To the uninitiated the prospect of buying fine art for investment can be as daunting as being asked to paint the Sistine Chapel or construct St Paul’s Cathedral out of match sticks. A glimpse of the plush interiors of the major auction houses or trip to one of central London’s sometimes intimidating galleries can give the casual visitor second thoughts about purchasing a piece of art. Alternatively the individual might be unsure about the value or authenticity of the painting or drawing they are proposing to buy, but press ahead with the transaction anyway on the principle that they may not know much about art, but they know what they like. And the gallery assistant has gone to all this trouble and seems to know what they’re talking about, so it would be churlish to pull out now.The best way to make the subjective practice of buying a piece of fine art is to be as objective as possible. In other words, to ensure that you get what you pay for, it is worthwhile learning a bit more about how the art market works and gathering as much information about the particular artist or style or period that you are interested in as you can. There are two principle ways of doing this. You can research the artist’s output and historical significance in art books and exhibition catalogues or read reviews by local and national art critics, and you can look through the sales records available in most major public libraries and art galleries to determine how much their work goes for.A natural place to start researching price would be with the seller of the piece you are interested in. Judge whether the artist has a track record of selling works of art similar to the piece you like for amounts comparable to what you’re being asked to pay. A reputable dealer should have this information on file and be willing to discuss it with you; any reluctance to do so suggests that they have something to hide either about the piece or the amount they are asking for it. As an additional measure, it is worth reviewing the artist’s general sales history over the past five years to determine that their price has remained consistent, paying particular attention to the average price fetched.Once you have established the price that the artist sells for, the research you have done about their life and output should give you an indication of the significance, and relative value, of the piece you are interested in. Is the piece a typical or atypical example of the artist’s output? Is it from the artist’s mature period or an early work which indicates how the artist’s mature style evolved (bear in mind that the majority of an artist’s earliest pieces are usually in museums or private hands, so invariably sell for a higher than usual price when they come onto the market)? Does it have any special significance in the artist’s life or interesting stories associated with it? Has it ever been discussed in print by experts or the artist themselves?This investigation should also include uncovering its provenance, exhibition history and ownership history. As human beings require a passport to move from country to country, so do works of art, and the gallery should be able to provide you with the necessary certificates of authenticity. There are a number of areas to be mindful of, though, including the extent to which the individuals who authenticate or attribute the art to a particular artist are qualified to do so. Unless their authority is backed by some professional association with the artist, such as publishing papers in respected journals, curating museum or major gallery shows or having an extensive experience of trading in them, then their opinion is not worth a great deal. Alternatively they could be relatives, employees or descendants of the artist or have some form of legal or estate-granted entitlement to pass judgment on the work of art. And if the artist is alive, don’t hesitate to ask the gallery to get in touch with them in person to confirm that the art is authentic.A further issue to consider is whether the art is original or reproduced by mechanical means, because one of the principle ways art dealers make money is by trading in limited edition prints, where the artists only input in the creative process has been signing a digital or photographic copy of the original. A thorough investigation of the piece, combined with asking questions about it, should uncover this, with the added benefit of revealing how much the seller knows about what they are selling. When you are happy with the asking price and ready to buy, ensure you get a detailed receipt describing the art and its condition and including a money back guarantee to protect you if, at any point in the future, you find out that the art was not properly represented. This receipt should be in addition to the other documentation that the seller provides relating to the art’s history, provenance and authenticity.But before getting to this point, there’s the issue of which places you should look to source the art. The first piece of advice here is to have a clear idea of the type of art work you want and set a fixed price above which you will not go. Having done that, it makes sense to throw your net as wide as possible and explore all avenues, with particular focus on the following three options:o Auction Houses. This can include anything from the local auction house in your area to the big auction houses in London. Naturally, the more prestigious the auctioneer is, the greater confidence you can have in the authenticity of the piece of art, and the higher the price can go. Bear in mind also that auction houses use presale estimates, reserves, and opening bid amounts which should give you a rough idea of the amount the piece might go for, though when it comes to auction time, pretty much anything goes, so you should have your wits about you as you bid against experts in the field.o Art Galleries. As has been previously mentioned, walking into an art gallery can be a daunting experience. But just remember one thing: all the gallery’s show of respectability and wealth, from the good address to the soft furnishings and discreet light fittings, has been built from selling fine art to its customers. In other words, when you buy a painting from a gallery, you’re paying not only for the painting but the well appointed environment which gave you the confidence to buy it in the first place. Also, as much as a good gallery may have the necessary expertise to tell you all about the painting you are proposing to buy, they also know how to spot an amateur collector and persuade them to buy a piece they are not a hundred percent sure about.o Internet. While sites like eBay carry obvious risks about the provenance and condition of the piece of fine art you are thinking of buying, established, authenticated sellers have several obvious advantages to more conventional ways of buying art. Above all, of course, because there is no actual gallery space, you are not subsidising their rent when you buy from them. And once you have found a piece of art that catches your eye you can do all the necessary research about it in your own time without anybody standing over you attempting to influence your decision, in addition to getting a second opinion about it from anyone with access to a computer and the internet.Of these options, buying art online is becoming the most popular due to the advantages outlined above. But which site to visit first to look into the kind of art that is available? Well, you could do a lot worse than to have a look through Artbank.com, the UK’s premier fine art trading website, which has a tremendous variety of pieces on sale at all prices. These can be reviewed in the comfort of your own home to scale against a virtual wall and with reference to a colour chart to determine how they might look against various backgrounds. And if you particularly like the piece, you can also check out the other pieces the seller has for sale, all without the pressure of having anyone look over your shoulder. Paintings, prints, photographs, sculptures and ceramics are all categorised into styles and national schools for easy searching, or you can simply key in your favourite painter to see if any of their work is up for sale on the site. But don’t despair if they’re not, because Artbank will send you an email to notify you whenever a piece by them comes up.
The beauty of Artbank is that if there is a particular piece you like, you will be able to contact the seller directly to negotiate the price and arrange shipping and handling, because Artbank only charges a fee for using the site. There is no middle man like there is with auction houses and no part of the sale price is being used to pay the rent. In other words, Artbank is the best of both worlds, whilst also offering you the kind of choice and variety that no bricks and mortar gallery can compete with.Whatever way you choose to buy fine art, though, always ensure that the art has the necessary documentation to authenticate it and is being sold in line with the current market value. Who knows, maybe you have the makings of being the next Peggy Guggenheim, but whatever your aspirations, have fun and the best of luck in getting the piece of art you really love!

BETTER HEALTH TODAYWhat Actually Is Health?What Does Good Health Mean?The Old English word for ‘health’ was simply hale, meaning ‘wholeness’ or being whole, sound, or well.A more modern definition created by the World Health Organization says that… “health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”More recently the definition presented by the WHO states that health is not a: “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being: Nor is it “merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”To fully understand Health and the definitions of Health in our present age one must introduce an era embracing new understanding of disease at the molecular, individual, and societal level. Today, most people recognize Health can be divided into two broad aspects: Physical Health and Mental Health.PHYSICAL HEALTHPhysical Health or physical well-being simply means good body health which is healthy because of regular physical activity (exercise), good nutrition, and adequate rest.Physical Health or physical well-being is something a person can achieve by developing components of a health-related lifestyle. This type of fitness wouldInclude: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and body composition.Other components of physical well-being may include proper nutrition, body weight management, abstaining from drug use, avoiding alcohol abuse, responsible sexual behavior, and getting the proper amount of sleep.MENTAL HEALTHMental health includes a person’s cognitive and emotional well-being. A person who does not enjoy good mental health usually has some sort of mental disorder.Again according to the WHO, mental health is “a state of well-being in which the:individual realizes his or her own abilities;
can cope with the normal stresses of life;
can work productively and fruitfully; and
Is able to make a contribution to their community.”Unfortunately, measuring mental health has been a very subjective assessment. Often times it has been easier to tell what mental illness is, rather than mental health.Most of us agree that mental health again refers to the “absence of mental illness.” Unfortunately that measurement varies greatly from individual to individual.In reality mental health includes:the ability to enjoy life;
the ability to bounce back from adversity;
the ability to achieve balance or moderation;
the ability to be flexible and adapt;
the ability to feel safe and secure; and
the ability to make the best of whatever you have.Quite naturally each individual must personally learn the attributes of good health. You can go through life learning them the hard way or you can seek out advice or information that helps you develop a course of action. Developing a course of action seems like the BEST WAY.

For all practical and functional purposes furniture is needed to adorn a house; without furniture, it may not be possible to lead a comfortable life. While for some, furnishing their house is only a matter of functionality, some prefer to use ornamental furniture to decorate their houses.In the United States of America, there are many popular and well-established furniture manufacturers and suppliers. Many of the furniture dealers also import furniture from various countries to serve the needs and tastes of different customers.While some furniture dealers are popular for specializing in selling a certain kind of furniture catering to the office or living rooms or kitchens, other dealers and wholesalers sell all kinds and types of furniture. Listed below are some of the top sites and best furniture dealers in the US.Ashley FurnitureAshley Furniture Industries Incorporation is one of the leading furniture producers of the United States of America. Having built a superior brand name, they have their showrooms throughout the United States of America under the name of ‘Ashley Home Stores’.Corridor shopsAshley FurnitureCorridor shops is a huge online store that sells a wide range of furniture ranging from hacienda, primitive, Chinese antiques, Mexicana, Spanish, rustic and western. Along with hand made pottery and art from artisans of Southern Mexico, it also specializes in custom-made doors, gates and furniture.Furniture TraderFurniture trader is one of the best furniture dealers which buys and sells new and used furniture. It has a great and eclectic mix of furniture styles and kinds to suit the most demanding customer.Hickory Furniture Mart
Hickory Furniture Mart is a unique blend of over hundred factory outlets, stores and galleries offering home furniture, furnishings, fine rugs, fabrics and art.Carolina FurnitureCarolina Furniture is one of the top furniture dealers in the US offering world-class furniture and furnishings. Not only do they pride themselves on selling high-end furniture but even offering quality discounts on a daily basis.W.K. Leach CompanyThe W. K. Leach Company is a wholesale provider of previously owned office furniture purchased in Northern California and then distributed nationally. The company works all types of furniture dealers, moving companies, facilities managers and consultants to provide solutions for excess furnitureAffordable Office InteriorsAffordable Office Interiors is a full-service, office interiors firm providing new, used and remanufactured office furniture. They specialize in used and remanufactured Haworth systems furniture in addition to carrying used Herman Miller and Steelcase systems. They also offer a large selection of new furniture lines such as AIS, Haworth, Global, Hon, National and OFS. Additionally, they offer project management, space planning and finish selection assistance.Today’s FurnitureToday’s furniture has a massive selection of dining room, living room, kitchen, bedroom and bar furniture. Their aim is to select the best furniture for your home at true discounted prices. You’ll find quality kitchen carts, dining sets, platform beds, bars and bar stools, kids furniture from brand name manufactures like Hillsdale Furniture, Home Styles and Istibal Sofa Beds just to name a few.