Buying art

Some really great art Gransnetters. See my favourite of my deceased cat, Christabel Von Welmar. My husband commissioned it from an artist friend and his Dutch agent sells loads of versions in card and poster form. He took liberties with her girth!

It is worth it as you say. We had the two watercolours referred to above remounted, reglazed and framed, and it lifted them considerably. I still have a couple of pictures to get framed and I am dragging my feet until I can afford it! Some years ago, I bought a chromolithograph at an antiques fair. It cost me about seventeen pounds. It looked like the sort of antique desert scene that David Roberts used to paint (unfortunately, it wasn’t by him or I would be sunning myself permanently in the Caribbean!). I took it to the guy who did my framing and he immediately offered to buy it from me. I didn’t want to sell it, but we left the offer on the table. I hung it for a while and then, when DD moved into their first house, I let her have it as they had very little to put on their walls and it matched their decor. It is not on a wall at the moment, but is swaddled in bubble wrap in their bedroom. It deserves to be seen. I wish I had the courage to ask for it back but I can’t.

I love Morag Muir's work . She lives in Newport on Tay in Fife. My sister gave me a print for my birthday so I got it framed professionally instead of putting it in a clippa frame . Jikes , framing is so expensive but worth it .

Is it an advert though?

Granash your pictures remind me of Iain Macarthur’s work.

I agree Eleothan. We picked up two lovely watercolours for a song at an auction last year, yet I go to exhibitions and see less well executed pictures selling for inflated prices. We do have two good exhibitions in our city every year where there is some stunning work on display and the prices are reasonable. It is the place to buy.

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www.instagram.com/vixharrisart/

It surprises me how some lovely old original paintings I have seen on TV antiques programmes sell so cheaply.

Yet some modern paintings don't seem particularly original or skilful to me but are often very expensive. I was viewing art websites last night and only two or three paintings out of dozens and dozens - many with very high price tags - appealed to me.

I have a large resin dog which is very realistic and sits on the turn of the stairs by an artist called Steph Ottowenger. I love it.

Funny how one never tires of a much-loved painting.

My favourites in my home are a large lithograph of a Scottish blackhouse by John Piper, a signed modern art print by William Kentridge (South African artist) and several drawings by my talented son-in-law, a graphic artist.

Not paintings, but my daughter is a skilled potter (ceramics) and I have some wonderful pots and vases from her.

It is a lovely painting Chewbacca, I love the colours too. I think I have found a copy available to buy, see link, not sure how good it would be.

www.posterlounge.co.uk/orderform.html

Its lovely Chewbacca. Its amazing how a painting can lodge in one's mind. I often like to go and see my old favourite in our local galleries.

A Street in Brittany by Stanhope Forbes: I don't own this painting (I wish!) but I first saw it hanging in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool more than 40 years ago. I was so smitten with it that although I never saw it again until earlier this year, I could describe it in such detail, that the curator of the gallery immediately knew which painting I wanted to see. I almost wept when I saw it again; it was like seeing an old friend again. It raises so many questions for me; who was she? Why is she on her own? Is that her house that she's standing outside? I'd love to have a print of this but the gallery no longer stocks them, but I was allowed to photograph it and I have it as a screen saver on my phone now.

Wow just looked at Giles Davies, truly stunning. I love collage but these are in a different league. I see that he does workshops too at a very reasonable cost. I would love to go, but quite a journey for me.

What a very interesting and inspiring thread.

We have collected lot of original watercolours over the years - mostly landscapes - and I get a huge amount of pleasure out of them. We buy them for the subject matter obviously, but technique is also the big draw for me. I like to be able to come back to a picture time after time and find something new in it. Recently I bought a digital print that I saw at an art show and couldn’t walk away from. This has led me to look at more local digital artists. Jill Ray, in particular, produces lovely work. But the most mind blowing pictures I have seen recently have come from a Derbyshire artist called Giles Davis who creates collage landscapes entirely from torn up magazines. They are nothing short of incredible and truly beautiful. I urge you to look at his work.

by Jolomo (John Lowrie Mackintosh)
Apologies, that is not his name - it's John Lowrie Morrison

And apologies to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, unfortunately I only have a few mugs designed by him.

I only have water colours done by my husband whilst touring Europe, mostly of French Provençal villages but have always been interested in art visiting art galleries wherever we went.

I collect studio glass and have a few lovely pieces for my travels but I am quite eclectic so have all sorts of other bits.

The most pieces I have by one artist is glass by Gillies and Jones.

I have two early (1984 ish) very tall wizards by Bernard Pearson of Clare Craft and an original Hill Town by Darren Mundy.

I love them all and as much as I'd love a Dali, even a limited edition print, I'm happy being able to have what we've collected.

My OH has a few bits of Selangor Pewter limited additions but noting earth shatteringly valuable.

My OH bought me my first piece of Gillies and Jones after we had scattered my adopted Mums ashes near Rosedale N Yorks.

We went to Rosedale for a family meal then OH and I had walk round and I saw there workshop/showroom. That is probably my most treasured piece.

Whatever makes you happy can't be a bad thing and over the years I been able to find bit's that bring me joy now and happy memories. Win win :-)

Also the family have put dibs on my most favourite pieces so unlike the dinner service they won't end up in a charity shop

Exactly blue60! All our pictures just spoke to us as soon as we saw them even if they were on a wall full of other work. Its very lucky that DH seems to have the same taste in art as me. I've got a lovely Elizabeth Blackadder of irises in my room. Its botanical. Just a row of picked flowers laid out in a row. The lights not good enough to take a pic just now.

My late fil was an artist who painted the countryside and some seascapes. I like some of his work, but not all, and those that are displayed are the ones I admire and really like.

I, on the otherhand, paint botanical and nature subjects which require a huge amount of detail. I'm drawn to these because I have been a gardener for most of my life both as a hobby and as a professional designer/consultant.

I have hung one or two which I was pleased with. With any painting, it chooses me.

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A couple more. I've got the hang of this !! Their sizes do vary. The french river scene is about a metre square. The others are all smaller. The light's not very good and isn't doing them justice.

Both are by local scottish artists.

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Here's a couple I managed to photograph

Juggernaut - well said your art teacher! Art on the walls is food for the soul. If we feel joy every time our eyes alight on a painting or drawing we have purchased, that feeling of joy NEVER leaves us.
Yes. If something speaks to your soul and you can afford it, BUY IT!! You will never be sorry.
And, if you can, support your local artists!

This is a really interesting post. I'm always fascinated by 'why' people choose the artwork they have in their homes and GNers clearly have some beautiful pieces. I've always been interested in art and I paint and sketch, though not very often these days. DH has to drag me past art galleries or I would spend hours in there as I did in my youth. I don't really favour a particular artist, subject matter or style of art, apart from the Old Masters, and I'm never likely to be buying any of those!! As someone else said I buy artwork that I feel drawn to, or have a connection with. My favourite is a watercolour of a young woman walking on a deserted beach, given to me by my son. He just thought it was a nice picture, I love it because walking on the beach early in the morning is something I love doing, that was the connection for me. Sadly it has been in wraps since we moved house (6 years ago!) together with all our other paintings and photos. Our lounge and dining rooms are large but much of the wall space is glass so hanging space is limited. Our AC keep asking what's happened to all the family photos. I think my Resolution for the New Year will be to get them out and back on the walls. Unwrapping the paintings and prints will be like discovering them all over again!