Fine Art
About
Nothing is more universal than art. It transcends time and place and yet it can express the nuanced details of a moment in ways that language cannot. The Leland Little Fine Art Department encompasses both celebrated regional artists, such as Maud Gatewood and Claude Howell, as well as those whose art speaks to the world at large, from the quintessentially American scenes of Andrew Wyeth to the famous portraiture of Thomas Sully to the contemporary abstractions of Sohrab Sepehri of Iran.
Contact
Claire Fraser
Vice President of Estates & Consignments, Fine Art & Silver Director
claire@lelandlittle.com
Claire Fraser has been with Leland Little Auctions since May 2004. A life-long interest in material culture led her to a BA from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Art History, with a business concentration. Her passion is working with consignors and collectors to find the best market for their fine silver and original works of art. Claire has also spent time working with the North Carolina Museum of History and the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. Beyond the auction world, Claire is a dedicated volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle.
Current and Upcoming Auctions
Upcoming: Sporting Art Auction
May 30, 2024, 10:00am
Upcoming: Fine Art Auction
Jun 12, 2024, 10:00am
Exceptional Results
Explore Recent Stories
A Moment With Claire Fraser
Titans of Modern Art
Fine Art in The Signature Winter Auction
Where Light, Color, and Stories Intersect...
Fall Modern & Contemporary Auction Walkthrough
Forward Thinking Artists in the Fall Modern & Contemporary Auction
A Moment With Claire Fraser
"Leland Little is proud to bring this original work to market for the first time since 1944." - Claire Fraser, Vice President of Estates & Consignments
A Moment with Leland Little
"A diverse collection representative of a shared passion for travel, the outdoors, and fine objects." - Leland Little, speaking about the life and collection of the late Charles and Cynthia Salzhauer
Gallery Walkthrough of the Summer Modern & Contemporary Auction
Explore our Summer Modern & Contemporary Auction.
An Insider's Look: Shoeshine Boy
"[John George] Brown grew up in poverty in England and was particularly sensitive to the lives of tens of thousands of children living on the streets of New York City in the 19th century." - Claire Fraser, Fine Art Director
Spring Modern Art & Design Walkthrough
Trailblazing Art and Artists
The Estate of the late Frank Daniels, Jr. and his wife, Julia Jones Daniels
If you are going to live in a community, you ought to be involved in the community - Frank Daniels, Jr.
Special Feature with Claire Fraser
Discover powerfully emotional abstractions and "great unctuous chalky applications of paint" with Fine Art Director, Claire Fraser.
Power, Grace, and Pure Determination
(Wilson) told me to pay attention to what my body felt like in movement. Within that elongation, there’s a feeling, an attitude and expression. I hate to think had I not played sports what my work would look like. – Ernie Barnes
Winter Modern Art & Design Gallery Walkthrough
North Carolina Artists in Modern Art & Design
The Finer Points: Equestrian Art
"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle." — Winston Churchill
Tour of The Signature Winter Auction
Sunlight dances through our gallery in anticipation of our Signature Winter Auction this Saturday, December 3rd.
Special Feature with Claire Fraser: The Sporting Art of P.L. Rosseau
Percival Leonard Rosseau...was a tremendously interesting artist... - Claire Fraser
An Evening of Modern Art & Design at Leland Little
It was a night full of modern art, timeless design, and good company.
If Walls Could Talk: The Portrait of Frau Z.
Born of oil on the canvas of Franz Wiegele, Frau Z. came to life. Perhaps in the studio or perhaps in the home of a Swiss art patron, she began her soft gaze over her left shoulder.
The Finer Points: North Carolina Art Across the Centuries
The blest land, the best land, the Old North State! - Leonora Monteiro Martin
An Insider's Look: Inspired by the European Grand Tour
Back from your European getaway and longing for some of its beauty at home? We get it. Feeling inspired by our own travels and the tradition of the Grand Tour, we have curated this timeless selection of continental art, furniture, and decorative accessories from our End of Summer Estate Auction.
Special Feature with Claire Fraser
Fresh out of the crate, our Fine Art & Silver Director shares 3 paintings by American artist Gladys Nelson Smith.
The Finer Points: Florals in Design
There are always flowers for those who want to see them. - Henri Matisse
The Collector’s Eye: Dr. Keith Stanley
He surrounded himself with art and objects that resonated with his ever working academic mind, living amongst the tangible evidence of material culture that fueled his passion.
The Collector’s Eye: A Private Collection, Greensboro, North Carolina
Leland Little is proud to offer a Private Collection from Greensboro, North Carolina in our Signature Summer Auction on June 11. This collection features exemplary American and English furniture, fine art and more with storied provenances.
The Finer Points: A Private Collection, Greensboro, North Carolina
Explore the finer details of classical art, botanical engravings, Chinese porcelain, and antique furniture. These featured pieces, along with the entirety of the collection will be offered in our Signature Summer Auction, June 11th at 9am EDT.
Bierstadt, Homer, and Hassam: Founding Fathers of American Art
Winslow Homer, Albert Bierstadt, and Childe Hassam were titans of American painting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Three works in our upcoming Summer Signature Auction firmly made their impressions on the landscape of American art history, the artists themselves becoming household names.
A Moment With: Claire Fraser
"Beverly talks about how she likens paint to icing and ice cream, and you can almost see this wet and malleable surface on the painting." - Claire Fraser, Director of Fine Art & Silver
7 Exhibited Artists to Buy in Spring Modern Art & Design
From solo exhibitions at MoMA to current showings at Nasher Museum’s Reckoning and Resilience; artists in our May 19th Spring Modern Art & Design auction have impressive CV’s.
The Collection of Joel Siegel
The first thing I saw after I came to was this huge Lichtenstein pop-art poster. If it had been a Raphael Madonna I might have thought I'd died and gone to heaven. But Lichtenstein? I died and went to the Museum of Modern Art? -Joel Siegel, upon awakening in the recovery room at New York Hospital, Lessons for Dylan
Hygge for the Holidays
Relax in a comfy chair, sip your chamomile tea, and dive into our step-by-step guide on how to create hygge in your home this holiday season.
A Catalyst of Ideas
"Diego was a catalyst in the literal sense of the word: something that precipitates or facilitates a change" (Raymond Foye, The Brooklyn Rail)
Dressing Women in Art
So much art of all kinds has been inspired by the beauty of the female form. With the abundance of fine jewelry and fine art in The Signature Fall Auction at our disposal, we give the artists' muses the decoration they deserve.
A Modern Art Trivia Treasure Hunt
We love a good piece of art on the wall as much as anyone. But while we can appreciate art in an aesthetic vacuum, the stories behind the works are what really bring them to life. So to give ample dimension to the art in our Modern Art & Design auction, we made you a trivia treasure hunt around some of the standout works that were offered.
The Collection of Art Historian and Designer Sterling Boyd
A great eye is rarely confined to a single category. For Sterling Boyd, the synthesis of his extensive knowledge and impeccable style was a personal collection of art and antiques that brought together beauty and history.
From Florence to Philadelphia to Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Emanuele Caroni's Telegram of Love was one of three sculptures by the Italian artist shown at the Philadelphia World's Fair, The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876.
Excerpts from For My People
Select stanzas from the iconic poem by author Margaret Walker, with accompanying lithographs by artist Elizabeth Catlett for the 1992 special artist's edition of the poem.
One of Sri Lanka's Best-Known Artists for Over 60 Years
Sri Lankan artist Senaka Senanayake had 10 international solo exhibitions before he was a teenager. And yet somehow, as young man he still didn't plan to make art his life's work.
Larry Wheeler Reflects on the Life and Legacy of Joe Rowand
The creative magic of Joe Rowand was in full flower from the moment he opened his Somerhill Gallery at Straw Valley on US 15/501 on the edge of Chapel Hill in 1972.
The Anthony & Davida Artis Collection of African American Fine Art
Anthony & Davida Artis base their art collection on the three things that are most important to them: faith, family, and African American faces.
New York's First Artists' Cooperatives
"Here's an idea that makes me super comfortable: how about instead of getting a steady job you try to scrape out a living as an artist?" said no parent in history.
Lost Wax Bronze Casting
The process of turning bars of bronze into detailed sculpture is mind-bending. How do artisans realize an artist's intricate vision in a substance that only exists as an intractable solid or a molten liquid?
American Art From the Collection of James H. Craig and Randy S. Johnson
The Through Line - Following The Legacy of American Realism
Manjit Bawa
Painting Horses
Art Consultant Marjorie Hodges on the Contemporary Art Market
Women in Contemporary Art
From the Personal Collection of James H. Craig & Randy S. Johnson
When asked if there was any difference between his personal and professional acquisition decisions, longtime fine arts consultant and antique dealer Jim Craig said that his choices for his private collection could be chalked up to “personal addiction.” The comment belies the passion for the arts and Americana that drove Craig’s distinguished career for over half a century.