The Importance of Artwork

I titled this post, ‘The Importance of Artwork’ because I think art truly feeds the soul. It makes you think, it transports you, it inspires you–sometimes even at the slightest glance. As promised, I wanted to share with you some of the pieces we had sent from Seattle to New York and now have hanging at Hawthorne. Mainly, because having it there makes the house now feel like our home. Art is truly personal and ultimately should please you. I don’t think artwork needs to have a provenance to be important. If it pleases you, it is important. Our artwork has been collected over the years and has great meaning to us. Not because of financial value, but because of the emotions it stirs in us both. We give each other a piece of artwork each year on our anniversary in January, so each piece has a story and an initial memory associated with it. We also buy artwork when we travel or if we see something in a gallery or at an event that just speaks to the both of us. The above piece was in our bedroom in Seattle and it now sits above the bookcase in our bedroom there. We bought this at a zoo auction at Woodland Park years ago.

This is also in the same room. It is from a New York artist we met on our first trip together to NYC. We bought a piece from her then, which really is a great story I will share in another post at some point, and this piece we bought several years later at a gallery show. We like the idea of having one there and one in Seattle.

This was a gift to me on one of our anniversaries. It is of WestWard. We loved the idea of having it there as a reminder of Vashon Island. It is fun looking at it and then looking out the window out into the valley. I am actually sitting in that chair in the piece at this very moment, writing this very post, looking out to the water.

The bird cage piece on the right is in the downstairs guest bathroom. It was a gift from our friend Cara. We were friends with her mother too, who had it hanging in her guest bathroom. We always loved the piece. It is a lovely memory of her mother and the many fun times the 4 of us shared together. I find art really does that. So many memories can be attached to a certain work of art.

This is a family piece from a place in Austria that we travelled to and has great meaning to us.

This was a gift from family that was taken on their trip to Ireland. Our brother-in-law is a professional photographer and he took this image when they were there for a family excursion.

The lower still-life you might remember as I have written about it before. It was just the most thoughtful gift from a couple who are customers of the shops and have become friends. He is an extraordinary artist and it made for one very special 50th birthday gift. The above I recently found on One Kings Lane. These are above the green Parsons desk in the guest room.

Art can really be in so many forms. The antlers, the ‘H’ and the ficus tree all speak of art to me in different forms.

The top work above of Lake Union by an old friend Alfred Harris. We have collected many of his works over the years. Again, we love having a bit of a reminder of Seattle when we are at Hawthorne. Both are home. The piece under that by Wayne Pate, whose original work we sell at Watson Kennedy. I have coveted this piece since we first got it in. So when the shipping company came to pick up a few things at the shop, it somehow made its way into the crate. The below a black & white photograph where the artist shot straight up into the trees creating a unique perspective.

Many of the above we have great history with. The works become like old friends. Artwork should please the people who live with it. So often I think fear of what other people are going to think of something you like stops people from buying a piece of artwork they love. Oh my stars, I think just the opposite. Buy what you love. It will tell part of your story. I adore seeing the artwork of friends. It tells me a bit about who they are.