​Ever wonder how to go about choosing a painting for your home, office or cottage?  Are you afraid to make a mistake, thinking perhaps that you might later have second thoughts or regrets about a painting you purchased?  Here are some tips that might help you feel confident about buying an original artwork: 

​1. The most important thing consideration is DO YOU LOVE IT! Don’t just purchase something because it matches your décor. Tastes change, trends come and go and décor gets updated.  So you want to find a piece that catches you by surprise and you think WOW! I LOVE that!! You see a piece in person and it gives you a real visceral response. Pay attention to that feeling.
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2. The second thing to consider is where you are planning to hang it and the mood you are trying to create for that space.  You may not want a very loud and energizing artwork in a bedroom for example if you are aiming to have a quiet and calm space to relax in when you are settling in for the night. Colour choice is one important factor in mood setting. Look for bright colours and high contrast if you want to energize a space or add some oomph to a room. Softer colours and less contrast are more soothing.

3. The third consideration is your personal aesthetic or style. Do your tastes run to the more traditional or do you prefer a contemporary look?  (realistic vs. abstract or semi abstract art)  Is your décor eclectic or minimalist? (Think gallery wall of smaller pieces vs. one larger statement painting). Is texture your thing or is smooth and streamlined more your jam? (Thick impasto or visible paint strokes vs. thinly applied paint layers). 

4. Another consideration is budget. Imagine if you just found the perfect painting and it is out of your financial reach. Many artists will be open to setting up a payment plan so don’t be afraid to ask about that. Artists love to see their work go home with someone who LOVES it! Another possibility is that the artist offers prints of that painting. Some artists even offer embellished prints of their work. These are prints on canvas that the artist then goes in and adds some paint strokes to, giving it some texture.  Having said that, my advice is to hold out for an original. There is a lot of pride in owning an original piece of art so set money aside and save up for it.
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5. The last consideration I will add that might be important to you is your relationship with the artist. Is there an artist whose style you love, that you have perhaps followed for some time thinking “one day…”? Oftentimes people will buy from an artist simply because in addition to admiring their work, they feel a connection with the artist. Maybe their values align; maybe they have watched the artist grow in their art journey. My advice is to sign up for that artist’s email, or newsletter.  This is the best way to keep up with their latest work, shows and exhibitions and maybe even the occasional discounted offering. If they are local, attend their show openings and visit their exhibitions. Seeing the work in person is way better than viewing it online. You might just unexpectedly find what you didn’t know you were looking for! Many artists will allow you to try an artwork in your home before purchasing. Be sure to talk to the artist if you are still unsure!

I hope you found this helpful. Drop a comment below to let me know what you think about when considering an art purchase.

Artfully yours,

     Deb

I was asked to speak at a luncheon where I suspected that most of the attendees might not be "into" abstract art and a quick show of hands confirmed that. A second show of hands determined  that many of the attendees were gardeners. There are many different styles of abstract, some of which appeal to me and while others don't. I once heard someone say that in the end all paintings are abstract, just a series of dabs of paint. Folks that "don't get" abstract work usually mean that they don't understand art that doesn't contain things they recognize. This type of art might be labelled as non-objective or non-figurative and is most likely trying to evoke a feeling in the viewer.
Using the analogy of a flower garden I tried to explain my style of abstract paintings.
Gardeners who like to have beautiful gardens spend a bit of time planning their gardens. Gardeners have various preferences when it comes to the looks of their gardens. There are those who like a very manicured look with perhaps nicely trimmed up boxwoods. And then there is the  kind of wild look where a package of mixed seeds have been scattered willy nilly. There are those that have a preference for certain colours or colour combinations. Flowers are chosen because of their unique qualities of height, size, shape. There is probably a variety of greens in the foliage to keep it interesting. Placement is important, tall at the back, short at the front, positioned so that each one can shine and be in harmony with what's around it. Sometimes you don't get it right the first time and you make a note to adjust it the next time. In the end the goal is to create a pleasing composition, full of colour, texture, movement, contrast. The viewer should want to see the whole garden, not just get stuck in one area. No one looks at a garden and says "I don't get it". They look and appreciate all the beauty that exists in the elements of the garden itself, the colours, the shapes, the contrasts, the textures. The garden makes you feel good just by looking at it. It lifts you up.
And so it is with my abstract paintings. In the paintings below which were inspired by the change of season, I want you to look at them, notice the various elements: colour, line, shape etc. and feel the wind blowing the leaves around. It is a blustery day (thank you Winnie the Pooh), the maple leaves are swirling around, the grape vine is bare, the temperature is cooling down, perhaps you can hear the leaf blower in the background? Colours were carefully chosen, contrasts were created in just the right spots, lines were added to drawn your eye around the painting, there is a variety of visual texture adding to the "atmosphere" of the piece. Now, how fun is that?!

Leave a comment below if this was helpful or if you have any questions.  

My first blog post so I thought I would start with introducing myself. I am Deb, a Canadian abstract painter in southern Ontario residing in beautiful Dufferin County which forms part of the Headwaters Region. I am surrounded by pastoral farm land, down the road from the rocky formations of the Niagara Escarpment, steps away from the iconic Bruce Trail i.e. inspiration abounds here! I have an IT background (all those de-bugging skills come in handy!) but began painting in 2015 and have not stopped. The process of painting is just so delicious to me that I am addicted. It fills me with so much joy and personal satisfaction that I cannot imagine not doing it now. I paint first of all for myself, for the sheer pleasure of putting paint on canvas (or paper or wood), layering it up, scraping in, mixing new colours, trying things out. Every painting session is a new adventure. Selling my work is simply a bonus. If you as the viewer like it and are willing to fork out a bit of your hard earned money, then that is just the icing on the cake.
I have enjoyed painting florals and landscapes but abstract art is my first love and since the Fall of 2022 I have focused on that. Perhaps you are someone who "doesn't get" abstract art meaning you like to see something recognizable in paintings in order to understand them. There are many different styles of abstract art and in my next blog I hope to shed a little light on a different way of looking at my paintings. You might be surprised!