Here’s a thing.
Whenever I see art on a website, in a gallery, in a newsletter, I ask myself, “Would I buy that?”
Or, sometimes it’s more like, “Why would I buy that?” 😶
Art is personal, for sure. Everybody’s different. But for me (and my sister-partner), we like art that speaks to us emotionally, in a way that lifts our spirits.
Sometimes, as with abstracts, it’s the style or the colors or the movement.
But often it’s the subject matter that drives me. This morning, in one of the newsletters I receive regularly, there was an image of a painting. It showed an interesting vintage-grunge wallpaper-ish background with a framed painting laid on top -- a painting of a jellyfish. So it was a painting of a painting of a jellyfish, if you were to boil it down.
Now, I think jellyfish are super interesting. But personally, I’d rather see them float by in an aquarium.
Therefore, I couldn’t imagine displaying that particular painting on my wall.
So …
What’s so bad about a jellyfish?
Nothing.
Even though the jellyfish painting made no sense to me – not even on a “let’s be a little quirky” level -- it might have made total sense to you.
You might be a beach person or someone who loves every aspect of the ocean. Sea creatures are beautiful and fascinating to you. Perhaps the beautiful ocean blue backdrop in the painting I saw, or the way the jellyfish has its own kind of shine and grace (artfully depicted in the painting, btw) would come across as sigh-worthy.
Or, the vintage wallpaper juxtaposed against the sea creature delights you. The piece might simply make you smile, or trigger a great memory at the Monterey Bay Aquarium or on a snorkeling vacay or visiting a friend’s vintage house.
The point is that certain artsy content will speak to you more loudly and positively than others.
Huzzah! That’s a good thing.
But wait, there’s more! When you own art that speaks to you on a personal level, you’ll want to share that memory or that feeling with everybody. Maybe they won’t get it – at first. Until you tell them the story, the memory, the feeling it gives you. And if they still don’t get it, well, whatever. It doesn’t take a jot or a tittle away from you.
Et voilà! Art covers all kinds of subject matter, thank goodness, because we are all made of different stuff. Go forth, find some art that suits you no matter how different it might be from your neighbor’s!
Vive la différence!
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Above, “Fancy Pants” (8” x 8” Acrylic on cradled panel), because flamingos speak to me in ways a jelly fish never could. But that’s me.
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Important Note to our Loyal Audience:
Sanguine Fine Art will be changing our site name to that of our parent company, Cobalt Moose Art Studios, by the end of 2026. We will remain the same people, the place with the finest quality art, not to mention the epitome of personal service and the best personality on the block – only the name will change. So, sometime by the end of 2026 Sanguine Fine Art will be redirected to a different address but really, you’ll be in the same place. Weird, huh?
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