Review-Art-Painting A Day

I just came across what I think is the best art idea I've ever seen. Duane Keiser is an artist who started a movement within the art world that I think will change the way artists and galleries connect to their clients.

Keiser calls it "Painting A Day." He paints a postcard sized painting every day, and posts a photo of it on his blog with a link to its auction on eBay. Their prices start at $100 and Peter Togel of ArtByUs.com says, "The consumers of the art are people who have white walls and midsized incomes, who could never pay for a painting in a gallery but don't want to go to Wal-Mart to buy a poster." I couldn't agree more. Many more artists have joined in the movement and suddenly owning and collecting original art is not just for the rich!

What I love about the idea is how technology connects the buyer directly to the artist. Art is so much more meaningful when I know the artist, and know the story behind the painting.

I know one artist very well. While studying English at BYU, I bought a couple original paintings from my twin sister, Jennifer Vranes, at college student pricing. She has gone on to be a very successful artist, selling all the paintings she creates, but that success means I can no longer afford her art. Unless she draws my name for Christmas, and between my seven sisters and one brother the odds are against me.

And that is why I am so enthusiastic about this a Painting A Day concept. Jennifer just started her own version of the idea at www.painting-a-day.com and suddenly her art is in my budget range again. Her first 6x6 painting is a window sill surrounded by a thick paint-textured brick wall. I love the vibrant color!

Which is good, because she didn't get my name for Christmas last month.

Do you care about more about originals than prints? Had you heard of this "Painting A Day" idea before? What do you think?