Keep or Sell?

Oh - Seriously!!  I have been finding so many great wall hangings and art pieces at estate sales lately.  I have put many new things up for sale in my Etsy.com shop, but these Paris landmark prints are SO GREAT (and I love Paris) that I might have to keep them...I'm just not sure.  They are from the 1960s and I think they are fantastic.

Vintage artwork is a great way to add character to your room.  It's fun to find real art - like oil paintings or water colors.  You know you will be the only one of your friends to have it and you never know, it might actually be valuable some day!  No matter what your style, there is a vintage piece out there for you.  Find what you love - there are different mediums, different subjects, different eras, and different styles.  I am drawn to pictures of the sea or water landscapes.  Take a look at this collection I have been gathering for my home.  I think it is interesting when you line them up.  It creates a long coast line - it's crazy that the sky and horizon line kind of line up!  Yes, this collection is growing!

I also found this - can you tell me if it is a boy or a girl?  At first, it's clearly a young boy.  But, then as you look further, it could be a woman with either short hair or her hair pulled tight.  Look at the chin, lips and eye lashes - distinctly feminine. It is ambiguous!  That's what I like about it.  FABULOUS!!

Remember when I blogged about that great store Fishs Eddy, I told you about how much I loved all the vintage portraits of women.  They had them all over the store.  Just women.  So, I decided to start looking for them to collect.  Kind of boho, kitsch, cool.  I bought one recently and I think it is very cool.  I don't know her, but I call her Sophisticated Woman.  She is on Etsy.com...

Here is an original water color of a small hill top town that looks just like San Gimignano, Italy.  It's funny because I just blogged about my trip there and the pottery I purchased and then I saw this painting at an estate sale the very next day.  I think it is fun to layer or stack art on top of another.

I love travel prints and posters.  The ones above from Paris were probably souvenirs from a wonderful trip.  They are memories that people frame carefully to  keep forever.  I think that is nostalgic and very sentimental.  So, naturally, when I saw this souvenir poster print from the 1960s of Rome I had to pick those up, as well.

 
It's true, however, that EVERYONE thinks they are an artist.  Lots and lots of people try their hand at painting.  More often than not, the works of art at thrift shops are paint-by-number failures!  But, if they have cool frames, they are valuable just for that!  Case in point: this drippy water color is not very good, but I loved the bright green frame so it was valuable to me.  I'll use it for something!  Speaking of frames, I found 7 matching vintage frames with mats at a thrift shop.  This picture does not do them justice, but I love them! They are all different sizes.   Can't wait to find a cool use for them.  Instead of pictures, I was thinking about framing 7 pieces graphic wall paper from the same roll...