Artwork On My Mind

Well, hello there, friends! I’m back! 🙂 I had a head cold that kept me out of commission for most of last week, but I’m feeling better and ready to get back into the swing of things here at the house. I don’t really have any progress to share on any projects since I took the whole week off, but I just couldn’t stay away for another day. 🙂

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the weather is going to cooperate long enough for me to make headway on the front porch any time soon (seriously, it’s enough with the rain already!!), so I’ll have to find other projects to keep me busy.

What I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately is artwork. I love to create my own artwork, like the liquid acrylic pour paintings I did for the entryway…

…and the paintings I did for the breakfast room…

So I’ve been trying to come up with ideas for artwork for two other places. First, I need something light, bright, and colorful to go over the fireplace…

And then I want a huge and colorful piece of artwork to go on the main wall behind the chairs in the music room.

hallway after remodel - peek into kitchen from hallway

And for both of those places, I want something other than a painting. I’d like to do something with some texture and dimension to it, and there are two artists in particular who just might provide the inspiration I need for that space.

One is an artist named Phil Durst, and the other is an artist named Charles Patrick. I came across both of these on one of my favorite Instagram accounts — Blue Print Store in Dallas.

Phil Durst does all sorts of art generally with paper and paper products, and they often have a quilt-like appearance to them.

via Blue Print Store on Instagram

But this one created with Lacroix Sparkling Water cans is probably my favorite…

via Blue Print Store on Instagram

I just love all of that color.

Charles Patrick is also a paper artist, but his style is much different. Here’s one of his pieces viewed from a distance…

via Blue Print Store on Instagram

Pretty, right? But you have to get up close where you can see the detail to fully appreciate it. His designs are created with paper punches (generally butterflies) and etomology pins.

via Charles Patrick Art on Instagram

Thousands and thousands of them. And he uses all kinds of paper, from magazines to foreign currency.

via Charles Patrick Art on Instagram

I’m so mesmerized by his work.

Of course, anything inspired by these men would take some serious dedication and patience. These aren’t the types of thing you whip out in an afternoon while watching Netflix. These take weeks to create, which is why they cost thousands of dollars. So we’ll have to see just how far this inspiration takes me. 🙂

But if you love color as much as I do, and love being introduced to the work of different artists, I highly suggest following Blue Print Store on Instagram. It is definitely in my top five favorites, if not THE favorite. If I skip a few days on Instagram, I always seek them out first to see what new eye candy they’ve posted.

Anyway, I’m so glad to be feeling better, and I’m excited to get back to some projects around here!

 

 

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

28 Comments

  1. Those are awesome pieces for inspiration. I was trying to think of a way to sketch your design without leaving marks on the final pieces. Things like this are hard to fill in free hand unless you’re doing a more abstract and fluid look. I wonder if tissue paper would work? It may be a pain, but you could pin right through it and tear it away at the end.

    I’m happy to see you’re telling better!

    1. That one with the butterfly pins inspires endless possibilities! Is there somehow for me to show u a painting that my 4 yr old (and I…I just drew the starter lines😊) did? I had a giant canvas with an original on it but the image was of a sad lady and I was “over ruled” on hanging it in our new home. I painted over the image with white and my son used the paint from the wall sample paints…it turned out awesome! And it coordinates with the colors in my bedroom.

  2. Interesting that Camille can see the Durst and Patrick pictures in this post but I can’t. I’m sure they’re awesome though. Glad you are feeling better Kristie.

  3. I can see the pictures, but the last once covers the rest of the post…

    Gorgeous art work. Can’t wait to see where your inspiration takes you!

  4. Hey Kristi,

    I think there’s a formatting issue towards the bottom…the last picture is blocking the last few paragraphs of text.

  5. Beautiful inspiration pieces and I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

    This is kind of a side-bar to purchasing art, for those of us less artistically inclined people…I LOVE color and art, like A LOT. On a recent trip to a city art market in Houston, I thought I’d find something for a big wall in our living room. I was prepared to spend up to $1,000 and was shocked by just how little that would buy me. The frustrating part is that I get it. I want artists to make money and I know that beyond the supplies used, it takes talent, effort and time to create art…I just wish I could afford to surround myself with at least some of the beautiful stuff I see.

    Speaking of artists I can’t afford, have you heard of Beatriz Milhazes at all? There is a piece of hers called Summer Night in my office building and it’s amazing. Full of color and makes me so happy. She’s not as textural and 3-d but may be a good source of inspiration as well. 🙂

    https://www.instagram.com/beatriz.milhazes/?hl=en

    Glad you’re feeling better!
    Nicki

    1. I JUST took a peek at them and they are amazing!

      Kristi, as I looked at the spaces you were looking at to place ‘art’, I thought that everything is starting to blend together. I am not saying that as a critic or rude or negative. I was just thinking that it might be a good time to hang something so unexpected to put a WOW in the story. Needless to say your talent is endless and something I love seeing but I think I am looking for something ‘raw’. I don’t know if i’m saying it right but what comes to mind is driftwood.
      Just my silly thought
      denise

    2. Nicki I’m so sorry that you were unable to find original artwork in your price range. I love that you search instagram because I am an instagram artist and there is SO much beautiful art that you can for sure purchase from the artist there in your range when the artist doesn’t have to pay for display space and etc. Kristi, keep an eye on instagram and you also may find something though what interests you appears labor intensive and therefore more pricey. (let alone shipping on those things) Anyway thanks for giving the artists of instagram a shout out!!

  6. Hi Kristi,
    Slightly off topic, but can you tell me the names of the 2 colors (brand and finish, too) you used on the gray and white credenza under your acrylic pour art work? That is a gorgeous combo I would like to duplicate.
    Many thanks!
    Nancy

  7. When looking for original art that is not as expensive as galleries visit art shows in your community put on by art clubs. Usually these are exhibited at community centers or art councils. There is some excellent pieces done by emerging artists. Another good event is student art shows at universities or art centers where classes are taught. I could find many beautiful paintings well under $1000 there.

  8. I was at the Seattle art fair this summer and saw so many pieces that had some 3d texture. My thought at the time is people in search of original art that they are willing to pay thousands of dollars for may be looking for something that isn’t easily reproduced in a digital images. With texture, you really have to see it in person.

    I’ve had this piece pinned for a long time (in the same vein as Charles Patrick):
    https://www.pinterest.com/pin/57632070203773587/

    And this may or may not be your style, but I think these yarn diy juju hats are adorable and look quite doable.

  9. My first thought as I began to read this post, and looking at the fireplace, was using some of that pillow fabric or coordinating fabric, and then using a medium like liquid starch perhaps, to scrunch it and pleat it, or tease it around in such a way that would please you. Those flowers are large enough that you might be able to follow their shapes enough to visually recognize them. Then frame it and hang it. Lots of color, texture, fairly quick and easy to do, and not too expensive.

  10. Nifty, nifty!!

    I love this kind of thing…reminds me of installations at Anthropologie that are so inventive and cool.

    I will DEFinitley be following your artwork with great interest!

  11. Because I’m a sculptor not a painter, I’m always drawn to things with dimension. I love the little butterflies!

    I have to say that when you said you needed something for your music room, the first thing that came to mind was some sort of fun wall sculpture made out of the piano keys. This one reminded me of your sunburst mirror: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d5/ae/11/d5ae119d8c69f65a60abfb3752f12470–ivory-piano-piano-crafts.jpg I bet you could make something fun from a free Craigslist piano and paint it bright colors.

    Can’t wait to see what you do!

  12. If you wanted to try a small one. I remember on another blog they talked how they made cross-stitch patterns. I bet you can use that same process to make a plan/grid based on what colors of paper you have. Then fill it out with other accents. That’s how I’d do it.

  13. I’m glad you’re back and hope your health stays in the ‘good’ category. Colds and flu are very nasty this year and I have a couple of friends who have had repeat issues. Ugh.

    I love both of your paper artist inspirations, especially the butterfly art. There are also many large paper flower arts out there (I’ve seen many on Pinterest) and tried one that came out beautifully. I’ve used it on my coffee table for several years, as a spring decoration. I have also seen many large paper flowers as wall decorations.

  14. While I wasn’t a fan of the starburst mirror I do think a large, pretty beveled mirror over the fireplace would reflect back the art in the entryway and fill the room with the colors you love.

  15. To all Kristi fans, If you are fortunate enough to be able to visit a large city “Art Fair” please do so. 40+ years ago, in Chicago, I purchased a pottery owl at the Old Town Art Fair. It’s about the size of a football and has a whimsical expression that I could not resist…$70, half a weeks’ wage. The artist is Todd Warner. I still smile when I see it…and my smile broadens when I consider it’s possible value today.
    Support Artists!

    1. Kristi has got one! Thanks to her I heard about it here first and bought my own when they were fairly new over here in Germany some years back and have been using it for all kinds of projects (mainly paper cutting). But when I got the idea of doing a butterfly picture for my mum, I reverted to origami instead. It isn’t made of thousands of butterflies, just about 80-100 and is doable, but it has that 3D-quality to it, too! I got the inspiration off of pinterest, if anybody is interested.
      I look forward to your art work, Kristi, as I love threedimensional paper art and I’m curious about your interpretation of it! Perhaps my favourite artist in that field might be Su Blackwell from GB who creates very intricate art from books – far too fiddly for me (and she uses knifes and scissors, no machine :)), but absolutely gorgeous.

  16. Are you using the painting by your mother? I think I remember a pastoral scene from several years ago that she had painted.