Art Rent and Lease

Art Rent and Lease Fills Your Empty Walls

2012-01-26T13:40:00.000-08:00

3-D Metal Wall Art Sculptures enhance this innovation center's stairwell wall and rent for less than $100 per month (yes, <$20 each) - a small investment that can help your facility really stand out! For information give us a call at (888) 440-9260 or visit www.artrentandlease.com

The United States of Design

2011-12-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

By Linda Tischler, Fast Company

From GM to 3M, in boardrooms and on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley and on Madison Avenue, design matters more than ever. Around the globe, American designers have never been more influential. Welcome to an unexpected and inspiring moment.

For the complete story, please visit: http://www.fastcompany.com/design/2011/united-states-of-design-american-designers

If you need help with art and design for your company, contact us at (888) 440-9260 or visit our website at: www.artrentandlease.com - we provide artwork to beautify and enhance your space, tie into your branding and improve morale.

Landscapes with a Fantastic Flair

2011-11-28T10:09:00.000-08:00

This is not your typical landscape! Portland artist Kelly Neidig's original paintings are amazing - she adds a fantastic boldness and style to a sometimes serene subject. Sized from 18" x 18" and up, we have paintings that will bring the beauty of fine art into your space for sale, for rent or for lease. Ask us about our free initial consultation....(888) 440-9260.

"Surfside Dream" Turns A Dull Hallway Into A Work of Art!

2011-11-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

The long title for this stunning Triptych is "A Surfside Dream of an Encounter with Gerhard Richter" and is shown installed at an Investment Bank in New York. We were entrusted with filling the empty walls within a matter of days....the company had just moved into new offices and a client was coming in for meetings the following week. Voila! Original oil paintings can really enhance a company image and help offices look modern and vibrant.

For information on how we can provide artwork to fill your empty walls, visit us at: www.artrentandlease.com or call for more information: (888) 440-9260.

Table of Elements Artwork, from Fabulous "Circular Statements"

2011-11-21T09:46:00.000-08:00

Artist Janet VanFleet creates beautiful "Circular Statements" utilizing reclaimed and found objects. She creates including commissions for clients including the "Table of Elements" - a fantastic way for science and industry to enhance the workspace. Ask us about commissioning an elemental table for your space! (888) 440-9260

A Bold New Look for the SF Art Museum in Jittery Economic Times

2011-11-17T08:40:00.000-08:00

The new visual identity ditches the old mark, a red square with “Asian” at the bottom, in favor of a simple letter “A.”

It’s been a rough few years for museums. The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is no exception.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported last year that the museum was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Desperate to survive into the 21st century, the 45-year-old organization--which has one of the largest collections of Asian art in the world--ushered in a massive institutional overhaul. First, it restructured its long-term debt. Now, it’s restructuring its look, with the help of branding giant Wolff Olins, in hopes of broadening its appeal.

For the complete article please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665119/a-bold-new-look-for-sf-art-museum-in-jittery-economic-times

If you're in San Francisco don't forget to visit the SF Asian Art Museum!

Airplane Art: Awesome Retro Logos of Airlines from Bygone Eras

2011-11-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

The graphic is studded with awesome retro logos of airlines from bygone eras, ("The Route of the Air Chiefs" -- classy!). But the timeline itself is the most fascinating part, showing how a motley bunch of tiny air operators in the 1920s clustered together like The Blob almost overnight in 1930 and 1931, giving rise to The Big Four: United, American, TWA, and Eastern Air Lines. (Pan Am actually consolidated a few years before.)

The thickness of the lines corresponds to "the relative market share of passenger traffic for each airline," according to the poster retailer. It's also interesting to see the impact of airline deregulation in 1978 visually, as smaller operators like Southwest and America West suddenly spring up and former behemoths like Pan Am dwindle. It's cold comfort if you're stuck on a JetBlue flight without that extra leg room option, but maybe tossing out a few of these factoids to your seatmate will help you pass the time before landing.
[Buy from HistoryShots.com for $29.95;

For the complete story from FastCo Design, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665200/infographic-of-the-day-a-visual-geneology-of-the-airline-business

We love fun art and design, especially when it involves aviation!

"Recovery" Original Acrylic on Canvas by Kohn

2011-11-10T09:18:00.000-08:00

Vibrant original acrylic on canvas, these paintings really inspire creativity!

For information on an art rental, art lease or to purchase artwork for your space, please call us at (888) 440-9260 or visit the website at: www.artrentandlease.com

About us: Art Rent and Lease, founded in 2000 is a woman-owned and operated company that works with business clients in the US. Our specialty is providing rotating art display's for the lobby, conference room and other public spaces. Ask about how we can help bring the beauty of art into your space!

"Work Of Art"....The Next Great Artist Series on Bravo TV - Watch Episode 5 on November 9, 2011

2011-11-07T09:02:00.000-08:00

Episode 5: Ripped from the Headlines

The artists must create a piece of art that illustrates a headline which strikes a cord with them. PREMIERE: Wednesday November 9, 9 pm

In the fifth episode, the contestants are invited to visit the home of one of the most recognized publications in the world -- The New York Times. The artists must rummage through bins of newspapers to find a headline that strikes a cord with them and are then challenged to create a piece of art that illustrates the story they selected. The winning artist will have their work hung in the New York Times building. Artist Adam McEwen, best known for his text paintings, serves as guest judge.

For more, visit: http://www.bravotv.com/work-of-art/season-2/episode-5-ripped-from-the-headlines

An Artist Who Sews Paper Into 3-D Sculptures

2011-11-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Paper craft is at a tipping point. In recent months, we’ve covered artists who transform the commonest material into everything from outlandish 18th-century wigs to painstaking replicas of Walkmen and Game Boys. And even Bravo’s Work of Art: America’s Next Great Artist features a paper sculptor among its contestants. Now, we bring you Jennifer Collier, a British artist who recycles paper into 3-D objects by sewing sheets of it like fabric.

Not surprisingly, Collier worked with textiles before migrating to paper. “Found and recycled papers have always been my biggest source of inspirations, so it just came to be that they also became the media, as well as the inspiration for my work,” she tells Co.Design. Thereby, a typewriter is crafted from typewriter manuals, a telephone from phone directories, and a camera from old photos.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665244/an-artist-who-sews-paper-into-3-d-sculptures

Art Rent and Lease supplies paintings and sculptures for rent, lease or sale to business clients throughout the US. For more information visit our website at: www.artrentandlease.com

Unique Art Sculpture by Zenos Frudakis

2011-10-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

From Dodinsky's Garden of Thoughts, wanted to share this beautiful and unique sculpture with you:

For more, please visit https://www.facebook.com/thegardenofthoughtsbydodinsky?sk=wall#!/photo.php?fbid=234971823222894&set=a.106927599360651.22282.101401346579943&type=1&theater

For information on artwork for your building, offices, lobby, executive center or facility, please visit our website: www.artrentandlease.com or call us for information at (888) 440-9260.

A Greenhouse Made of 100,000 Legos

2011-10-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

A Greenhouse Made Of 100,000 Legos

To the list of amazing things Legos are capable of, add this: They can feed you.

London industrial designer Sebastian Bergne has built what’s being billed as the world’s first greenhouse made entirely out of Legos--an 11.5-foot-tall translucent shed that nourishes edible plants, like tomatoes, peppers, and sunflowers.

Set down in London’s famous Covent Garden, it’s got walls and a pitched roof constructed using 50,000 clear Legos, with another 50,000 brown Legos on the ground to mimic the look of soil. (Cute.) Bergne tells Co.Design that the Lego Greenhouse was thrown together in just one night, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. And while it’s a temporary structure--designed as part of the London Design Festival--it hints at the potential for Legos to be used as a construction material in the real world. Up next: a Lego computer?

For the complete article by Suzanne Labarre, a senior editor at Co.Design, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665026/a-greenhouse-made-of-100000-legos

Look at these Paintings Cross-Eyed...they pop into 3-D

2011-10-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Look At These Paintings Cross-Eyed, And They Pop Into 3-D

There’s no need for lenticular sheets, Avatar-themed polarized glasses, prisms, or red-blue anaglyph glasses to see the 3-D images in Theo Prins’s DIY stereoscopic paintings. Just go cross-eyed.

It’s a pretty simple trick: When you look at the center of the stereoscopic pair above, place your finger about halfway between you and the screen. If you converge your eyes to focus on your finger--i.e., go cross-eyed--you’ll notice the images on the screen begin to overlap. Adjust your finger's position until the images completely overlap. (Because you're still focusing on your finger, the images on the screen will be blurred.)

If you’re doing it correctly, you’ll see three images on the screen. The center image will have depth and the two outer images will not. The hardest part, actually, is to remove your finger and allow yourself to focus on the screen without uncrossing your eyes.

For more, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665007/look-at-these-paintings-cross-eyed-and-they-pop-into-3-d

For paintings that rotate in and out of your lobby or conference room every 3 to 6 months or so, give us a call at 888-440-9260 and ask for Lisa!

Holy Stalactitie! These Images of Gems are really Paintings

2011-09-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

These Absurdly Realistic Images Of Gems Are Actually Paintings

Holy stalactite!

Carly Waito is a young Toronto artist who paints pictures of semi-precious gems and minerals that are so frighteningly realistic, they’re virtually indistinguishable from a photograph. Every last facet and minute imperfection is captured in astonishing detail. The kicker: The paintings are tiny, some just 4.5 inches wide.

“I start by collecting the mineral specimens, usually from dealers online or at shows for mineral collectors, or from eBay,” Waito tells Co.Design. “Then I photograph the specimens using my DSLR with a macro lens and a complicated setup of lights and mirrors to get the reflections on the facets just right. I take many subtly different photos of each specimen before choosing one to print to use as my reference to paint from.”

Each piece is executed on masonite board with oil paint and small (very small) brushes. Waito’s first solo show, at Narwhal Art Projects in Toronto, stays open until October 2. To buy a painting, contact the gallery at contact@narwhalartprojects.com.
[Images courtesy of Carly Waito]

For the complete story, please visit FastCoDesign: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665050/these-absurdly-realistic-images-of-gems-are-actually-paintings

If you'd like information on paintings for your offices, building or facility please call us at (888) 440-9260.

Salt More Precious than Gold? This Painting that is...

2011-09-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

By Bettina Werner, The Salt Queen
The artist in front of "Salt More Precious Than Gold" painting created with textured colorized salt. Courtesy the Salt Queen Foundation, New York

For the complete story and more amazing images, please visit our friends at Sensational Color: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/media/set/?set=a.61586545599.98007.61567350599

Another Salt Painting by Bettina Werner - fantastic and sensational color!

Experimental Glasses That Turn Wine Into Art

2011-09-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

I love wine and art....this is the perfect combination! Thanks FastCoDesign and Belinda Lanks for a great article that we've shared!

Wine glasses generally come in two varieties: red (with a big wide bowl to facilitate oxidation) and white (with a smaller mouth and tapered bowl). We’re far from sommeliers, but, to us, it seems a shame that, with so much energy devoted to developing wine, so little creativity goes into the glasses in which it’s served. Gumdesign, an Italian design collective, fixes that disparity with playful twists on traditional crystal stemware.

Most of them are subtle, clever interpretations of the usual form: One, for instance, comes with its own cork stopper; another has a dainty spout. We’re partial to the one whose tulip bowl sits slightly tilted on its stem; when paired, they can lean in or away from each other.
If you’re a wine snob who holds fast to the belief that a glass’s shape can impact bouquet, these designs may not be for you. For those who select wine by the look of the label, these glasses might have the power to make box wine palatable.

They’re made by ColleVilca, an Italian factory that makes crystal objects by hand. To order, send an email to: mirella@vilca.it.

For the complete story, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665037/experimental-glasses-that-turn-wine-into-art

Amazing 3 D Printer Technology!

2011-09-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

What is 3 D Printer Technology? An art form!!!

From Wikipedia: 3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing technology where a three dimensional object is created by laying down successive layers of material.^[1] 3D printers are generally faster, more affordable and easier to use than other additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printers offer product developers the ability to print parts and assemblies made of several materials with different mechanical and physical properties in a single build process. Advanced 3D printing technologies yield models that can serve as product prototypes.

See a cool demonstration video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZboxMsSz5Aw

Rotating Lobby Artwork Really "Makes It" Stunning

2011-09-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

A beautiful photographic triptych installed in a client's lobby, rotated every 3 months. We use a Gallery Systems hanging system that makes it easy to hang and doesn't damage the walls.

For information on a rotating art rental program, please call us at (888) 440-9260

Saturn Photo - Stunning Piece of Eye Candy

2011-09-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Taken by NASA's Cassini robotic orbiter, the shot was captured from the dark side of Saturn as the Sun's bright rays illuminated every piece of dust and debris circling the planet. Cassini has offered astronomers a never-before-seen look at Saturn and revealed more information about the planet than any craft before it. The craft has taken so many pictures of the ringed wonder that they were recently made into a short flyby film that looks like it was created by George Lucas rather than a robotic space explorer.

For the full story please visit: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/nasa-cassini-orbiter-snaps-unbelievable-picture-saturn-144133480.html

Insanely Complex Ceramics Made By Hand, Not 3-D Printer

2011-08-30T08:27:00.000-07:00

Irish artist Nuala O’Donovan draws on patterns found in nature to create impossibly complex abstract sculptures. And she makes them using something else found in nature: her own two hands.

Nuala O’Donovan’s porcelain ceramics look in every way like the stuff of high-tech manufacturing. They’re intensely complicated sculptures, riffing on some of nature’s most elaborate visual spectacles, from snowflakes and flowers to pine cones and radiolaria.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664888/insanely-complex-ceramics-made-by-hand-not-3-d-printer

Thank you for visiting the Art Rent and Lease blog!

Rolex Learning Center is a Work of Art

2011-08-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

As featured in Architectural Digests "Buzz Worthy Buildings" the Rolex Learning Center is a work of art in itself!

Funded by luxury watchmaker Rolex and described as “an intimate public space” by co-architect Kazuyo Sejima, of SANAA, this undulating concrete-and-glass structure in Lausanne, Switzerland, combines laboratories, a library, restaurants, social spaces, and more on the campus of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Perforated with openings that admit sunlight and frame plazas, patios, and other public spaces, the roof has an organic profile that swells and subsides. SANAA’s founders, Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, were awarded the 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the jury hailing the partners for their “vision of a building as a seamless whole, where the physical presence retreats and forms a sensuous background for people, objects, activities, and landscapes.”

Read more: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architects/features/2011/07/architecture-survey#ixzz1TKAu5Ytf

Buzz-Worthy Architectural Building Pushing the Boundaries of Design and Energy Consumption

2011-08-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Amsterdam-based UNStudio designed the sculptural white ridges on the façade of this office building in Groningen, the Netherlands, to be more than merely ornamental. Environmental studies indicate that the wedge shapes reduce energy consumption by acting as shades to control the amount of direct sunlight. The architecture firm also created the structure, occupied by the national tax office and the student loan administration, to be easily converted into housing, should the tenants ever decide to depart.

Photo: Ronald Tilleman, Courtesy of UNStudio

Read more: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architects/features/2011/07/architecture-survey#ixzz1TK994b72

Industrial-Chic Art Displays

2011-08-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

Bulldog Clips
Inspiration We first saw this industrial-chic clip technique used at a Columbia College gallery display of Bird Machine posters.
How to Make a pencil mark on the wall at each corner of the poster, so you know where to hammer the nails. Nail through the center of four bulldog clips (one at every corner) and hang the poster (buck naked or mounted on matte board) against the wall. If you want to create a sense of depth, wrap one end of clear fishing wire around a nail and loop the other end through the hole in the bulldog clip so the poster hangs freely a few inches from the wall. (If your poster rolls up, add weights to the bottom of the paper.) Vary the lengths of the fishing wire with a group of prints for visual variety.

Clipboards
Inspiration Being a magazine fiend sometimes pays off. We were inspired by photographs of the studio of Scandinavian artist Lotta Jansdotter in out-of-print mag Blueprint (it’s still online, though: blogs1.marthastewart.com/blueprint), which showed the artist using about a dozen clipboards on her wall to organize her ideas.
How to Simply nail through the center of the clipboards onto the wall, then post a few of your favorite postcards and small prints on each board.

Plexiglas and foam board
Inspiration The combination of scant funds and scores of work forces art students to get creative with their showcasing techniques. As a result, the frame-free Plexiglas approach has popped up at university galleries around town.
How to Blick Art Materials (42 S State St, 312-920-0300) has everything you need for this DIY framing job. Slide your print between a piece of foam board ($2–$4) and precut Plexiglas ($2–$20). Adhere the unit to the wall using either L-shaped nails ($10 for a box of 100) or Frameless Swiss Corner Clips (starting at $10), which, unlike the basic nail and hammer method, securely bind the foam and Plexiglas together with clips before you hang the piece on the wall.

Of course you can always call us....we can help you choose artwork, framing, help you install your artwork, rotate your art every 3 to 6 months and more! We work with clients throughout the US and offer a complimentary initial visit. Call us at (888) 440-9260 or visit our website: www.artrentandlease.com for details.

For the complete article courtesy of TimeOutChicago: http://timeoutchicago.com/shopping-style/home-design/55513/hang-art-without-a-frame

Design Thinking Can Yield Results IF Expections are Managed

2011-08-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

It may not be a silver bullet, but design thinking can yield results if companies manage their expectations and commit themselves to implementing good ideas.

These excerpts from fastcodesign.com really hit home when it comes to artwork - many times our clients know they need artwork but fail to strategize on how to actually accomplish this task.

At Art Rent and Lease, we can only help the client with budget, selection, installation, etc. - we can't force them to make a choice, but they can let our experts choose for them. We can't force them to get their team to collaborate, but they can let our experts collaborate. Why leave old, outdated artwork on the walls when you can replace quickly, easily and inexpensively.....just get it done by letting us help YOU.

Some quotes from the article:

Ideas are a dime a dozen; it’s implementation that decides triumph or failure.
To work, design thinking must meet with realistic expectations.

These realistic expectations are what make design thinking work. Perhaps companies would have better luck if they spent more time formulating the right expectations at the outset. For our part, creative consultancies have an obligation to explain more clearly what we can't do -- that a great strategy doesn't solve a problem by itself. It can be daunting, even painful, to tell our clients this truth, but doing anything less is asking to fail.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664575/the-best-strategy-for-big-innovation-knowing-your-limits?partner=co_newsletter

For help with your artwork project give us a call: (888) 440-9260

Compelling Interiors: Contemporary Art Beautifully Paired with 18th-Century Desk

2011-08-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

From Architectural Digest

For the renovation of her Manhattan duplex, designer Elissa Cullman of Cullman & Kravis, collaborated with architect John B. Murray. Above: Crotch-mahogany doors swing open to reveal the library, where Kenneth Noland’s 1962 acrylic Warm Reverie beckons from above the sofa. To the left is a late-18th-century English writing desk.

Read more: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/homes/features/2008/11/art_slideshow_112008#ixzz1TK2qzQvX

If you need compelling artwork for your interior project, office, lobby or conference room, contact us for a free consultation: 888-440-9260 Art Rent and Lease.

How to Use Royalty Free Web Clip Art

2011-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

A beautiful original oil painting by Atlanta artist Ronda Waiksnis - while not free clip art, original works of art are available for rent and lease to businesses throughout the US! Call (888) 440-9260 for more information or visit our website at www.artrentandlease.com.

A great article from eHow:

Copyright and usage rules apply to clip art, just like any other image or photograph. It is important to understand the correct, legal use of clip art before incorporating it into any of your projects or content.

1 ~ Distinguish between clip art licenses, realizing that most of it is either considered public, meaning it is completely free for use, or royalty free. Royalty free means you must purchase a limited license, which is sold to allow personal, educational or non-profit use of the clip art images. For example, purchasing the Microsoft Word program gives you a license to use all clip art images included within the program.

2 ~ Check Microsoft Word's collection of clip art to see whether what you are looking for is available. Using clip art from a legally purchased version of Microsoft Word is the easiest way to ensure the clip art you are using is royalty free and legal to use for as long as your license for Microsoft Word is valid.

3 ~ Purchase a CD of clip art images, which may include a collection of anywhere from a hundred to thousands of graphics for royalty-free use. These CDs can be found from online stores, as well as office supply and computer stores.

4 ~ Get the best images you can afford. Finding the cheapest price for royalty-free clip art might not be the best approach, as cheaper clip art may be lower in quality and more widely used. If you are looking for a more exclusive or unique image, it is best to be willing to pay a little more to secure the rights to use it.

5 ~ Access a website like Microsoft Office Online or CoolArhive.com to find royalty free clip art (see Resources below). Many websites offer free clip art for use on the Web, as long as you are using it for non-commercial purposes. Others charge low, one time or monthly fees to download images.

Plantable Furniture - A New Trend?

2011-07-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Is this the trend to come? Apparently it is (according to a recent Design*Sponge visit to the Stockholm furniture fair). Plant-able furniture that can grow your garden inside your furniture (think small flowers and herbs?). It can be useful both inside the home, out on the balcony patio or in the garden. It is truly the new wave of multipurpose furniture for small space gardeners.

Always something new and exciting in design! If you're looking for artwork for your space, call Art Rent & Lease at (888) 440-9260 for a free consultation from one of our designers throughout the US. You can also visit our website at: www.artrentandlease.com

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.studiogblog.com/shop-for-garden-products/furniture-garden/garden-trend-plantable-furniture/

"Art is Life. So to Learn It, You Engage with Life" Mark Bradford on Teaching

2011-07-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

By Annelisa Stephan on July 6, 2011 under Behind the Scenes, Education, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles

“What’s available on the surface isn’t all that’s there,” Mark told her. In other words, when you make art you find yourself—even if that wasn’t what you set out to do. That was the story for Mark, too. His thing wasn’t vertical lines or composition or intensity, but simply paper. “I’d always be picking up paper, picking up trash,” he told them. “At first I thought I was just cheap, but then I realized that was just me.”

The students wanted to know if Mark—whose work hangs in places like the Whitney and LACMA and who was officially declared a genius in 2009—ever struggles, gets stuck. Um…yeah. “I get mad! I get impatient!” He described a typical day in the studio, a roller coaster of emotions that included triumph, despair (break for lunch), resignation, and finally fragile equilibrium. He also talked about two paintings in his studio that he was struggling with, and admitted to throwing some in the trash. “I feel no different than you guys,” he said. “Every time I do a painting or a sculpture, it’s like it’s the first time.”

The 2:00 bell rang. “If I could pass something on to you,” Mark said, “It’s this: Keep going. Push through it. Try to step back. Don’t tear down your self-esteem. Bad painting? All right. Bad painting, good person.”
For the complete article, please visit: http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/art-is-life-so-to-learn-it-you-engage-with-life-mark-bradford-on-teaching/

How to (Carefully) Clean Your Canvas Paintings

2011-07-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Original Oil by Liron Sissman

Over time, a beautiful art collection can lose some of its visual impact due to dust, cobwebs, dirt, water stains and other wear and tear. Fortunately, there are a few strategies for cleaning paintings on canvas that will not damage the paint and will keep an art collection looking its best.

For complete instructions, please visit eHow:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4762005_clean-canvas-paintings.html#ixzz1RXKvwT00

Use Your Existing Company Art Resources

2011-07-15T08:23:00.000-07:00

Assemble Your Resources

Some wonderful "art" can be found in objects your company already owns. As you walk down the hallways of any big movie studio, you see movie posters and set photos, and sometimes even the founder's hat and eyeglasses, on display. An ad agency plasters the walls with memorable campaigns. A sports club presents photos from each year's team.
Check your company for all visual products generated during design, sales and marketing. Assemble process art into one larger piece which dramatizes the creation of your product. Also check for photos, awards and trophies, maps, certificates, and any print products such as menus, brochures and news clips.
The key is to combine your objects in a way that enhances their drama. Coordinating their framing with your space is key. You may wish to hire an art consultant to help with your project.

Art Rent and Lease helps companies utilize their resources for image enhancement, branding, to fill empty walls, to change up the look and feel of their space. Call for information: (888) 440-9260 or visit us at www.artrentandlease.com

Shown above is an installation of Meg Black's pieces at an architectural firm, featuring various company projects.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.ehow.com/way_5163511_corporate-art-planning.html

Corporate Art Planning

2011-07-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

Corporate art planning can be a great way not only to buy art, but also to sharpen your business goals and brighten the mood of your company. Budget is not your only consideration. Your physical space presents your company to visitors of interest--clients, shareholders, the competition. Your choice of art also signals your company's social standing, its attitude to its internal and external community, and its history.

Will you be placing a few big pieces right away, or are you planning for the next 10 years? If you are a new company moving into new offices, your process will be different from that of a company with a collection of objects reflecting its history. You may choose to spend your entire budget on one Picasso, or you may wish to set your corporate tone throughout your space.

We Can Help!

Consider renting or leasing your art - you conserve capital, can expense the payment and best of all, you can have your artwork rotated every 3 to 6 months for a fresh, new look in your lobby and conference room.

Call us at (888) 440-9260 for a complimentary consultation!

A portion of this text is courtesy of eHow.com - a fantastic source for everything you want to know!

How to Copyright Art

2011-07-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

With more content being made available on the Internet, including songs, poetry, movies and books, it has become easier to steal the intellectual properties of other artists. Copyright laws are becoming enforced more strictly to protect the rightful owners. There are a number of ways to copyright your art so you can benefit from these protections.

We're not offering legal advise - this is a great article from eHow.com that we wanted to share:

1. Ensure that the art that you want to copyright is truly your own creation. If anyone else was involved in the creation, she must be included in the registration process of that art

2. Read the useful literature that the US Copyright Office puts out on copyrights (see Resources below). This will help you understand your rights and legal requirements.

3. Pre-register your art with the US Copyright Office. While there is no law that requires you to apply for a copyright, it is a good idea to register your art with this office so that any legal enforcement can be obtained in the future if necessary.

4. Fill out an application to register your copyright with the government through the US Copyright Office. There are different forms for literary works, performing arts, sound recordings and visual arts.

5. Submit your art copyright application to the US Copyright Office. Do not forget to include a copy of the art that you would like to register.

6. Expect to receive a certificate of registration for your art copyright in about 6 to 8 months. It takes time, but it is well worth it. The copyright will last as long as the lifetime of the certificate holder, plus 70 years.

Read more: How to Copyright Art | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2153636_copyright-art.html#ixzz1RX7FmX7X

For information on art rental, art leasing or purchasing artwork please call Art Rent and Lease - we work with clients throughout the US and provide original artwork starting at just $25 per month. An example is a 24" x 24" original piece by artist Shawn McNulty shown above, renting for $60 per month. Visit our website: www.artrentandlease.com

How to Hang Unframed Art

2011-07-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

"Carnival" by Toni Silber-Delerive

Hanging unframed artwork can be tricky, without the proper tools and materials. Gallery clips and mounts are ideal for this type of project. The gallery clips do not leave marks on the paper and they will hold the artwork in place securely. Many art supply and frame stores offer a selection of gallery installations for hanging unframed artwork. These installations take less than thirty minutes, in most cases.

Things you'll need: Gallery clips, thin wire, small eyelet wall screws, artwork, drill, level, tape measure.

For the complete article and steps on how to install, please visit: http://www.ehow.com/how_8523424_hang-unframed-art.html

Journey into the Blue Glass Bar - Kosta Boda Art Hotel

2011-07-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

A Journey into the Blue. Glasbaren at Kosta Boda Art Hotel takes you to another world. Fish swimming in still waters, bottles tilting and beautiful stalactites hanging from the roof...Kjell Engman mesmerizes you with his art.

FastCoDesign: The Most Beautiful Modern Church Alter We've Ever Seen

2011-06-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

Mathieu Lehanneur, a Frenchman known for organic forms, creates a rippling choir out of slabs of marble.

A Romanesque church might be the last place you’d expect to see a sprawling modern pulpit. And yet that’s exactly what the St. Hilaire in Meile, France got, thanks to the French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who loosely modeled his renovation on a sedimentary formation in the church’s basement.

For the complete article by Belinda Lanks, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664048/the-most-beautiful-modern-church-altar-weve-ever-seen-slideshow?partner=co_newsletter#3

A Robot Hand That Draws Artfully Demented Portraits

2011-06-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

They're programmed to approximate Tresset's own style... just not particularly well.

We have machines that can recognize faces and machines that can draw. Now, thanks to scientist/engineer/artist Patrick Tresset, we have robots that do both -- look at your face and then draw a portrait while you wait. One catch, though: Tresset has programmed them to be kind of clumsy.

[Read more about Patrick Tresset's exhibition at Tenderpixel]

By John Pavlus, a writer for Fastcodesign.com - thanks John from Lisa Powell at Art Rent and Lease!

An Online Artwork Drawn by You and 999,999 Others

2011-06-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

On the Internet, anyone can be an artist. In Xavier Barrade’s hands, everyone is.

Barrade, a British artist studying in Paris, has masterminded an interactive, online drawing that’s got virtual space for as many as a million (a million!) contributors. Developed with Wake Up Web Solutions, Epic Exquisite Corpse is designed to let anyone, whether a sketchpad virtuoso or a hack who can barely rough out a stick figure, unleash his inner Picasso. Just go to the site, click “draw,” then start sketching away in the blank square. The only instruction is that you start your drawing by following the lines in the neighboring squares.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664047/an-online-artwork-drawn-by-you-and-999999-others-slideshow?partner=co_newsletter

A Hotel to Experience: Kosta Boda Art Hotel

2011-06-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

If you're making a trip to Sweden.....here is a hotel you can't miss, The Kosta Boda Art Hotel. Exploding in colour, shapes, flavours and pleasure - you'll be inspired! For information, visit: http://www.kostabodaarthotel.com/en/home.html

Indoor Vertical Garden Waters Your Plants, So YOU Don't Kill Them

2011-06-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

Though we're sure some of you will find a way.

There are some people in the world who, try as they might, can never, ever keep an indoor plant alive. (Hint: me.) Here to save the day -- or at least the life of a few wax vines -- is Brooklyn designer Danielle Trofe, who has invented a whip-smart planter that does the watering for you.

Obviously, the system's uniformity limits the diversity of plants you're able grow; you could not, for instance, use a single Live Screen to raise both a cactus and an orchid, lest you water the cactus to death (or, conversely, parch the hell out of the orchid). So yes, hypothetically, you could still screw this up. But it'd take work. Sadly, you won't have the opportunity to find out; Trofe's design isn't in production. That said, she encourages anyone who's interested in manufacturing, distributing or buying the piece to contact her directly at danielle@danielletrofe.com.
[Images courtesy of Danielle Trofe; hat tip to Inhabitat]

by Suzanne Labarre via Fastcodesign.com

Lisa Powell at Art Rent and Lease loves to share ideas for your interior spaces and not always just about art! You can email her at: lisa@artrentandlease.com

Handmade Paper Wall Relief, Soothing Medical Center Installation

2011-06-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

"Pond Reflections" by artist Meg Black was recently installed in a Boston-area Medical Center waiting room. An excellent example of soothing (not boring or dull) artwork in a patient-sensitive area. Meg's handmade paper pieces are amazing in their detail and vibrant color. In "Pond Reflections" she's crafted a collage style piece that measures 34" high x 68" wide, perfect for this space.

For information on Meg Black's handmade paper pieces, please contact us at 888-440-9260 or visit our website at www.artrentandlease.com

The Art of Hanging Art #2

2011-06-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Nielsen Bainbridge: http://michaels.com/The-Art-Of-Hanging-Art/as0108,default,pg.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dbd6f5a13e06ecb,0

Continued from the Art Rent and Lease blog post of 5/1/11

Create A Display

Clustering

Clustering
For a display with impact, start with your largest frames in the center as a focal point. From there, surround the frames with smaller frames for a balanced grouping. To create visual interest, hang frames at varying heights.

Staircase

Staircase
Want to create visual drama? Hang your frames following an upward angle such as a staircase. Use larger frames as an anchor, then complement them with smaller frames. Hang frames at varying heights, but be sure spacing between the frames is equal to create a balanced look.

Leaning Art

Leaning Art
Not all pictures need to be hung , arrange a group of frames in varying heights on a mounted ledge to create a striking display. Overlap frames and vary spacing for a casually elegant effect.

Stay tuned for the 3rd series of "The Art of Hanging Art" and call if we can help you with any artwork, framing or installation you may need: 888-440-9260

24 Smart Logo Color Designs

2011-06-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

COLOURlovers.com from logospire

With little space and few words available, symbols, and especially color, need to to be smart when it comes to creating logo identities to communicate your brand. Its nice to check in from time to time to see how designers are using color to make a big impression. Here is a selection of recent designs from logospire.

We can design artwork to communicate your brand: a painting that incorporates your name, your logo, your products and services.....call us for more information (888) 440-9260.

For the link to logospire: http://www.logospire.com/

Our Favorite Rotating Art Display System for Facility Designers

2011-06-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Rotating art displays are gaining in popularity across the country: low cost installation and new artwork every 6 months in the lobby or conference room.

The process is simple: building and facility managers and designers contact us, we view the space, make recommendations and install beautiful artwork. Our clients can expense the art rental payment and enjoy original art with the convenience of Art Rent and Lease making the decisions and facilitating the program.

For information on how you can have a rotating art display in your lobby, conference room or other public area, please give us a call at (888) 440-9260. We work with clients in virtually every industry throughout the US to bring the beauty of fine art into the workspace!

If Gumby Were A Shape-Shifting Sofa, Here's How He'd Look

2011-06-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

We love this article from fastcodesign.com, written by one of our favorite editors Suzanne Labarre

Sosia packs an entire living room's worth of furniture into one Chinese acrobat of a sofa.

If you’re a regular reader of our site, you know that we’ve got a bit of a thing for flexible furniture, whether it’s a couch that indulges all your bitchy moods or the touchpad-controlled “Dynamic Life” that’s either the world’s techiest transforming sofa or the world’s drabbest robot. But for sheer bendy cred, Sosia, by the young Italian designer Emanuele Magini, beats 'em all. This chameleon of a living-room fixture can morph into a sofa, a bed, a set of chairs, a changing room, and all points in between. And with its bright green foamy surface, it both looks and acts exactly like you know who.

For the full article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663764/if-gumby-were-a-shape-shifting-sofa-heres-how-hed-look?partner=co_newsletter

We have some fabulous artwork that would look amazing with this sofa, just in case you're interested, call us at (888) 440-9260 and we'll help you with your art and design needs anywhere in the US!

Make Custom Color Chalkboard Paint

2011-06-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

From Martha Stewart Living

A wall calendar for your home or office, mural, message center.....your imagination is the limit. A cool idea on utilizing your paint in a truly useful way.

How to:

1. Pour 1 cup of paint into a container. Add 2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout. Mix with a paint stirrer, carefully breaking up clumps.

2. Apply paint with a roller or a sponge paintbrush to a primed or painted surface. Work in small sections, going over the same spot several times to ensure full, even coverage. Let dry.

3. Smooth area with 150-grit sandpaper, and wipe off dust.

4. To condition: Rub the side of a piece of chalk over entire surface. Wipe away residue with a barely damp sponge.

Voila! For the complete article, please visit: http://www.marthastewart.com/271574/make-custom-color-chalkboard-paint

Funky Modern Sculpture aka: Desk Set

2011-06-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

Designers Adrian and Jeremy Wright aim to rescue your office widgets from the ignominy of the top drawer, crafting modern office tools that ease the mind as well as the workload.

There's perhaps no more fruitful landscape than your messy desk, but a shot of order and color might do it good. Created for Lexon by the London-based team of brothers at DesignWright, these Buro Desk Tools are the visual antidote to those mountains of white paper, books and ore-colored Apple products that litter your desk already.

Sliced from one rectangular form and colored in a gradient of green, gray or violet, the seven tools may not all come in handy every day, but once plopped on your desk like a planar Southern California house, they could serve as sanctuary for your wandering eyes. Like any good Wild West story, this one may end with guns blazing, should your office-mates walk off with one of these useful little slabs; they're not easy to get in the United States. Email one of the French retailers listed here to arrange the transaction.

By Chris Dannen, for the full article visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663765/wanted-a-desk-set-that-looks-like-a-funky-modern-sculpture?partner=co_newsletter

Recycled Rubber Wall Sculpture Hits the Mark

2011-05-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

"Mama" by artist Gregory Coates

One of my favorite fabulous wall sculptures, "Mama" is made from recycled rubber. Eco-friendly, this piece evokes strong feelings of awe - it's amazing in it's texture simplicity, and.....available for placement in your lobby or conference room. For information, call us at (888) 440-9260 - we can add "wow" to your space, anywhere in the US.

Green Logos, Green Art - Tranquility & Health

2011-05-27T09:40:00.001-07:00

Written by Sam Anderson

The human brain is programmed to respond to every color in a different manner. Effects of green color include feelings of tranquility, vitality, health and freshness and cleanliness. Green is mostly used in eco-logos in order to endorse the environment-friendly vibes.

Green is also known as the ‘environment-friendly’ color. For the full story, please click: http://www.logoguru.co.uk/blog/color-psychology-in-logo-design/

For eco-friendly "green" artwork, please call us for a complimentary consultation: 888-440-9260

Human Spirograph Uses His Whole Body to Make Huge, Swirling Art

2011-05-25T08:52:00.000-07:00

by John Pavlus at fastcodesign.com

Tony Orrico's drawings are part scientific visualization, part performance art.

Tony Orrico uses a technique to generate his drawings that sounds inspired by Donald Rumsfeld's torture playbook: He kneels, lays, or suspends himself over a giant canvas, puts a writing implement in each hand, and starts rhythmically waving his arms back and forth for hours without stopping. Maybe that's why our friend Maria Popova calls him "the human spirograph": Orrico's machine like process would probably put any other artist in the hospital.

For more, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663757/the-human-spirograph-uses-his-whole-body-to-make-huge-swirling-art-video?partner=co_newsletter

For wall or free-standing sculptures for your home or office, please call us at (888) 440-9260. We have a fantastic selection of African art sculpture, eco-friendly steel and metal art, glass and beautiful stone. Sculpture rentals start at just $40 per month!

A Minimalist Sculpture Made of 274,400 Legos

2011-05-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Take the patience of a saint and the leisure preferences of a 6-year-old boy, and you’ve got Lene Wille, the Danish artist behind this minimalist sculpture originally built for the lobby of the Amsterdam World Trade Center.

Take the patience of a saint and the leisure preferences of a 6-year-old boy, and you’ve got Lene Wille, the Danish artist behind this minimalist sculpture originally built for the lobby of the Amsterdam World Trade Center.

We love to share creative styles of art and love this! For the complete article from fastcodesign, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663777/a-minimalist-sculpture-made-of-almost-300000-legos?partner=co_newsletter

Having your Way with Walls

2011-05-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

GONE are the days when a feature wall painted in a bright colour was considered the ultimate in interior design. Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ll have noticed that wallpaper has been staging something of a comeback. Digitally printed or hand embroidered, retro or luxuriously glam, the stylish options for your walls are infinite.

At Art Rent and Lease, we can create wallpaper from original artwork as well as prints on bamboo, stainless steel, clear acrylic or glass and more - ask us how we can help you fill your walls! Call us toll-free (888) 440-9260 for ideas and a no-cost initial consultation in your area.

For the complete article please visit: http://www.offalyexpress.ie/lifestyle/home-and-garden/property/ways_with_walls_1_2646132

Branding on a Budget - Don't forget brand-related Artwork!

2011-05-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

Mike Sprouse, chief marketing officer at Epic Media Group, discusses combining your personal brand with your corporate or business brand.

I have found that many entrepreneurs struggle with integrating their personal brand into their business. It's difficult to keep them separate in this ultra-connected and social world we live in. My advice is to not fight it. If you're an entrepreneur or solopreneur, you are the face of your business, so go ahead and have your personal brand be very much a part of your business brand. Businesses depend largely on relationships, and who better to nurture business relationships than you personally?

For the full article, please visit: http://www.inc.com/branding-on-a-budget.html

The tiles on this architectural firm's wall show the various projects they've completed - an excellent example of how artwork can enhance your brand! Call for more info: 888-440-9260

A Sign of Better Times Ahead, Remodeling Market Index Reaches Four-Year High

2011-05-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

From the National Association of Home Builders

A good indication that the remodeling market is heading into a recovery, the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for this year’s first quarter rose to 46.5, up from 41.5 in the fourth quarter of 2010 and its highest level since the fourth quarter of 2006.

Great news for those of us that supply products and services during remodels, such as artwork. Adding or changing artwork in your space is an inexpensive solution with high impact. Art enhances a company image, improves employee morale and can really make a great statement for clients when art is placed in the lobby and conference rooms.

For information on art for your space, including our fantastic rotating art rentals (we swap out your art every 3 to 6 months), call us for a free initial consultation at (888) 440-9260.

A link to the complete article from NAHB: http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2011-05-02/Small+Builders+and+Remodelers/index.html

Sky of Love - Powerful Blue Logo Design

2011-05-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

Written by Sam Anderson

Understanding color psychology and applying it in

logo design isn’t easy. But, there are certain common effects that

colors evoke when used in a logo design.

Blue is considered to be the royal color in logo design.

It evokes power, influence, dignity, security, stability

and faithfulness.

Most corporate logos use blue in order to disseminate

a sober and serious look to their business.

For the complete story, please visit:

http://www.logoguru.co.uk/blog/color-psychology-in-logo-design/

The Art of Hanging Art #3

2011-05-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Nielsen Bainbridge, from http://michaels.com/The-Art-Of-Hanging-Art/as0108,default,pg.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dbd6f5a13e06ecb,0

Hang art at eye level where it can be easily seen and enjoyed. That can be at standing or sitting eye level, the choice is yours. Hold the art against the wall where you want to hang it. Start with its center five feet high from the floor, then adjust it to your preference. For a reference point, make a small pencil mark on the wall at the top center of the frame.
Never just hammer a nail into the wall! Choose the appropriate hanging device based on the composition of your walls and the weight of your art. Always hang art on two hooks and two wall hangers for even and level support. Heavier pieces should be hung with D rings.
Place the hooks, lay your frame face down and pull the hanging wire toward the top of the frame in two spots the same distance from the top. These spots are where the hangers will be placed. (The further apart they are, the closer the art will be to the wall.)
Measure the distance between these two spots, as well as the distance between one of them and the top of the frame.
Transfer these dimensions to the wall starting with your center mark.
Install the wall hangers at the two hanging spots.
Begin hanging with the central piece, using it as a reference point for all the others.

Happy Hanging! Thanks for viewing this three-part series on "The Art of Hanging Art" - not always as easy as it looks.

Art Rent and Lease provides artwork throughout the US: original paintings and sculpture for offices, movie sets, photo shoots, facility lobbies, corporate conference rooms - virtually anywhere you want to bring the beauty of artwork into your space. Call us for a free consultation: (888) 440-9260 - we have offices and consultants throughout the US!

From A to Z: The iPhotography Alphabet in Pictures

2011-05-06T06:49:00.000-07:00

Via Mashable!

Combining two of our favorite things — iPhotography and typography — we thought it would be fun to set the challenge of recreating the alphabet using great pics snapped on Apple’s mobile.

We have found all 26 letters as captured by iPhotographers from all over the world, made up from everyday objects, interesting typography examples and even architectural shapes.
So, if you love iPhotography and typography as much as we do, take a walk through our very own Alphabet Street gallery.

To see each of the images, please visit: http://mashable.com/2011/04/18/iphotography-alphabet/#12673J-by-Jen-Dobbs

Target's Top Creatives Offer Lessons about Managing a $35 Billion Brand

2011-05-04T06:00:00.001-07:00

How do you get 10 agencies, 4 digital partners, and 3 branding studios to sing the same tune, while helping run a $35 billion company with 1,755 stores?
1. Be Transparent
2. Play Nice
3. Be Open
4. Stretch the Work
5. Talk Talk Talk

To see the complete story by Helen Walters and the story from FastCoDesign, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663646/targets-top-creatives-offer-5-lessons-about-managing-a-35-billion-brand?partner=co_newsletter

If you'd like your artwork to help mirror your brand, enhance your brand and define your brand, call us at (888) 440-9260. We've been working with companies in the US since December 2000 who need specific artwork for their project, re-design or branding.

Steelcase's Brilliant Workstations are a Work of Art

2011-05-02T06:44:00.001-07:00

Fast Company Innovation Uncensored
by John Pavuls at fastcodesign.com

Steelcase's award-winning teleconferencing solution makes long-distance video collaboration as easy as plunking down your laptop at a Starbucks (and in Art Rent & Lease's opinion, very artistic!)

Take it from me: working remotely is awesome. But sometimes it would be nice to have some face time with my National Magazine Award-winning colleagues without having to fire up iChat in my dumpy looking apartment. Maybe my local co-working space could invest in the media:scape videoconferencing solution from Steelcase, which just won a Bronze medal from the Edison Best New Product Awards. Instead of a drab conference room full of intimidating cables and adapters, Media:scape is designed to be casually comfortable for a “walk-up and connect” experience.

For the full article, please see: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663631/steelcases-brilliant-workstation-for-staging-virtual-meetings-video?partner=co_newsletter

The Art of Hanging Art #1

2011-05-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Nielsen Bainbridge via: http://michaels.com/The-Art-Of-Hanging-Art/as0108,default,pg.html?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dbd6f5a13e06ecb,0

Hanging art is easier than you think. All it takes is a little creativity and planning. Below are helpful hints and creative ways to make your walls say everything you want them to.

Plan your layout:

It's important to achieve the right balance between your wall space and the frames you want to display. Larger frames can stand alone, but smaller frames should be grouped together for impact.

Clustering several works together will enrich any space.
Choose the pieces you want to use. For visual interest, use frames of varying shapes and sizes and hang frames both vertically and horizontally.
Lay it out on the floor first. The simplest way to create a grouping is on the floor. This gives you the chance to arrange and re-arrange without making holes in your walls.
Think of the arrangement as one large picture. The most effective groupings are large oblong shapes. Arrange the pieces from the border of the shape to equal the space you have measured off. Play with the interior space. Change the pieces around.
Check the balance. Step back and look at the arrangement. Make sure you balanced the heavier and lighter pieces, as well as spread color throughout the grouping. How do the frames look next to each other? Re-arrange until you feel the group is visually balanced.
Measure the distance between the pieces on all sides. The grouping should be centered in the space (equally distant from the ceiling and the anchoring piece of furniture). Measure the distances between the pieces carefully and write them down.

Stay tuned for The Art of Hanging Art #2 & #3! If you need help with art for your space, call us at (888) 440-9250 - we have art for rent, we lease art and we sell art throughout the US.

Logo Design - Yellow Evokes Hunger, Happiness and Joy

2011-04-29T08:32:00.003-07:00

by Sam Anderson

Yellow Logos:

Yellow is another color that evokes hunger among humans. Other reactions of yellow include warmth, positivity, Happiness, Joy and buoyancy. The best feature of using yellow in logo design is that it is bright and catches the eye of the audience. A prime example of yellow color in logo design is McDonald’s golden arches logo that increases appetite among the people.

What's your color? For the full article, please visit:
http://www.logoguru.co.uk/blog/color-psychology-in-logo-design/

Art Rentals for Movie Sets & Photo Shoots

2011-04-27T04:56:00.003-07:00

From New York to New Orleans, more and more creative directors are opting for rented art for their movie sets and photo shoots. Why? Variety, cost savings, exclusivity and best of all - fantastic original artwork that really "makes" the scene perfect!

We've supplied art for movies including "Remember Me" starring Robert Pattison, several HBO movies and series', furniture, clothing and housewares catalog photo shoots, typically with just a day or two notice. Our artists sign a release, we send an invoice and verify insurance and voila....done!

Shown above is Gregory Coates "How do you like me now" - an amazing work or recycled rubber that can be configured to any set size at very reasonable pricing. For more information, call Lisa at Art Rent and Lease (888) 440-9260.

Stunning Office Furniture for Hiding Secrets!

2011-04-25T07:50:00.001-07:00

From www.fastcodesign.com

Stunning Steampunk Office Furniture For Hiding Corporate Secrets
by Suzanne Labarre

The suite of chairs, a table, a lamp, and a cabinet you see here is stylish office furniture for the design-minded corporate lawyer who has something to hide, which is to say, oh, every corporate lawyer. Kidding! (But not really.)
Designed by Slovenia’s Nika Zupanc, the so-called Selfdiscipline series features built-in storage that can disappear in an instant beneath the edifice of a tres-hip, steampunk aesthetic (brass organ grinder levers and all).

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663635/stunning-steampunk-office-furniture-for-hiding-corporate-secrets?partner=co_newsletter

And for stunning artwork, consider an art rental or art lease - great artwork at low prices and, you can write off it off as a business expense! Visit www.artrentandlease.com or call us at (888) 440-9260 for details.

The Art of Fabulous Rugs....and, Art

2011-04-22T08:35:00.001-07:00

The rug can make the room, so can the art.

Is your lobby exciting and inviting? Does it inspire your visitors? If not, let us help. We have thousands of original paintings, sculpture and glass works as well as a variety of rugs available, al for sale, rent or lease. No excuses....fill those empty spaces and revitalize your space for Spring!

For a free initial consultation, call us at (888) 440-9260 - we have offices and consultants throughout the US who will meet with you, view the space, take photos and measurements and make recommendations based on your budget and time frame. Simple steps to energize your space!

For the HGTV story on 6 stylish carpets and area rugs, please visit: http://www.hgtv.com/decorating-basics/be-inspired-6-stylish-carpets-and-area-rugs/pictures/index.html

Art for Home Staging - YES we Can!!!

2011-04-20T08:09:00.003-07:00

"Boat" by Andrea Bonfils

Although we've received complaints from the real estate agent that the prospective buyer liked the artwork we supplied and NOT the home they went to see.....sorry!

If you have a home for sale, if you're a home staging expert or an agent that wants to add a little "glam" to a property, call us....really! We have thousands of original paintings, sculpture and glass pieces for rent from 1 day to months, whatever you need. Prices start at just $20 (with a $100 per month minimum) - easily affordable and we can bill your credit card - easy!

HGTV's How to Install Picture Rail Molding

2011-04-18T07:54:00.019-07:00

Why make holes in the wall when you can display this way?

Picture rail molding provides both visual interest and a way to display pictures without making numerous holes in the wall. To determine how much you need, decide how high you want to install the molding and measure the perimeter of the room at that height, and then add an additional 10 percent to the measurement. Note that picture rail molding is typically installed within 12 inches of the ceiling (although @artrentandlease we've installed at lower heights to fit a "look") and shouldn't be installed above any window or door casings.

For the complete story including step-by-step installation instructions, please visit: http://www.hgtv.com/walls-doors-and-floors/how-to-install-picture-rail-molding/index.html

Color Psychology in Logo Design - Red

2011-04-15T07:24:00.003-07:00

Written by Sam Anderson, from logoguru.co.uk

Color psychology is crucial in logo designing and can make or break your logo design. Ever wondered why do we feel hungry every time we see McDonald’s logo or Pizza Hut logo? Beside the fact that they are fast-food restaurant logos, the red and yellow color induces your appetite even though you aren’t hungry.

Red is the strongest of all colors. It evokes a variety of strong emotions like aggressiveness, passion, strength, vigor and vitality.

For the full story please visit: http://www.logoguru.co.uk/blog/color-psychology-in-logo-design/

We at Art Rent and Lease LOVE the color red (it's also in our logo!) - thanks Sam for a great story! Of course, today is TAX day, so many of our viewers may be seeing Red ;-) and not green.

Remodel Now to Avoid Accessiblity Problems Later

2011-04-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

"Nantucket" by Andrea Bonfils - Available for sale, rent or lease

An article from the New York Times:

In the past, contractors often had to educate clients about the value of universal design, a term that covers barrier-free access for people of all ages and abilities, but a growing number of adults 50 and older are aware of such modifications. Some of these people are providing care to others, and some have their own health problems. About 80 percent of Americans age 45 and older prefer to "age in place"—that is, to remain in their current homes and communities, according to a recent AARP study. Manufacturers and contractors are responding with new products and technologies.

To read more about this, please visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/business/retirementspecial/03REMODEL.html?_r=1

10 Tips for Hanging Wood Picture Frames

2011-04-11T09:21:00.003-07:00

Lots of people have different ways that they choose to hang wood picture frames and you’ll get a wide range of suggestions and tips everywhere. Absolutely nothing is set in stone, but here are 10 rules for hanging wood picture frames: http://www.dehumidifierreview.org/10-rules-for-hanging-pictures

The painting above is by artist Gregory Coates (his work was recently placed in the Smithsonian), at a client's location. Shown with bright white mat and black wood frame. For information on art for your office, please call us at (888) 440-9260.

Open Office Plans, Popular in Europe, Gain Ground in U.S.

2011-04-08T08:34:00.015-07:00

Via Scripps News:

Shelby Bryant admits she wasn't thrilled to learn she would be one of the guinea pigs testing a new open office environment for pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline near Raleigh, N.C.

An administrative assistant in Research Triangle Park, Bryant, 39, went from having a desk outside her boss's office to having no assigned desk or phone.

Instead of personalizing her workspace with family photos and funny cartoons, she was expected to leave her work area each day the same way she found it: pristine.

"It was a big adjustment," said Bryant, who has worked for the drug maker for 18 years. "There were a lot of distractions, and it was hard to stay focused."

But the new setup had its advantages. The lack of offices increased collaboration among colleagues, cutting down decision-making time. E-mail traffic was reduced, as was the time she spent on the phone.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/60462

HGTV Designer's Choice - Outta This World Orange!

2011-04-08T08:02:00.003-07:00

We loved this photo of a room designed by Celia Berliner, seen on the HGTV.com website and wanted to share with you! The only thing missing is a beautiful painting on the orange wall behind the seating area - we'd recommend "Creation" by Francine Kohn to tie in the rug, floor colors - everything!

We're here if you need help with art in your space and, we have a fantastic new rotating rental program, so call us (888) 440-9260 - art rentals, lease art, art sales - we have it all!

Super Hot Trends in Home Design

2011-04-06T08:41:00.003-07:00

All that glitters at Toronto show
By Daniel Drolet, Postmedia News March 19, 2011

What's hot in interior design this year? The recent Interior Design Show in Toronto highlighted four scorching trends: Bling

The show was awash in glitter and gleam.

Crystals, often Swarovski, were embedded in bathroom fixtures, sprinkled on window blinds and wallpaper, sparkling as ember beds in gas fireplaces and twinkling as buttons in upholstered furniture. What wasn't decorated with crystals was shiny, as in gleaming glass kitchen counters, polished surfaces and flashy accessories.

"We treat faucets like jewelry," says Robert Calabrese of Aquabrass (aquabrass.com), a Concord, Ont.-based distributor whose new line of bathroom faucets called AquaCristal brings bling to the bathroom.

Sun Glow Window Coverings of Canada (mysunglow.com) is adding Swarovski trim and pulls to some of its window blinds for what the company calls "delicate shimmer."

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/technology/trends+home+design/4470332/story.html#ixzz1HNYLJjYW

Art Online and Beyond

2011-04-04T09:41:00.001-07:00

From TechNewsWorld, by Vivian Wagner

A few years ago, several Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) employees got together and asked a fateful question: What if they extended Google's technologies of gathering and archiving information into the world of visual art?

The recently launched Google Art Project is the answer to that question, taking one of the broadest steps yet in bringing the bricks-and-mortar-and-paint world of art museums to easily accessible virtual spaces.

For the complete story, please visit: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Art-Online-and-Beyond-72040.html?wlc=1300732373

For information on art for rent, leasing art or art for your office or lobby (like "Ballet" by James Travers, shown above, client installation in Charlotte), call us at (888) 440-9260.

Dancing Queens Bent Objects by Terry Border

2011-04-01T08:18:00.001-07:00

We love showing fun, artsy things! Enjoy these pieces by Terry Border, and to see/follow his blog, please visit: http://www.bentobjects.blogspot.com/

Things you can use to Decorate your Walls!

2011-03-30T08:23:00.001-07:00

"Symphony in Red" by Catherine Kleeman

From Home and Garden, Home Decor:

A painting or print isn't the only thing you can use to decorate your walls. The next time you try to fill some wall space, consider a few of these ideas to help ...

Rugs: Some rugs can be amazing works of art. Look for longer pile rugs without bound edges. You can even hook your own rug -- there a hundreds of patterns available and you can pick your own colors. Either way, don't overlook a rug as a potential focal point in your room.

Quilts: aren't only for keeping us warm at night. Quilts can also be amazing works of art and they can also be a good investment.

Mounted Cut Outs: Letters, cartoon figures, theme objects -- whatever you like -- carefully and neatly cut out the shapes, mount them to a board and then raise them off the wall with a few pieces of cut wood behind them. Quick, easy wall hangings.

Clustered Baskets: come in all shapes, sizes, colors -- or your can paint and stain them to coordinate with your room. You can arrange a cluster of baskets with endless possibility and it's an inexpensive way to create a wall hanging.

Broken Ceramic Mosaic: If you're a little more on the creative side, try your hand at a broken ceramic mosaic for your walls. Build a simple wood frame on a piece of wall board as your base. Then use broken tile, dishware, buttons, notions -- whatever you fancy to create a one-of-a-kind wall hanging for your room.

For the full article, please visit: http://www.listmyfive.com/ab6e2fa2/The-Top-Five-Things-You-Can-Turn-into-a-Wall-Hanging

If you'd like information on art rentals, an art lease or purchasing art for your office, please call us at (888) 440-9260 - we feature paintings, sculpture and wall hangings as shown above.

M&M's Ad Campaign - Blue M&M's Rock!

2011-03-28T08:38:00.020-07:00

Shawn McNulty's painting titled "Shiver" is being used in a 2011 national ad campaign for blue m&ms. Look for it in Entertainment Weekly (Issue: March 11th), TV Guide (Issue: March 14th), People Magazine, and Us Weekly (Issue: March 28th).

Way to go Shawn! If you'd like more information on renting or leasing Shawn's art from Art Rent and Lease, (photo shoot, movie, staging, event, to hang in your office or waiting area) please give us a call at (888) 440-9260. We place art throughout the US on-time and within budget!

Designing in the Feel of a Brand

2011-03-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

From ASID and Hospitality.net

What is it that stimulates the sensation, "It feels good in here," when you walk into a room? Why and how can interior design support the activities that take place in a room and bring about such effects as an increase in communicativeness, greater appetite or improved brainpower…or stimulate relaxation, well-being or other moods? Hospitality expert Ines Klemm, whose work examines the ways that space, light and color are tied to a guest’s emotion and memory, offers some insights.

For the full article, please visit: http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4050443.html

Personalized Office Envoronments Can Increase Employee Satisfaction

2011-03-23T12:28:00.001-07:00

From a study by informed design, offices that were personalized linked increased satisfaction, productivity and happiness on the job. For the complete article, please visit: http://www.informedesign.org/Rs_detail.aspx?rsId=3524

This photograph is a dental office reception area in Portland, Oregon with original artwork from Art Rent & Lease. For information on artwork for your office, please call us at (888) 440-9260 - the first visit is always FREE!

"Situationist" iPhone App an Art Collective

2011-03-21T07:29:00.001-07:00

Turns your social network into an art collective. From Fastcodesign.com

The way it works is simple: Situationist's location-aware design lets it scan your area for other Situationist-ists nearby, then zaps you a photo of them paired with a little "challenge" for the two of you to enact. Then you have five minutes to find the person, do the deed (which can be anything from "hug for 5 seconds exactly" to the more 1960s-ish "storm a local TV station") and then walk away. Think of it as a fusion of Foursquare and Improv Everywhere, but without the exhibitionism: instead of "creating a scene" for everyone around to gawk at and post on YouTube, Situationist is meant to provoke small-scale shared encounters.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663417/situationist-iphone-app-turns-your-social-network-into-an-art-collective?partner=co_newsletter

Lisa Powell at Art Rent and Lease thought this was a cool app relating to artwork and wanted to share with you!

Breathtaking Sculptures Depict Infinite Forests

2011-03-18T09:22:00.001-07:00

By artist Anthony James

Utilizing two-way mirrors, chopped birch trees and fluorescent or LEDS to create sculptures that look like infinite forests trapped in a light box. Beautiful and unique!

For the complete article from fastcodesign, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663412/breathtaking-sculptures-depict-infinite-forests?partner=co_newsletter

Typographic Map of the World

2011-03-16T10:41:00.001-07:00

From Fastcodesign.com by Chicago designer nancy McCabe, who creates gorgeous maps of the world using (almost) nothing but words:

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663407/wanted-a-typographic-map-of-the-world?partner=co_newsletter

If your business or practice is interested in maps for your lobby, offices or conference/patient rooms, we can help! We can sell, rent art or lease art to you....just give us a call for a complimentary visit at (888) 440-9260.

My Child Could Have Painted That!

2011-03-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

From Psychology Today by Matthew Hutson

People occasionally look at paint splattered on a canvas in a gallery and say, "My child could have painted that." (Or, among eccentric pet-owners, "My monkey could have painted that.") How much better is abstract art than work by kids and monkeys? New research reveals the answer.

Take a look at the two images in this post. Which do you prefer? Which do you think is by a professional artist? (See the answer below.) For a paper in press at Psychological Science, Angelina Hawley-Dolan and Ellen Winner of Boston College collected 72 undergrads, 32 of which were studio-art majors, and showed them 30 paintings by abstract expressionists. Each painting was paired with a painting by a child, a monkey, a chimpanzee, a gorilla, or an elephant. The images were matched on superficial attributes such as color, line quality, and brushstroke, and subjects were asked which piece they personally liked more, and which they thought was a better work of art.

ANSWER: The painting on the left was by a 4-year-old named Jack Pezanosky. The one on the right is Laburnum Hans Hoffman.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psyched/201103/my-monkey-could-have-painted-really

Today is International Women's Day

2011-03-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.

Enjoy artwork created by women, visit www.artrentandlease.com including the above mixed media pieces by Connie Noyes.

Street Art of the Day

2011-03-07T10:16:00.006-08:00

From thedailywhat, Street Art of the Day:
Last month, children’s author Aaron Zenz sat down to watch Banksy’s Exit Through the Gift Shop with his kids.

10-year-old Gracie was so inspired by the film, that she immediately declared her determination to become a street artist when she grew up. Her dad explained to her that “while the art was fun and the story was great, vandalism isn’t a good thing.” So all together they came up with a project that was artsy, stealthy, public, “and in no way damaging”.
I bought a big sack of rocks, washed them, and painted the base colors. Then Isaac, Gracie, Lily, and I each claimed a color and decorated them with as many faces and expressions as we could thing of. 48 rocks in all. […]

Hopefully we were able to spread a little happiness to anyone who stumbled across these little guys.

Art Rent and Lease loves to share interesting information on artwork, design, etc. - visit our FB fan page, linkin with Lisa Colombo Powell and enjoy! Don't forget to call us if you need art in your space - we rent art, lease art and sell artwork from emerging and established artists in the US.

Art So Good You Could Eat It!

2011-03-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

From Fastcodesign.com

Here's a brilliant way to get kids excited about art museums: Turn all the boring stuff -- the exhibit catalogs and the signage and the like -- into 55 pounds of mouth-watering, teeth-rotting, brain-addling candy.

Apparently, it works for adults, too, because Andreas Pohancenik's graphics for the exhibition Design Criminals -- made entirely, fantastically out sugar pastillage -- were a smash, earning the UK-based Austrian designer a nomination for the prestigious Brit Insurance Design Awards recently.

For the complete story, visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663326/an-edible-art-book-made-from-sugar-paste?partner=co_newsletter

The New Waiting Room: A Healthcare Asset

2011-02-26T05:52:00.001-08:00

By Robert L. Titzer in "Medical Office Today"

Ever waited in your own waiting room? Ever sat in a crowded row of chairs against a bare white wall, leafing through a tattered magazine, before another long wait in a stark examination room? What impression does that experience leave on your patients? Do they care?

Answer: Yes. Studies show that patients do care about the medical office environment and that a pleasant waiting room can make all the difference in how they perceive your practice. Long a neglected stepchild of medical office design, the waiting room is receiving overdue attention. Increasingly, physicians recognize that the waiting room affects not only consumer perceptions, but also business efficiency and even health outcomes.

Until recently, physician practices had little motivation to focus on the waiting room; quality of care was the highest priority. However, today’s consumers expect more than just competency. Medical practitioners are beginning to act like retailers, which have long invested heavily in store design to influence consumer attitudes and behavior.

Superficial as it may sound, in today’s image-driven marketplace, patients are more likely than in the past to judge a physician’s abilities by the look of the waiting area. Dinged doors, dirty flooring, worn seating and dog-eared magazines can suggest that cleanliness is not important and a physician’s skills are not current—negative perceptions that can undermine patients’ trust.

For the complete article, please see: http://www.medicalofficetoday.com/content.asp?article=5085

Think Art!

2011-02-22T04:32:00.001-08:00

Image courtesy of Richard Nagler, as discovered on brainpickings.org

This says it all: Think art.

Word on the Street is a fantastic collection of Nagler’s richest such images from the past three decades, which iconic poet Allen Ginsberg eloquently and accurately described as “visual poetics.” Sometimes shocking, often surprising and invariably compelling, these portraits invite you, with a wink, to complete the barely bespoken narratives and look for those hidden yet staggeringly obvious human truths that interlace with the fabric of mundanity.

Read more: http://www.brainpickings.org/#ixzz1CevMHfLB via NPR.

Lockheed Lounge - Aircraft Inspired Furniture

2011-02-18T04:19:00.001-08:00

Lockheed Lounge by Marc Newson

Aluminum and fiberglass

35 x 25 x 60 inches

Edition of 10

As a (private) pilot, I love this and wanted to share with you! Sleek design, cool composition, an amazing work of "working" art. Artist Marc Newson has created dozens if not hundreds of cool designs, is extensively collected and highly exhibited.

For more details on Marc Newson's Lockheed Lounge, visit his website at: http://www.marc-newson.com/ProjectImages.aspx?GroupSelected=0&ProjectName=Lockheed+Lounge%0d1986+-+Pod&Category=Unique Pieces

Coolest Hotel Lobby

2011-02-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

La Purificadora, Puebla

The 26-room La Purificadora in Puebla’s historic city center has clear echoes of its past as a 19th-century water-bottling facility—nowhere more so than in its stunning open-air lobby.
Renowned Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta kept a portion of the original façade intact (including a masonry stone wall and arched gate) and fashioned a dramatic black volcanic stone staircase with a stream of water running down its middle. Legorreta also celebrates Puebla’s Catholic heritage: the sofas are a bold bishop purple.

For the complete article from Travel & Leisure, visit: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/coolest-hotel-lobbies/4

The Value of Hiring an Interior Designer

2011-02-15T05:42:00.000-08:00

An interior designer can provide years of expertise, industry knowledge and artistic creativity to the client - some on an hourly fee basis, some on a cost plus/product mark-up, or a combination of both. Know the costs up-front and the difference in billing styles - while the cost plus/product mark-up sounds harsh, in reality it can save you a great deal of money. Some suppliers sell only "to the trade" and can offer discounts up to 50% off retail. A designer may pass this discounted price to their client and add 10 - 20% as their "fee" - and the client still saves 30 to 40% or more!

If you're hiring a designer, make sure the contract clearly states all the costs, including incidentals such as telephone calls, internet search, and travel time. Designers frequently know the latest and greatest products and materials out there, so they're not re-inventing the wheel with each new client - you'll have the advantage when hiring an expert. Get recommendations and referrals and be sure to check references. You'll be glad you hired an expert who can save you time and money on your design project.

For a referral, you can visit the ASID (American Society of Interior Design) web site: http://www.asid.org/referral.htm

Acrylic Love on Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T04:32:00.008-08:00

Love" by Amy Cohen-Banker
Original Acrylic on Canvas
30 x 30 inches

The perfect painting to show on Valentine's Day. Amy's work is available for sale, rent or lease, call us at (888) 440-9260.

Building Healing Environments

2011-02-13T04:57:00.001-08:00

Excerpt from Medical Office Today, by Robert L. Titzer

Studies attest to the positive effect of the "healing environment," a concept that emerged in hospitals in the 1990s and has recently taken hold in medical office design. For example, a patient’s blood pressure tends to be higher when measured in a doctor’s office than at home, reflecting the anxiety many patients feel during even a routine check-up.

A comfortable environment encompasses not only artwork, but also furnishings, lighting, seating arrangements and even reading material. For the full article, visit: http://www.medicalofficetoday.com/content.asp?article=5085

The photograph above is a Pediatric Children's office in a Minneapolis hospital setting, a client of Art Rent and Lease. This client's artwork is soothing and cheery for patients, relaxing anxiety and fear. For information on an art rental or leasing art for your office, call us for a free consultation (888) 449-9260.

World's Most Collectable Furniture Pieces

2011-02-12T05:11:00.001-08:00

From Fastcodesign.com, Adam Lindemann's "Collecting Design" is your complete guide to scooping up the best 20th-century furniture! This piece by Ron Arad.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663125/9-of-the-worlds-most-collectable-furniture-pieces-slideshow#8

Travel & Leisure Top Awards - Best Mixed Use Venue

2011-02-11T05:19:00.001-08:00

Travel & Leisure Design Awards 2011
Best Mixed-Use Venue
Designed by Herzog & de Meuron

More than a parking lot, 11 11 Lincoln Road is an open-air raw-concrete structure with, depending on which floor you happen to be on, seven- to 34-foot ceilings, as well as numerous hip retail shops and restaurants. Its developer, Robert Wennett, refers to the place as a “parking sculpture.” He also built a one-block extension of the pedestrians-only Lincoln Road Mall designed by landscape architect Raymond Jungles and Herzog & de Meuron and installed a new piece of public art by Dan Graham called Morris’ in honor of the late Morris Lapidus, the much-maligned, much-loved architect we have to thank for such Miami Beach landmark hotels as the 1954 Fontainebleau and the 1956 Eden Roc.

For the complete story, visit: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/tl-design-awards-2011/13

Interior Design Spacehacking: Chair Made of 8,000 Chopsticks Unfolds Into Sofa

2011-02-10T06:15:00.000-08:00

By Maria Popova via BigThink.com
While this has nothing to do with renting or leasing art, I just think it's VERY cool!

The story: Spacehacking is a common craft among urban dwellers who want to make the most out of their less-than-generous floor plans. From Japanese-born, German-based designer Yuya Ushida comes Sofa_XXXX – an ingenious chair that expands into a 3-person couch. Meticulously engineered and made of 8,000 custom-made wooden chopsticks of four different lengths, the couch took three months to build.

For more, visit: http://bigthink.com/ideas/26643 and see Maria's website at: http://www.brainpickings.org/

Amazing Stained Glass Directional Wayfinding

2011-02-09T06:00:00.002-08:00

From Fastcodesign, artist Paul Houseberg:

Color-coded wayfinding never looked so good! The crux of Housberg’s technique is layering colors to achieve what he calls “an envelope of experience.” His goal is to “create an environment rather than a series of focal points,” he says, adding quickly: “Not to get too art-speaky here.”

Housberg has produced installations for organizations all over the map: Pfizer, CalSTRS , Marriott, St. Regis, and the California Pacific Medical Center, among others. For each assignment, he says, he likes to “create work that feels like it can’t be sited anywhere else.” He starts by feeling out the architecture. “I try to understand the space and the lighting the conditions and who uses the space,” he says. “That usually suggests a general approach, and then I develop a palette.”

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663116/the-21st-century-master-of-an-ancient-art-stained-glass-slideshow?partner=co_newsletter#1

Office Plants have Hidden Benefits

2011-02-08T06:35:00.000-08:00

From ASID, Eye on Design. Studies have shown that office plants may help improve indoor air quality, but new research suggests they may have other benefits as well. In a study conducted in Norway, the researchers determined that cognitive performance is better in offices with plants than without plants, even when the offices included desks next to a window that looked out over a natural landscape.

For the complete article, please visit: http://www.researchdesignconnections.com/content/office-plants-worth-fertilizer-01-21-11

Shown above is a dental office reception area featuring blooming and green plants, cut flowers and an original painting by Rogers, provided by Art Rent and Lease. Flowers and artwork help to lessen patient anxiety and brighten the space!

Google London's New Office is Happy & Fun

2011-02-07T04:15:00.001-08:00

The office is the work of Scott Brownrigg Interior Design, who teamed up with Google’s Joe Borrett and Jane Preston to outfit the new 40,000-square-foot space in a whimsical “London-Brighton theme.” (For us yanks, that’s the rough equivalent of "gogo meets Coney Island.") The place has meeting rooms in timber beach cabins; and video conferencing stations in giant, primary-colored dice; and desks in bumper cars and red telephone booths.

To see more, visit: http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663112/google-london-s-new-office-is-a-happy-kiddie-funhouse-slideshow?partner=co_newsletter#1

Thanks for the article, fastcodesign.com

Moving into a New Office - You'll Want Art on the Walls

2011-02-06T05:20:00.001-08:00

Moving into a new office is hectic. Sometimes, the last thing everyone thinks of is the artwork on the walls! No problem, we can help you select paintings, photographs or prints for your space and have it installed within days. We have consultants throughout the US, can ship nationwide, provide framing and installation services. Let us know how we can help you with your move, contact us at (888) 440-9260 and visit us at www.artrentandlease.com for more information on art for your space, art rentals, art leasing and more!

Design is a Differentiator

2011-02-05T05:27:00.001-08:00

from ASID Eye on Design:

Not even the Great Recession has trumped the importance and differentiation potential of design excellence. Leaders who responded to our survey reported a renewed client interest in quality and return on investment. Note that these characteristics are not mutually exclusive. Enduring performance and a holistic focus are important to owners. Geopolitics outside the United States is placing high value on the importance of design in our collective future — not just designing for problems that need to be solved but designing for prevention.

We can help you design your space with artwork that makes a statement, enhances your image and improves client retention. www.artrentandlease.com

For the complete story visit: http://www.di.net/articles/archive/new_opportunities_but_little_recovery/

Forecasts on Sustainable Design

2011-02-04T03:59:00.001-08:00

"Goldfish" by Andrea Bonfils

The folks at Inhabitat asked some of their favorite movers and shakers in the green design space to share their forecasts for what 2011 may mean for sustainable design, architecture and the natural and social environment. From the proliferation of share programs and bike culture, to eco-innovations in technology to make building and energy management easier, read what some of the most eminent minds in the green design world have to say about 2011. From ASID eye on design, visit: http://inhabitat.com/green-design-predictions-for-2011/2010billmcdonough/?extend=1

Shown above is an original oil painting on recycled canvas, with mixed media natural pigments and dyes, available for sale, rent or lease from Art Rent and Lease. Visit our site at: www.artrentandlease.com or call (888) 440-9260 for more information on sustainable artwork for your space!