Decorate With Regional Abstract Artists

By Kenneth Smith


Modern art is often 'abstract', in that it is not a realistic depiction of a visible object. This differs from a still life study of fruit or flowers, for instance, or a landscape with clouds, mountains, animals, and people. Abstract artists may be able to draw extremely well but may choose to paint an impression or emotion rather than actual things.

The modern artist might create a swirl of brilliant oranges and reds, for instance, and one viewer might think of lying on hot, hot sand at noon. Another might think of the energy of the sun that makes life possible and illuminates every color of the spectrum. The artist might have had a theme in mind, but the point is always to stir the viewer.

Local artists create art in all styles, colors, shapes, and sizes. This makes decorating easy. Your hall can hold a dramatic sculpture or a silk screen that evokes city streets or coastal cliffs. The wall behind the couch or over the fireplace is a perfect spot for a large oil painting that makes a defining statement. Wall hangings can bring texture as well as color. No room is complete without something that attracts the eye; you can use different examples of creative genius.

If you have a major work that you value highly, you can hang it and actually create the room around it. You will want to choose lighting that focuses attention on the picture without distracting from the comfort and functionality of the room. You will need to use colors that reflect the dominant ones in the picture or make a pleasing contrast, depending on how dramatic an effect you are aiming for.

Abstract is often taken to mean indecipherable, but it really means 'not like a photograph'. The artist may be trying to suggest something and do it so skillfully that his vision becomes yours. Sometimes it's more that the artist is aiming for an impact, and the viewer is left to find an interpretation. The vision can be vast - like an expression of creation or of an emotion common to all - or minute, like a study of one detail of a familiar object that few have ever focused on in this particular way. This kind of art can fit any period and any decor, although many feel it is only for modern settings.

Pictures are almost indispensable in furnishing a home, but you have a wide choice of pictorial art. A print of a famous painting can be effective, as can the work of a local artist you especially enjoy. Pen and ink drawings can be striking, while an oil painting usually makes a real statement. Watercolors, pastels, and photographs are other ways to decorate the walls.

Artists of the Los Angeles, CA area seem to come in every degree of talent and imagination. A piece of driftwood or a fanciful mobile created from beach glass might be the perfect finishing touch for your home. Your own taste should guide you to find something that expresses you as well as the talented person who created the object.

There are many ways to use art in your decorating scheme. Whether it's a painting, a fabric creation to hang on a wall, a hand-made rug, a statue, or a photograph, art can bring life and character to your personal spaces.




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