Thursday, July 17, 2008

We've Had an Art Attack

I've got to tell you guys about this affliction that has struck both Randey and I. It's actually kind of sad and more than just a little embarrassing, but I know I'm going to find some understanding amongst at least one or two other people out there. Maybe. Hopefully. I don't know how it's happened and I don't know why it's happened, I just know it has happened. Somewhere along life's path, Randey and I became strangely enamored with.....landscape art. And not just any landscape art. It has to be cheap or we just don't seem to get the same thrill out of it otherwise. In fact, it's almost like the "cheapness" matters more to us than the beauty of the piece. (And when I say "we" and "us", I mean mainly me. I'll admit it here. Randey has better taste than I do in certain areas and is more willing to shell out a dollar or two for his "finds" than I am). I think the strangest part of the whole thing is that this bizarre longing for cheap, tacky, er...I mean...inexpensive, interesting landscape art struck us both at the same time. Now we're like fiends whenever we're out shopping in junk stores. No landscape art is safe from us. Unless it cost too much, that is. Then it's pretty darn safe from us. We got this painting in South Dakota on our recent vacation. (Yeah. We bought a painting that we then had to manage to get home in one piece without anyone shoving a suitcase through it or something. I told you. We're afflicted.) We paid $15.00 for it and you'd of thought it was a Rembrandt, the way we fawned all over it. lol We got this next one at the Antique Mall in Benbrook, Texas. It was marked $75.00 originally, but was on sale for 75% off, which made it $18.75. Randey just had to have it, even if I thought the price was a little high. (I know, I know. There's cheap and then there's really cheap. I'm really cheap when it comes to stuff like this.) When we took it to the register, though, the lady gave us another 75% off, so we only paid $4.69 for it. I've liked it much better ever since then.
This next one is...well, not so great. It's pretty bad, really. But it was only $2.00 and the frame was another $2.00 - four dollars total, baby. Makes it look better and better (she said with her head dipping in shame at her own cheapness).
This next one rates pretty low on my "Happy I Bought It" scale. Sure, I do kind of like the thing, but Randey paid almost $28.00 for it. I had to remind Randey of the joy that comes with cheap-o shopping after this. Geez. He almost ruined our new hobby for me.
I got this next one in Purcell, Oklahoma. I stopped to shop their Main Street antique stores on my way back from my dad's house a few months ago after he'd been in the hospital. I think it cost about $20, which was waaaaaay too much, but I was feeling weak. I've regretted this purchase ever since I made it.
But not nearly as much as I've regretted this one. Talk about a bad painting. Sure. The stupid thing was another $2 find, but even I have to say that, for once, I should have been a little more concerned with quality. What can I say? I got caught up in the moment. It could happen to anybody. Right? Okay - so maybe not.
Luckily, we're running out of room to display our not-so-fine art. As you can see, I've never met a blank piece of wall that I haven't felt the need to cover.
I'm really sort of hoping we've both played out this painting collecting fetish and won't feel the need to further add to our sad little art collection. Even I'm starting to question our sanity (not to mention our taste!)....

29 comments:

  1. LOL! Are you my twin? Separated at birth? When Mr. Mister and I, first bought our home, we went to a "starving artist" show, and I proceeded to purchase five paintings. All of them have buildings, flowers, and a view of the ocean! They even have little sail boats drifting lazily out at sea.

    At the moment, only two are hanging up. One is tucked behind my bedroom door, another is sitting on the floor in the living room, because it was knocked off the wall and now the frame is broken, the other is stashed away upstairs somewhere.

    Now, that was money WELL spent! ROFL! (I wish I had only paid 20.00 dollars for each of them!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great finds! I think the paintings are great! And you've displayed them so nicely in your home!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wouldn't say you are cheap, just thrifty and I really don't mind any of the paintings. I love the first and second one. They are both very pretty.

    Like you, I am thrifty and love a bargain. I was a single mother for 17 years after my first husband passed away very young. Thrifty is something that I had to be in order to survive.

    Great bargains.

    Blessings,
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  4. Don't ever ever tell how much you pay for art! I certainly wouldn't have guessed how cheap...I mean inexpensive...these were. LOL Seriously, I love them all. Great job of displaying them too. Your own art gallery! Isn't it fun to have a fun hobby with your hubby?!

    Hugs!
    Kat

    ReplyDelete
  5. When you said landscape art, I was thinking garden gnomes, plastic flamingos and squirrels. I was very relieved when your first photo was actually a landscape. I think this is hilarious. Have you ever tried to analyze your collecting habits (star wars room etc). Me neither. I happen to like my ridiculous collection of Little Mermaid stuff. :-)

    Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I was once bitten by the same bug! Guess you should have been at my yard sale about 20 years ago. You would have walked off with lots of treasures for pocket change, LOL. They are all quite lovely except for the $2 one. That one missed the mark, IMHO. But the frame makes it worthy of the purchase!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm laughing my ass off over this one...and I don't have a lot of ass to lose, so knock it off already...that is some truly ugly artwork...at least invest in some really good frames and it'll make the art look so much better...cept for the one with the rowboat...I'd just burn it and be done with it...and the last one...what the hell is that? Is the bonfire hot enough? Toss it in...are ANY of them done on velvet? They have to go too...listen, I love to fly, don't make me come down there!
    love ya, bad taste and all
    Aunt Sandi

    ReplyDelete
  8. Do you ever watch Antique Road Show? You might find out some day that one of those paintings (or frames) will pay for retirement! (dream big!)

    I love the way you have them displayed!

    ReplyDelete
  9. At least you're both in this together. You must be fans of Bob Ross's old programs on public television. I love them!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your art gallery looks great! No one would ever know what a bargain it was.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ummmmm, hello! Aunt Sandi! I said it was cheap and tacky art, I didn't say it was all ugly or that we didn't like it. That's sort of the reason why we've been buying it...'cause we LIKE it. So no, I won't be burning it (well, maybe that last one, but NOT the others!) and now that I know how you REALLY feel about my taste in art, I'll cancel that delivery of paintings I had scheduled for YOUR house. NO ART FOR YOU! (crushing, isn't it?)

    lol

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love the art work. I'll have to send you some of the cheesy artwork that is sitting in storage - stuff people gave us for our wedding. We didn't get a single toaster, but boy did we get pictures of scenery and barns to hang up on our walls. Ha!

    Just finished browsing through all your posts. I thought I was reading them oldest to newest on bloglines but I wasn't. Totally messed with my head for a while.

    Looks like you had a great trip to Yellowstone and South Dakota. I'm only three hours away from Yellowstone. Too bad we couldn't have gotten together for a bit of coffee.

    ReplyDelete
  13. A collection! I think it's very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think you should hang it gallery style with some of that cool track lighting so you can focus light on each individual work of art!

    Thank you for a great chuckle, this Friday evening. Hope your weekend is fantastic and you go out and find another great painting!

    Pat
    I can't believe I just wrote "cool"...wow...Xanti will be so proud of G'ma.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Gosh Baby Girl, I hope I didn't hurt your feelings, you know the one saving grace in this is I don't see one Velvet Elvis...so therefore I feel your taste is quite a bit better than I thought, after all...and what is art..it's what we like! Cheap or not...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Kari, The picture with the cabin we had in our son's bedroom ! LoL
    Your post was so funny..
    Thanks for the comment you left me..It means alot.
    Hope you have a great wekend.
    xoxo Nita

    ReplyDelete
  17. Please don't laugh, but while I was scrolling down the photos of all the paintings I kept wondering why there was a black horse in all of the photos. LOL! Too funny! I have it figured out now!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love all but my favorite is the one you regret buying in Purcell! The rowboat...It would be beautiful in my living room! I love cheap and gorgeous finds!

    It makes it a great deal more fun :) and the fact you both love to do it, is even more special!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow, talk about bargain hunters! Imagine getting a framed piece for those prices!

    ReplyDelete
  20. You know sweetie you just singlehandedly priced yourself out of a hobby-- You post about it --It becomes wildly popular --demand is up --and when supply can not meet demand price goes up --ere go no 'Cheap landscapes' are left-- Thanks i was just going to start collecting--you saved me ---LOL I actually like the OKLAHOMA one muchly

    ReplyDelete
  21. Well, I had typed a nice long comment...then Blogger ate it...to be lost forever...

    Now about your new obsession or is it really that you are trying your best to "channel" sweet ole Bob Ross...of the PBS fame. Yes, sweet, happy Bob Ross...now lets put a happy tree...right here!! I can hear him, now. My son used to love BR and so did I...mainly b/c he managed to put my sweet son to sleep on so many occasions!

    I should send you a picture of a painting with frame I purchased at at a local re-sale shop...it is ORANGE...YES! I said, ORANGE background with a brown pirates ship...drifting off into the sea and sky of ORANGE...it has a decent frame...but I bought it for an inspiration board...b/c of its size...it is about 3 1/2 feet tall and 5 1/2 feet long...very rectangular...I think once I find the right piece of fabric and line it with cork, then padding, then some great fabric and touch up the frame it should look great to put all my "to do" things on...once I get around to being inspired. I sure did have fun w/it when I brought it home, though...hubbbin came home...saw it leaning against the hall wall...and asked..."what the H&^* is that?"...I told him it was my new inspiration board...I was using it for inspiration for the new house...for colors, style, and theme! Thank God he knows my sense of humor...b/c it is so ugly...I think if he had believed me he would have run for the hills or had me committed!

    I like the paintings...especially the second one...it looks so serene and peaceful...makes me relax just looking at it...hmmm...I might have to find me one of those!

    Blessings...
    Teresa

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kari,
    Please go to my blog, I have something special for you.
    ~~smiles~~ Katie

    ReplyDelete
  23. You are so funny! Those landscapes are all gorgeous and the prices ~ way cheap and awesome!
    Hope you have a fabulous week.
    Blessings,
    Sandy ;)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'm more minimalist when it comes to decor but I think the paintings are pretty, no matter the price, and I like how you've displayed them. hehe at some of the price tags..good deal!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I recently went to an art show and saw a painting that I really loved. I was expressing my opinion openly to someone who turned out to be the artists husband. He - obviously wanted me to buy the painting (which would have cleaned out my savings account) My reply was this:
    As much as I enjoy and appreciate this amazing painting, it would not work in my home which is a completely different style. You must live with the art you buy...almost in an intimate sense."

    If you changed your mind about one of the paintings you bought...I would suggest selling it on e-bay.

    ReplyDelete
  26. WOW! They really look great displayed all together. My wall suddenly look so....nekkid.

    I wish that you could see my Mom's house. She loves Art and her walls are covered. COVERED!

    Be blessed.

    Jen

    ReplyDelete
  27. I forgot to tell you last night how much I am digging on the light blue pillow and throw, BEAUTIFUL! Oh and my favorite painting is the second one. I love the moutains in tha background. Reminds me of a Thomas Kincade!!Love ya!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. I love to hear what you have to say!