Now that I've forced my gallery wall down everyone's throat on every form of social media I use (not to mention have made every visitor to my apartment admire it in person!), I thought it might be helpful or at least informative to discuss where all these pretty pieces came from!
Not going to lie, I'm very fortunate to have inherited some great art from my parents, and to have a talented sister who makes me one-of-a-kind pieces every so often, but that doesn't mean I'm not always on the lookout for unique, pretty artwork that doesn't break the bank.
Without further ado, here's the first of two posts on where I go and what's worked for me art-wise:
ETSY
I mean, kind of a "no-duh" starting place. I try to be picky with what I get off Etsy, because I find it way too easy to get sucked in and all of a sudden be like "Why yes, as a matter of fact, I do need these SEVEN PRINTS for my gallery wall." Instead, I turn to Etsy when I want something specific...case in point, these precious Twin Cities illustrations from one of my favorite shops, albiedesigns:
Cute, right? I knew I wanted something that highlighted my love for both of my Twin Cities, and I like that these prints feature both my old and current workplaces prominently. Fun fact: albiedesigns is also the source of this cute print, which hangs in my kitchen!
ART FAIRS
I spoke briefly last summer about my family's love of art fairs. We get to the big three in Minneapolis every summer...the Stone Arch, the Uptown, and the Edina. While none of my bedroom gallery wall pieces are from the art fair scene, I love these two prints in my kitchen, by Christina Hankins.
The trick to art fairs, so I've found, is to come with a look/feel/specific in mind, do a lap or two with that in the back of my head but an open mind, and hone in on what I want. It's tricky to filter through the junk sometimes, but I've always been really happy with what I've found!
BLOGS
Two different, equally awesome ways to find art through blogs: first, you can look for pieces that bloggers have featured. That's how I found this absolutely perfect print by Elizabeth Mayville:
I'm completely besotted with it, because 99% of the time my hair is thrown up in a messy, wispy bun like that...striped shirts comprise 99% of my wardrobe...and 99% of my free time is spent buried in a book. It's basically a portrait of the back of my head. I found Elizabeth Mayville on Design Darling and ordered the print almost immediately after.
The second awesome way to get art off blogs is to find printables! Many bloggers are way more creatively talented than I am, and can actually MAKE art instead of just writing about it. One of my favorites is Marielle, a high school classmate of mine, who still finds time to create beautiful things even with a busy baby girl in tow! I love the chalkboard art...might have to add to the gallery wall soon!
TARGET/MICHAEL'S/BED BATH AND BEYOND/HALLMARK/ETC
I know, I know. Could I be more basic? Let's be real though...most twenty somethings don't have the budget for like...a Gray Malin original or anything of that ilk (which is my dream, someday, by the way). Turning to the big box stores is an easy way to add filler or volume without breaking the bank or overwhelming the wall.
My best tip here is not to go overboard. My wall features three "big box" pieces: the "Karma" print, the small "Let it Go" wood block, and the "L" wood block, which are from Target, Hallmark, and Bed Bath and Beyond, respectively. I think the trick is to mix in more unique textures, sizes and shapes here...mine are all square, and are either canvas or wood. And you can't possibly deny that they are absolutely adorable and work perfectly!
Stay tuned for part II tomorrow! (Can you tell I'm still really, really ridiculously excited about my wall?!)