Buying Art Like A Grownup

I’ve been trying to be more intentional with my art purchases of late.  You see, I have a bit of an addiction. If I LOVE a piece of art and it’s in my price range, I buy it. I don’t stop to consider where I might put it or whether it goes with my current aesthetic. I just buy it. Pull the trigger. Not a second thought. But now that I live in a real house - a house we intend to be in for quite some time - a house with designed interiors and legitimately nice furniture instead of whatever was cheapest at Ikea, I’m starting to realize that a house only has so many walls. And my exponential art purchasing just isn't sustainable.

So, like I said. I’ve been making attempts to be more intentional. Resisting my initial visceral reaction of: I LOVE IT. I NEED IT. I HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW. Instead, thinking: Where will I put it? Will it coordinate with the other aspects of that room? Is it the right size? Right mood? Will the boyfriend also like it? In other words, I’m being an adult. It’s hard, you guys.

I think art is so SO personal. More so than your furniture or colour scheme or choice of pillows and rugs. I struggle with definitively picking out art for clients because I think your art should speak to YOU, not the person who designed your room. And what speaks to me doesn’t necessarily speak to you. Because of this, my typical MO when sourcing art for clients is to compile one big long list of pieces that I think could work in their space and have them select what they like from the list. It works, but it’s a process for sure. I’m constantly bookmarking pieces and artists I love for future reference and client use.

Anyway, this was really just one big long introduction for today’s post. A post about the art that I DESPERATELY want to buy, but have been resisting thus far, until I can make grown-up decisions about it. Here are a few of my favourites:

The Power of 10 by Irene Suchocki
Clothed Figure Study 1 by David Lloyd
Coming Home by Sara Coursin
Calculation by Stephanie Nowotarski
Rimma by Tosya
William Saroyan Quotation by Chelsea Petaja
Some Things Take Time by Laia Blesa
Frida Kahlo by Michelle Tavares
Grey Waters by Kimberly Blok
In a Mist by Jane Rovers