An artistic predicament

When The House of Goodwill was completely empty and new, I made my plan for the art I wanted to use on the walls.  I wanted something special.  Something unique.  I won’t go into it here – I want to leave it for a future post, once I make it – but it involves using vintage photos I have and making custom images.

But as the décor started evolving and coming together the furniture and rugs and linens began creating some themes.  Flowers and birds (including ducks) kept showing up.  And as I went thrifting, I kept finding really cool images of flowers and birds.

I wasn’t really expecting that.

I’m a little particular about what hangs on the walls.  I hesitate to even call it art, because I really believe true art is something special – not a $10 print bought at a furniture store because it matches the curtains.  I really hate generic “art.”  I think to really be considered art, a piece has to special and unique somehow.

So I was very surprised that I found so many things I liked to put on the walls, including these original pieces found at Goodwill and a thrift store:

I love this delicate bird drawing I found at a thrift store for $7.

My son said this looks like a child drew it.  I beg to disagree!  I love the form and colors, especially the recessed lamp in the background.  This pastel drawing was $4 at Goodwill.

This is a really, really lovely painting up close.  I didn't buy it the first time I saw it; there were two by the same artist at Goodwill.  This was my favorite of the two, so I was glad to see it again when I went back.  $15.

I really liked this tree photograph at Goodwill, and figured if I ever got tired of it, it's still a really nice frame for $10.

I’ve found so much cool wall decor, I’m not going to have much room for my originals!

A Goodwill tip: Really large picture frames are really expensive.  You can find lots of really big generic art prints at Goodwill priced well.  If you have a personal photograph you want to enlarge or something else really big you want to frame, buy the "art" for the frames.  Many times the frames are way nicer than the print inside, and it's much cheaper to buy a print, throw it away and use the frame, than to buy a new, large frame.