I confess…I’m an art snob.
Oh, not about where good art is to be found. I love big museums and small galleries equally as sources of original art. But a serious search is time consuming, and the purchase can be quite pricey.
I was looking at the result from the magazine shoot of my home. Honestly, I already knew the walls needed more art. Seeing the pictures again lit the fire to get it done and hung! So take the journey with me from the before to the after.
I believe this looked nice enough. There is just no ‘wow’ factor. Fortunately I had seen some very unique items at West Elm. The decision was made: obtain some of this hand crafted Paper-Mache wall art. Check it out:
“Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Founded by an entrepreneurial husband-and-wife team in 1990, this papier-mâché workshop is dedicated to creating sustainable jobs in Haiti through innovative design. Their papier-mâché pieces are handcrafted almost entirely from locally-sourced, recycled materials such as cement bags with the glue made from yucca paste.”
They were not very expensive and even better required no framing. On top of this we can feel good about supporting the artist(s) too. So, feast your eyes on the finished product:
It doesn’t get much better than this!
Of course you will need help hanging those pictures. Kevin hung these pictures on the stairs in a flash! (He is very patient too). So if you’re in the Charlotte region, give him a call. His list of services include: minor home repairs, painting, clean-up, hauling, furniture assembly (Yay!), shelving, landscaping and honey do lists. Here's his contact information:
2-A-T
Kevin Mace
704-251-9078
ifixit2at@gmail.com
The next step was moving on to the master bedroom. I already was pleased with what was hanging on these walls; some metal art and West Elm mirrors (and they are gorgeous). What I knew was needed were “pictures” and I honestly could never decide on anything.
That’s when I discovered Minted.
I knew they did stationary and invitations, but never realized they are promoting new artists for wall art and even throw pillows and fabrics. Their framing service also is the BEST. Why, you can even have a print signed by the artist.
I do love looking at our nighttime sky, and did some searching out of this topic. I found ‘Intergalactic 1 & 3’ and fell in love, contacting Laura Rodil for a commissioned piece. She was a delight to work with! Here are the results:
Before
After
So this first arts journey, from the Caribbean islands to the sea of stars, has brought a new look to my walls. Go out exploring and see what beautiful things you can find; add them to your walls and you will never regret it.