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The Kitchen Table

Art so bad...it's good

14 years ago

Anyone else enjoy bad art? I saw this the other day and knew it was the perfect gift for someone in my life. Unfortunately, it was out of my price range.

My family has a tradition of giving out hideous gifts for Christmas. I know this would have been appreciated.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rabbit and man

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Comments (17)

lydia1959
14 years ago
lol That's pretty hideous!
caroline94535
14 years ago
Adellabedella, that's not hidious...it's wonderful! I love that sort of "art."

I'm going to go wrestle with photobucket and then I'll try to share pics of a couple of my "masterpieces."

This "oil paianting original" is less than 2x3 inches. It cost 25-cents at Goodwill. It makes me smile. It sits on the bookshelf in front of my "Little House" series.

This is my second favorite "folk art, original oil." It hangs in the livingroom over my writing desk.

Aren't the pigs simply perfect pigs! They're headed straight to the garden to gobble up all those cabbages.

And my favorite favorite. I bought this in Dover, DE at the Senior Citizens' art shop in 1993. I waited two years for the price to be reduced.

I love it. The buildings are so primative and out of scale to the people. The ladies are perfect; the cold, damp, foggy spring air is perfect. If my house catches fire, this is what I'm grabbing...after Harry, Sam, my purse, and meds!
Related Discussions
Does this piece of art work in my room (w/pics)?
Q
Comments (55)
I love the first and last stripe! I like the way the line draws your eye up and the last one is simple enough to not compete with the rug or the armoire. the one I picked was tough; there were so many that had your colors in them at Horchow! That one seemed to go more with your rug (which looked red, gold and brown on my monitor!)because it didn't have any green, but in the end I was thinking it had a subtlety that might work. having all of the colors represented is probably your best bet, though- it definitely brings your eye all the way around the room in a nice way. IMHO, you can't make your walls look too tall. Drawing the eye up is almost always a great thing. And I think some height will balance out the weight of the armoire as well. but only you can see how things look in person! clearly you have great taste!
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Transition from Arts & Crafts to Art Deco?
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Comments (106)
I went looking for images of those elements. Ribbed glass panels in cabinet doors is easy enough. Here's one in a bathroom vanity: Ribbed glass (or ''seeded'' glass) is also often found in period light fixtures: As for marquetry countertops, if you asked most kitchen cabinet makers for such, I imagine they would gape blankly at the gabbling woman. But there are plenty of companies doing stock and custom hardwood marquetry inlays using CNC laser cutters. Here's the thing - they are doing it in floors. Google ''hardwood floor inlay'' and see. Yes, many of the rosettes are infeasible for a 26'' counter, but look for the ''border'' designs - or create your own. Assemble a 26'' wide section of inlaid ''floor'' on a 3/4'' plywood substrate, encase it in Waterlox, and I do believe you'd have yourself a marquetry countertop. Another option - perhaps cheaper - is stenciling on hardwood, of which this is an example. And so is this What else? Beveled glass is readily available, as is chrome countertop edging, and any furniture or auto upholstery shop can cover a panel of 1/8'' plywood in soft butterscotch leather framed in silver studs (maybe not actual silver, but close enough). I don't know exactly what version of Art Deco you are headed for, or if you even like butterscotch, but the point is, you are not doing yet another white kitchen, you're doing something that isn't being done by the mainstream, so the ordinary kitchen sources are not making this stuff. Sure, there is cool Art Deco hardware around, but what passes for ''Art Deco'' kitchen cabinetry in the online catalogs is . . . disappointing. You are going to have to make it, or at least source it, yourself - and I think if you're comfortable outside the painted lines, you can. You'll find yourself hiring a floor guy to work on a countertop, hunting down the local hot rod upholstery shops, telling your cabinet maker to fit bathroom vanity faces to kitchen cabinet boxes - they'll still look at you like you're crazy, but you'll know you're not. Go for it, girl!
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Fabric Art (Art Quilting)
Q
Comments (3)
Hi Airycat: I like art quilts and am trying to learn more. I belong to an art quilt group through my guild and there are some very artsy gals in the group. So far I have done a small vine-type quilt (saw a picture of it in an old magazine and copied). It turned out well (which surprised the heck out of me). I have done a lake scene (someone on this site was giving lessons...Teresa NC 7 listed under landscape quilts. I did an underwater quilt which everyone in the group liked and I was pleased with. I took a class in thread painting and have to finish that project (mountains, trees, lake, flowers, etc.) I must have ADD also since I have a problem completing anything large. If you want to pick my brain for anything I might know, send me an e-mail. Lynn
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Need advice on Living Room decoration. Area Rug/Art work/ feature etc.
Q
Comments (23)
great advice upthread I'll try to be short, probably repeating several people: -get rid of the white console next to the fireplace/look for smth else instead if you need it there for function -think of other window treatments. curtains? woven blinds? roman shades? any of these will look better. move your sectional a bit from the wall, both to allow room for window treatments and because furniture generally needs at least couple inches to breathe..that wil also make room seem larger -you already purchased the ottoman in the same color and style of the sofa..off white, right? well something different would be better, but it's okay..buy a throw, fold it and put there to break your lines a bit. tray is great too-both for function and beauty. you'll appreciate it when watching this TV -I liked reading how your wife gets her art:) okay..so if there's no real room for other suggestions(I'm also prejudiced against mass produced canvas art..maybe she can be talked into a print instead?..)..put that art there first. Make sure it fits-seems huge?.. Say you go for that a very similar art, you have there-a bit of white, black, brown, indigo blue, fiery yellow white and brown you already have in your room (btw like your furniture) pull your other colors (in pillows and throws and accessories) from that art -deep sophisticated blues, golds. can be metallic accessories (like vases or flower pots?), can be softest fur pillows can be velvet, can be knitted throw. everythhing you buy-make sure it's a different texture..leather is sleek you've got enough of it. Speaking from experience-I also have my fair share of leather:) then look for a big ticket items like curtains and a rug. (or simultaneously..just keep your general scheme in mind). you can decide to make them fairly neutral. repeat the color of the furniture, just different material of course. or go for one vivid deep color but make it a shag rag for example. Don't try to match pattern to art..art has a mind of its own. Look at the room as a whole..what does it ask for? and know yourself of course..say I love many rugs but I don't like to clean them lol. You know whether it's high traffic area, what your habits are, and whether you'll be sad for 5 min if the rug will have spots and then get over it, or will be sad for 5 days. when you buy a side table try, again, to introduce another texture, just different material in this case. maybe wood. maybe ceramics(garden stool?some of these look really modern). every new material you bring creates dimension. Dimension is something you look for when creating spaces. Why? well that what we've used to. Ouside always has it. Even when it's a desert or an ocean. It has depth. we need to recreate it with all sort of ways and means that are availiable to us.. Good luck! will be a cool room edited because of thousand typos..))
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marygailv
14 years ago
By the looks of it, you could probably do your own.
lynn_d
14 years ago
That is too funny, Adellabedella!

Caroline, those are great. I love the wedding picture. I think it is wonderful.
kacram
14 years ago
Makes me think of HARVEY lol

Love these!~ lol
User
Original Author
14 years ago
I love the wedding picture too.

Who is Harvey?
nanny98
14 years ago
Your 'artwork' is wonderful, Caroline.
lydia1959
14 years ago
Harvey is the big imaginary rabbit. Movie by the same name starring James Stewart.

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvey
schoolhouse_gw
14 years ago
I was going to suggest that too, kat. ha ha I agree, you could probably paint one of those yourself. Which gives me a great idea for my brother's gift if I should get his name in the exchange - only I'd substitute a deer. :)
vala55
14 years ago
Harvey was my first thought also.
dianamo_1
14 years ago
That's a funny one, Adellabedella! My daughter would love something like that. We're a weird family and appreciate out of the ordinary things. lol

Caroline, I really like the picture of the flower lady. It's too pretty to be considered bad art.

Here is a picture I have over my fireplace mantle. I almost didn't hang it there, but then thought..who cares? It's not very traditional. lol
caroline94535
14 years ago
DianaMo...I love that artwork; it's amazing. It's perfect for over the mantle (I am, or at least was, the girl in the center, LOL). Is it an original?

I do love my Flower Lady picture. It's about 18x24 and needs a new frame. I keep it in my lilac sewing room. The colors and "feeling" are just perfect in there.

I want a copy of your Martini Madness!
chisue
14 years ago
Public art is my pet peeve. I keep hoping some cad will steel the copper 'sculptures' from the front lawn at our public library. I *think* they are meant to represent books: upright rectangles 15 feet high and a foot thick. Nice 'patina' now too. UG-LY.
dianamo_1
14 years ago
Caroline, no it's a print. I've tried to read the name of the artist down on the right hand corner, but it's so little and dark. I can't make it out.I even used a flashlight and a magnifier.
jennmonkey
14 years ago
I love weird art! I have a few creepy pieces painted my some of my old clients at the mental health agency I used to work at.

I used to work with this girl who made the weirdest sculptures I've ever seen...of homeless people, bloodied fisherman holding a knife and fish, the down and outs of society. I LOVED her stuff. If I can remember her last name, I'll search for her sculptures to show you guys.

I love all the ones posted above! That rabbit and man painting is sort of off putting, LOL, but I like art that makes you feel a little weird. haha.
sheilajoyce_gw
14 years ago
Yup, that is Harvey!
User
Original Author
14 years ago
I found this picture of Harvey from the movie.

I like that Martini print also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvey Painting

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