Lifestyle

How to start an art collection


When it comes to bringing art into your home, what is the first art form that comes to mind? An oil painting, a print, or maybe a stylish piece of ceramic? Where do you buy your work? A big box store, a showroom or Etsy?

When you’re shopping for art, are you trying to fill an empty wall or get something you love?

I have to admit, I brought some art into our home just because I was so tired of staring at a blank wall! It took me a while to realize that it was possible to wait until I found the perfect piece.

In this post, I want to share some of the ways I love collecting art for my home. Hopefully, it will inspire you to look for different ways to start your own art collection!

Turn personal items / keepsakes into art

In college, my favorite art history teacher used to say, “Art is whatever the artist calls art.” I also think this statement applies to what I consider art. I have always been fascinated by this quote and it has changed the way I see what is considered art.

To me, art can be small or even mundane things, but when you attach it to a frame, it can be transformed into something more special. An example of this is a small flower in my bedroom. When I was traveling, my daughter (who was a toddler at the time) picked a small flower and gave it to me.

I loved it but didn’t know where to put it, so I placed it inside my iPhone case (between the phone and the case). I found it a month or so ago and it was pressed perfectly.

I took a small frame and put the pressed flower in it. Many people will not care about that small dried flower, but every time I look at it, I remember the sweet memory of the girl I gave it to me.

Personal works can be displayed in your home to remind you of someone you love or a memory you have shared with someone. Maybe you have a ticket stub from a really great concert you went to or a nature that you picked up while hiking.

Whatever it may be, try to think of small and simple things that you can turn into art. Something that tells YOUR story and gives YOU joy every time you see it.

Buy works from artists you know

I strongly believe in supporting creative friends. Buy their art, exhibit and encourage them throughout their creative journey. The beautiful weave in the photo above is from my talented friend, Rachel Denbow.

Another example of accessing art through someone you know is having a kid you know does something about. This could be your niece, nephew, friend’s child, or even your own child. Children have a wonderful way of seeing the world and translating it onto cloth or paper.

I admire this kid’s art frame that Laura did.

When the Covid lockdown first hit in early 2020, I was at home a lot with my kids. One week, we spend their lunch break watching art YouTube videos called Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems. My kids love to gather around while watching Mo’s art lessons. It was a bright spot for an indefinite time.

I have a large canvas on which I have painted a sitting pattern in the garage and after we finished a lesson, my first grader asked if he could paint on the blank canvas.

I found a few (almost empty!) bottles of acrylic paint in the garage and he started painting. He worked on it for a few hours and went back to it a few times a week until he said it was done.

The painting is a reminder of our stay at home during lockdown and the art lessons my kids enjoyed. It didn’t take a lot of planning or documentation, but I will always love this precious painting, it feels like a time capsule and a reminder of 2020.

Buy used paintings

In college, I took many painting classes and tried my best to be kind, but I can admit that I am a terrible painter! I think this is why I am drawn to painting so much.

Their beauty can be in the color and composition but also in the complexity of the picture. My favorite places to find original paintings are antique malls and thrift stores. They usually have a lot of pictures.

My only personal criteria when it comes to art shopping is to fall in love at first sight! If it will be hanging in your house, then you must love it! eBay, EBTH, Etsy, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace are other great resources for finding paintings.

I also love putting original paintings in my kids’ rooms, that way they can appreciate them too!

Once when my husband and I were looking for a home, we saw a house online and he wanted to see it, but I wasn’t interested in it. When I looked at the list a little more closely, I noticed it had great paintings and art on the list.

We reviewed the house with our Realtor, but my secret reason is just to see the art! The owner, a sweet man, and his wife (both 90 years old), lived in the house and collected art throughout their lives together. Their stories are amazing and their collection is beautiful.

Well… we bought a house and some of their art! I was a bit nervous when I asked about buying the artwork (I didn’t want to offend them), but was delighted when the Realtor said the couple was glad we were interested and it really worked. help them reduce size.

I went to their house and they took me from room to room telling me about each item and how they got it. It was something special when they let me into their lives and sold me some of their precious possessions.

This is my favorite painting hanging in our bedroom. I have other paintings scattered throughout our house, and I can’t help but smile when I see their pictures and think of that sweet couple.

Collect individual items to form an art collection

My uncle is a great interior designer. He lives a few hours away, but every time I go to his house, it’s like walking into an art museum.

Paintings cover all of his walls and are stacked and he has the best collection of items and jewelry he has collected over the years. Every side table and coffee table in his home is decorated with something collectible and special to him.

He always has a story behind every piece, and I love to hear it when he tells me about them. He loves paperweights and has a great collection of beautiful glass spheres.

When I was a kid, I was mesmerized by the complexity and beauty of his paperweights. Just last year, I started collecting paperweights (thanks to him).

They are small crystal balls with intricate designs inside. There are quite intricate details to do and the process is truly amazing!

Here’s a little bit video about how a certain type is made and this is a paperweight artist whose work I cannot understand! He is unbelievable! The level of creativity and time spent creating these little pieces of glass is nothing short of amazing.

If you research the history and different manufacturers of paperweights, you will quickly discover that they can be very expensive.

I don’t have expensive or rare ones, but maybe one day I’ll stumble across one at a thrift store or antique store. I always keep an eye on them! Currently, I like to grow my collection by doing research eBay and Etsy.

Another collection I have is this white ceramic set. I like to keep this crockery box filled with simple yet beautiful pieces. I decided that all white pottery was the way to go.

Making collections like this is fun for me because it keeps my eyes open and I’m always looking for ways to add a piece to a collection. All pieces (except one) are for charity or garage sale.

It’s fun to hunt for artwork for your home. I hope you enjoyed reading about my personal favorite tips and have fun on the art hunt! – Janae

PS Please check my post Tips for creating unique artistic frames for more ideas.



Source link

news7g

News7g: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button