Speaking of Inspiration… Venice, CA

A few months back, I went down to Venice, CA to visit both my best friend and my sister, who just happened to be living in the same neighbourhood at the time. The house I stayed in was being rented by my friend and her family, and it was… amazing. Soooo cute – sunny and open, porch swing, hardwood floors throughout, pretty little garden, interesting nooks and crannies… But my favourite part was that there was art everywhere!

Starting with actual Picassos – in the bathroom!

There were framed pieces on every wall…

Sculptural pieces…

Mixed media pieces…

Garden pieces…

Functional pieces (the swimmers form a lamp base!)…

And even pieces done by the home owner’s children.

It. Was. Awesome. There was always something new and interesting just waiting to be discovered, and I’m sure there were a lot of happy memories and associations for the home owner too. It made me want to do the same sort of thing in my own home – even though we don’t have nearly the same wall space, nor do we have a collection of work as vast (other than some pieces done by Monkeyboy Junior…) or which includes Picassos.

So. When I got back, I decided to begin my own little collection, starting with a couple of these. The following month, I ordered a print of this. Then I picked up some photos at the local Lilac Festival, and just this month I ordered one of these. I figure not only am I decorating my home with things that inspire me, but I’m also supporting artists directly. Win-win. And, with the purchase of some inexpensive frames at the Wal-Mart, I am also showing off the talents of my offspring. Now. All I need to do is find some wall space to display everything. 😉