Art in your home

[Velvetshady]

We've got a huge mishmash.

In the living room, we've got a couple of jazz-based prints done my an old co-worker of mine (a some what known local artist) and a few framed movie posters (ones from the actual theaters). We plan to replace the movie posters with a large hanging frame thingie with pictures from our trip to Australia--but we're lazy so it hasn't happened yet.

In the dining room, we have a couple copies my dad painted of Japanese woodblock pieces my parents have that I"ll eventually inherit. And a few framed b/w photos that a photographer did for one of my dad's books.

In the library, we have a couple paintings a friend did for DH in college, a large print of a Jackson Pollack ink blot painting, and a huge--and I mean huge, the artist used two door frames for the frame--mixed media piece that is a painting from a scene of Aliens with another scene inset in it. DH saw it displayed in a restaurant many years ago, loved it, and eventually bought it when they went out of business. We also have family pictures on book shelves, but none on the walls.

Our front hall has a framed cross stitch I did and several old photos from DH's family (not family portraits, more like living room with great-great grandmother at piano, great-grand-whatever in front of his car, etc.) For x-mas, my parents gave us a framed picture of the car my great, great, grand (nth)-uncle designed and sold to Henry Ford and the two factory buildings they built it in.

The upstairs hallway has a couple signed, independent music festival posters (NoisePop 2000 is the one I remember)--DH was a DJ at one point and picked them up on eBay.

DH's office has signed Clive Barker paintings, a couple signed Obey Giant prints, and a slew of framed car ads. All bought during his eBay addition days.

So far, I've only got an embroidery piece my mom did for my nursery in my office. I have a bunch of other stitched pieces to hang that either my grandmothers did or I did.

In our bedroom we have architectural drawings of Fallingwater, buildings in San Fransisco, and of large bridges.

The guest bedroom has a portrait of my dad that my cousin (a real working artist) did in pencil.

[ESF]

We have a few pieces - a couple gifts, and items we've purchased because we liked them. There really is great stuff on etsy, but I need to see art in person, so I probably wouldn't buy a piece of art that I wanted to be the center of attention in a room online. One of the pieces we have we saw on display/for sale in a winery and really liked it, another came from a little artists' collective (Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria).

One thing to keep in mind if you are thinking of spending more than a few hundred bucks on something is that standard insurance policies don't typically cover art - or at least, there's a low cap for replacing art. And they don't usually sell riders for art either - you need special insurance, appraisals, etc. Just something to think about when spending money on something that may not survive an earthquake, let alone the odd risk of theft or wild fires.

[Deleted]

We have mostly original art (paintings & a couple etchings) on our walls. I am not a fan of photos other than 1 canvas I have of the kid's. I've paid $0-$5k each. Most bought in galleries, done ourselves or during travels (street artists or street fairs).

[Laura Palmer]

H and I go to a lot of live music events and we buy the poster if we liked the show and the poster. We have those framed and they cover the walls.

[blackcat]

We bought several prints from art.com and had them framed, I love how they turned out. Around $120-$150 each, I think.

[Deleted]

May 21, 2012 14:24:34 GMT -5 @sfgal530 said:

Miso - you may hate this idea, but since you're a foodie, I'll throw it out there... DH and I are taking the menus we get from 3-star restaurants (French Laundry, Guy Savoy, etc.) and we have each one matted and framed and then hang it in our kitchen area. It reminds us of great dining experiences we've had together AND lets guests know the type of food they will not be enjoying at our house. Just a thought.

You have me pegged well with the hate. LOL.

I do appreciate the thought, though. It is something I could execute if I change my mind. My menus are in pretty good condition in a drawer of their own right now.



Since I do take photos of practically everything, I could conceivably frame those photos. But, like I said before, I don't think they're frameworthy.

And, really, a bunch of photos of food I ate on the wall is kind of stupid. Well, marginally stupider than having a blog about what I ate. LOL.

[Deleted]

May 21, 2012 14:53:27 GMT -5 eightangryreindeer said:

Do you want art art or posters of art? Are you looking to invest with intent or are you going full on budget or somewhere in the middle and if you happen to get lucky, then hey!

??

I think I actually want art art, but it is SO EXPENSIVE.

I don't know.

At the end of the day, we all know I am a cheapass at heart.

[Deleted]

May 21, 2012 15:55:46 GMT -5 Laura Palmer said:

H and I go to a lot of live music events and we buy the poster if we liked the show and the poster. We have those framed and they cover the walls.

I am thinking of doing this.

I have a number of Weezer posters done by Jermaine Rogers.

[Deleted]

Thank you, everyone, for your detailed responses!

You've given me a lot of great information, and I appreciate it!

[ijack]

We really only have photos and they're all taken by H I think. They aren't just of people, many of them are of places we've visited (like we have a series of Buddhas from Thailand).

[octwed07]

Just don't get Thomas Kinkade stuff. Sorry to offend anyone who loves him, but yikes...

[Brie]

May 21, 2012 18:11:06 GMT -5 octwed07 said:

Just don't get Thomas Kinkade stuff. Sorry to offend anyone who loves him, but yikes...

I am LOLing at the idea of miso putting a Thomas Kincaid painting in her house.

[Deleted]

May 21, 2012 18:23:13 GMT -5 @kirkette said:

What about expanding on the stuff you already have? There were pieces (drawings or lithographs) that had a pop sort of 60s vibe. I remember really liking them.

I love the two pieces we have, but I'd like some variety throughout the house.

Believe me -- I was tempted to buy everything in the store. LOL.

[Deleted]

May 21, 2012 18:20:16 GMT -5 Brie said:

May 21, 2012 18:11:06 GMT -5 octwed07 said:

Just don't get Thomas Kinkade stuff. Sorry to offend anyone who loves him, but yikes...

I am LOLing at the idea of miso putting a Thomas Kincaid painting in her house.

Yeah, never happening. Fear not.

[Deleted]

I have 2 wedding photos on our mantle, one tiny one and an 8X10. I have a few other small personal photographs 5x7s in our bedroom on the dresser and that's it.

Most of what's on hung on the walls are prints we've picked up while traveling - the prints were all inexpensive $40 or less, but custom framing gets pricey. I spent ~ $350 framing the last two we brought back from Italy last year. An original oil painting my cousin made - it was a gift and my parents had it framed for me, and a few other prints, an Ansel Adams (another gift), some vintage, and some impressionists (we have a John Singer Sargent print in our bedroom of Luxembourg Gardens where we were engaged) - I think I bought these from art.com they were around $150-200 framed - both are quite large 24X36.

[Deleted]

May 21, 2012 18:20:16 GMT -5 Brie said:

May 21, 2012 18:11:06 GMT -5 octwed07 said:

Just don't get Thomas Kinkade stuff. Sorry to offend anyone who loves him, but yikes...

I am LOLing at the idea of miso putting a Thomas Kincaid painting in her house.

Please tell me no one seriously suggested Thomas Kincaid.

[CloudBee]

-several paintings purchased on the streets in Paris which have been framed ($300'ish each?)

-painting by a local NY artist from a gallery in Soho ($500'ish)

-commissioned painting by local artist who I met through a colleague, $1,500'ish, amazing discount, should have cost about $8-10k

-one large photograph taken on a tropical beach (Bahamas) that we blew up for sentimental reasons. It was taken behind my grandfather's old office.

-several professional black and white Paris and NY photos on walls along both staircases

-coal sketch of a church which we purchased from an artist on the streets in Belgium $100'ish

-bwahaha, my surfboard is also mounted on our vaulted ceilings and it looks awesome

[CloudBee]

Don't buy posters of art. Pick some art up the next time you're in Europe or NY!

Heh, or buy some stretched canvas, pick up some paint in colors you like, and make splatter paintings!

[theintended]

Most of the stuff we have hanging is my husband's. I like two things: a framed Batman drawing one of the illustrators sketched for him when my husband was a kid and an abstract triptych he won at a silent auction. The rest of it is mass-produced schlock he bought to decorate our old apartment while I was away as a surprise. Very nice gesture, but I'm not a big fan of the choices. I hope to add to empty walls over time with a combination of stuff I make, my daughter makes, or things we buy while traveling. But I'm comfortable with the empty walls while I wait.

ETA: There's also art in my daughter's room that my friends and I made at my shower and a collection of limited edition cartoon prints of little kids and monsters. And a couple framed photos on the mantel.

[sapphireblue]

My mother is an artist.

My mom has traded her work over the years for the work of fellow artists, so, between her splurging on art she really loves once in a while, her own art, and her art acquired in trades, she has a ton.

That means that I have a ton. Yay!

The only photos I have up are framed ones that are art photos taken by friends that are photographers. I have some personal snapshots on our refrigerator but that's it, and one on the piano.

[purposelyvague]

I probably shouldn't answer.. I have to take down pictures when I buy new pictures to fit them in.

[LauraMoser]

I make a lot of my own, although I have yet to hang a single thing on our walls since we moved in in January. I'm artistically inclined, have been all my life, so I enjoy creating my own art.

[Deleted]

We have two things hanging on our walls

1) a gift from the family I nannied last summer - the husband makes furniture and welded (?) my college's emblem in a piece of metal. it looks cool and hangs in a nook near our bar.

2) painting I bought for SO at a local craft fair last year - it is a view of his college's football stadium, also known as his favorite place on earth.


I tried buying some cheap prints and framing them for our walls, but I ended up not liking it. they are under our bed now, lol.

[WOT?*]

I saw this photographer in a gallery in Sunriver, OR and loved his stuff: www.vernbartley.com

And we have a watercolor from this artist because we love Cannon Beach www.hullgallery.com

A couple lithos of the Seattle waterfront (ferries) from an artist I will have to get up to view the signature but DH loved them.

Cheap shit and a large one over the sofa from Costco that I intend to replace.

[amity]

I worked as a fundraiser for an artist residency program for 5 years. I met so many amazing artists during my time there and was lucky to be gifted some pieces and was able to buy a few pieces at seriously discounted prices to start our collection.

My suggestion would be to seek out an artists collective or residency program in your area - chances are, they will have an annual auction or open houses where they allow their artists to auction or sell work directly to the public. I have seen some amazing work by very well known contemporary artists go for prices you wouldn't believe at events like this. But, in general, this is also a really great way to be introduced to up and coming artists and new mediums.

[statlerwaldorf]

We have some original paintings that I've bought at garage sales and from student artists.

[compassrose]

I love Mangelson's work. I have two.

[thumper55]

May 21, 2012 18:11:06 GMT -5 octwed07 said:

Just don't get Thomas Kinkade stuff. Sorry to offend anyone who loves him, but yikes...

agreed it is fug

[eightangryreindeer]

May 21, 2012 17:16:18 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

May 21, 2012 14:53:27 GMT -5 eightangryreindeer said:

Do you want art art or posters of art? Are you looking to invest with intent or are you going full on budget or somewhere in the middle and if you happen to get lucky, then hey!

??

I think I actually want art art, but it is SO EXPENSIVE.

I don't know.

At the end of the day, we all know I am a cheapass at heart.

In Philadelphia there is a thing called First Friday and on the first Friday of every month, all of the art galleries in Northern Liberties (there are a ton) open their space to the public and some have refreshements, etc. and you can usually speak to the artist(s) on exhibit if you so desire. Do you have anything like that where you live?

It's a good way to look at art without a gallery appointment (i.e. no pressure to buy) with the added bonus of meeting the artist should you so desire. A lot of the stuff even has prices right there so you don't even have to ask how much it is.

Also interesting are alternative media, like textiles, glass, ceramic, projectionary - the art on your walls doesn't have to be on canvas/paper in a frame. There is a really good exhibit in town right now called Craft Spoken Here that really pushes the line between craft and art.

Oh! And that reminds me, the PMA Craft Show pmacraftshow.org/ is PHENOMINAL and you can totally find pieces that are affordable. SoCal must have something similar?

OR that's it, you have to come here.

[laurao11]

The majority of our art is from places we have been. A painting or print is usually our main souvenir on vacations. We've also got some mirrors and personal photos, but not many.