From Our Editor: 100 Works To Start An Art Collection
An eclectic art wall in the kitchen of my Ann Arbor home. Photo by Marta X. Perez.
Written by Michelle Adams
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The two design questions I seem to get asked most often are: "What paint color do you use?" and "Where do you buy your art?" The first answer is simple: All White. The second answer is a bit more complicated, so I decided to create a feature dedicated to starting a collection. In an effort to introduce you to some new artists, shops, and galleries that offer great art at reasonable price points, I’ve curated 100 pieces that I love—mostly prints this time around. If you mouse over a piece that catches your eye, you'll notice the purchase info and pricing appears at the bottom with prices starting at just $10.
In addition to these sources, be sure to check out the online gift shops of your favorite museums as they typically offer prints and some cool exhibition posters. Buying art when traveling is also a great way to build a collection of pieces that have meaning to you. Remember that there are no real "rules" for buying art, so just buy whatever makes you happy.
Lastly, when assembling a gallery wall consider mixing different mediums. If you’ve ever studied one of the epic gallery walls found in J. Crew stores around the world, you’ll notice a fairly simple formula: exhibition posters are paired with photography, oil paintings, line drawings and portraits. Toss in a colorful collage and some text and voilà, the perfect gallery wall! “Text” can be anything from a neon painting of your favorite number to the iconic handwriting found in Cy Twombly’s works. The beauty of using this formula is that it offers an eclectic combination of styles and mediums, ensuring that your collection contains clever juxtapositions. This of course creates the stylistic “tension” that adds life to a room. The same concept applies to decorating when, for instance, an antique dresser is paired with a modern lamp.
Now that you’ve got a basic framework from which to hunt for pieces, I’ll share a few of my very favorites.
Timeless gallery walls livened up the short-lived J. Crew store in the historic Marais district of Paris.
Yvon Lambert
Artfully Walls
Mourlot Editions
Sonic Editions
Tappan
Clic
The Poster Club
Contemporary Art In Vintage Frames
Add A Couple Of These To The Mix
A Few More Of My Favorites From Around The Web…
