How many of you have art collections?

[Bluemuse]

Also, not everything has to be put on a wall.
I’m a fan of propping some pieces up on a table, mantle, counter top, sometimes even a floor. Then you can play around a little and it doesn’t feel like such a commitment.



This was just a small sample of things I saw
over the summer at flea markets, etc. There is an abundance if you know where to look.


Time for bed now. I’ll be heading to a good flea market in the morning, masked of course. Even just going for fun is good medicine.

 

[stracci2000]

Also, not everything has to be put on a wall.
I’m a fan of propping some pieces up on a table, mantle, counter top, sometimes even a floor. Then you can play around a little and it doesn’t feel like such a commitment.



This was just a small sample of things I saw
over the summer at flea markets, etc. There is an abundance if you know where to look.


Time for bed now. I’ll be heading to a good flea market in the morning, masked of course. Even just going for fun is good medicine.

I love your style! That Mid Century Modern vibe you have going on is fabulous! I want to walk through your house and touch everything.
This is what I love. No cookie cutter stuff. No interior design person telling you what to put on your walls. Original, eclectic and pleasantly surprising!
And I especially love that Maxfield Parrish I spotted........

 

[Bluemuse]

I love your style! That Mid Century Modern vibe you have going on is fabulous! I want to walk through your house and touch everything.
This is what I love. No cookie cutter stuff. No interior design person telling you what to put on your walls. Original, eclectic and pleasantly surprising!
And I especially love that Maxfield Parrish I spotted........

Thanks so much for your kind words, @stracci2000 ! I suspect we might be cut from a similar cloth when it comes to art and beautiful objects! They have an inescapable lure, don’t they?
Yes, you called it right! I am drawn to Maxfield Parrish pieces. We have a few. There are two on the wall in the photo.
Do you have any of his pieces? I’ll try to post the other we have tomorrow. I really love that one.

 

[LLJsmom]

I’ve been meaning to respond to this thread because Art is one of my very favorite things.
I love reading everyone’s responses and relate to so many already posted. In case it’s helpful I’ll include some photos, recognizing that everyone’s personal style is unique.
I’m such a visual person, I take a ton of photos to think through a process.

I don’t collect high, expensive art, but I do collect and display art (mostly original) that speaks to me in some way... ie captures my imagination with the colors, subject or composition. It may evoke a fond memory or reference a part of history I relate to.

Art is one of those things that you can grow with. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You can take your time discovering what appeals to you. There are so many good, right choices.
And many places to find reasonably priced art. My favorite art sources are small galleries, antique and consignment shops, flea markets and thrift stores.

The thing I find reassuring is knowing that designers I admire also shop for art in these places.

The best advice I can give is to start by choosing a single piece that speaks to you in some way or has colors that you feel are calming or energizing, whatever might make you feel good when you see it.
If you’re not sure, take a photo and when you get home try to imagine it in your space.

I don’t generally buy a piece for a particular space. I buy because I just really like some aspect of it. Then I find the right place for it.

As an example, I found this pair of framed kimono swatches in a local antique shop years ago. I love the colors, the patterns and the fact that most likely the fabric was hand printed.
I had no idea where I’d put them when I carted them home. I just liked them.
They’ve lived happily in various places and now they’re on my dining room buffet.

If I had grown tired of them, I’d have just passed them on to someone else.
That’s the beauty of art. If it no longer serves or inspires, you can change it out.

I have a soft spot for still life paintings and landscapes.
They remind me of the old master painters whose work I admire-Cezanne especially.
I bought this oil painting some years ago.
It was hanging in a mid century furniture shop.
I thought it was well done and I loved the colors. It wasn’t too expensive, a few hundred dollars. I learned it was done by a Polish architect when he was an art student in the mid century. I love knowing something about the person behind the paintbrush whenever possible.


This was the first piece that my husband and I bought together. I like that he found and loved it, then talked me into it. Now I love it. She’s serene and lost in thought, something I relate to.

Most of the art in our house was between $10-100. What I love most is that it lightens and brightens our house and adds a playful, rather than serious vibe.

Groupings can be done in many ways. I never match anything. If it stands alone as a piece that interests me, it will stand together in a thought through display.



The pieces in the center are concert postcards from SF in the 60’s. Art can be any interesting graphic.

I like an eclectic, collected look, a mix of modern and classic pieces, personal mementos and photos.
And I definitely love mixing art, glass, pottery, etc. I love mirrors also, preferably vintage.
All of these things add dimension to the space and enhance the art IMO.
Wall art can be flat without other pieces to move your eyes around the space.
Plants, and metal art like this can also add dimension.



Lamps can be art too, especially sculptural ones.


As far as pet art, I’d say absolutely. To me art is a personal expression of what you love and hold dear. By all means, display it.

This was our most recent purchase.
It reminded me of my 3 sisters and I and our ballet class days. My mom calls us her four roses and I thought of that also. Found at a flea market for $140 and now on our dining room wall.

-
A long view of a room to show spacing. It can be done a million different ways.


Some may prefer a more polished, cohesive look rather than a collected one.
Or they may find too many things grouped to be overwhelming.
It’s subjective and personal.
There’s not a single right way.
You may have experiment a little.

There are lots of IG accounts to follow for inspiration. One of my favorites is GoodeyeHouseandstyle. I like the eclectic look and her references to classical design.

If that isn’t your style, poke around on IG for some accounts that have a more traditional, minimal or serene approach.
There is a wealth of inspiration there.
Good luck and don’t let fear hold you back. Nothing has to stay if it isn’t working.
Have fun with it!

I try to edit and display in a thoughtful way, but I enjoy it so much I have to be intentional about keeping it in check. Otherwise I’ll need a Marie Kondo intervention lol
I hope I haven’t gone off the deep end with sharing so much. Art inspires me and I love living with it.

I love it. I love how you live with it. It's part of your life.

 

[Bluemuse]

I love it. I love how you live with it. It's part of your life.

Thank you, @LLJsmom ! It enhances our day to day, warms our space and can be a real spirit lifter. That’s one of the things I like most about it. You are very lucky to have a truly talented artist in your house.
I hope she continues her studies. I especially love the Prismacolor one you shared. Looks like Venice? So well done!
I’ve dabbled myself, but haven’t really spent the time necessary yet to make good progress.

This is happening at this very moment.
My granddaughter's handiwork. I love painting with them and they love it too. It’s therapeutic. Even at 8 in the morning. Lol

 

[dk168]

I like collecting watercolours, and like to get original paintings instead of prints whenever I can.

I like to seek out local scenes by local artists on my travel.

I recently commissioned a local artist to paint one featuring landmarks of my home town, with my favourite watering hole in the centre surrounded by the others.

I shall have smaller prints made from it as gifts to my friends, unmounted, to save on cost.

I have not got round to framing many properly, and the ones that I did went into storage for the past 14 or so years! Perhaps I should spend less on blings and get them framed and hung up in the house after all these years!

DK

 

[missy]

We buy what we love. We have a few pieces from local artists and one Robert Cardinal piece. We love and appreciate art. However I’m a minimalist at heart and like to have empty wall space so we only have a few pieces up. I also have some work from my mom who’s an artist too. I love her paintings.

 

[Bluemuse]

I like collecting watercolours, and like to get original paintings instead of prints whenever I can.

I like to seek out local scenes by local artists on my travel.

I recently commissioned a local artist to paint one featuring landmarks of my home town, with my favourite watering hole in the centre surrounded by the others.

I shall have smaller prints made from it as gifts to my friends, unmounted, to save on cost.

I have not got round to framing many properly, and the ones that I did went into storage for the past 14 or so years! Perhaps I should spend less on blings and get them framed and hung up in the house after all these years!

DK

That’s a wonderful idea, @dk168 ! I love the sentiment and giving prints to friends will be special.

I once commissioned a watercolor painting of a fig tree in our backyard. It has a long family history and I wanted to preserve it.
I never thought about making prints for family, but I think I’ll look into it.

 

[dk168]

That’s a wonderful idea, @dk168 ! I love the sentiment and giving prints to friends will be special.

I once commissioned a watercolor painting of a fig tree in our backyard. It has a long family history and I wanted to preserve it.
I never thought about making prints for family, but I think I’ll look into it.

Apparently it does not cost a lot to have prints made from an original artwork, it is the mounting and framing that cost money, as confirmed by the quotes I have been provided, arranged by my artist friend who is painting it for me. This is the case in UK at least.

DK

 

[Bluemuse]

Apparently it does not cost a lot to have prints made from an original artwork, it is the mounting and framing that cost money, as confirmed by the quotes I have been provided, arranged by my artist friend who is painting it for me. This is the case in UK at least.

DK

That’s good to know about the prints. Framing can be expensive here in the US also.

 

[stracci2000]

As I am looking around the house, I am suddenly realizing that I use my collectibles as art. I put all my pretties around like art objects.


This one below of olive oil, oranges and garlic is a Stracci original.
I painted it on an old board. It fits a skinny space perfectly.
I only have a few pieces of my own art on the walls

 

[Bluemuse]

As I am looking around the house, I am suddenly realizing that I use my collectibles as art. I put all my pretties around like art objects.


This one below of olive oil, oranges and garlic is a Stracci original.
I painted it on an old board. It fits a skinny space perfectly.
I only have a few pieces of my own art on the walls

I agree @stracci2000! I think objects can definitely be a form of art. And you have such a varied and interesting collection! I love your Wedgwood and Delft pieces.
Looks like you’re drawn to Chinoise style in furniture and objects. I think we surround ourselves with things that evoke comfort and old memories. My Italian side has me strongly drawn to old Italian pottery. It reminds me of the matriarchs in my family.

 

[stracci2000]

I agree @stracci2000! I think objects can definitely be a form of art. And you have such a varied and interesting collection! I love your Wedgwood and Delft pieces.
Looks like you’re drawn to Chinoise style in furniture and objects. I think we surround ourselves with things that evoke comfort and old memories. My Italian side has me strongly drawn to old Italian pottery. It reminds me of the matriarchs in my family.

Yes, I have always been drawn to Asian art, even as a little kid. And I also like to prop artwork, as an alternative to hanging on the wall. Maybe some people might think my art style is cluttered, but I'm OK with it!
The floral oil painting in the first photo is an original by Henry Lawrence Faulkner, a well known Kentucky artist. It was a lucky thrift store find.

 

[Bluemuse]

Yes, I have always been drawn to Asian art, even as a little kid. And I also like to prop artwork, as an alternative to hanging on the wall. Maybe some people might think my art style is cluttered, but I'm OK with it!
The floral oil painting in the first photo is an original by Henry Lawrence Faulkner, a well known Kentucky artist. It was a lucky thrift store find.

Yes I noticed that piece...Really pretty and a lucky find! Looks like his pieces are quite valuable. So great when that happens!
Part of what makes the hunt so fun!

 

[Aerielle Max]

Love art work too but our house is not that big

 

[LilAlex]

This one below of olive oil, oranges and garlic is a Stracci original.

That's lovely!

 

[stracci2000]

That's lovely!

Thanks! I had these items in the kitchen, and I thought they would work together for an impromptu still life!

 

[LilAlex]

Thanks! I had these items in the kitchen, and I thought they would work together for an impromptu still life!

You were right! Well done!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

I'm working on my art collection. I started to paint last year so all my paintings are original. I enjoy the emotional gratification of painting a subject that I love.