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Home decor art with a southwestern print can get real prickly at times
When I started my art training, long before my sixth birthday, my medium of choose was ‘Crayola’. I knew exactly what colour was to be used for whichever object I was working on. However, two colours caused me to ponder — one was burnt orange and the other was burnt sienna. Now the keyword that got my attention was the word ‘burnt’. What did that mean? To me, burnt meant charcoal. Like the steaks my dad cooked once — no, no just kidding.
It wasn’t until years later, on my first trip to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon, that I truly understood. The soil wasn’t plain, old brown, it was richer and more intense than that — it was burnt sienna. Same with the sunsets. They weren’t orange — they were burnt orange. Don’t ask me to explain any further, I’m an artist and not a crayon maker, but they got it right. The land is warm. It’s burnt. And if you are decorating with a southwestern theme, you can’t go wrong having those colours painted on an accent wall or woven in an area rug containing a Native American Indian motif.
Something else you can’t go wrong with, when decorating your adobe walls in burnt sienna is finishing the look with black and white photography. Especially, if the images are of the native plants, like agave or cactus. Black and white will complement the colours. They will give a nostagic and timelessness feel of the land indoors. The pointed thorns will remind us these plants can survive predators, under the intense conditions of blazing heat and no water for months. The unique lines and patterns will humbly remind us who the master artist is amongst us — mother nature.
Lausen Arts
When I started my art training, long before my sixth birthday, my medium of choose was ‘Crayola’. I knew exactly what colour was to be used for whichever object I was working on. However, two colours caused me to ponder — one was burnt orange and the other was burnt sienna. Now the keyword that got my attention was the word ‘burnt’. What did that mean? To me, burnt meant charcoal. Like the steaks my dad cooked once — no, no just kidding.
It wasn’t until years later, on my first trip to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon, that I truly understood. The soil wasn’t plain, old brown, it was richer and more intense than that — it was burnt sienna. Same with the sunsets. They weren’t orange — they were burnt orange. Don’t ask me to explain any further, I’m an artist and not a crayon maker, but they got it right. The land is warm. It’s burnt. And if you are decorating with a southwestern theme, you can’t go wrong having those colours painted on an accent wall or woven in an area rug containing a Native American Indian motif.
Something else you can’t go wrong with, when decorating your adobe walls in burnt sienna is finishing the look with black and white photography. Especially, if the images are of the native plants, like agave or cactus. Black and white will complement the colours. They will give a nostagic and timelessness feel of the land indoors. The pointed thorns will remind us these plants can survive predators, under the intense conditions of blazing heat and no water for months. The unique lines and patterns will humbly remind us who the master artist is amongst us — mother nature.
Lausen Arts
"The wind whips through the canyons of the American Southwest and there is no one to hear it but us; a reminder of the 40,000 generations of thinking men and women who preceded us, about whom we know almost nothing,
upon whom our civilization is based."
Carl Sagan Quote
Don't you find it interesting that the following Southwestern abstract art prints have the word 'Sedona' within their titles? Coincidence? I once heard that if you came across a coincidence, it was a confirmation from the universe that you were exactly where you were supposed to be. I believe these artists are exactly where they are supposed to be, within their frame of mind, when it comes to Southwestern abstraction. After all, Sedona is one of the places on earth that has energy vortexes.
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Whether it's an ancient adobe home showing rough and textured curves or a modern dwelling built with the vision to create as straight a wall surface as possible, these buildings represent harmony with the land. I particularly like how the following artists embrace this concept, yet still add their own artistic freedom with the colours.
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Did you know that raw agave nectar can be eaten on ice cream? Or that it's the plant used for manufacturing tequila? No wonder the indigenous people of the southwestern regions valued this little treasure since it is guaranteed to bring a smile to someone's face.
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Artist Gayle Wisbon is someone whom captures the light of the southwest perfectly and applies it to the canvas. Have you ever seen such a wonderful painting of an agave—such a vibrant blue? Click on the image below to get a larger size, stare at it for a second, then look away. Did you see it grow? Fantastic focal point in any room.
Sometimes when we want to decorate our walls with blankets or quilts, as good an idea as it may be, they can often be too heavy in some cases. All of us have heard the dreaded statement ,from our dear helpers, "There isn't a stud here that could hold it." Oh, brother, now what when you want the look of a weave? I recommend to use framed prints instead. If you choose a couple of them, then your wall can still have the air of textures and rich colours that blankets can offer. Or just pick one with a lot of Southwestern motif substance, such as the 'Navajo Blanket' below. Either way, your living space will clearly portray a home style statement of the west. Now, if your heart is set on a tapestry...
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It didn't seem liked I could be convinced I was in the Southwest until I saw one of those grand Saguaro Cactus standing off in the distance on the Arizona land. That's why it was important I included two images here of those desert landmarks—ust so you too had a confirmation that you truly were on a Southwestern decor web page.
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Feathers play a real significant role in Native American views on life. For more insights into exactly what they symbolize for these people, I recommend going to Avia Venefica's page: www.whats-your-sign.com/symbol-meaning-of-feathers.html. Now I'm not saying that her information relates exactly to what the following images are about, as artist David Ramos' interpretation of his work is his own 'art' business. But I personally, as an artist, know that often there's a deeper subliminal message in the artwork and we often don't express that message in words nearly as well as others sometimes. But, I know that the colours of these feathers definitely express southwestern feather art.
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It's easy to get confused between a Pinto or a Paint horse, but not to worry, because in the art world it just matters if you like how it looks and how it makes you feel. I like the look of 'Arizona Paint' by Reginald Jones very much. This horse, for me, looks like on the day the angels decided to give Arizona's land a colour touch-up, the paint can tipped and dripped markings all over any white horses grazing below. Oops. But, thank heaven, as Paint horses are a beauty to behold. Now that may have been a horse's tale, but it makes me smile and that's what art should do. Go ahead, try imagining a story about artist Carol Grigg's, 'Meeting'. See. It makes you wonder and wander the landscape of your mind. Good art has a way of doing that...
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Wonder what energy the southwest carries that inspires a coyote or wolf to howl at the moon night after night? Maybe the animal is thanking the moon for all the light, so they can prowl longer into the night, maybe it's telling the man in the moon a tale about life in the desert or maybe it's just singing a song about a true love it longs from New Mexico...
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Years ago, while I was on a vacation in Arizona, I made a conscious decision that the most meaningful souvenir I could bring back from that trip would be some native jewelry and believe me, to this day, I still feel extremely grateful that I made that choice. It was a bracelet and ring set made with turquoise and silver. The set cost me a small fortune, but worth every penny. It's beauty stands alone in my heart, but I also love it because it instantly transports me back to the vast land of the southwest. Just think how artist, Michael Mauney's picture of 'Close Up of Polished Turquoise' artwork could act the same way in a room. It would be like hanging on a home wall a Southwestern adornment the energy of that land's charm and value. Did you know that the colour of turquoise brings a feeling of happiness and relaxed thoughts in symbolism? It's just a thought if you're looking for a happy and relaxed home.
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I have to say a slotted canyon can really challenge one's nerves, especially if you get claustrophobic. But not to worry because even if you have claustrophobia, Arizona's Antelope Slot Canyon wall mural is large enough that you could just take a sneak peek and then spend the rest of the time sitting on your couch enjoying the unusual wall markings or the warm glow that the canyon colours offer your room.
Are you seeing a pattern to southwest design? You should, especially here.
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