Alex Pauker

Calman Shemi was born in Argentina in 1939. He studied sculpture and ceramics at the School of Mendoza in Argentina. In 1961, Shemi emigrated to Israel, and in 1963 he began studying sculpture with Rudi Lehman. He created his first "soft" paintings in 1977. Since 1978, he has worked primarily in serigraphy and acrylic paintings. In 1999, Shemi developed the "windows" and the "lacquer" painting techniques. The "window" or "shadow box" painting is a unique form of artistic expression. First Shemi creates a painting in a wooden box. After completion of the painting, he affixes a customized wooden frame to the box. This unusual technique results in the illusion of looking through a window to the landscape or into a room. The frame is then covered with silver or gold leaf and finally lacquered. The final result is a piece of art that emphasizes the contrast between the outside level and the painting within a deeper level. Lacquer paintings are also one of Shemi's original creations. These works usually begin as an exciting abstract design or still-life painted on wood or on a metal panel that has been covered in layers of gold and/or silver leaf. After the paint has dried, the painting is gilded with many layers of lacquer. Between each layer of lacquer the surface is hand polished to give it a metallic finish, resulting in a luminous effect. Remarkably, artist Shemi has had 71 one-man shows all around the world, including Israel, France, Singapore, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, Canada, Spain Germany, the United States and elsewhere. His works are displayed in the Spertus Museum of Judaica, the Fashion Institute of Chicago, Citibank in New York, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, just to name a few.

Painting is an art form that has spanned innumerable cultures, with artists using the medium to tell stories, explore and communicate ideas and express themselves. To bring abstract paintings, landscape paintings, still-life paintings and other original paintings into your home is to celebrate and share in the long tradition of this discipline.

When we look at paintings, particularly those that originated in the past, we learn about history, other cultures and countries of the world. Like every other work of art, paintings — whether they are contemporary creations or works that were made during the 19th century — can often help us clearly see and understand the world around us in a meaningful and interesting way.

Cave walls were the canvases for what were arguably the world’s first landscape paintings, which depict natural scenery through art. Portrait paintings and drawings, which, along with sculpture, were how someone’s appearance was recorded prior to the advent of photography, are at least as old as Ancient Egypt. In the Netherlands, landscapes were a major theme for painters as early as the 1500s. Later, artists in Greece, Rome and elsewhere created vast wall paintings to decorate stately homes, churches and tombs.

Today, creating a wall of art is a wonderful way to enhance your space, showcase beautiful pieces and tie an interior design together.

No matter your preference, whether you favor Post-Impressionist paintings, animal paintings, Surrealism, Pop art or another movement or specific period, arranging art on a blank wall allows you to evoke emotions in a room while also showing off your tastes and interests. A symmetrical wall arrangement may comprise a grid of four to six pieces or, for an odd number of works, a horizontal row. Asymmetrical arrangements, which may be small clusters of art or large, salon-style gallery walls, have a more collected and eclectic feel.

Download the 1stDibs app, which includes a handy “View on Wall” feature that allows you to see how a particular artwork will look on a particular wall, and read about how to arrange wall art. And if you’re searching for the perfect palette for your interior design project, what better place to turn than to the art world’s masters of color? 

On 1stDibs, you’ll find an expansive collection of paintings and other fine art for your home or office. Browse abstract paintings, portrait paintings, paintings by emerging artists and more today.