Art as a Gift

I find it a little odd when I go to someone’s home and the only things adorning their walls are
either mirrors or framed family photos.

Don’t get me wrong, those are all fine things for wall decor. But I also believe it is worthwhile to for artwork to give life to our homes as well. Whether its paintings, photography, or even sculptures, art hanging on our walls gets us away from looking at ourselves all the time and also serves to heighten our senses and deepen our thoughts.

This is particularly the case if you have children in your home. Don’t you vividly remember a print or painting that hung in your parent’s home? I know I do. I could describe down to the last detail a painting that hung in a hallway of my childhood home, of a wind-swept field with a wooden house in the background. I wondered often about that painting as I passed by it. Who lived in that house, What was growing in that field? Why does it seem like a sad picture when there aren’t even people in it? 

It is so good for children (and adults!) to be intrigued by art in this way. As much we try, we can’t force an appreciation of art by going to a museum for a few hours. The foundations of art appreciation and understanding come from being surrounded by art throughout our lives, and talking about art as we see it in stores and homes and even driving down the street.

Art doesn’t have to be original either. Prints can be just as lovely in our homes and, thankfully, there are amazing artists out there offering reasonable prints of their work. Recently I have been eyeing the work of Los Angeles-based Our Heiday. The colors and brush strokes of Patricia, the artist behind the prints and stationary, are both classic and modern (in a way I am not enough of an art critic to explain!)

The “Bear Good Fruit” print was be perfect gift for the recent birthday of my best friend. I thought it would be perfect in her kitchen where she could enjoy along with her three young children.

This 8×10 Our Heiday print was $25. I put it in a float frame from Michaels for less than $15 (I used a 40% coupon, of course!).

With beautiful wrapping it became a lovely little gift. What a colorful visual this will be for her little ones (and a good reminder, too!).

Sources -Print: Our Heiday; Frame: Michaels; Ribbon: Michaels