Art Attack!

March 2015, By Nicole Langelier.

I am in the midst of an art attack – I seem to be in the centre of a tornado of beautiful things that seem to be spinning all around me these days. Art is everywhere if you are open to seeing it – from the obvious to the subtle. Art is all around you.

Last week in particular was an art filled week for me. I went to the framer a number of times for several clients, each of whom had some beautiful artworks in need of a new look – the frames were old and daggy – mostly from the 1970s. I had the works contemporized with some chunky minimal frames and wide mats, resulting in a new life and a new look for each of the pieces – and boy what a difference it made! Framing is an art in and of itself and can completely transform the nature and tone of the artwork.

Also, in my art filled week, I was interviewed for the Kay and Burton Real Estate web series “Design File”. This particular segment was on the importance styling a property to increase the sale price, and the use of art in creating an impressive space. Whether styling a property for sale or for private clients, art plays a crucial role in tying a space together, and can often be the hero of the space itself – as was the case in the property we shot in where I chose bold graphic art to create a statement that tied into the custom furniture.

Art is of course very subjective. When I go to a gallery or museum I don’t start at the beginning and work my way around the room in a linear fashion – I tend to walk to the centre of the room and do a little spin – I stop at the piece that ‘speaks’ to me most and work my way around the room from that point.

I fancy myself as a bit of a photographer these days. I am inspired by the beauty that is all around me in my day-to-day life: a shadow on the footpath – old peeling posters on city walls – flowers growing in unexpected places. Armed with my iPhone 6, I am creating beautiful art of my own.

Above is one of my favorites – a shot of a basketball court that I took at the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne. I love the brightness of the colours and the bold graphic nature of the lines and curves. I take great pleasure in using my viewfinder to slice off a piece of something ordinary – like a basketball court – to create something new and unexpected and maybe even extraordinary from the things that surround us every day.