Whats on Your Walls?

"Art can reflect the soul of a home, or help create its spirit'.  Janell Beals

 It is a pleasure to have my friend Janell Beals from the blog House of Fifty, and former Founding Editor of the magazine of the same name, today to tell us what art she has in her beautiful Portland, Oregon home.  In her words, these are her favorite pieces.

 "I love artist Lulie Wallace and enjoyed interviewing her and running a story on her work in the first Anniversary Issue of House of Fifty Magazine. Afterwards I decided to treat myself to one of her paintings and was delighted when this one arrived at the house.  There is very little reworking of her images, so there is a both a sweet and raw quality to the work that makes her images so successful."

"This is a large canvas I brought home for Isabella to have some fun with. She was around 5, and we had a great time spending a few hours on it, she painting, me her assistant: cleaning brushes and putting more paint on the palette for her to use. I didn't give her any direction and it was a joy to see what she came up with. It remains, several years later, one of my favorite pieces in the house. It is just so happy, fresh and honest. It is what it is. I've gotten criticism for treating it "as art," but again, each to their own I say!"

"Here are two paintings the kids did one day when they had a "budget cut" day off from school during which I set up an afternoon of "art school" at home. Isabella's is the top and Max's is the bottom. Throughout the home there are a lot of neutral colors and these pops of color add a playfulness. Set here on this wall, these are the first things you see when coming into the house from the back entrance and I like how it sets the tone for entering into the home."

 "Art doesn't always have to be a print or painting. Here is a Street Banner that once hung on the streets of San Francisco celebrating the reopening of Crissy Field. While living in that city this park and it's trails became a favorite go to, just a short walk from our apartment, and we loved visiting the Warming Hut to grab a sandwich and drink after a long walk. One day, I saw a couple of these banners for sale at the Warming Hut and snatched one up as a Christmas gift for my husband. It is a favorite piece in our home, a lovely reminder of a favorite city and great times."

 "My husband has always been a fan of "Outsider Art" and in his office are two pieces he collected before I met him. The first is an animal table her found at a fair, and the second is the 'Red Devil' sculpture by well known outsider artist RA Miller, picked up during a trip to Athens, GA. I love the whimsical quality of these pieces... and how they remind me that my husband has really good and unique taste!"

Thank you Janell for sharing some of the art in your home. I love the colors of the walls-- a perfect backdrop for vibrant, colorful art!  You can see more of her portfolio at Isabella and Max.com.  House of Fifty, her online magazine sadly ceased publication in April 2013, but you can read past issues in the archives here. 

                                             What's on your walls?

P.S. Don't forget to enter our Uncommon Goods art print  Giveaway. Contest ends at midnight tonight!