Essential Art for creating a home that calls to the wild
When I started my art training, long before my
sixth birthday, my medium of choice 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.
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.
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.
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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 an actual
tapestry
with lots of texture and...
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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 around
artist Carol Grigg's, 'Meeting' art print.
See. It makes you wonder and wander the landscape of your mind. Good art has a way of doing that...
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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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