December 16, 2005

Wentworth Gallery brings fine art to San Jose

By Jeremy Lipps
Staff Writer

Shopping malls are not always the first place that comes to mind when it comes to high brow culture, but the Wentworth Gallery in Westfield Valley Fair Mall brings world-renowned talent to suburban San Jose.

Wentworth Gallery Director at Westfield Valley Fair Store, Sam Krumwiede with featured works by Peter Max.

“The fact that we are a chain allows us to be tremendously diverse in our selection and to give our clients better value for their money,” said president Michael O’Mahony. By running many galleries and connecting the collections online, Wentworth has created a collection of serious art available to its clients. Its Web site, www.wentworthgallery.com, is organized so that visitors can select hundreds of artists from a drop-down list. It will also put the piece in a customized frame and virtual room.

The virtual room hardly compares to your own living room. One of the best features of the Wentworth style of showcasing art is the concept of home shows. As long as it’s within 50 miles of the nearest Wentworth Gallery, the firm will bring up to 20 pieces to clients’ homes or offices and set up a gallery, at no charge.

It’s a great way to impress your friends and enjoy pieces of art by some of the world’s best artists while deciding if the pieces will work in your home or office. If you like the artwork as an addition to your home or office, Wentworth will hang the painting.

The advantage of being able to view art in your own home or office is that it allows you to see how light and placement will affect the piece. To be able to hang a piece on the office wall and compare and contrast colors and style, and even the frame, is invaluable when building your art collection, according to O’Mahony.

O’Mahony hand picks the art work while traveling. The collection features some of the world’s best-known artists, but also features pieces that offer collectors a choice in style and price, which is unavailable in most galleries. He selects pieces that are made in Russia, Europe, Latin America, the United States and Asia.

Wentworth prides itself on the varying styles of the collection, from Pop-Art like Peter Max to Old Masters like Renoir and Dali. And if they don’t have it on hand, they will do their best to secure the piece you want. Wentworth handles original paintings, limited editions and reproductions signed by actual artists, including works by Miró or Dali.

The Wentworth Gallery at Westfield Valley Fair.

“Peter Max is one of our featured artists and one of the top artists of interest, as well as one of the most important artists living today,” said Sam Krumwiede, Westfield Valley Fair Gallery director. “We have hundreds of his originals.”

Peter Max began to make his mark on American art in the 60’s with his bright colored fantastical imagery. Having graced the covers of “Time,” “Playboy” and many other magazines, Max is a quintessential American artist and a natural anchor for the Wentworth collection.

Another featured artist is Cecilia Amaro, one of Mexico’s leading artists. She has been honored with paintings displayed in the TV Azteca Building in Tijuana, as well as at several Mexican embassies, including those in Los Angeles and San Diego. Her brightly colored paintings reflect the vibrancy of her native Mexico. Diverse choices of art, like Amaro’s, are also a main attraction to the gallery.

Leroy Mayeda of San Jose is an example of a pleased Wentworth Gallery customer. He picked up a Fauchere and some Baracha Guy paintings that now adorn the walls of his living room.

“The paintings make it richer,” said Mayeda, who owns and runs Okayama restaurant in Japantown. Regarding his shopping experience Mayeda said, “It was great, Sam was very helpful, and I had a fun time.”

Wentworth Gallery is located on the first floor at Westfield Valley Fair. The store is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays, from 12- to 6 p.m. Call (408) 246-6061 for more information.