Owning an Original Work of Art

How many times have you seen an article about or a mass produced print from artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, Picasso, Monet or any other historically significant artist? Probably too many times to count. You don’t have to have taken an art history class to know who painted that $25.00 poster of “Starry Night” that you’ve had hanging up since college. While undoubtedly there are many timeless, famous works of art available in a variety of affordable print options, it may be time to consider owning an original work of art. So it won’t be the original work of Michelangelo, leave that to the museums, hooray an excuse to visit Europe.

What about breaking away from the same old over exposed art and exploring some of the amazing emerging talent of the here and now? There are thousands of artists graduating from art schools every year so take your pick. The original paintings, sculptures and photography of emerging artists are everywhere and some of the best deals for original art can be found in coffee shops, student galleries, bars and boutiques.

Don’t be afraid to break away from the framed poster/print scene and get your hands on something original. You’re likely to find a bargain on someone’s underpriced work. Even if the artist’s price doesn’t exactly suit your budget consider not just the price, but what value it may be to you to own something you can truly appreciate. If you find an original that you like check out who the artist is and follow their progress, encourage and support fresh perspectives in art. You might just become an art collector and who knows, you may even have the next big artist’s work in your collection someday. 

Cal Lane transforms Industrial Objects into Art

For anyone who is interested in the use of industrial objects in art, here's something you will appreciate. I recently ran across metal artist Cal Lane who uses plasma cutting and oxy acetylene techniques to transform industrial objects into art. She has used objects like the shovels seen here as well as oil barrels and car parts to create a lace like pattern often depicting different themes and metaphors. To see more of her work visit http://www.callane.com/.

Metal Sculptor's Tribute to Starwars

Just read an article about French Artist Bellino Alain. Bellino welded various scrap metal pieces together to make this really cool Darth Vader bust. I'm not a big fan of Star Wars but I can certainly appreciate Bellino's intriguing and detailed take on the Darth Vader helmet. Bellino makes his sculptures from a variety of materials including spoons, door knockers, and chandelier parts. His website details the process he went through to create the Darth Vader bust. This is a link to his online portfolio to see more of his creative and inspiring work http://www.behance.net/sculpteur.