Art is a Treasure Found

The Guild Shop is an art market—not only for paintings and sculpture—but also for jewelry, fashion and home decor.  Art of all sorts is brought weekly to the Guild Shop.  All are expressions of taste, décor, stories, original thoughts and just art.  Henri Matisse once said that “creativity takes courage.”  It sure does and with an art selection as large as what we see every day at the Guild Shop, there is a lot to choose from.

A few weeks ago, I went around the Guild Shop with my camera and snapped the above photos to create this collage.  What an amazing mix of art!  Each of these pieces is a different size, expression and story.  Often when my kids are on holiday, we do a writing exercise in which I create a prompt, and they continue with a story.  I print out a picture and write the first sentence.  What would you write about each of these art pieces?

1). The General, who had just made a difficult decision, was confident and at peace with his choice as he entered the room …

2). They had just gotten off the boat after a long journey, waiting to see her husband who had sailed months earlier to establish their new home in their new land …

3). The prayer had a big impact on her thoughts and may have changed the guidance she gave to her daughter, who was about to embark on a journey …

4). This secret caused a great scandal in the House of Avion, but Josephine was ready to reach out for help so the best alliance could be made 

5). Georgina, in her orange sweater, sat at the base of the steps, waiting for her big brother to come back from his sailing trip …

6). Sam questioned why he was at the party, trying to strike a deal that truly made no sense, when in fact he was only there to make sure his love knew that he made the right choice …

7). In 1884, John decided to head west, leaving his heart behind, but his options open to find great fortune.  He didn’t realize what was actually waiting for him …

8). Rose lifted her head and lost herself in her performance, not realizing that the music had stopped, and the judges all risen from their seats and telling her she received the lead role for the new ballet …

What does the Art in your home say?

We each have a vision of our home space and how we want to fill it.  Interior decorators have a gift in bringing color, pieces, furniture and an ambiance together that sometimes we may not be able to do.  I am in awe of these decorators, including my mom, as they truly can work magic.  I also love the idea that if you find pieces you love, somehow they all work together. Often, we will have decorators come to the Guild Shop to find a unique piece that anchors the room for their clients.  Our talented volunteers at the Guild Shop use their expertise and experience to research and price each item.

Some of us prefer a theme in our decorating, whether it is sleek contemporary, European antiques, Oriental, Boho or a mix of everything.  A piece of art can become the cornerstone of your room; it becomes the story and the conversation piece that creates the mood.  If you love the piece, buy it and then make the room for it.  If you love the piece, do the research and see if the artist speaks to you.  If you love the piece, imagine how it can change your mood within your own space. 

My French teacher in college was one of those lucky people that you read about in that she and her husband were scouring the antique markets of Paris in the early ‘70s and came across a series of paintings they fell in love with.  I don’t think it was all luck, as her husband was a professor of art, so when they came upon this collection, under a pile of dust and other junk, he knew right away that it was something special.  And indeed, finding a series by this particular artist was a true treasure of both historical and monetary significance. 

The Art of Value

Art has value to each of us in different ways.  Some art is meant to start a conversation.  My new favorite place to visit is the third floor of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s new Kinder building.  Every piece has a story that makes you think about current events and effect they are having on our surroundings and in the world.   Visit the museum and visit us.

May you find your treasure,

Karina