Gallery MAR is pleased to announce the newest offering from the Carol Alleman Studios, “GARDEN OF PROMISES.”

Garden of Promises, Carol’s first consort of bronze work, is comprised of five, individual crocus vessels (including Promises and Golden Promises, the seeds and inspiration for Garden of Promises). Each season brings its own unique and necessary gifts to our lives, and so it is with the Garden of Promises. The promise of each season being one of potency and perfection.

Each vessel stands 6.25″ high by 4.5″ wide, offering an intricate and unique patina. The vessels may be purchased as a complete set or on an individual basis. There is a notable savings with each subsequent vessel purchase within the Garden of Promises, the greatest being realized when purchasing the complete Garden all at once.

Prices are available by calling the gallery. 435.649.3001

As with all of Carol’s magnificent bronzes, these have their companion poetry, inspiration and research facts which are available upon request. The entire body of work by Carol can be viewed on our website.

These would be a stunning addition to any collection and a unique presentation.

The visual arts and informal writing have been life companions for Carol Alleman. Upon locating to Tucson, Arizona in 1994, she discovered clay while exploring the mysterious desert landscape. Immediately she began digging her own clay and experimenting with slab, coil, and a variety of hand building techniques. Since then she has continued to explore the infinite dimensions of clay, water-based and oil, considering herself largely “self-taught.”

In late 2001, Carol expanded her work into the bronze market choosing her vessel forms as her entry work. Today she continues to develop the bronze cast “Tree of Life” and “Nature Series” of mystical, organic vessels. Both series reflect a visual and narrative imagery of her personal intimacy with the powerful energy, spirit, and symbolism of trees and nature. Companion writings accompany her work.

We just received new work by Fran Nicholson- you can see her adorable, sculpture portraits of dogs can be seen in our Artists section. Her whimsical pieces are lighthearted and bring a smile to our gallery guests. One of her “Bobbles” went home with a collector within two hours of its arrival!

Fran Nicholson, “News Travels Fast,” Bronze edition of 25

Bronze sculpture, and especially sculpture in editions, call for careful consideration before purchasing. In this Internet-friendly generation we see troubling issues of copyright infringement and outright copying and counterfeiting of bronze work. Jane Dedecker and Gary Price are two of the most well known artists whose work has been copied thousands of times over and cast in mixed metals and other substances “posing” as bronze.

As a collector, there are many things that you can do to safeguard yourself from purchasing a counterfeit piece. Below I have listed a few guidelines, but if you ever question a piece of art, always speak with a reputable dealer before purchasing. Give me a call!

Guidelines to avoid counterfeit sculpture

• Make sure the piece is signed with the artist’s name, the date of the creation, and the edition number.
• Ask the seller about the biography of the artist and other works by the artist. Where are they from?
• Get a fine art evaluation for each piece that you purchase, and certificate of authenticity if available.
• Watch out for: antique stores, liquidation stores, bulk “big box” stores, and garden centers for fakes.

If you are an artists wishing to protect your work, here is a helpful hint:

Register each of your original designs with the US Copyright Office. It’s only $45 per piece, or per series. You will fill out a two page form, which you can down load at the copyright office web site. They will also need a few photos of the work.

The direct link to the Visual Arts registration form is: http://www.copyright.gov/forms/formva.pdf

Three dimensional works add a unique perspective to you home and variety to your art collection. The art of casting and foundry work is an incredible process. I am happy to describe the many-leveled process to any collector, anytime. Stop by the gallery for your own personal tutorial.