by Sheri Partain

Created on: September 28, 2009

Art City, Fashion Island

The Martin Lawrence Gallery located at Newport Center Fashion Island in Newport Beach, CA is the following gallery in review. This particular gallery is no larger than 900 sq. ft. and houses as many as 100 paintings and sculptures from Picasso to Erte. A notable Fine Art Consultant for the gallery at Newport is Ed Chen whom is very personable, extremely helpful, and astoundingly knowledgeable about the artwork and artists in question.

Such as the work produced from Marc Chagall with his whimsy, imaginative, and religious subjects, Ed Chen can take you on the artist's tour. Chen points out Chagall's flowing lines and light use of color differ from Keith Haring's bold lines and contrasting bold colors. Haring's art work could be described as primitive, humorous, intellectual, and modern all at the same time, while the sculptures of Erte are narrative bronze renditions embracing women of antiquity; graceful and sleek.

The gallery holds Andy Warhol, an artist whom in my opinion, stands out partly for his eccentric lifestyle and majorly for his vivid colors and famous subjects. Several Marilyn Monroe hand-signed screen prints adorned the walls, as well as my personal favorite 'Diamond Dust Shoes' that no poster or high resolution picture can compare or come close to mimicking the beauty and glory as one of the original screen prints. Also on display was Philippe Bertho whose art resembles the Pop Art colors of Warhol and as said by Ed Chen, contains animated people resembling the style of Norman Rockwell. Bertho's medium is acrylic on canvas and his fascination with circles is unyielding. I also get a sense of surrealistic influence in his work.

A fascinating personal discovery is that of the artist Robert Deyber. His work is classical in the sense it is clean and articulated with closed and concise lines. His subjects are both real and magical; his matter both witty and narrative. An example of his work shown in the gallery is a depiction of a small jail house situated in a field depicted with a stone rock situated on top, suggesting the Elvis song, Jail House Rock. He is quoted in the Martin Lawrence Catalog for Fine Art Auctions to have said I am intrigued by the visual imaginings which reside in the realm between reality and fantasy which is exactly as his paintings suggest.

While touring the gallery, Ed Chen disclosed Martin Lawrence Galleries contain the largest collection of Warhol, Picasso, and Chagall. The gallery holds original paintings, sculptures, serigraphs, etchings and lithographs. All are for purchase and come fully framed. Martin Lawrence Galleries hold Fine Art Auctions in Newport as well as San Francisco, CA, New York NY, and Boston, Mass.

Learn more about this author, Sheri Partain.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.