Living With Art

A MAJOR PAINTING of San Francisco by the great Ken Auster, “Toward Alcatraz,” finds a new home in a Southern California law office.

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“VEERAKEAT IN PITTSBURGH!” write Michael and Abigail. “Thought you’d like to see this story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.”

Read more: “Colorful art and great acoustics“

William Whitney with Mac Harshberger’s 1928 painting from Paris

IN THE BACK PARLOR of a classic Victorian flat in San Francisco, there hung for many years a magical evocation of 1920s Paris: a life-size portrait of Countess Katherine de Landry, with long scarf, cloche hat and gloved hands holding yellow tulips.

The subject of the portrait, known to her friends as Kay, lived in that flat for more than 20 years after her divorce from European royalty, always maintaining the style and elegance the portrait proclaims. After her death in the mid-1970s, the portrait moved a few blocks east to the home of her cousin, the art historian William W. Whitney.

Read more: “Keeper of the Flame“

French artist Daniel Levigoureux’s work finds a home in Florida

FLORIDA ATTORNEY Ed Walborsky — remember the name — wanted a major painting for the great space of his new beach home along the sugary white sands of the Florida Panhandle. He admired Daniel Levigoureux’s paintings of the seaside, so a trip was arranged to visit Levigoureux in his studio in France. A many-course lunch was followed by an ascension to the skylit studio upstairs in the gables of Levigoureux’s 300-year-old home. Along with coffee and chocolates appeared a procession of Levigoureux’s precise paintings, but none quite large enough for the space.

“I’ll paint something special for you,” Levigoureux said, more or less. And thus was this painting commissioned and delivered to Florida, where it inspired the decor of the home.

On the right, Jack Cassinetto’s painting of oaks near Santa Clara in a vintage frame.

I’M SO HAPPY with Jack Cassinetto’s painting. Here is is hanging in its new home — on my side of the bed!

— EVA MONROE, San Francisco

On the walls in Los Angeles, paintings of San Francisco

WHEN SAN FRANCISCO collectors Joe and Melissa Nagy moved south to Los Angeles, they took their heart — and their art — with them. Veerakeat Tongpaiboon’s cityscapes are special favorites. Another is New Yorker cover artist Mark Ulriksen’s painting from AT&T Park, which reminds them to root for the Giants.

Sandy Ostrau above and below Henry Villierme

JUST THOUGHT you might enjoy seeing Sandy Ostrau with Henry Villierme. They are both quite wonderful and do work very well together. We are very pleased with our recent purchase — a fine addition to the collection.

— JOHN & PAT MARTIN, Petaluma

Read more: “Collecting local art“

In Sacramento, one of Lin Fischer’s figures

ABOVE IS A photo of where I placed Lin Fischer’s Woman on a Love Seat. It’s on my way to and from my studio so I get to enjoy it often. Very sweet piece. Please let the artist know how much I love it.

— LESLIE TOMS, Sacramento

In the main conference room of a major Chicago law firm, a major Ken Auster painting

KEN AUSTER WAS commissioned to paint large-scale paintings that capture key cities in which a national law firm has offices, including “Bridge Up,” a 6-by-8 foot canvas of the Chicago River.

A perfect match: hand-hammered copper, quarter-sawn oak, a tonalist painting

AN ARTS & CRAFTS aficionado hit the trifecta, with a sunset painting by Jack Cassinetto, a single-socket lamp and other hand-hammered copperwork by Audel Davis, and a table inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright crafted by furniture maker Paul Pacak.