Monday 25 March 2013

Poor person's art wall

Not that we are really that poor but there never seems to be enough in the coffers to buy the good stuff that you see in the galleries...

So the compromise for us in the meantime, until we are all grown up and sophisticated, is op-shop art. Yeah, I know. Sacrilege. But at least it makes a more interesting wall display than our white VJs.

You would be surprised at what you can find if you take more than a cursory glance at a pile of frames in a neglected corner of a charity shop. I only really buy what I love which is a really good rule of thumb if you are buying anything for your home.

two girls by Bernhard Rust

A few weeks ago, I found a lovely framed 1970s art print called "Two Girls" by Bernhard Rust which we have now hung in the dining room. I also discovered a quite competent acrylic painting of the Upper Coomera River by an unknown artist languishing with framed jigsaw puzzles in another op-shop...it needed to come home with me.

Vintage acrylic of the Upper Coomera

Our dining room wall has been crying out for something  for a long time. It makes for more interesting conversation when we are all seated at the dinner table.

For example...
Jason: 'WhereTF did you get those things from?'

'art' wall in the dining room 

Tell me what you have hanging on your walls. And where do you like buying your 'art'?

20 comments:

  1. I really love that print. I love the theme and colour.

    I'm hanging our dentist on the wall because I've paid her as much as a Jeffrey Smart pencil sketch would normally cost.

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    1. MMMC that comment made me lol. Our car dealer should go up on that wall. He's the reason we can't get the gallery stuff! xx

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  2. Two girls is gorgeous! Great find. I have an op shop find waiting to find a home still but it's the only decent thing i've found. Other than that, it's framed band posters from Dan's early days and more recently, a proper grown up painting that was a 30th gift from my art-loving mother. How sophisticated I feel.

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    1. Edwina, band posters are cool. And yes, it's nice to get an original piece. xx

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  3. Ha, love Jason's comment :) I have only bought one piece of art from a fancy gallery and I somehow wonder if that will ever happen again. Having artist friends does help with wall decoration. Your print looks fabm in fact perfect for your style.
    ps thank you - I see my little advert! x

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    1. You bought that lovely painting a few years back. Love that. xx

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  4. I love two girls very much.
    I have been umming and ahing over a piece of 70's gold string art on black velvet. I like it, not sure if it's love though, and the last thing I need is another op-shopped artwork that ends up shoved in the shed! Someone else will probably buy it while I'm making my mind up!

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    1. Kylie, you should get it. String art is going to be the next big decor item. My prediction. xx

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  5. oh im inspired to do a post on this now....our walls hold nothing but oppy art...the good the not so good and the fu#@ing fantastic....I love the two girls pic...it would have come home with me too x

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  6. When I grow up and become sophisticated I hope to have oppy art like you! ...we have prints from the London Transport Museum, on our walls. I collected them years ago. xx

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  7. I hang odd things on the all like beaded Indian bags, prayer beads and things like Mexican crosses etc (I'm not really religious but like them for the artistry). In our Florida house, I am able to have much better art because Florida is teaming with great art at second hand shops. Maybe because there are lots of estate sales and bankruptsy sales, there is great stuff to be found.....and for your era that you like, you could fill a container.

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    1. I just love your aesthetic Chania. And you make me want to move to Florida!! xx

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  8. My daughter and I were just having this conversation a couple of days ago. She and I both paint, so we have some of our own work hung. She is also an accomplished photographer, so we have her photos on our walls too, as well as some prints from her Fabpats line. That is where our paths diverge, though. She would rather save for original art, while I buy art prints (Miro, Mark Rothko, Sol Lewitt and some Brian Andreas) and have it custom framed and matted.

    I LOVE your Two Girls print. It's gorgeous.

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    1. Dana, I didn't know you painted!! Must show us some of your works. xx

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  9. Love the second!
    www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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  10. The "two Girls" print looks perfect in your dining room,love the colours. We do poor man's art here too, though not as cool as you do it, haha.

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  11. Love the Two Girls! Gorgeous colours. My op shop finds have only been good for frames and glass. I use them for our photos or pieces of fabric. Could really see some funky fabrics on your walls. Or maybe your ever handy Jason could whip up some off cut frames to cover?

    Hope your back is on the mend.

    Merridy

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    1. Thanks Merridy! Loved framed textiles too. xx

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