What tickles your fancy?

By Sarah Gee on May 9, 08 10:46 AM in

Well, my last blog really created a flurry of responses (thanks Sid...) about what well-known pieces of art you'd love to see hanging on your living room wall but it has got me thinking: why do so few friends have art in their homes? I'm talking about well-educated, reasonably financially-comfortable and largely creative people who visit arts and cultural events on a regular basis. So why do they live with blank walls?

In a completely unscientific experiment, conducted over a few pints in the Hare & Hounds, it turns out that they are scared. Scared of what the 'wrong' piece of art might say about them, scared to trust their own judgement, and scared to commit relatively large sums to what might not be 'good' art. Of course, many of these terms are entirely subjective - and I guess that's kind of the point here - but nevertheless the people to whom I spoke don't seem to have the confidence to buy art.

I found this rather perplexing as I've always taken the view that if you have limited funds - and are therefore not buying investments pieces which may well languish in storage while they accumulate in value - buying something that you love, and something that makes you smile or think differently about the world, is a good place to start.

But what if you really don't know where to start? What if you need an assurance of quality?

Fret ye not; help is at hand.

Arts & Business West Midlands have launched a stonking new website called VISUAL which is a virtual contemporary art gallery, featuring 650 works by 66 of the regions' leading artists. All pieces have been carefully selected arts professionals and business leaders, and are priced fairly. Although the site is aimed at the corporate marketplace - recent clients include the BBC, Ernst & Young and CityInn - they will cater for individuals too. They'll guide you through the process and really couldn't be friendlier or more helpful. A great service all round - I know, because I've bought from them.

David Rowan PK808.jpg

My current favourites on VISUAL include photography by David Rowan, Stuart Whipps and Stuart Mills, and Katherine Harvey's wire birds, as well as a stunning array of jewellery, all made in the Midlands.

What tickles your fancy?