Joy - Blog

Art Much?

Well, I've always wanted to be an art collector but the cost and my lack of knowledge in the world of fine art have always been prohibitors. This year I finally decided I wasn't getting any younger and gosh-darnit-I'm-going-to-start-a-collection.

So! I did my research, spoke with a few friends who are much more sophisticated than me and made a few discoveries. I started by buying a few things I liked off Etsy. Maybe not gallery-worthy art (or maybe it is, what do I know?), but nevertheless the work fit my style and compliments my home. First I found a few lovely and haunting photographs by Anna Lazaro.

Next,I bought a few prints from Kristin Kemper, a disney-esque artist.

Then, I was given the gift of an original sketch by renown artist N.C. Winters who paints, sketches and designs comic strips.

This is the original sketch, which makes it much more exciting to own... and it inspired me to really splurge on a piece I'd been lusting after for a while, but didn't have the balls to buy until now.

John Brosio, one of the premiere Fine Artists in the nation, has been reviewed by the Washington Post, National Academy of Sciences, American Art Collector and ArtScene among many others. He is renown for his "tornado" paintings, but has also branched out into some pretty cool pop art, all of which maintains a Norman Rockwellian undertone and a tongue-in-cheek sensibility. If you are familiar with fine art even remotely, you may recognize this one...

Now, I'm so excited to show off my first fine art purchase from a critically acclaimed artist, John Brosio. I'll post more pictures once I get it framed, but in the meantime, feel free to drool and be jealous of my original pastel sketch...

This is all to say that if you are interested in art but don't know where to start (insert Scarlet Pimpernel reference here), I recommend picking up an American Art Collector magazine at the bookstore, talk to your friends who have better taste than you, and fish around! See what you find! It's important to mention, however, that, just because a magazine or gallery says something is "art" doesn't mean you should like it. Find pieces that speak to you, artists that inspire you, things that have a story behind them that you will want to tell people.

My friend Beth is fantastic at this. She has some amazing art in her home. Some of it is very expensive, some wouldn't be worth a dime, but any piece you ask her about has a story that is somehow significant to her.

Don't be afraid to experiment! It's never too late to start!

Xo BJG