“The Art of Yoga” Monday February 8th, 9:00 am at Gallery MAR

Bring your mat and get ready to practice among the artworks!  We are pleased to announce that Gallery MAR, in association with Lululemon Athletica, will present a morning yoga practice in the gallery on February 9th. Lauren Lockey is the featured instructor, a Park City favorite. Lockey’s love for dance was a natural fit with yoga. She studied Modern dance at the University of Utah and continued on in Portland, Oregon where she developed a regular Bikram Yoga practice. Lauren lived and taught yoga in Thailand for six months.

There will be a Trunkshow of beautiful Lululemon Athletica wear, so please bring your credit cards to purchase this gorgeous (and highly functional) athletic wear!

Your donation for this class ($5 suggested) goes to benefit Direct Relief International. Local athlete Erin Hamlin, 2006 & 2010 Olympian and 2009 Luge World Champion, who has started this organization to send relief to Haiti, says, “as an athlete with an extensive and amazing support system, I know the generosity many people possess. Now is a great time to show the world. Spread the word, spread the love, save a country!” Already a struggling nation, Haiti has been more than devastated by the recent destruction caused by the catastrophic earthquake on January 12th. As relief efforts continue, many vital supplies are running out as more and more lives need to be saved and rebuilt. Please help give them hope with a donation of any amount. Learn more by clicking here.

Who: Gallery MAR, Lululemon, and Lauren Lockey

What: The Art of Yoga: Lululemon with Lauren Lockey at Gallery MAR Yoga Practice

When: Monday, February 8th, at 9:00 am

Where: Gallery MAR, 580 Main Street, Park City, Utah, 84060

Why: Direct Relief International Benefit for Haiti

Ron Galella, Paparazzi photographer, is here in Park City for the premier of his movie “Smash His Camera” at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

He and his wife stopped by the gallery today to view the exhibition of his photography works and dropped off a few extra photos. Be sure to stop by the gallery if you’re here for the festival to see his works and the books on this notorious photographer.

The Sundance Film Festival is about to get underway (tomorrow is the opening day) and we already are feeling the excitement! Rental trucks are moving out shops as Sundance moves in. Gallery MAR is featuring the works of Ron Galella, whose life work is documented in the new film “Smash His Camera,” premiering at Sundance.

Another Art Film is causing a stir on our streets. Apparently four new alleged Banksy (arguably the most well-known graffiti artist in the world) stencils/grafitti pieces have popped up in our  mountain town. Adding to the intrigue are the rumors that the “Spotlight Surprise” documentary film will actually be about the British artist and entitled “Exit Through The Gift Shop,” the title of a piece from his recent Bristol Museum exhibition.

Will this film be another hoax or joke on the audience? The possibilities are endless for the reveal at this film. The Festival Director, John Cooper, describes the documentary by saying, “Surprise is a good thing. Take a chance on this one. I confess, it’s one of my favorites this year.”

Enjoy the “art” around town. I’m sure the city’s code enforcers are going to have a field day with this new work!

So, you fell in love with a new contemporary piece and have brought it home to shine on your wall. What are some things that you can do to protect the value of your work? Artwork should be properly maintained; as new collectors we are a trustee of the artist’s work and must respect the pleasure that they give us in out homes. Think of the future generations who will enjoy the artwork! Paintings and sculpture are, unfortunately, often neglected and improperly maintained. Paintings can lose their vibrancy of color, develop cracking or yellowing, and all because of improper care. But it’s easy to do the right thing!

Kirk Tatom, “Near the Sea,” Oil, 2010

How will you make sure that this piece lasts for many lifetimes in your home? What are some precautions you can take to enrich the value of the work? I’ve put together a few tips for collectors, below.

• Paintings should never be displayed in direct sunlight or near a heat register. Some artworks do better in a moist environment than others. I would never recommend a watercolor piece for a bathroom, but I have many satisfied clients with oil paintings and encaustic works above their bathtubs. Bronze collectors should also be cautioned against placing their pieces in place with high humidity and should paste-wax their pieces each year to prevent tarnish and patina changes. Some patination is natural and desirable, and most works suited for the out-of-doors will do just fine in a moist environment with just a little care and protection.
• Paintings by contemporary artists (living and working in our time) are in most cases protected by a seal of “re-touch” varnish, which is only a light varnish that will not stand the test of time and deterioration. After one year, a new permanent application of varnish is required. The type of varnish to be applied at this point is debatable, but a 50/50 mixture of matte and gloss varnish is compatible with retouch varnish, and removable if needed. Always remove your painting from the frame before applying the varnish and lay it flat under even lighting for best application. Apply the varnish with horizontal strokes, in an even manner and not too thickly, and allow the painting to dry for up to 24 hours before replacing it in its frame. Of course, if you are uncomfortable with this process, hire a professional or ask your gallery for a recommendation!
• Every six months or so, take a dry cloth to your paintings to avoid excess dust and grime buildup. Never apply a product like Pledge to your frames, but dry dust those as well. I’ve assisted a few collectors with serious grime on their paintings, and have had great results; if the artist applies the right varnish to the painting, everything from dirt to dog hair can be washed off with a mild soap (like Simple Green) and the painting will look good as new. (Another option: don’t let your dogs rub up against your fine oil paintings!)
• Your artwork should always be added to your homeowner’s insurance policy, within the year of acquisition. Ask your gallery for a fine art evaluation or get a formal appraisal from a reputable appraiser. Keep records of the artist’s biography and all paperwork with the painting in a safe place. Some clients like to tape their documents to the backs of their fine art, but I discourage this practice. Tape can be quite detrimental to frames, boards, and canvas and avoid adding stickers, tape, or other gummy products to the backs of your artworks.

The Photographs of Ron Galella

Celebrating the New Film “Smash His Camera”

at Gallery MAR, 580 Main Street, Park City

January 21-26, 2010

Sundance Film Festival 2010

Much has been written of Ron Galella. Widely regarded as the most famous and most controversial celebrity photographer in the world—he’s been dubbed “Paparazzo Extraordinaire” by Newsweek and “the Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture” by Time and Vanity Fair—Galella is clearly willing to take great risks to get the perfect shot. As a result, he has endured two highly publicized court battles with Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, a broken jaw at the hands of Marlon Brando, and a serious beating by Richard Burton’s bodyguards before being jailed in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

But ultimately, it is his passion for the fine art of photography, coupled with a dedicated do-it-yourself approach to his craft—few artists can claim his level of skill in making their own prints—that sees Ron’s body of work exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in both New York and San Francisco, the Tate Modern in London, and the Helmut Newton Foundation Museum of Photography in Berlin.

Ron’s passion for photojournalism has also given rise to many highly acclaimed books including Disco Years (PowerHouse, 2009), which was honored as Best Photography Book of 2006 by The New York Times, and Smash His Camera, a documentary of his life and career by Oscar-winning director, Leon Gast (When We Were Kings, 1996), that will premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and compete for Best U.S. Documentary.