Shapiro Featured in Detroit Jewish News


Article & Images courtesy of The Detroit Jewish News Online

PLATINUM: Decor - Art & Soul
Peek inside the personal collection of Park West Gallery’s director.

WRITTEN BY KHRISTI ZIMMETH
PHOTOGRAPHS BY GENE MEADOWS

Park West Gallery, Morris ShapiroA large work by Marc Chagall hangs in the front hall of Morris and MaryAnn Shapiro's Novi home.

"It's definitely one of my favorites," the 56-year-old Park West Gallery director says of Le Mariage, a 1976 aquatint framed in black that depicts a traditional Jewish wedding. "We bought it for each other as a wedding gift."

A tour of the Shapiros' contemporary home reveals more than 100 other works, all with personal meaning. Hanging over the living-room sofa is a large contemporary piece by Miro; and nearby, the small gold-framed Portrait of Jan Lutman the Goldsmith is by Rembrandt. In the family room, a large piece by Detroit artist Marcus Glenn hangs over the fireplace. Other walls hold a Matisse-like drawing, works by 1998 World Cup artist Linda LeKinff and mysterious and otherworldly images by New York artist Robert Kipniss. Many share Shapiro's Jewish heritage.

"I don't have a traditional art collection, per se," he explains. "I'm immersed in art. My collection is eclectic and based on personal experiences and relationships with artists. Each means something special to me."

Working with Southfield's 63,000-square-foot Park West Gallery has enabled Shapiro to meet many of the artists whose work now hangs in the home he shares with MaryAnn and 14-year-old daughter Amanda. Three other children - Mia, Myles and Mason - are grown. A family portrait by artist Peter Max hangs over the living room's grand piano, and a tour of his collection is sprinkled with stories and reminiscences of artists he has been fortunate enough to meet and work with.

Park West Gallery, Morris ShapiroWorking directly with artists is one of the best parts of the job, he says, and a dream since he was a child. Shapiro grew up in Chicago in the 1950s and '60s. His mother, he says, decorated the house with gaudy French Provincial furniture and accessories. "It was really hideous," he remembers. "There was no art on the walls, so I made my own. I drew and painted in part to rebel against my parents."

Thumbing through a book on the Holy Land one day in his parents' library, he came across a woodcut of Adam and Eve by Albrecht Durer. "I was mesmerized by the contours and lines and Durer's use of space," he says. "From that moment on, I was smitten.

"He eventually followed Durer into drawing, going on to study at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. While there, he shifted his emphasis from studio art to art history and art criticism, later working at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts before returning to the Windy City to pursue another passion - music.

After playing the drums professionally for a time, Shapiro took a position as gallery director for Chicago's Merrill Chase Galleries, where he worked from 1977-1983. In 1983, he came to Detroit to head Park West's retail gallery, where he's been ever since.

After 25 years, he's still passionate about the company's philosophy of bringing art to the public.

"In many ways, art has been taken away from the people and made less accessible," he says. "It's gratifying to be able to swing the pendulum back and to allow people to experience art firsthand."

While Shapiro is serious about his art, not all of his art is serious. Another favorite piece in his collection is a drawing by animator Chuck Jones, dedicated to daughter Amanda. "It was really neat to meet him," Shapiro says.

While eclectic, Shapiro says his collection reflects his interests and his life. He's passionate about reading, writing and music and loves to travel. He participates in jazz jam sessions whenever possible and is currently collaborating with Amanda, a burgeoning singer-songwriter, on her first demo recording. He enjoys spending time with his first grandchild, Matthew.

A member of Temple Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield, Shapiro also is passionate about his family and his faith. He believes it "is about being appreciative of the blessings I have in life, the sanctity of family, the observance of and passing on of tradition," he says. "My religion also provides for me a perspective of how short life is, how miniscule and insignificant we are, how God's creations are miraculous and infinite and how fortunate [we are] for every day we are given. Each day is a gift of inestimable value."

He believes others interested in collecting art should follow the same philosophy, allowing art to enhance their life, not just their wallets.

"Knowing what you like is the entrance into the art world," he says. "People should buy art because they love it. It should be collected for its emotional and spiritual benefits, not its financial benefits. It's really the only way to go." Read More

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Park West Gallery CEO Offers Expert Tips on Art Collecting


Albert Scaglione, Park West Gallery
Albert Scaglione, CEO of Park West Gallery, is featured in the Spring 2009 issue of Centralight: Central Michigan University Alumni Magazine. In the article entitled Art for All: Gallery Owner Spreads Joy of Appreciation, writer Barbara Sutherland Chovanec spoke to Scaglione about his mission to "make art accessible to everyone" and got his 5 Expert Tips for art collectors.

Scaglione explained, "It's invigorating - the idea that we can get more people exposed to art. Our business model has been to get the art to the people. We very much love to be the people who teach you and introduce you to art."

To help achieve his goal, the founder of Park West Gallery donates significant gifts of artwork to various institutions and universities, including Central Michigan, in order to create what Scaglione calls "living museums."

How to Buy Fine Art: Albert Scaglione, founder and owner of Park West Gallery, offers 5 Expert Tips to help collectors have a positive art-buying experience:
  1. Let your own taste drive you. Buy what you like, not what someone else says you should like.
  2. Do your research. Find out about the artist, if the price seems logical, whether or not there have been previous owners and where the art has been displayed.
  3. Know who you're dealing with - the artist or the company. Be sure the people who are selling your art to you know what they're talking about.
  4. Consider an appraiser. They have the resources to do research for you.
  5. Enjoy your choice. You should experience joy - an uplifting feeling.
For more information please visit http://www.parkwestgallery.com/

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Park West Gallery FREE Giveaway: Twitter Contest #1


Park West Gallery is giving away a FREE PRIZE to one of our Twitter followers!!

Prize Details and Contest Rules are as follows:

THE PRIZE

Linda Le Kinff, The Graphic WorkThe winner will receive Linda Le Kinff: The Graphic Work, a 278-page hard cover book featuring a chronology and a beautiful, full-color retrospective of the artist's work. The book also contains a foreword written by Anthony F. Janson, co-author of History of Art - the most widely used textbook on fine art ever written; and a biographical essay contributed by Joseph Jacobs - art historian, author, critic, and former Curator at the Newark Museum.
  1. The winner must be following Park West Gallery (@ParkWestGal) on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ParkWestGal
  2. The winner must Tweet the following message on their Twitter feed:

    Follow Park West Gallery ( @ParkWestGal ) for a chance to win a FREE artist coffee table book! Details --> http://twurl.nl/oqm72z
  3. One winner will be randomly selected when @ParkWestGal reaches 500 followers (hopefully this will be sooner than later)!
  4. The winner will be announced in an upcoming Blog Post and on Twitter.
  5. The winner will be asked to Direct Message @ParkWestGal with their shipping address.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!

Park West Gallery in Detroit Free Press: Dick Purtan's Radiothon


Purtan gears up for Radiothon

COMPILED BY B.J. HAMMERSTEIN • DETROIT.METROMIX.COM EDITOR

[Excerpt from The Detroit Free Press, February 27, 2009]

Kicking off at 6 a.m. today and concluding at 10 tonight is Dick Purtan’s 22nd annual Radiothon. It benefits the Salvation Army’s Bed and Bread Club, a program that targets Detroit’s homeless and hungry people through shelters, feeding centers, after-school programs and mobile services.


The “Morning Show with Purtan’s People” host explains that the fund-raiser has raised about $2.3 million over the past two years. When listeners make a contribution of $120 — which can be done in a variety of payment plans — one person will be supplied with meals for a year.

People who contribute $240 (which would feed two people for a year) receive a commemorative art print by Park West Galleries, matted and signed by Dick Purtan, and the 3D animated short “Harrison’s First Day.”

“This is no baloney. Despite the tough economy our community is exceptional and very giving,” Purtan says...Read More

Monday, March 2, 2009

Comments from a Park West Gallery VIP Customer


On Friday, Feb 27 Park West Gallery received a fantastic comment from one of our VIP customers on our Customer Corner blog posting. The message was so heartfelt and appreciated that we are reposting it in full as follows. Thank you Patrick & Diane!

"To whom it may concern,

My wife and I recently returned from our first VIP Cruise/auction at sea on the Carnival Miracle out of Port Everglades on 2 /1–9 /09. We have to admit, when Samantha first contacted us, we were very skeptical about the invitation. We had been to a VIP land auction at your Miami Lakes Gallery before but this invitation was very different with its offer of an 8-day cruise. After many question filled e-mails and phone calls to Samantha (sorry about that), we accepted the invitation.

Of course our first thought was of our past “time share” sales horror experiences. Boy were we ever wrong in thinking that. We ended up having the time of our lives meeting other people who shared our love for art and cruising to exotic places. But I think most of all we enjoyed the company of your fine Park West staff, seeing works of art we had never seen before, and meeting the special artists who sailed with us.

Getting to meet Simon Bull, Dominic Pangborn and Tim Rogerson was one of the coolest and most special things that we have ever experienced. Not only did we get to see some of their fantastic works of art but also we got to talk with them, hang out around the ship with them and watch them paint. What a thrill for all in attendance.

You don’t usually get to speak with an artist and find out what goes through their minds when they paint or what inspired them to create the beautiful works of art we got to see. Too many times, all we know about an artist is what we read in an art books or hear about in secondhand stories. Oh to have been given the opportunity such as this to speak with the likes of Rembrandt, Picasso, Mouly, Miro or Dali in such a fashion when they were alive. Each of our artists was very different in their approach to creating art but they all had the love of creating and appreciating it in common. That was the common thread for all of us in attendance. Truly an amazing experience.

We would especially like to thank our wonderful hosts for the trip as well. Chris Lindsay, Samantha, Katherine and Rebecca went out of their way each day to make sure all of our needs were taken care of. Each of them had their own insight and knowledge regarding different art and artists and were always available to answer any of our questions. It was a difficult task to keep track of our group as we all had different needs and questions. They all handled a very stressful situation in a calm and professional manner. But the most important part of the whole experience was the fun factor, which was met every single day.

This was our second but most in-depth time spent with Chris. We were lightly exposed to his wit and knowledge at the Miami Lakes event. From the very first meet and greet at the hotel before the cruise, we knew we were in for a treat. Chris has the ability to make you think, ask questions, look at art and artists differently then you thought possible and most importantly, enable you to have a good time. Who could have guessed you could find Homer Simpson in a Tarkay original. If you haven’t seen Chris’s demonstration, ask him to show you.

It was very refreshing to see the Park West group during off hours (if they had any) around the ship as well. There was no talk of art (unless you wanted to) but pleasant, get to know you conversations and talk of other topics and experiences. We went from strangers to friends in a short period of time.

Learning can be fun if you listen and ask questions. Our Guru Art Guide, Chris, was more masterful than mystical in opening our eyes to appreciate the art world around us. The array of different art brought on board for the VIP auction was outstanding. We knew most of the artists but had never seen or knew of the existence of many of the works. For the first time we realized we were now collectors and not just buyers of art.

Again, Chris and his staff were there to answer any of our questions during the auctions. They all had the ability to advise us and guide us in our choice of art to collect. What was most satisfying to us was to hear all of them remind us many times to “collect artwork you like”. That is the key to the whole thing for us.

Our tastes are all over the spectrum as far as styles and artists. Attending the evening lectures on different artists’, styles, techniques and history really changed our opinion on art we would never have thought of adding to our collection. We have come to learn from past “regular” auctions to have open minds and not go with a shopping list of things we “need” to get at your events.

Over the years of buying art, we don’t think there is an item in our house we haven’t enjoyed looking at each day. It’s a pleasure to hear that philosophy being presented to us by your company even at the VIP level. We have decided it’s time to take our art collection to new levels so we will be exchanging some of our older art so we can add to our gallery of new fine art works. We hope they will find good homes and be with people who can take the same journey as we are on.

We are excited to receive our new artwork in the coming months. Again we thank Park West, Chris, Samantha, Katherine, Rebecca and everyone else we didn’t meet who helped make this a wonderful and memorable trip.

Respectfully,


Patrick & Diane Abad
Plantation, Fl. 33313
"

FREE Artwork Offer from Park West Gallery


FREE Seriolithograph : Practice II by Hua Chen

Hua Chen, Park West Gallery


Receive this 9 5/8" x 7" Chen seriolithograph FREE for only $4.95 shipping & handling.

Please call Park West Gallery @ 800.521.9654 x 1290 to take advantage of this special offer.





One per customer / Only $4.95 Shipping & Handling / U.S. residents only / Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

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