Paintings Before Painting - Artistic Motivation For My Renovation

I've needed a pick-me-up for the apartment, what with all the boxes and unfinished renovation projects staring me in the face lately, so I decided to unpack some of my artwork. I didn't realize how much I missed it! It's so nice to see it on the walls, even though nothings finished yet. I thought I'd share the pieces I hung with you.

This is one of the first ones I put up. It's one that was featured on my television show and belonged to my grandparents. It's a Katz acrylic and is a loose representation of a clown. Normally I run screaming from clown paintings, but this one is so abstracted that I really kind of like it.

This is another interesting painting. It's by an artist named Sonnenberg. I've done some research, but have only been able to find one Sonnenberg painter. Her work is different from this piece, but it dates back to 1963, so she could have been doing quite different paintings back then. I like the dark whorling quality of the piece. It sucks you in.

I like this one for it's somewhat morbid, pensive quality. the features of the man are so nicely rendered and the use of color is so beautifully applied - the hint of green reflecting up into the man's face. I love the angular, 1950's quality of the style. There is no signature, so it can't be traced.

This piece is interesting in its use of a heavy impasto texture. The bright red cape of the bull fighter is almost three dimensional. Bull fighting was a somewhat cliche subject for painters in the 60's, but this one has a very nice style to it. It's more unique than most of them. Avery Penn is another artist I haven't been able to find online.

The last one is a print. This also belonged to my grandparents. It's a Camille Graeser. He was a Swiss artist and had a very modernist sensibility. I really like mathematical precision of this piece.

Hanging these pictures has helped me to get motivated to do some of the preparatory work for the contractors. I think it's because of the change of scenery. If you have some projects you've been putting off, why not try shaking things up in your visual world? Hang some pictures, re-arrange some furniture. It can help give you the momentum to make the changes you want to make!