Monday, October 12, 2009

The Hardest Part

Confession: the hardest part of being a decorator is..... artwork.

See, artwork is such a personal thing. One person's favorite piece can be another person's least favorite. Another reason why it's hard for me: I hate manufactured art. That includes art you see at Pottery Barn, Ikea, Ballard Designs, Art.com, etc. I don't know why... I'm not an art snob or anything, I just feel like it lacks that emotional connection.

This sure is a dilemma because not everyone can afford to purchase straight from artists and galleries, me being one of them. But thank god we live in the time of the Internet... and Etsy.com. Every piece of art in my home came from either a.) my grandmother and great grandmother (both artists) b.) Salvation Army or Rose Bowl Flea Market or c.) Etsy.

Back to decorating... as I mentioned I don't often like to pick art for clients because it is so personal, so I usually put mirrors in place of art. That's the beauty of mirrors, they are like artwork themselves, reflecting the most beautiful things in your life: you and your family! :) And sunshine of course.

I don't have any great prints or pieces to share with you right now, I'm currently searching for two perfect prints or one huge modern canvas piece to hang on a client's fireplace. But for now, I can offer some inspiration photos that have great art in them!

















artwork in our home:

8 comments:

  1. I'm with you. My friend was shocked I haven't hung anything on my bedroom walls yet, but I still haven't found the right art! I do have a mirror laying against the wall.

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  2. I'd rather have nothing on my walls than a framed poster. (Especially cheesey things like "Starry Night" from Van Gough!)

    A photographer friend recommends taking close up photos of beautiful finds in nature and having them blown up on canvases. There are a number of sites that offer this service at reasonable rates.

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  3. I totally agree. I love etsy, but tend to get overwhelmed. Do you have any suggestions for searching through the vast amount of artwork on the site? Thanks!

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  4. I totally agree that art is a personal thing. While I do have a few framed posters (the gates, a copy of Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter, signed by the woman who sat for him as Rosie, and a Lichtenstein, which perfectly describes my husband and my relationship), I also have tons of photography taken by us, paintings made by parents and a 2 year old nephew, etc.

    I see artwork as a way to tell a story, so it makes sense to have your clients pick their own.

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  5. I always love to purchase fro the artist or gallery if I can...but for now settle for Ebay or Etsy as an option. :)
    I like your art!
    Jen Ramos
    'Cards & Prints You'll Love...'
    www.madebygirl.com
    madebygirl.blogspot.com

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  6. I agree!! Only actual artwork for me now. Etsy has been my go-to place so far - Emily, I'd recommend searching the artwork section with something specific in mind, like painting or photography and then narrow it down even further by whatever subject matter you might want - bird, ocean, etc. My favorite artwork I've gotten so far has been an original collage painting by Paintbox.etsy.com. So affordable and cheerful!!
    Another wall decoration I rely on are cute vintage plates to hang on the wall - add great pops of color and texture for cheap!

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  7. I totally agree that art is a personal thing. While I do have a few framed posters (the gates, a copy of Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter, signed by the woman who sat for him as Rosie, and a Lichtenstein, which perfectly describes my husband and my relationship), I also have tons of photography taken by us, paintings made by parents and a 2 year old nephew, etc.

    I see artwork as a way to tell a story, so it makes sense to have your clients pick their own.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm with you. My friend was shocked I haven't hung anything on my bedroom walls yet, but I still haven't found the right art! I do have a mirror laying against the wall.

    ReplyDelete

THANK YOU for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate each and every comment.

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