“My painting includes a certificate of authenticity!”

I often field calls from individuals who have either purchased or inherited a piece of art. Sometimes, the individual believes they have a true gem on their hands because the art piece includes a “Certificate of Authenticity”.

Case in point, I just hung up the phone with a man who’d inherited an oil painting of a battleship, which included a Certificate of Authenticity. He believes it to be a truly valuable piece of art because of this, added to the fact that the deceased was incredibly rich.

1.) Rich people can make bad buying decisions.  REALLY bad buying decisions.

2.) When asked if he knew the name of the artist, the caller stated he did not. I said it should be found on the certificate of authenticity. He read the (lengthy) certificate to me, and no where did it mention the a.) Name of the Artist, b.) Title of the Piece, c.) Year of Completion. Sounded like a blanket certificate that was mass produced to me…but I’m NOT an expert, I’ve just been in the business a while. I gave him the number to Hardy Halpern, in Atlanta, which is what I usually do with folks who are certain they have a valuable piece. Rod Hardy knows his trade, and I’m happy to send people his way.

But for those of you who’d like to know MORE about what makes a Certificate of Authenticity, well, authentic, then read on. I pulled the below text from the Art Business web-site (it’s a great site, and I encourage you to explore!)

http://www.artbusiness.com/certaut.html

(I added italics and underline)

…You really have to understand what a legitimate Certificate of Authenticity or COA consists of because plenty of problem COAs are floating around out there, especially at online auctions like eBay. Unless a certificate of authenticity originates from and is signed by either the artist who created the art, the publisher of the art (in the case of limited editions), a confirmed established dealer or agent of the artist (not a casual third party or reseller), or an acknowledged expert on the artist, that certificate is pretty much meaningless. A legitimate COA must contain specific details about the art such as what the medium is (painting, sculpture, digital print, etc.), the name of the artist or publisher (or both), the art’s exact title, dimensions, details of the edition size if it is a limited edition, and when applicable, the names of reference books or other resources that contain either specific or related information about either that work of art or the artist who produced it. The title and qualifications of the individual or entity that authored the certificate should also be included, as well as their contact information, and both contact information and qualifications must be verifiable.

A formal certificate of authenticity is not necessarily required to prove that a work of art is genuine. Any valid receipt, bill of sale, or proof of purchase either directly from the artist or from a confirmed and established dealer, reseller, publisher, or agent of the artist will do. An appraisal from a recognized authority on the artist which includes a statement or guarantee of authenticity is also acceptable. Whenever authenticity is at issue, only conclusive statements of authorship from QUALIFIED experts on the art or artist in question are acceptable, not informal statements, opinions or offhand price estimates from people who happen to buy or sell or appraise occasional works by the artist in question.

You can never be too careful here. Certificates of authenticity can be problematic; some are just plain worthless and some even fraudulent. Unfortunately, most people believe that art with a COA is automatically genuine, but that is absolutely not the case. To begin with, no laws govern who is or is not qualified to write certificates of authenticity except in rare instances. Nor is there any standardization with respect to what types of statements, information or documentation a COA must include. In other words, anyone can write a COA whether they’re qualified to or not. As if that’s not bad enough, unscrupulous sellers sometimes forge official looking certificates of authenticity and use them to either sell outright fakes or to misrepresent existing works of art as being more important or valuable than they actually are. And to make matters even worse, meaningless or bogus COA’s have been issued for decades, so don’t automatically assume that a COA dated 1955, for example, is genuine simply because it’s old.

–side note, if your certificate includes a misspelled word, it’s a fake or your artist didn’t use spell-check. If you purchase original artwork from a gallery or artist, you can request a certificate of authenticity as well. 

*if you’d like to contact Rod Hardy: http://www.hardyhalpern.com

 

*Ms. Wakefield once had a customer insistent about a Chagall sketch received from the royal family of Saudi Arabia was incredibly valuable and worth a sizable donation to a local non-profit. After a trip to Atlanta, Mr. Hardy verified that it was, indeed, a fake. An old fake, mind you, but still a fake. If you ever have any question about your inheritance, PLEASE take it to an expert appraiser–NOT your local antique dealer, not your local art dealer. Experts have the resources and training to identify and evaluate your property. If it’s truly valuable, having an expert validate the piece is advisable for both insurance and retail purposes. 

*Ms. Wakefield also enjoys an occasional Antiques Roadshow with the fam.

Art Discipline

“All artists are willing to suffer for their work. But why are so few prepared to learn how to draw?”–Banksy

This truism unfortunately seems to be a prevalent tune in the art world. Conceptual artists are well and good, but can they draw? On the flip side, you hear folks say “I can’t draw” in response to the question “Do you create art?” To break down the quote, it’s not about learning how to draw: it’s about being disciplined in creating your work. How many artists fit the suffering ‘sensitive artist’ stereotype, and what can artists do to break that classification? Discipline!

“You need to draw everyday. Buy a sketchbook and take it everywhere with you.”—commentary from Avatar: The Last Airbender animator on Nickelodeon

Good advice. How many artists do you know who actually follow it? My challenge to you, and myself, is to do just that. Draw everyday; good, bad, mediocre, you don’t have to share it with anyone. Get a small sketchpad you can tuck in your pocket or purse, a good pencil, and DRAW everyday. Don’t know what to draw? Just doodle. Train your hand to be prepared to capture a bit of daily life, even if it’s just a non-representational scribble. Discipline.

“My advice to you? Read Read Read and Write Write Write.”—Margaret Atwood

Advice given by Atwood (@ the 2010 Ellmann lectures) to an aspiring 19 year old writer, I found somewhat of importance for artists as well. You’re a young artist, a student, or someone who’s been creating work for a while? Go out and see other art—museums, art galleries, open studios. Talk to other artists, discover their techniques, see what new things they’re doing. Look at art–then draw, draw, draw (or paint paint paint, or sculpt sculpt sculpt!). Allow yourself to be influenced without copying, and to react to what you see. Found that sketchpad yet?

“Set aside time every week to devote to your art. I painted every Wednesday for years just to paint. My children would paint alongside me or watch.”—Jerry Wray

If you have the discipline to pursue your art, then do exactly that—set aside time. Fix it in your schedule, and be as dedicated to it as if it were a doctor’s appointment or a work assignment. Art majors and students often decrease their out-put after graduation mainly because they have to create their own structure, their own schedule, their own ‘class assignment’. Materials once used without thought are suddenly quite expensive when starting out on your own. To cut costs, start small and build your materials, but keep it going. Set aside time on the weekend; instead of heading to the bar, head to the studio or back to the ‘drawing board’. Take the sketchbook to the bar, even! If this is your passion, be passionate about it! Your friends & loved ones will start to get it, and treat you more seriously in your pursuit. Jerry Wray was named one of Louisiana’s top 6 artists of 2010. How did she achieve that? Dedication to her passion and discipline.

Jerry is 85, and has been a disciplined artist for 67 years. If you follow her example, you could be claiming the same accolades when you’ve become a master of your art.

“My teacher said I’m already a good drawer, and I don’t have to take drawing to be an artist.”—overheard quote at an opening

It’s not about being a good drawer, or a good artist. It’s about building the foundation of knowledge to support your talent. Are you willing to learn how to draw? Are you willing to learn how to be disciplined?

*Ms. Wakefield has been so disciplined she once put herself in the corner for time-out.

Spot the Dot

I recently had a conversation with my boss about the significance of certain types and works of art.  He questions the inclusion of a certain piece in the MOMA.  This piece, as he describes it, is a large orange dot on a plain white canvas.  The title?  “Dot”.  I can understand the questioning, and share some of it myself, but unfortunately, my artistic background and training makes me less dismissive of the work as art.

My immediate reaction is to be reminded of Kurt Vonnegut’s “The Sirens of Titian”* in which an alien robot has gone across galaxies to deliver the most vital message of all.  The evolution of the entire human race through millennia is manipulated so he could eventually deliver this all-important message.  Once he finds someone to receive the message, he opens it to reveal a dot.  In his language, the dot simply means “Hello”.  I wonder when “Dot” in the MOMA was created, and how the two pieces possibly relate to each other, and part of me is thrilled with the thought that this huge painting in a museum references one of my favorite novels.

Otherwise, I am divided on two responses.  The first is that “Dot” is part of the conceptualistic art that draws upon the audience’s ability to give a non-art piece legitimacy.  Given it’s simplicity, it could even be the artist’s intention to have the audience draw their own conclusions as to what it represents, even be it so far as to question why THIS is considered art.  The reaction makes it art, and brings it closer to the realm of performance art: the audience becomes part of the performance, and becomes part of the ‘Dot‘.

My other response is based on various artistic representations of perfection.  In one painting, perfection is signified by the musculature of the human body being accurately placed, and exaggerated with the intensity of movement.  Years of figure study are required to accurately portray the human figure to this level of ‘perfection’ (as defined by the artist and society’s reaction).  However, another shape that can take years to perfect, freehanded and without aid of tools, is the circle.  The circle is the simplest form of perfection, the first and last perfect shape.  Remove the circle, or the dot, and what else is there?  Blankness, nothing, incomplete starts and an inconclusive ending.  This “Dot” IS perfection, as defined by the era in which it was created.  Written language requires the dot, be it the ‘dot’ over an ‘I’, the dot at the end of a sentence, or the dot of an ellipsis.  Our very bodies include the dot by giving us perfect dark pupils that react and contract to light.  Without this dot, there is no vision.  Perhaps the ‘Dot’ itself is representation of the unencumbered vision of man; the ability to look inward through our own perfect circle.

In truth, Jim’s reaction to the piece is what ultimately gives such work validation–it creates questions, and offers the opportunity to educate and converse about the significance of art using modern day standards.  For me, though I have not seen the piece in person, this “Dot” has received acceptance in my personal definition of what is, and isn’t, art.  I encourage you to establish your own definitions, and to seek work that stimulates similar questions; perhaps you too will be able to ‘spot’ the importance of your ‘dot’.

*note: you really should read it for yourself.  However, for those who want a synopsis, it’s here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sirens_of_Titan

*Ms. Wakefield admits she is a huge fan of polka doted clothing, but only if the polka dots are small.