Would You Like An Entree With Your Entree Into The Art World?

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Galleries are great. But could the hottest new scene in the art world be bypassing West Chelsea dealers for the heat near the kitchen?

It seems so.

For example, artist Alice Lipping had a showing at an upscale Flatiron cafe, which in turn led to a sighting by a representative from a high-tech company in Japan and a major corporate sale in Osaka.

A restaurant employee of Chef Tom Colicchio for the past 11 years, after the Osaka sale, her paintings finally caught the notice of her "Top Chef" boss. Now Colicchio has hung a collection of Lipping's acrylic and mixed media works in the entryway to the private dining room at Craft -- offering them for sale by the artist.

To top it off, an exclusive party is scheduled for Monday, August 18th to celebrate this color spectrum series (pictured above), introducing Lipping's pieces to art aficionados, collectors and restaurant world bigwigs.

If all goes well, Colicchio may lose one of his favorite Craftsteak servers, but gain kudos for discovering a sought-after, up-and-coming artist.

Does this mean more artists will be looking to chefs and restauranteurs for patronage and a meaningful introduction to the art world elite?

Even if the strategy doesn't pay off, at least they won't end up as "starving artists."