I first learned about the photography magazine Fractionlast year, when a local photographer alerted me she was participating in the Fraction Holiday Print Sale. I purchased two prints that I just recently had framed at StyleCarrot partner Framebridge (I love this framing service for simple black, white, and pale wood frames; it’s so quick and simple).
This year’s Fraction Holiday Print Sale features over 125 affordable photographs ranging in price from $30 to $600. I would say most cost $100. Each print ships directly from the artist, within five days of purchase, and he or she gets paid within 48 hours. It’s a great way to support the arts, give a gift, or add another visual layer to your own home.
The SMFA at Tufts Art Sale is this Thu., Nov. 16 to Sun., Nov. 19; to School of the Museum of Fine Arts, 230 Fenway in Boston, on the side street right next to the MFA and its parking lot.
The SMFA Art Sale is my favorite art event of the year. There are nearly 4,000 works from established, emerging, and student artists, from top names including Jim Dine and James Turrell to student and faculty pieces. Prices vary too, with much of it reasonably affordable. There are the occasional pieces for tens of thousands of dollars, many in the thousand or several thousand range, and tons under $1,000 and some even under $100. (Once I found a piece for $8!)
Much of the artwork in our home is from the SMFA Art Sale. (I currently spot seven in my living room.) We have photographs, paintings, and mixed media works we have purchased at the Sale throughout the years, and I still think about a couple of video art pieces I wish we had snapped up.
I hope you check it out, it is well worth it. New artworks are constantly displayed as pieces are sold, and there are tons of shrinkwrapped pieces in bins that are fun to browse. I stopped by the SFMA yesterday morning to get a jump start, and I’ll head back there tomorrow for Medici Night. (To become a Medici supporter click here.)
If you’d like help choosing art for your home or office, let me know. I’ll be scouting the sale for clients and interior designers as well as myself. Here are 20 works that caught my eye so far.
“After the Shower” from Chairish • Photo by Hannah Bates from SMFA Sale My two newest pieces of art coincidentally share a color palette.
If you’re interested in putting together a gallery wall, place a well-executed still life or abstract in a blank space, or are looking for a single quirky but well executed vintage portrait, Chairish (a StyleCarrot affiliate) is a great option. It’s my first online stop for vintage paintings.
I’m always looking for new sources for affordable artwork. I’ve come to love Chairish, a site on which users can buy and sell vintage furniture and decor. It’s a sort of cross between eBay and 1st Dibs. Chairish is manageably sized and dedicated to good design, with a mix of individuals, dealers, designers, and artists.
In terms of art, Chairish is especially great for vintage paintings. My newest acquisition, purchased from Chairish, just arrived and I love it (and so does my husband). I paid under $100 for it including shipping. It needs a new matte and it’s not framed, but still, a great deal.
Here are 20 vintage painting paintings, all under $500 currently available on Chairish. I’m very tempted by one or two of them. Lower offers are accepted so you may not have to pay the already low list price. And returns can be made within 7 days if your pick isn’t pleasing in person.
Last weekend I held a pop-up art gallery event on the Cape. My husband hung 96 works of art on our very bare white walls. It was so much work, but it looked fantastic, and ultimately everyone had fun. We even sold some pieces.
We hung oil paintings, acrylic on board, ink and pastels on rice paper, collage, acrylic on canvas, encaustic, and others. Styles included graphic abstracts, abstracted landscapes, portraits, marine-inspired abstracts, and more. We also had a lot of photography, which I will post next Monday.
Here is a sampling of work we displayed from 18 different artists. You can check out some installation photos on my StyleCarrot and StyleCarrotCurates Instagram accounts, as well as some artist’s feeds; we used #artandcocktailstruro. If you’re interested in learning more about or purchasing any of these pieces, email me at stylecarrot@gmail.com
Kristi Kohut, Chromatic Harmony #12 Acrylic, ink and pastels on Mulberry rice paper, 11.5×16.5 inches, $840
Jenny Prinn, Sun on the Shore Acrylic on canvas, 24×24 inches, $1,100
Carolyn T. Burns, Can We Get a Puppy? Acrylic on canvas on panel, 10×8 inches, $400
Kishore Kumar, Exuberance 1
Acrylic on canvas, 12×12 inches, $250
Lee Essex Doyle, Prada I Palazzo Papadopoli Turquoise, Venice
Mixed media, 12×12 inches, $2,000
Amanda Hawkins, Untitled 2015
Acrylic on canvas, 14×14 inches, $375
Maureen Holub, Taffy Acrylic and mixed media, 24×18 inches, $850
When Wayfair asked me to create a post touting spring style, the sun was streaming through the bay windows in the living room, and I had just received the new May issue of HGTV Magazine which happens to feature our Boston condo. My favorite photograph is the one of our living room. It looks so bright, cheerful, and well, spring-like. So yes, this post is about my spring inspired living room.
Our walls have always been a spring-y shade of green. We first used this color in our dining room in Chevy Chase, and the first thing we did when we moved to Boston was paint our living room a similar shade. We’ve been here 13 years and I haven’t tired of it. And given that my office is in here, I spend a lot of time in it. That it is spring inspired space is important to me. It lifts my mood, especially during the long, gray Boston winters.
Photo by Annie Schlechter | Styling by Elizabeth Demos
The plush, sculptural rug by Angela Adams grounds the space (we are blessed with high ceilings) and renders a lush, garden feel. The sofa is ivory, as is the woodwork; the pillows, books, accessories, and artwork add the color. Yes, I realize the palette is somewhat limited. Flowers and planters add an occasional jolt. I don’t really subscribe to the idea that the room needs a spot of a complementary red. It’s more of a busy monochromatic effect.
Rather than start from scratch creating a spring inspired space for this post, I decided to be (I hope not too obnoxiously) self-referential and create a scheme that echoes the look and feel of my living room. And now that I have a professionally styled and photographed image, life is grand.
Finding similar pieces on Wayfair to create this spring inspired space was simple, given its array of decor and styles. My son confirms that I did a really good job, especially with the rug. Here is my scheme that recreates our spring inspired living room using items sourced on Wayfair. (Links below or in Spring Inspired Style Idea Book on Wayfair.)
