Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved collecting. Collecting is fun. For me, it is a wonderful reminder of life’s positive experiences. I also love collecting because it is an opportunity to learn new things, which is always one of my favorite things to do!
Another Silver Lining of collecting is that it’s personal. Anyone can collect whatever they feel like collecting and buy whatever they feel like buying, wherever and whenever they feel like buying it, for whatever reason they decide to buy it, and for however much (or little!) money they feel like spending on it.
The HOTY and I love to collect art. Our home style tends to be traditional (cue the tufting, pleats and florals!) balanced by contemporary art. Now, that’s not to say expensive art. Why is it that art is often synonymous with expensive? Hmmm….that doesn’t make any sense to me! Art is in the eye of the beholder. Truly. It is.
I believe that anyone can buy and collect art intelligently. That’s right; I said anyone. No previous knowledge of the art business, experience collecting art, or degrees in art history are necessary. All you need is a love and appreciation of art, a desire to collect, and a willingness to familiarize yourself with a few simple techniques that will allow you to evaluate any work of art dating from any time period by any artist of any nationality.
The HOTY and I like to cluster our art, i.e., tightly group an uneven number of pictures together to give a statement or a focal point. This works on either large or small wall spaces, depending on the look you want. Below are some examples from around the web.
Kate Spade
Megan Winters
Atlanta Home Magazine
JK Hotel via Lonny Magazine
Suzanne Rheinstein
How about you? Do you collect? If so, what do you like to collect?
* Images not identified are from tumblr. If you know the source to whom I can give credit, please let me know!
my husband and I are stewards of a HUGE collection of Legos for our three little boys. i'm pretty sure we have every star wars lego set known to mankindand i'm surprised we have any money left to collect paintings by this beautiful artist: http://irenesainzmayo.com/gallery.html
one day when i'm long gone i hope our boys look at the paintings we've chosen for them and remember their mama and where she came from.
So fabulous, Nancy! I agree about the added benefit of passing our collections on to our children. Thanks so much for sharing.
I collect prints, original pieces and books by Martha Young-McQuilkin, the creator of the Whimbles (whimbledesigns.com). One wall in my bedroom is filled with her limited edition prints and I am lucky enough to have two original prints by her. Her art always makes me smile and feel happy, as does this blog!
Thanks for sharing, E.B.! Your prints sound absolutely beautiful! Thank you for your kind words. They mean so much to me!
Thanks for talking about collecting Hollye. I have been an avid collector my whole life and even made it into a part time business while raising my family. I find that collections are a way of surrounding yourself with warmth….like a cozy blanket. It's also wonderful think where the item has been and whose life it touched before mine, of course I'm speaking of vintage items. So even though I have had to part with some treasured collected items because of space constraints or emotional ties, I will never part with many of them! Sending a soft hug!….N
Absolutely, Nan! I completely agree about collections…absolutely wonderful. All my best to you – always!
love these photos! they are great. my favorite is the one from kate spade! i just pinned it 🙂
ps: found this gem through our readership class last night! so fun!
xxo em
Thanks, Em! Welcome to The Silver Pen!