January at Cowley Abbott: Online Auctions & A New Bidding Experience, DesignTO and Art Collecting Conversations

January Online Auctions
Cowley Abbott is pleased to present a captivating variety of works offered over six online sessions this month. Our January Online Auction features an early figurative painting by Jack Bush, a selection of works by Canadian pop artist Charles Pachter, and a nineteenth-century vista by Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Coté. Bidding will conclude on Tuesday, January 27th.

We are also excited to be participating in DesignTO this year as an Independent Project. To mark the occasion, we will be hosting a breakfast preview and gallery tour on Saturday, January 24th, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. All are welcome! We look forward to connecting with members of the design community and with anyone who enjoys living with original art. Please RSVP to [email protected]

New Online Bidding Experience
We are pleased to introduce an improved online bidding experience. When you create a profile on our website, your Auction Mobility bidding account is created at the same time, using the same login and password for both platforms. If you already have an Auction Mobility account from our live auctions, it will automatically link to your new Cowley Abbott profile, making it easier than ever to participate in our sales. As always, our team is available to assist throughout the auction period; and please don’t hesitate to give us a call for support with the new bidding platform.

Conversations on Art Collecting
Art Specialist Katherine Meredith continues her ongoing dialogue with voices from the Canadian art and design world, exploring the many ways people engage with and collect art today. United by a shared goal of making the art world more approachable and accessible, she recently sat down with art advisor Megan Paterson of Aurelia Fine Art. Below are select excerpts from their conversation.

Why do you think original art should be an important part of everyone’s home and life?

Art connects us and consoles us in ways that there aren’t words for. It inspires us and it validates our identities and struggles that are hard to share with each other. I might not be able to tell anyone that I’m sometimes horrified by existence but there are numerous artworks I can turn to that will assure me I’m not alone.

What advice do you give to people who are new to art collecting?

It’s all about what speaks to you and there really aren’t any wrong choices. The only place you can go wrong is not being properly educated about your choices so it’s essential you work with trustworthy professionals so you know exactly what you’re buying.

What are some challenges you find with your role as an art advisor? 

The biggest challenge is trying to explain to people what an art advisor does (lol) but beyond that, challenges are ultimately my opportunities. A lot of people want me to talk about the challenge of imposing my taste on my clients but I don’t see that as my job. My job is to encourage them to trust their own taste, help clear that path for them and make sure they’re fully and properly educated and supported on each decision. 

If you could choose a work of art from Canadian art history, what artwork would you choose and why?

My favourite painting to visit is the big Kurelek in the AGO of the scraggly solitary tree looking down at all the kids playing, but I’d also take pretty much any painting by Alex Colville or Marion Nicoll. I know you said one but that’s an impossible request of any art person!

Which artworks from our January online auction do you have your eye on, and why do they speak to you?

Both Marcel Dzamas. I was an early 2000s indie music girl and fell in love with his artwork on the Weakerthans and Beck album covers. I also love words and therefore text-based art so “Reason to Believe” really appeals and it’s probably not related but reminds me of the Rod Stewart song, which I adore. 

The Brian Burke. I’d actually never heard of this artist before but love how dark and mysterious it is and how it sucks me right in just trying to figure out what the hell the narrative is there.

Yuri Dojc, “Sweet Stillness”. I’d also never heard of this artist before but I just simply like the image and don’t really have an explanation why beyond that!