BLOG Archives - Allanisart

BLOG · August 25, 2020

How To Choose A Piece Of Art For Your Home

It is sometimes difficult to know where to start when choosing an original artwork or painting for your home but I suggest going room by room in order not to feel overwhelmed. People are often put off because they think prices will be prohibitive but you don’t have to spend a fortune to furnish your walls with wonderful originals paintings.

Good news, it isn’t impossible to find original contemporary art for sale online that is affordable and beautiful. People fear making a mistake, wasting money or getting ripped off but the truth is that if you research art for sale and find an artist whos work that you love and whos art is affordable, the whole experience from buying to hanging will be so exciting.

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing original wall art or paintings for your home.

1. Think about scale

It is always interesting to walk into a room where some of the elements within it are bigger or smaller than you expect them to be as it creates drama within a room. Below is a very small original artwork that could be placed within a large room for dramatic effect. Colour from the artwork in a plain room can lift the room and colours within the painting can be used for accents around the room.

2. Eye up your space

You do not have to fill every space in a room and in fact empty space is as important as the painting or sculpture. I think of it like a play where the pauses are as telling as the words and actions.

3. Be brave

Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. If you have the right artwork it will work anywhere and you can experiment. The key is good framing, lighting and placement. Art doesn’t always have to be flat. See the image to the left for something a bit different with tin foil sweet wrappers used on shelves. This kind of installation makes an impact from far way and close up and it is great when the art in your home create a talking point.

4. Framing

Framing or re-framing a work of art can completely transform the work of art and this takes some bravery on behalf of my clients when I take their loved artworks or photographs away and transform them.

When you can use non reflective glass as this will enable you to view the works at all times of the day with none or hardly any reflection.

Think about keeping the frame simple but using a colour that is already in the painting for the frame colour. For example go dark for the frame with a colour rather than keeping the frame white.

5. Hanging a work of art

It is important not to hang a work too high on a wall. This is a very common mistake. As a rule of thumb the centre of the work should be at eye height if there is no furniture in front of the work. If there is furniture in front of the work don’t feel you have to hang it to the centre of the wall from floor to ceiling as with high walls this will mean you will not be able to view the works very easily. Since you spend a lot of time in a living room , dining room and bedroom sitting or lying down, you need to be able to view and enjoy works of art from these angles as well.

6. Create a feature wall

It is fun to have a feature wall somewhere in your home and whether it’s the same artist or a number of different artists it doesn’t really matter what matters is that you love it. Here are some feature wall examples and the great thing about a feature wall is that you can start with just one work and buy them over a period of time if budget is an issue.

7. Plan ahead

Mock up images of how the works will look before hanging them
This is a good way to see how all the art will look together in a space. It always helps to visualise things before the hammer and picture hooks come out.

8. Try mixing different mediums

Art completely changes a space and how you interact with it. Mix it up a bit and don’t stick to one medium. When filling your home with art it’s good to think about having at least one original work of art, a few limited edition prints, photography, sculpture and something totally different. For example this ceramic wall sculpture by Emma Bell below has ceramic pots set on shelves creating drama and interest. Original art can be affordable art.

BLOG · August 25, 2020

What Is Abstract Art & How To Understand It

yellow,red,blue and green painting on abstract canvas painting — Have you ever stood in front of a painting, taken by its visual power and yet absolutely bewildered by its meaning? Is it a giant snowy mountain shining brightly under the sunlight, or is it an intimidating volcano bursting through the sky? Is it even supposed to be anything? If questions like these have ever crossed your mind while viewing a work, you’re in the right place.

What is **Abstract Art?** Here, we discuss how to understand it and comprehend the artist’s intention. By appreciating the art form for the freedom it inspires in making individual visual connections, we’re attempting to navigate every step toward understanding abstraction.

**Let’s Begin…**
Understanding abstract art is fairly easy – all you need is an open mind and a wandering imagination. The first step is to prepare yourself to look beyond the things you already know or recognize.

“Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes… Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an exploration into unknown areas.”
– Arshile Gorky

Abstraction finds its roots in ‘intuition’ (of the artist) and ‘freedom’ (for the artist as well as for the viewer). It is the capability of the artist to use their imagination to look beyond what we can physically see and translate intangible emotions onto the canvas. It is also the ability of the audience to then try to connect to the artist’s intention and free their own mind of visual restrictions. Abstraction gives the artist the freedom to trust their intuition to create art that is equally worthy of an audience.

**There is No Code to Crack when it comes to contemporary modern art**

The most important thing to understand about abstract art is that it does NOT have to have a meaning, narrative, or even a singular explanation.

The main purpose of abstraction is not to tell a story, but to encourage involvement and imagination. This art form is mostly about providing its viewers with an intangible and emotional experience – more often than not, the experience is completely different for every individual depending on their personality and state of mind.

Therefore, it is really up to the viewer to decide whether the painting in front of them has any meaning or provokes any emotion. As we mentioned, abstract art is all about freedom.

**How to Look at Abstract Art**
So, how do you actually look at it and understand it? Do you stand in front of it and try to find familiar figures or do you just glance at it in passing?

Realizing that there are different ways to approach and criticize art is important when attempting to understand abstraction. It is easy to appreciate a Van Gogh or a Rembrandt, as the mastery of technique is visible. However, in order to appreciate abstraction, our focus should not be on how realistically the artist has painted something or someone but rather on how successful a piece is in evoking emotion.
Abstract paintings can also be appreciated in terms of the individual elements of art: color, shape, line, texture, space, value, etc. An abstract artist’s skills lie in his or her ability to use colors and textures to their best visual strength and to create a sound composition from these elements.

**Here are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind:**
**Don’t look at the clock.** There is no need to stand in front of an abstract work for hours to really understand it. Look at it for as long as you want, and for as long as it pulls you in.
**Don’t talk about your five-year-old.** We all know art is subjective, and sometimes there are pieces that we just can’t connect to, especially when it comes to abstract art. Nonetheless, your five-year-old can still not do that. Being naturally expressive and free with paint is actually beaten out of most of us as we are told to stay in the lines and dont make a mess, everything naturally we are told is bad when really it’s the opposite. Try painting some abstract art, it’s not as easy as you’d think.
**Don’t insult the artist’s imagination**. Instead, if you really can’t seem to like work, think about what it is that makes you feel that way.
**Don’t mind the title**. More often than not, abstract paintings will have an extremely vague title, like Number 4 or the likes but don’t let that bother you. Most artists purposely don’t use giveaway titles because they want you to interact with the art and eventually find your own meaning. On the other hand, you don’t have to completely ignore the title; sometimes, they can be very helpful in guiding your imagination.

**Do read the wall text.** Speaking of guides, always read the wall text. It can give you valuable information on the artist’s background or artistic intention.
**Do let the painting reach out to you**. Free your mind of any other thoughts, give it a little time and simply let the painting convey its intended emotion to you. Observe the colors and textures. What do they make you feel? Jackson Pollock said, “Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you.” Let the painting ask the questions instead of the other way around.
**Don’t stress about feeling something**. It is not necessary for an abstract painting to have a contextual side to it, and it is not necessary for you to be able to feel each and every emotion it is meant to convey. If it doesn’t do anything for you, so be it.
**Don’t ask all of the questions just yet**. Thinking too much about what the painting means can be disturbing or tiring. Instead, focus on how the painting makes you feel and what kind of emotions it conveys to you. Think about how the artist’s background or situation may have affected his painting. Try to work with the things you know, instead of questioning everything.
**Do remember that abstraction does not have to have a meaning**. While “getting” an artwork brings a momentary feeling of victory, bathing in its mystery brings enjoyment for far longer.
Whether you are looking to buy contemporary modern art for your entire home, complete a room, or add vitality and professional credibility to office space I have lots of original abstract paintings for sale at **www.allanisart.com** **Contact me at talktoallanisart@gmail.com**

BLOG · August 14, 2020

Art Is Not Only For The Rich

That’s right, art isn’t just for the mega-rich. Art can be owned and enjoyed by everyone.

The enjoyment, the appreciation and the commentary of art is not and should not be reserved just for the wealthy. Since the dawn of man, art has been an important medium. Art tells stories it is a form of communication. Art tells us who we are and where we came from.

Since the days cavemen were painting pictures of mammoths and hunters on the walls of caves, man has used art to communicate.

Is art as important now as it was in ancient times? Yes, and here’s why…

Art Is A Social Barometer

Banksy is perhaps one of the most well known artists of our time. An excellent demonstration of the power of art on public perception and feelings about current events. Described by Wikipedia as a “political activist” whenever a Banksy’s work pops up somewhere the whole nation stops and takes notice.

Through his art Banksy has made public statements about his views on the state of conditions of migrants living in the “Jungle” in Calais, the violence in the Gaza Strip and the child abuse scandal within the Catholic Church. Each piece of work a profound and unflinching statement about the state of our society.

Art Can Drive Change

Art can make people stop in their tracks. It can take your breath away with its beauty or the feelings of despair it inspires. Art can inspire people to care where words, previously may not have moved them.

Check out this awesome artist turning garbage into amazing art.

It has been predicted that by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the sea than fish. Artists are able to bring to our attention things that we would otherwise be ignorant of or able to ignore.

A five minute google search would thrown up at least a dozen examples of different artists across the world working hard to bring to our attention the many environmental challenges we are now facing.

An Historical Record

Without art, it is fair to say that we would not know who we are or where we come from.

Every nation has a rich catalogue of artistic records pertaining to its cultural ancestry. One of the oldest recorded written languages, the Egyptians used pictorial symbols to record their day to day lives and their important cultural and historical events. Fast forward to the Eleventh Century and the Bayeux Tapestry is an artist’s rendering of one of the most important events in British history, the Battle of Hastings.

In conclusion, art is for and about all of us. Art tells us who we are and where we’ve been. Art touches the mind and the soul, it can move us to do great things and make great changes. Art tells amazing stories. If you think art isn’t for you, it may be time to think again.