Globetrotter | Chrissy Crawford

Like many entrepreneurs, Chrissy Crawford was forced to revisit her business model in 2008 once the recession hit. A NYC-based art advisor working with galleries, corporations, and individual clients to acquire new contemporary pieces, she noticed that while their budgets may have been tempered by the recession, their passion for unique, high-quality art certainly was not. ArtStar was thus created.

Like many entrepreneurs, Chrissy Crawford was forced to revisit her business model in 2008 once the recession hit.  A NYC-based art advisor working with galleries, corporations, and individual clients to acquire new contemporary pieces, she noticed that while their budgets may have been tempered by the recession, their passion for unique, high-quality art certainly was not.  ArtStar was thus created.

 

 

The company employs a worldly team of curators that scours the globe for emerging talent, then collaborates with those artists to create limited-edition prints of their work.  ArtStar?s mission is to make contemporary art accessible to all budding collectors, so all pieces are created at a budget-friendly price point.

 

 

A self-starter who has trekked from the gritty warehouses of Brooklyn to the sandy plots of Cuba to discover the art world?s newest wunderkind, Chrissy is truly a L-ATITUDE girl.  She frequently finds herself in museums for both work and pleasure, and she always aims to strike the perfect balance between artsy and classic-cool in her ensembles. She recently sat down and spoke with L-atitude.

 

 

I 

was so flattered to be asked by L-atitude to contribute to their blog. Everyone at ArtStar loves the site and all the fantastic global picks because it?s so similar to what we do! I founded ArtStar to have a global perspective and am committed to introducing collectors to the best artists from around the world and making collecting easy. At ArtStar we scour the globe for the best pieces of contemporary art and then produce limited-edition exclusive prints of their work at a fraction of gallery prices.

 

Chrissy?s picks for an art opening:

 

EMI JORGE, Mother of Pearl Conquistador Clutch,

I love the contrasting textures and materials in this clutch and how the pearly smoothness of the mother of pearl is offset by the textured gold. Plus its asymmetry is visually appealing. I would definitely carry this to an opening at Socrates Sculpture park

 

BUNGALOW 8, Cleopatra Necklace

This is the perfect statement necklace to throw on over a simple dress or with a t-shirt and blazer before an evening event. Because many art openings happen right after work, it?s rare to have time to go home and change so day-to-night dressing is essential. This necklace is the perfect lynchpin with

 

 

VALDEZ, Colonial Panama Hat

The Colonial Panama hat is perfect for outdoor art fairs where you don?t want to be squinting at the artwork or your clients. It would be perfect for the Venice Biennale, Art Hamptons or anything in Miami with a long dress and sandals.

 

CELESTE HOUSE, Mexican Popular Craft, Pink Handcrafted Scarf

The art world is famous for its uniform of basic black and I would use this scarf to brighten up a basic outfit for an evening reception. It?s also great for travel and for air conditioned museums and galleries or for drafty studios during studio visits.

 

 

JUMA, Batik iPad Case

I travel with my ipad all the time to meet clients and show them our site and our artwork and this ipad case is the perfect accessory! The beautiful batik helps me be both stylish and connected.

 

GAURAV GUPTA, Circular Chiffon Dress

This chiffon dress is the perfect thing to wear to an opening at the MoMA or the Guggenheim. The color is gorgeous but not overwhelming (you never want to compete with the art!) and the shape is interesting enough that you?ll stand out from the other cocktail dresses. I would pair this dress with the Cleopatra necklace and the conquistador clutch for a picture perfect outfit.

 

 

I?m so happy to share with you some of my favorite artists from around the world and I encourage everyone in their travels to check out local art fairs, galleries and bazaars.

 

Gao Feng  is one of my favorite Asian artists. He trained as a sculptor in Beijing before moving into performance art and is now primarily focused on paintings. His traditional style mixes with modern subject matter is so appealing and fresh!

 

 

 

Samira Abbassy?s work is truly outstanding. Born in Iran, trained in London and now living in New York her work is held in major collections including the British Museum and the Rubin Museum. I love the fancifal, dreamlike quality of her work; each piece tells a unique story.

 

 

South Korean Hayong Kim's abstract paintings have an incredible sense of composition, color and movement. I have one of her pieces in my personal collection and would love to see some of her work translated into fabric.

 

 

Born to Hatian and Dominican parents, Firelei Baez is a rising talent to watch. Her interest in indiginous color and pattern are central to her work and she freqently employs Carribbean birds, flora and fauna in her paintings, which she meticulously researches.

 

 

Liset Castillo's Mouth of Sand is one of our most popular images and it?s easy to see why. She handcrafts the sand sculptures before photographing and destroying them and the photograph is the only legacy of her incredible handiwork.

 

        

        For a peek at ArtStar?s latest artist collaborations, click here.