Looking to start prepping your home for its big debut? Here are 5 tips to selling your home the smart way.

Summer may not be the best season for selling, but early autumn comes up quicker than you think, and it’s important to take the necessary time so that when the time is right your house is the most stunning thing on the market.

Pick Your Renovating Battles

It’s tempting to think that the newer and flashier a house is, the better price you can get for it, but frequently, such investments fail to get an equal return. Focus on smaller areas, such as new cabinet doors and matching appliances rather than an entire kitchen overhaul. Update the plumbing instead of trying to make each bathroom a modern masterpiece. Buyers like a good show, but they’re not as hard to impress as you think, and even a few subtle touches can make a room come together. Most importantly? Repaint, repaint, repaint. A fresh coat of the latest season’s colors will make up for anything you choose not to replace/renovate, and showcase your home as the inviting gem that it is.

Make a Blank Canvas

It’s a tough line to walk: you want your home to look warm and welcoming, with enough furnishings to show buyers that it’s a livable space, but on the other hand, you run the risk of overriding their vision with your own, making it harder for them to truly feel comfortable. Objects with a different family name, too many family pictures, or children’s areas and toys will create cognitive dissonance that may make it difficult for a buyer to project their own family into the space—so de-cluttering and de-personalizing the main rooms is a priority. A storage unit becomes your best friend in the selling process. It can be a complicated process to know how much to clear away and how to make things the most appealing, which is why you should always…

Hire a Stager

It will make all the difference! You may know what looks good to you, but a stager knows what looks good to the market. Trust them. They can walk you through the process of removing your imprint on the house, before reworking what you’ve got and filling in the blanks with pieces that appeal to a greater percentage of buyers. The aesthetic appeal of a house is a huge part of the decision process, even more so now that most buyers do a great deal of searching online before making in-person visits. A stager will make sure that your house makes an impression both in photographs and on-the-spot.

Price It Right

Things are in flux, especially in the Metro Phoenix area, so do your homework and research the pricing of your market! New home sales were up 22% just this March, so a rise in prices shouldn’t be too far behind. Hire a local realtor to help you with the process—it’s their job to be up-to-date and knowledgeable about this very thing so you don’t have to break your back over it. Also, because most preliminary house-hunting takes place on listing websites, think about online search filters and price cutoffs when choosing your number. For instance: if you want to price it at $400,000, consider knocking it down to $399,000 (at least initially) to ensure that it still shows up after price filters are applied.

Make Your Network Work for You!

When appropriate, leave it to the professionals, but don’t think that you can or should sit back and let them do all the legwork. Use the tools at your disposal, because you have one thing that professionals don’t: connections and relationships within the community, and the level of trust that comes with it. According to Zillow, 41% of buyers stay within their same city, and 17% even move within the same neighborhood.

Given this, the most likely successors to your homestead are well within the ‘six degrees of separation’—they may even be down the block! Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends, because inevitably someone knows someone else who’s in the market.

Getting your home to sell is never easy, but it doesn’t have to be an uphill battle, either. Strategize, get a good team on your side, make smart moves—and you’ll be fighting off bids instead of fighting to get them!

As most retailers will tell you, or as you have personally witnessed by the consistently closing doors, the extraordinarily successful brick-and-mortar retail economy of the 20th century has become a casualty of the internet.

Most fitting, on Amazon Prime day, we recognize Amazon as the continuing, unstoppable force in this steady disruptive march against retailers. Millions across the globe currently click away to cash in on epic deals from their homes, offices, and mobile. The clock ticking on 30-laser-focused hours on cashing in and then countless more to share the spoils on social media.

American Enterprise Institute fellow and economist Mark J. Perry attributes Amazon’s overwhelming success to “the incredibly disruptive effects Amazon is having on the retail industry as it revolutionizes retailing, supply chain management and delivery, with a laser-like focus on creating value for consumers.”

This massive online retailer has repeatedly entered market after market and slashing prices. Delivering products virtually anywhere overnight, from its network of strategically placed warehouses. Netflix and others are replicating this same success in entertainment and other industries, continuing to turn traditional retail industries on end.

Is this a bad thing? Well, yes and no. To the larger, traditional store retailers relying on antiquated business models, a profound yes. But for upstart retailers, the future is very bright.

Future of E-Commerce

E-commerce is growing at a rate of 15% a year escalating past the brick-and-mortar retail shops’ much deflated 2%- to 3%-a-year growth. The future growth potential of e-commerce remains enormous as it has only just reached the 8% mark of all retail sales. Existing and new businesses entering the e-commerce market have wide open spaces and plenty of room to grow.

May sound a little familiar if you think back some 40 years to retail brands that may not have gone online, but they most certainly expanded the current method of delivery and point of sale.

Retail Historically Evolves

All too familiar Sears and Kmart disrupted the retail industry with the introduction of the product catalog, catapulting them past typical storefronts of the time. Shortly thereafter, Kmart and Wal-Mart edged into the changing market by inhabiting the booming postwar suburbs selling discounted goods to blue-collar families.

Thanks to technology, innovation, and demographic changes, we have once again witness to another such transition, leading into something new and better for these current times.

[bctt tweet=”(Brick-and-mortar) isn’t dead, it’s evolving,” says Perry Kramer, Vice President at Boston Retail Partners” username=”Luxepros”]

“[Brick-and-mortar] isn’t dead, it’s evolving,” says Perry Kramer, Vice President and practice lead at Boston Retail Partners. For the most part, the 2016 holiday season brought higher overall sales, but many companies saw their best sales online, where margins are smaller from the healthier margins enjoyed by traditional brick-and-mortar, he explains. Retailers that have adapted to the new model are thriving.

E-Commerce, Not all Things to all People

Retailers are not dead, it’s the new model that is the future of retail. Joanna Arhontis, author of The New Retail Revolution: Bricks and Mortar Stores are not Dead Just Different, explains “Brick-and-mortar stores have not embraced online. They have tried to take their stores and put them online and have left out the experience. They don’t quite understand how to engage with the customer like we do in-store. We have to bring that to life online. The consumer needs the retailer to engage with them.”

Retailers in their haste to create an online presence and close brick-and-mortar addresses failed to consider what makes shopping fun or fulfilling in the first place. Retailers like Restoration Hardware are on the right path to figure this out. Their showroom stores provide inspiration and style guidance but “they’re not really selling anything there,” says Ken Morris, principal, at Boston Retail Partners. “It’s like a giant 3D real-time catalog.”

Gated Commerce

All is not rosy in online sales. Although online sales are much healthier than local retail, the profit margins are much smaller and online commerce is plagued with counterfeit selling. Amazon is taking steps to protect big brands from nefarious practices by brand gating. As a result, the rule-abiding sellers are paying the price with hefty gated commerce charges. Online stores that want to sell top brand names like Adidas, Levi’s, and Microsoft, are being required to pay one-time nonrefundable fees ranging $500-$5,000 per brand along with meeting additional performance checks and other qualifying requirements such as sourcing a percentage of their product direct from the manufacturer. Many online retailers source their product from 2nd party retailers who have access to bigger budgets and larger bulk stock. This direct disconnect between the online retailer and the manufacturer negates the gating requirements.

E-commerce retailers that want to rely solely on online sales will have to private label their stock or follow the brand gating requirements. Clearly, this makes a hybrid e-commerce/brick-and-mortar business model very desirable going forward.

The rise of e-commerce has in fact disrupted brick and mortar retail, but in the end, retail in any form will be the winner. Blending the strengths of both models will bring the consumer tremendous new value, new job opportunities, and entirely new industries. Who knows, we may be on the cusp of an extraordinarily successful consumer economy of the 21st century.

Future of Brick-and-Mortar

The retail industry has been seeing an increase in e-commerce with an underlying fear the business model is suffering a slow but eventual demise. The fact is, the retail industry has been slow but steady, and rather than a decline in brick-and-mortar we have been seeing a fusion of online sales and brick-and-mortar services. Retail shopping is moving toward a kind of omnichannel, where differences between brick-and-mortar shopping, online shopping, mobile phone shopping, and telephone shopping are becoming blurred. Online storefronts will continue to bring in a steadily growing share of sales, and brick-and-mortar is part of its future. The continuing rise of online sales will make brick-and-mortar locations more valuable, not less.

Future of Commerce

As evidenced by the success of Amazon and other digital retailers, consumer purchases online continue to grow. According to the Wall Street Journal, statistically, one in three of those online purchases leads to a return. If given the option of returning the item through repackaging the item and shipping it back for a future refund, a good number of individuals will choose immediate gratification by returning the product to a local address.

Value of the Experience

The biggest draw to online shopping besides the at your fingertip convenience is the price. The lowest price, although a known attractor, is the weakest link in the consumer chain since it lacks the component of loyalty. Since there is no established relationship between consumer and retailer other than price point, as soon as the consumer finds a lower price, that fragile link is broken. Deeper customer loyalty is only forged when price and a pleasant shopping experience are combined. As experienced by many electronics stores, there are still many consumers who won’t make a major purchase without trying out the device in the store, doing additional online research, and then ultimately, ordering the item online. The same process occurs in furnishings. There is currently no digital imagery that offers the same reinforcing experience as sitting in a chair or touching a fabric.

In both instances, the live experience weighs heavily on purchasing decisions. Amazon.com began acknowledging the importance of brick-and-mortar when it entered the retail store market in 2015 with its bookstore at Purdue University and most recently with the purchase of Whole Foods.

Personal Shopper

Store staff is pivotal in transitioning toward a unified online-live retail business model. Sales associates become more than shelf-stockers or order takers, they become the store’s personal shopper, giving advice about styles, trends, and helping store visitors navigate the return process thereby converting those returns into new store sales.

[bctt tweet=”Sales associates in the unified online-live retail business model, are more than shelf-stockers and order takers, they are your personal shopper,” username=”Luxepros”]

Effect of Social Media

Navigation into the personal shopper role demands sales associates have a firm grasp of what is being said in digital environments such as on blogs, Yelp, and other review sites. Today’s informed consumers are increasingly aware through digital media. Not being prepared with the same level of information as the consumer puts your sales staff at a distinct disadvantage with potential embarrassment and lost sales if caught unaware and are unable to answer customer questions. The result is a lesser experience and the main purpose of reinforcing relationships is defeated.

Keep up with well-informed consumers by implementing:

• Processes to constantly monitor online conversations,
• Evaluation methods to consider what key influencers are saying,
• Procedures for timely rebuttable to any negative comments, providing evidence why a review of inaccurate or biased; rectify any wrongdoing, and acknowledge positive feedback on digital platforms.
• Information flow to in-house sales staff to rebut any negative comments. Be prepared to show the customer why the review was inaccurate or biased.

Train all staff to be customer-winning personal shoppers by implementing a training model that incorporates customer service skill sets into the regular part of each staff member’s day. Use tools such as in-store electronics, content caching/distribution, associates’ personal smartphones and the like.

For example,

• Start a typical day with a video briefing from the analyst who monitors online conversations. Follow up with a summary by emailing a list of talking points to employee smartphones.
• Deliver archived training sessions and interactive discussions with corporate instructors to new employees or make available for on-demand review or self-paced training through smartphone, tablet, or break room monitor.
• Implement policy such as compensating employees in whole or in part for self-paced training to encourage consistency.

Cultivating Loyalty

Look to the future for a more widespread retail model that consists of online sales combined with excellent brick-and-mortar experiences relying heavily on top-notch customer service. Today’s employees are digitally perceptive and open to training systems that teach them how to create deeper customer loyalty. Such on-demand training will lead to more satisfied staff as they are better prepared to address on-the-floor concerns. Who wouldn’t prefer to offer knowledge, advice, and meaningful consultation when cultivating strong customer service?

Businesses that grasp this omnichannel business model, blending online and brick-and-mortar services, will separate themselves as a leader in the exploding world of retail.

If you are thinking about taking your business online, LuxePros Find a Pro can help take it to the next level.

Do you like this post? Be sure to share it in any of the social media channels or leave your comments below. Your feedback helps us bring you the best of what you want to see!

The evolution of technology is shaping consumer lifestyle and affecting brand loyalty.

Woven into the fabric of everyday living, changing how we communicate, how we absorb media, interact with our friends, and how we perceive technology itself. Time is not as readily spent on learning new gadgets simply because it looks fun, consumers question the benefits the gadget brings to the table before investing the time. Consumers are more interested in time-value and how it enhances their lives, not just tech for the sake of tech.

As lifestyle brands increase the use of technology, lines are blurring and the same thought process has edged its way into brand loyalty. Successful brands know where their audience is headed and when it’s time to unbundle and evolve media or product to appeal to today’s changing consumer.

Creating Legacy Brands

The legacy brand will focus on digital plans that enhance the customer experience. Such as implementing improvements to drive down costs like delivery services through mobile channels. Offering that anytime, anywhere service that enhances the customer experience through simplicity, ease, transparency, and utility. The goal of the legacy brand is to enhance the customer value proposition and increase brand loyalty.

Blending Brand and Culture

Blending brand reputation into the fabric of company culture with the new millennial workforce. With unemployment dropping to the lowest since the post-recession era, the war for top talent has intensified. With millennials now the dominant generation in the workplace, the conversation has gone to questions about diversity, ethics, and company effects on the world. Today’s engaged employee wants more than just creating great products and enjoying profits; the purpose and values of the company have come into play and now provide the cultural glue for its workforce.

Focus on Experience

The focus will be on the overall work experience and how it affects humanity. With the advancement of technology, the focus is threaded throughout the human experience. Technology has jumped from gadgets that simply do things or make our lives easier, to a human digital experience with a focus on empathy. This shift is already being seen with artificial intelligence, chat bots, and virtual experiences. But the change yet to come is how that focus switches from newness of the delivery platforms to the actual emotional impact from the interaction such as in employee training, onboarding a new-hire or client, and other techniques empowering employees to be brand ambassadors.

Brand Analytics and Insight

Emerging disruptive brands have sidestepped traditional industry processes and shifted power to the consumer. As brands like Uber, Lyft, and Juno continue to grow and differentiate, they have found that innovation alone does not translate to maintainable long-term advantages. Effective brand management will ultimately be the deciding factor in the quest to earn lasting customer loyalty. Calling on disruptive brands to steer their focus toward brand valuation.

Naming Practices

Brands attempt to reconnect on a human level as we continue to see names that feel “human.” But this ongoing trend will be tested in that is a name alone enough to humanize a brand? Brands and consumers may have to face a more fundamental question of how human or artificial do we want future technologies to be.

Simplification of Communication

Minimizing the cutter in inboxes is being addressed with an increase in the use of real-time messaging platforms. Messaging allows quick partnership and sharing of ideas across collaborative groups throughout multiple locations. Messaging products facilitate clearer communication and provide efficient, real-time collaboration while reducing the need to misuse email.

Brand Activation

Effective brand activation with the purpose of growing in importance is about creating learning opportunities for employees to facilitate their own personal growth. Implementing and using tools that allow them to seamlessly absorb the most amount of information is becoming increasingly important. Employees expect to have the tools to effectively do their jobs. Those same tools should also be of a level that they expect from the products that engage them as consumers. Tools that increase awareness and engage them such as experiences, sampling products, or some other level of brand experience.

Keep these ideas in mind when creating or revising your brand story to influence brand loyalty:

• Keep the human element in mind at every touchpoint.
• Put benefits of your brand and product first, not just the technical specs.
• When talking tech, tell your customers how it will help them, not just what it is designed to do.

Using experiential methods in every aspect of your marketing plan to create an emotional connection with your customers is key to staying relevant. The more you create a consistent story connecting your brand to people, the more success you will have with brand loyalty.

If you are thinking about taking your business online, LuxePros Find a Pro can help take it to the next level.

Do you like this post? Be sure to share it in any of the social media channels or leave your comments below. Your feedback helps us bring you the best of what you want to see!

For many designers, maintaining a blog for your interior design practice is like tracking your miles – we know it’s good for us, but we just struggle with it.

Blogging for your interior design practice is one of the best possible ways for you to dramatically increase your lead flow, improve your website’s SEO, traffic count, as well as build a strong online reputation–all of which can lead to a healthier year end.

Many interior designers I speak with understand that they should be blogging, but are not really sure why. Here are 7 ways blogging can help your build your interior design practice:

Client engagement.

A blog provides an opportunity for you to open a dialogue and actively engage prospects and clients. Share with them more about who you are, what kind of design issues you can help them with, and the benefits of hiring you.

SEO rankings.

Blogs are the number one way to add new content to your website to increase your SEO rankings. Search engines like Google reward your efforts with higher rankings. Google traditionally favors larger websites with more content over small websites.

Humanize your brand.

People like to do business with people. They don’t want to hire faceless companies especially when in such a hands-on field. Blogs provide you with the opportunity to put personality behind your brand by telling the stories of clients you have helped. Including videos is even better.

Showcase your expertise.

Posting regularly keeps your website up to date and relevant. Highlight your areas of expertise and let prospects know you are on the leading edge of design trends.

Market segmentation.

Creating a blog specific to your area of expertise helps you speak directly to your targeted prospects.

Repurpose content.

Get double duty out of your blog posts. Repurpose high performing posts to create free reports, e-books, as well as republish in your monthly newsletter.

Build trust.

Creating good content on the internet positions you as an expert in your field. Current research shows 81 percent of U.S. online consumers trust information and advice from blogs.

When just starting a new business, or revamping the pricing model for an existing business, one of the more difficult decisions is whether to bill hourly or charge a flat fee.

It can be far less stressful if you keep in mind one overriding principle, you are a luxury professional and your pricing should reflect the value you bring to the table.

Be the Consumer

Think of what you pay to others to do work for you. Perhaps you have someone who does your taxes or advises you on investments. Maybe your attorney helped you set up your company or handle contracts. Or maybe you have an interior designer who you consult for large or small projects like selecting the paint for the new home you just purchased through your real estate broker. These are all tasks that are of great benefit to you even though you could do them yourself.

Nevertheless, you find it valuable to pay a specialized professional to do them for you. As a consumer, as well as a luxury professional yourself, you understand the value of having someone, skilled at what they do, perform the service to allow you to focus on doing what you do best. You value this luxury and feel those services are worth paying for.

When you prepare to pay other professional service providers, you typically don’t ask them how easy it was for them to do the work and then discount their fees accordingly. Of course not. Price is determined by the value provided to the consumer. The simplicity of delivery does not determine the reasonable fee, but the years of experience, education, and knowledge the luxury professional has obtained throughout their career does. To be able to be efficient in delivery and capitalize on that increased proficiency is the benefit of being persistent and diligent in one’s personal growth.

Pricing Your Services

When pricing your services, you can get tangled up in evaluating the time and difficulties you encounter in delivering your services. Don’t think of it solely this way. Instead, look at it from a client benefit perspective. Just as you would look at it if you were the client hiring the professional.

Your fees must reflect the professional quality of the services you deliver and the resulting value brought to the client. Not how hard it was for you to get the job done.

Determine Your Value

So how do you know what your services are worth? Especially if you are new to practice or modifying your business model.

Be Guided by Your Competition

For a baseline, look to your competition to see what they are charging. You can ask them and they may or may not tell you. If they don’t tell you, ask around. If you do find out, which you probably will, competitor rates are only a starting point and not the determining factor. They should generally tell you however what is acceptable in your area of practice.

What Services have you Consumed

Consider what services you’ve needed over the years. What would you be willing to pay for those services today? What were you required to pay? Did you feel you hit the jackpot or that you grossly overpaid? Your customers will be thinking the same thing and ultimately, that will affect your bottom line.

Hourly Reality

If you have or elect to bill hourly, give your rate the fairness test. Determine how many billable hours you must bill each month to make the wage you need after taxes. Do you feel you can get that much work? Or, does that rate, at those reasonable number of hours yield wealth or send you scrambling for a second job? Consider adjusting your figures up or down to put you where you need to be.

Consider the Flat Fee

Or, instead of being paid solely on time spent, consider the flat fee. Consumers are comfortable with a fixed fee arrangement since there is no guess work, they know what to expect, and can budget accordingly. E-commerce and m-commerce put a wealth of ready-made products at the fingertips of the consumer at very reasonable pricing. A flat fee for your services is a good consideration if your wage depends on products sales.

Even if you do not sell a product but solely rely on your services for income, don’t ignore the flat fee without seriously evaluating it. The concept of the flat fee is that over time you become more efficient at completing routine tasks and you increase your simplicity in delivery. If you were to charge on an hourly basis for those same tasks, eventually you begin losing money. Thereby decreasing your income as you get better and faster at what you do. Seems backward. Beginning with a fair fixed fee allows you to reward yourself for increased efficiency and more refined skills by allowing you to take on more clients in the same amount of time.

How to Structure the Flat Fee

Begin structuring flat fees by reviewing past work, if your business is established, or estimating the amount of time specific tasks should take you. Multiply the actual hours or estimated number of hours by the hourly rate you are thinking of charging. The result should give you an idea of what is reasonable from your perspective. Now reverse your think and look at that number from the client’s perspective. Come up with something different?

Depending on the complexity of the project, sometimes you end up with a stellar wage after the job is complete, and other times you take a bath. But throughout the year it should even out and you will settle into something comfortable. Over time, if you find you get less work than anticipated or your business goals change, you can adjust up or down accordingly. You will have obtained some solid data as well as a much better understanding of what you should be charging and be far better prepared to modify your fee going forward.

Give your best evaluation of a fair flat fee a try. Whether it works on the first try or doesn’t, consider a yearly review to verify your expenses are being covered and your required income levels still meet with your approval. Make your adjustments as needed and congratulate yourself on effectively charging as a luxury professional.

If you are thinking about hiring a professional, LuxePros Find Luxury Pros can help you find a highly-regarded interior designer, architect, attorney, or real-estate agent.

Do you like this post? Be sure to share it in any of the social media channels or leave your comments below. Your feedback helps us bring you the best of what you want to see!

Inspired by the glorious Andalusian farmhouses of Spain, Avenida El Alba is a sophisticated and luxurious retreat that reflects that magical merging of inspiration and architecture.

Created by renowned architect Mark Fredstrom, the Santa Barbara style estate is a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship featuring stone and wood flooring; tray, beamed, and brick and barrel-vaulted ceilings; hand-carved Cantera fireplaces, and custom iron work.

This lavish, 8,396 square-foot luxury estate has a north-south exposure, amazing curb appeal, and fabulous 180-degree views of Camelback Mountain as well as the entire Mummy Mountain range, all nestled in the valley’s most prestigious neighborhood.

Located on a quiet cul-de-sac lot, beautiful desert landscaping and tiered fountain greet you as you enter this southwestern luxury property. A short trip over tumbled pavers, reminiscent of old Europe, take you to a private gated motor court ready to house eight of your finest vehicles in the comfort of air-conditioned spaces.

Imagine entering your palatial round foyer with the daylight streaming through clerestory windows before settling in your grand living room or family room with soaring ceilings and enjoying a roaring fire in the hand-carved Cantera fireplace. Entertain family and friends in the fully equipped theater or billiards room, while sipping wine from your own private wine cellar.

Top-of-the-line gourmet kitchen hosts Viking appliances and double island. Clad with premium finishes, fixtures, and custom quality Rysso Peters Custom Cabinetry in the kitchen, as well as the laundry room, closets, and office.

Sliding glass doors in the dining area highlight views while opening the home to even more light and air. Spill out onto the awe-inspiring wrap-around, covered patio and enjoy the cool misters on a hot, sunny day or welcoming fireplace when the evening turns cool.

Six private bedroom suites, all boasting sleek ensuite baths, generous closets, and wonderful views. The divine master bedroom is the ultimate retreat complete with a spa-like bath with fireplace and huge his and hers closets and elegant office.

Resort style backyard has a 2,000-sq. ft. heated pool and oversized spa for year-round entertaining. Gracefully descend a curved stone staircase flanked by tall junipers to access the lower grounds and your own private putting green.

Of course, with a home like this, you’ll be on the top of the list for out of town visitors. What better way to host visitors with a separate guest house fully equipped with kitchen and living room.
Other highlights include central vacuum system, safe room, oversized laundry with island, exercise/sauna room, and exquisite garden walk. As well as creative sound full home automation with Crestron, Lutron, Plasmas TV’s throughout, and Pella Architectural series windows.

On 1.15 acres of premier acreage, this Spanish Chateau is the crème de la crème in prestigious Salida Del Sol.

Deborah Frazelle, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. With great experience in Arcadia, Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, and Carefree real estate as well as intimate local area knowledge, I work extensively to help buyers and sellers meet their real estate goals.

If you would like to see more articles like this, please let us know in the comments below.

The compositional symmetry, black outlining of forms, infilling of intense color, and two-dimensional rendering of space and forms reminiscent of folk art, all reference the Marsden Hartley’s studies in Germany during 1913-1915 of Bavarian hinterglasmalerei (reverse painting on glass).

He was subsequently exposed to early American reverse painting on glass at the Ogunquit art colony in 1917, where he actually took up the medium. The brilliant colors, the thick impasto, the “lights and brights wrested out of enveloping darkness” (Wilkin), all contribute to a vision of floral exuberance and indomitable life in Still Life with Flowers, 1941.

Marsden Hartley, Still Life with Flowers, 1941, Oil on masonite, 28 x 22 inches

Mitchell Gold Fine Art