PROJECT IMAGES & INSPIRATION

Services Spotlight: Collection Tours

Several of our clients engage DeGroot to provide private educational tours of their artwork collections. These tours give our clients and their employees an opportunity to gain insight into their organization's values, culture, and dedication to promoting art and culture in the workplace. Art tours can be combined with other events for engaging prospective new clients, community outreach, or internal marketing.

MAURA’S PICKS

dallas art fair PICKS

Happenings

On a recent client trip to Houston, TX we took the opportunity to explore the notable Rothko Chapel and Menil Collection. In addition to Houston’s museums, we stopped in Nancy Littlejohn Fine Art to see their current exhibition of Cruz Ortiz, Reed Anderson, and Stanley Boxer. As art consultants, we love to support local art communities and network of artists wherever our work may take us.

emily’s PICKS

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Andrew Holmquist layers his brush strokes to create abstractions that often depict ethereal figures in space. Holmquist pushes and pulls paint, enticing his viewers to look beyond the surface and mingle further with the image that lies within.  

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Leon Benn’s work is textured in colorful pastels, dyes, oil and acrylic paints. This vibrant landscape, acquired by a client, is striking next to a living wall in the office space. The painted foliage communicates with its living neighbor in an awe striking way.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Gold leaf and sequins layered upon a 64” x 60” canvas – Calliope, 2020, by Rosalind Tallmadge calls for attention as it shimmers in our client’s new office space. Tallmadge, a Brooklyn artist born in 1987, creates active, color shifting work– our clients are mesmerized.  

happenings

Patron Gallery in Chicago has a new location - and it’s right down the block from DeGroot Fine Art! Today is Earth Day, and we got a sneak peek of Patron’s impressive new space. We were in awe of Claire Sherman’s electric blue forest depiction, titled “Trees and Night,” 2016, oil on canvas. Sherman’s work has resonated with many of our clients.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Antoinette, a DeGroot Fine Art consultant, admires this acquired Scott Wolniak drawing before it leaves town to join a client’s collection. The graphite art piece offers an array of patterns to explore and ruminate upon.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Our client was awestruck by these gestural Emily Noelle Lambert motifs. Vibrant in color, fluid in form, evocative of mood and the interconnectedness  of nature, Lambert’s expressive paintings take hold of a passing audience. Lambert’s paintings are created outside (plein air) and the freshness is evident. Bold yellows, inviting greens, inflamed reds, and damp blues allow us to experience what nature has to offer. In an interior space, these depictions are a wonder for the eye to behold. 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

This series of prints by Robert Burnier provide a flash of color on our client’s office walls. The series is calming and intricate – inviting a few moments to pause and admire the changing of forms and crisp edges of color. 

emily’s picks - EXPO CHICAGO

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Carrie Gundersdorf’s fascination with astronomy and science is evident in our client’s newly acquired works on paper. With a sweep of Modernism, Gundersdorf creates natural phenomena and discovery through her color-bending paintings and drawings. These rays of reds, oranges, and yellows bring us on a galactic adventure, or can simulate a mapping of streaking stars.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Derrick Adams’ layered portraits build environments and experiences around African American subjectivity. Adams mixes ideas of self-imagery with influences from pop culture and world ideologies. His work presents to us symbols and narratives to reflect upon, and prompts larger discussions. DeGroot commits themselves to finding works of Art that speak to a variety of human experiences and we share that information in our recommendations to our clients. This printed pair pictured above are two portraits by Derrick Adams that have been acquired by a client. 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Jacob Hashimoto creates complex worlds of modular components that collide modern representations of our world with ancient artmaking practices from Japan. Referencing bamboo and paper kites, this acquired art print invites contemplation in our client’s lobby space.

happenings

Antoinette explores themes of language, history, and technology at the Chicago Cultural Center’s “What flies but never lands?” The Cultural Center is a thought-provoking (and free) space for audiences to experience educational, rotating exhibitions. This exhibition featured Chicago artists: Cathy Hsiao, SaraNoe Mark, Jacobo Zambrano Rangel, and Huong Ngo. 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Alex Katz’ first solo exhibition was in 1954. The artist is 93 years old, with upcoming exhibitions scheduled through 2021 and 2022. This sunset silhouette acquisition by our client is reflective. A painted moment by a legendary Americana artist. 

Services Spotlight: Framing

Custom framing art pieces requires time, attentiveness, and creativity. A frame finalizes the look of an art piece and preps it for display. Pictured here are detailed shots of our client’s collection that is being prepped to custom frame before a May installation. We discussed all framing details–from frame material, to matt windows, to glass types, and hanging finishings. 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Billy James Joyce was locked in a staring contest with a grizzly bear on a hiking trail in the Sierras. Time froze, leaves stood still, panic and shock set in–their eyes locked in a gaze. Joyce details this encounter with his “Interview with a Bear” series. His colorful palette blends enchantment and uncertainty, a survival story articulated in paint.       

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Ally Almore retreated into her home in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. To bring the outside world in, she transformed her Chicago apartment into a camera obscura. A haunting image of “Michelle” captures the essence of a shared worldwide experience in 2020 and serves as a memorable photograph to be displayed in our client’s art collection.

Services Spotlight: gallery visits

An essential part of our process as a corporate art advisory includes visiting artist studios and galleries. To be able to experience the work in person helps us gain a more thorough understanding of the pieces that we recommend to our clients. DeGroot is dedicated to fostering connections in our Chicago contemporary art community and beyond. Pictured here is a Goldfinch gallery visit featuring works by artists SaraNoe Mark and Scott Wolniak.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Inspired by life’s happenings, Nina Rizzo abstracts and explores objects, landscapes, and experiences and paints them into imaginative forms and terrains. Her hybrid spaces create worlds of color and wonder that blend fact and fiction. Rich in movement and hue, these turquoise watercolors offer experiences of reflection in our client’s office space.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

A large-scale painting by Claire Sherman is the jewel of our client’s entry space. Get lost in a work of art–stand close, observe the brushstrokes, feel the volume of the painting encompass you. This lush forest scene is a settling breath of fresh air.     

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Michelle Grabner has an attentive eye for patterns and abstract arrangements. Her works push the limits of compositional structure and balances between stability and precariousness. This acquired diptych print series creates a mesmerizing experience for our client’s audiences to explore.           

Services Spotlight: labels

Andrew Kuo, LIKE (10/16/16), 2016, Screenprint.

Here, Emily is labeling client acquired art pieces on site. DeGroot takes pride in writing labels to accompany the pieces we curate, providing context for viewers about what makes their artwork collection special. 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

DeGroot is honoring and resonating with female artists on this International Women’s Day. Here’s to the mysticism of femininity–and to Michelle Blade who channels this with grace in this recently acquired watercolor.

Services Spotlight: Curation

Here, Julia works with printed thumbnails to curate options for her client to review. After visuals are established, she moves forward with digital mock-ups for a more formal presentation. With our clients’ interests and objectives in mind, DFA enthusiastically aids in curating the ideal art collection for your space.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

“The Year: The Greatest Love of All,” by Trenton Doyle Hancock is a print series that tells a story. Hancock chronicles his half-animal, half-plant creatures, the “mounds,” as mythical protagonists in a visual narrative.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

With a background in continental philosophy, Amy Kao’s work explores nature as markers of history and culture.  Her hybrid motifs are densely intricate and are created by dissecting and layering geometric and vegetal forms. This green print adds another form of life to our client’s office space. 

happenings

DeGroot Fine Art principal consultant, Jaime DeGroot, is pleased to partake in a panel discussion, hosted by Arts of Life, about corporate art collecting. The virtual event takes place this Thursday, March 4th from 6:30- 7:30 pm (CST). Please join by reserving a ticket at the link here.

Jaime will tackle questions alongside Andrew Rafacz and Eric Ruschman about the difference between corporate and personal collecting, and how and why your company should begin its own art collection.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Carlos Rolón’s work is notable for its inherent inclusion of various mediums; Rolón often fills his pieces with various color, texture, and patterns to create ornate pieces. Recently acquired by one of our clients, “Gild the Lily I and 2” depict vivacious flowers painted atop 24k gold leaf illustrating Rolón’s elaborate technique.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Ken Fandell looks to reveal the extraordinary that is often found in the ordinary. Fandell’s approach to artmaking is experimental and farfetched. He blends mysticism, popular culture, and natural forces with skepticism, irony, and humor. Audiences are constantly kept on their toes when confronted with his work. 

happenings

DeGroot Fine Art works closely with Bank of America to diversify their collection and support local artists. We take great pride in this partnership and are excited to share a new initiative they have unveiled to further shine some light in this pivotal time. Check out their new "Masterpiece Moment" video series.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Diana Guerrero-Maciá’s work spans over 25 years and is in constant transformation–exploring craft, sustainability, material, and consciousness. These acquired textile and paint on paper works provide a perfect window for reflection for our clients.           

antoinette’s picks

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Working mostly with paper, wood, and clay, Elizabeth Atterbury changes her final product based on how the primary foundation appears through a camera lens. She explores the authority of the photographic image through her personal experiences and cultural symbols. These unique embossments are a perfect complement to our client’s impressive photography collection.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Matt Magee is known for his contemporary and minimalist work. His pieces are often conservative in picture but expressionistic in execution, like our client’s recent acquisition “Madrigal 1, 2, and 3.” Magee works across several media including: sculpture, ceramic, painting, drawing, and textiles to incorporate shapes inspired by language, numerology, and his personal life. Together, these “madrigals” compose a profoundly symbolic and abstract triptych.

Picks - NADA Miami 2021

happenings

Our very own Jaime DeGroot led a personal, curated virtual tour of EXPO Chicago this past weekend highlighting “Exhibition Weekend” and its Chicago artists. EXPO Chicago’s “Exhibition Weekend” allowed viewers to engage through interviews and conversations with leading artists, galleries, and institutions completely online. Even with the onset of the pandemic, Exhibition Weekend provided an excellent opportunity for audiences across the world to get a taste of the Chicago art scene.

Emily’s PICKS - nada miami

happenings

After working many months on this project we are excited to “Meet this Building in St. Louis.” This modern icon is Jeanne Gang’s first project in St. Louis which will provide retail, parking, and residential apartments to residents of the city along with a quintessential view of the arch. Together, with Studio Gang and Silliman Group’s design, this building will be a monumental addition to the cosmopolitan future of the city.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

William J. O’Brien’s eccentric pieces prove that he is not afraid of experimentation. Superimposed silhouettes fill the canvas to create an organized yet abstract piece. These richly blue monotypes explore the various ways of traditional and authentic application. O’Brien’s intuitive artistry makes these a perfect acquisition for our client.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

This work on paper by Sarah Davidson was recently acquired by one of our clients. Working between drawing and painting, Davidson creates shadowy, biomorphic compositions. Her tangled and fragmented imagery references plants and the natural world while confronting Western notions of biological study as observation. Overlapping silhouettes synthesize a web of different perspectives that references Davidson’s own thoughts on the study of nature.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

This print by James Siena illustrates the artists preoccupation with process and procedure, while also capturing the intensity and the expressiveness that characterizes Siena’s best work. The intricate line work follows a prescribed “visual algorithm” designed by the artist and executed by hand. The rule-based linear abstraction was the perfect acquisition for our architecturally-minded clients.

PICKS - NADA miami 2021

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Our client in St. Louis acquired this organic painting by Amber Renaye. Earth and oil medium are combined to create textural pigments that Renaye applies to the surface of the canvas. Her works are grounded in the reinterpretation of the physical matter they are made, existing simultaneously as representational and abstract expressionism. The composition is a perfect fit for our client who was searching to bring elements of nature to their space.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We recently acquired this mixed media work on paper by Melissa Oresky for a client in St. Louis. The patchwork of abstracted plant-like forms was a perfect fit for our client, who sought to incorporate elements of nature within their space. This artwork is an intimate and edgy rendering of blooms and foliage, which confront notions of traditional landscape and still life. In addition to graphite and acrylic, she often incorporates textiles and other materials that she can camouflage into her compositions.

Services Spotlight: Reframing

For many of our clients, their art collection has been part of their company for many years, even decades. The 1980s and 90s were a hot time for corporations to collect, and while many artists popular then are still significant today, certain framing styles can make artwork feel dated. Reframing is a simple way to give an older art collection a fresh look. Often less expensive than acquiring new artwork, a contemporary frame can make artwork feel new again and help clients enjoy their existing collection in an updated way.

PICKS - Frieze viewing room

June 2020 marks fours years of business for DeGroot Fine Art. To celebrate in social distancing fashion, we put together a virtual car parade. The slideshow features works by Wendy White, Julia Schmitt Healy, John Chamberlain, and James Rosenquist.

Services Spotlight: ART DIVESTMENT

Whether our clients are interested in deaccessioning a single artwork, part, or all of their collection, DFA will advise every step of the way. With our client’s individual long-term objectives taken into account, we work with local and international dealers and auction houses to get the best divestment result on the secondary market.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Our client in Denver enjoyed these colorful canvases by Cole Pierce as part of a long-term exhibition loan for their lobby. They recently decided to make it official and acquired all three paintings. Pierce implements a relief painting process by taping off grids and applying several bold gradients of acrylic. The tape is removed to reveal rigid layers of accumulated paint that have formed triangle, square, and circular shaped patterning across the canvas.

Julia’s PICKS

Services Spotlight: Inventory Systems

We build custom artwork inventory systems for our clients to keep their collection files organized and up-to-date. A comprehensive inventory system is a key tool for collection management and is a resource for a wide variety of projects including coordinating artwork relocations, calculating values for insurance, and generating documentation such as loan forms and condition reports. Our custom-built databases ensure that our client's fine art assets are accurately tracked and recorded at every step.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Our client recently acquired this oil on canvas work by Milwaukee-based artist Peter Barrickman for their renovated technology department. Barrickman employs a patchwork of bright colors and surface texture to reference everyday objects, imagery, and experiences. With his studio as his laboratory, Barrickman alters variables and imposes limitations to his medium and process to activate his subject matter.

PICKS - DallAs Art Fair

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Our client recently acquired these two prints by Cody Hoyt for their Chicago office. Hoyt is known for his intricate, inlaid ceramic vessels and sculptures. His three-dimensional forms fuse geometric design and organic, tessellated patterning. Originally an illustrator and printmaker, Hoyt returned to his two-dimensional roots to produce these works on paper that depict unfolded iterations of his ceramic vessels.

happenings

Four years ago the CEO of Jiobit played a role in helping DeGroot Fine Art get off the ground by selflessly sharing their advice and resources. Consequently we have been able to support our community with art jobs and direct the attention of corporations to supporting their local artists and galleries with sales. In the days ahead, DeGroot Fine Art will be doing everything they can to help Jiobit's initiative to transition their production to PPE, including sharing this request for funding.

We realize that this is a hard financial time for creatives, but if you are in a position to give back, this is a way to help medical supplies be realized by a company that has always paid it forward.

Click here to contribute.

(Pictured: Conceptual art piece from Yoko Ono's Grapefruit, published in 1964.)

Caroline’s PICKS

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Our client acquired this pair of sewn constructions by Paolo Arao for their Chicago-based offices. Arao stitches together secondhand clothing to create bold, geometric canvases that resemble flags or pendants. Utilizing traditional methods like quilting and collaging, Arao’s edgy compositions reveal playful imperfections to investigate his own personal identity.

Services Spotlight: Private Clients

While we work with many corporate clients to help expand, organize, and care for their unique art collections, we also provide a similarly tailored and comprehensive art consulting experience for our private clients.

Whether they are looking to find the perfect work of art for their living room or grow their collection aesthetically, we advise our private clients so they can make the most informed decisions for their collection. Other popular services for private collections include generating appraisal reports for insurance values, deaccessioning artworks, and professional framing, conservation, and installation.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

This monochrome work by Judith Geichman was recently acquired by our client for their Chicago office. Geichman’s acrylic and enamel composition is inspired by Dazzle camouflage—a form of anti-camouflage utilized on warships during World War I. Rather than being used to conceal, Dazzle painting functioned to cause disruption, confusion, and movement, much like Geichman’s Black and White II.

local exploration
 

An essential part of our process as a corporate art advisory includes visiting artist studios, galleries, and museums. These experiences provide continual opportunities to foster connections with the art community around us. When engaging with artwork in person, we gain a deeper connection which informs our best recommendations to clients.

Work brought us to Dallas this week; we spent time meeting with clients, touring their newly-renovated office, and strategizing artwork implementation. We stayed in town an additional day to meet with art dealers and check out the local galleries. We particularly enjoyed this installation, curated by Sean Horton, with artwork by Justin Adian. The show was accessible and enriching, and the thoughtfully curated window felt like a natural element in this hip, polished neighborhood.

An artful morning was spent seeing exhibitions, croissant in hand, a la breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Services Spotlight: FINE ART PACKING

We offer comprehensive fine art packing for our clients. Whether transporting artwork long-distance or moving it to storage, our specialists ensure that your artwork is safely protected with the proper materials and techniques. Fabricating custom crates or soft-packing shields your artwork from potential damage caused by temperature and humidity changes, turbulent travel, water damage, and infestation. Once properly packed, informational labelling is placed on the outside of the packaging to provide pertinent artwork and contact information, required orientation, and cautionary stickers regarding fragility.

local exploration
 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

Chicago-based artist Martina Nehrling uses paints with varying textures and saturation to create her energetic compositions. One of our corporate clients was impressed by the dense gestures in her work, and we helped them acquire this painting for their newly-renovated office in Chicago. Collecting local artwork is a priority for that company, and we were happy to help connect them with this artist.

happenings

DeGroot Fine Art was featured in a recent blog post by Redfin: How to Incorporate Art into Your Home. We shared some advice on how to capitalize on natural light while keeping your artwork protected:

“When hanging artwork, a room’s natural lighting is an important element that’s visually complementary; it enhances fine details and illuminates the piece. However, the UV rays in sunlight cause damage over time. It is best to keep artwork out of direct sunlight and consult with a professional on archival framing materials to help protect your collection for years to come.”

If you’re interested in learning more about how best to incorporate art lighting in a variety of environments, check out our previous blog post, How to Light Artwork.

PICKS - posters & prints

local exploration
 

An essential part of our process as a corporate art advisory includes visiting artist studios, galleries, and museums. These experiences provide continual opportunities to foster connections with the art community around us. When engaging with artwork in person, we gain a deeper connection which informs our best recommendations to clients.

Seeing DePaul Art Museum’s exhibition of Julia Fish’s paintings was a great reminder of the power of art experienced in-person. This show brings together paintings made over the course of the last decade and witnessing the nuance in each painting was impressive and beautiful. Fish expertly balances delicate colors that vibrate together in a way that cameras can’t quite capture.

The accessibility of social media and digital images of artwork has many advantages, but this exhibition was a good reminder that art has attributes which need to be physically seen to be fully appreciated.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

This dynamic piece by Kate Bonner was recently acquired for a client to include in their newly-renovated technology department. A sculptor and photographer, Bonner fuses both approaches in this dimensional collage of digital photographs on MDF panel. Eye-catching and contemporary, this artwork complements the forward-thinking design incorporated in the renovated tech space.

CAROLINE’S PICKS

Services Spotlight: Artwork Labels

We offer a wide range of custom label options for our clients. Based on the preferred aesthetic, we design and produce labels on metal, paper, wood, and acrylic. For clients with an existing collection of fine art, small labels with artist information are an easy way to engage curious viewers. Expanded labels include historical and cultural context; these are a great option for fostering pride and knowledge about a collection.

local exploration
 

An essential part of our process as a corporate art advisory includes visiting artist studios, galleries, and museums. These experiences provide continual opportunities to foster connections with the art community around us. When engaging with artwork in person, we gain a deeper connection which informs our best recommendations to clients.

After hearing that Mariane Ibrahim Gallery recently relocated from Seattle to Chicago, just down the road from our office, we were delighted to walk over and welcome them to the neighborhood. The gallery carries artists who explore identity as it relates to race, culture, and relationships. Their current exhibition of Florine Démosthène’s artwork includes marbled figures framed by dense dark glitter and additional white trim that highlights both the content of the artwork and its physical place in the expansive, industrial gallery.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We recently acquired and installed this bold print by Judy Ledgerwood for a client. Their goal was to build an art collection of contemporary work linked to their home city of Chicago, so we were quick to recommend Ledgerwood’s artwork. Her paintings, prints, and installations are imbued with feminist symbols and rich colors that are a recognizable part of the city’s visual fabric. Ledgerwood’s work was recently featured in a large-scale installation on the exterior terrace of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Jaime’S PICKS

local exploration
 

An essential part of our process as a corporate art advisory includes visiting artist studios, galleries, and museums. These experiences provide continual opportunities to foster connections with the art community around us. When engaging with artwork in person, we gain a deeper connection which informs our best recommendations to clients.

We recently visited William Conger's studio on the north side of Chicago. The Chicago-area native studied in Santa Fe at the University of New Mexico before returning to Chicago to complete his education at the University of Chicago in 1968. The nature of the southwest landscape has made a lasting impression on Conger's intuitive and transcendent abstraction. Conger welcomed us into his studio to discuss not only his recent paintings and exhibition history, but provided his own stories of the Chicago art scene from years past. We always enjoy meeting with artists in their studio to learn more about what shapes their practice. As Conger puts it, "paintings begin an inch below the surface..

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We recently acquired this set of works on paper by Elijah Burgher for a client who was drawn to Burgher's symbol-based abstraction. Whether producing abstract works on paper, representational colored pencil drawings, or large-scale acrylic compositions on drop cloths, Burgher's different modes of producing share a unique visual language of sigils and markings drawn from his own personal history. Burgher was featured in the 2014 Whitney Biennial and while he currently resides in Berlin, he spent several years in Chicago where he received his MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

In her practice, Heather Gwen Martin is known to engage boldly colored biomorphic shapes and linear forms over contrasting fields of color. After receiving her BA at the University of California, San Diego, the Los Angeles-based painter studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Not only was Martin's canvas a perfect selection aesthetically for our client's contemporary office space, but the local law firm also wanted to support and collect work by artists with ties to Chicago.

JULIA’S PICKS

Services Spotlight: On-site Conservation

When possible, our firm provides on-site conservation for artworks that have been damaged—be it from a chair rolling back into a piece or bleaching from sun exposure—we address a broad spectrum of issues. On-site conservation is especially helpful for large-scale works that are logistically challenging to transport, as well as for high-traffic areas that need to be addressed outside of business hours or on weekends. Whatever the concern, we provide the most efficient solutions to our clients for seamless resolutions.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We recently acquired this painting by Cole Pierce for one of our clients. Pierce is a Chicago-based abstract artist who studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Northwestern University; the artist has created public art pieces across his home city. Complimentary colors and complex shapes are Pierce’s trademark–and make this piece a great focal point outside a corporate conference room.

PICKS - Chicago Art Fair 2019

local exploration
 

An essential part of our process as a corporate art advisory includes visiting artist studios, galleries, and museums. These experiences provide continual opportunities to foster connections with the art community around us. When engaging with artwork in person, we gain a deeper connection which informs our best recommendations to clients.

We recently visited Matthew Rachman Gallery to check out Wesley Lawrence Willis’s exhibition City of Many Dreams. This show is a deep dive into a decade of Willis’s drawings, ranging from large scale cityscapes to studies executed on notebook paper. A prolific outsider artist, Willis’s intricately detailed works are accompanied by sculptures of buses, buildings, and other city features made by his brother Ricky Willis, an architectural historian. The brothers’ works act in concert to capture the spirit of Chicago’s architectural landscape. 

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We acquired this set of four pieces by photographer Millee Tibbs to complement a corporate conference room. Tibbs creates her artwork by traveling around the United States, capturing landscapes across the country. She then prints the photos, manipulates the paper–by folding, crinkling, and cutting–then takes another photograph of the result. The colors of her pieces are often rich and airy, which made this series the perfect fit for a conference room in a skyscraper, overlooking downtown Chicago.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We recently acquired this piece by Chicago-based photographer Peggy Casey Friedman for a corporate client. Casey Friedman uses the natural world and the minutiae of city life to create arresting compositions. At first glance the piece seems to be abstract, but on closer inspection, the forms reveal themselves to be the interior of a forest. This piece is part of a series of photographs taken in parks–in this case, Marquette Park on the southwest side of Chicago.

happenings

Kantoor, pronounced “contour,” is the Dutch word for office. This fall, DeGroot Fine Art will curate an exhibition in our office space in Chicago’s West Town gallery district. Open from September 13th-November 1st, Monday-Friday 9:30 am-5:30 pm, the show will take place in conjunction with the autumn exhibition season ahead of Expo Chicago. This will also serve as an open house, welcoming visitors to our new office.

Kantoor is a group exhibition of artwork made with pencil or graphite by five artists based in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The exhibition will showcase artists who are popular picks with our client base. As corporate art consultants, we assist companies in acquiring artwork that compliments and elevates their corporate aesthetic, while supporting the local art community and our national network of artists.

Artists in the Exhibition:

Carly Glovinski
Melissa Leandro
Geoffrey Todd Smith
Sarah Weber
Scott Wolniak

Exhibition flowers by Field and Florist

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

After acquiring this piece by Detroit-based photographer Vanessa Miller for a corporate executive suite, we worked with a framer to create a custom gilded face that matches the metal elements in the executive's office. The gilding process takes several weeks, building up the pigment and texture of the metallic paint layer by layer.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

The Art Dealers Association of Canada invited our founder, Jaime, to attend the Toronto Art Fair this year. During this trip we connected with numerous Canadian galleries and artists, including realist painter Tristram Landsdowne.

When one of our clients mentioned an interest in modernist architecture, we were delighted to connect them with Landsdowne's work. The glowing colors and precise construction of this watercolor resonated with the client and was acquired to hang in an executive's office.

jaime’S PICKS

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

We recently acquired this piece by artist Anne Lindberg for a client. Lindberg is known for graphite sketches with a colorful twist. She walks around the mat board, leaving graphite marks with her footsteps. To Lindberg, this is a meditative process. Atop the graphite lines are thicker lines of bold, vibrant color. Lindberg’s lines are incredibly precise as she uses her medium to explore the relationship between drawing and contemporary art.

 CLIENT ACQUISITION

This immersive photograph by Michael Wolf was recently acquired by a local corporate client. The piece comes from a series of photographs of Chicago. The scale of the piece is immense–the size pulling the viewer into the loudness and bright lights of the city. The image is right at home in a downtown office.