Collections

Jason Munn poster, three ships from the flea market, and a traditional Croatian wool scarf.

I encourage everyone I know to purchase art they love, and let them know it doesn’t have to start with that 6’x10′ painting from the hottest gallery in town.

Anyone who’s been to my house knows that I’m a pack rat collector! When I was in middle school it began with saving every note written during class. In high school it was dance corsages, pictures, and school play bills. With College came postcards and press releases from the art galleries in Chelsea. Part of the fun of walking around the openings was collecting these colorful keepsakes for my stash. I started thinking about investing in pieces of art when I began an internship at Hasted Hunt (now Hasted Kraeutler). I didn’t have enough money for their blockbuster pieces by Erwin Olaf, Jean-Paul Goude, and Edward Burtynsky. So I started to scrounge.

Friends around me were developing their own artistic voices and leaving their sketches and unfinished pieces with me. That was a start! But my first real purchases were screen printed posters. Gig posters were the least expensive because they had the largest number of reproductions. As I learned more about each artist, I noticed that they would have runs of ‘Artist Prints’. Often they were smaller than the typical 18×24 poster, and you didn’t run into the problem of liking the design but not favoring the band (no amount of good design will make me want to purchase a Black Eyed Peas poster…). I trained my eye on early editions of Jason Munn posters and a friendship a few years later opened by eyes to other amazing hand letters, graphic designers, and letterpress printers like Jessica Hische, Frank Chimero, and The Decoder Ring. Sometimes the rare breed who mastered all three.

My methods of discovery and purchasing have changed dramatically in past few years. Many shops in San Francisco have embraced the unknown freelance designers who are making their prints in their bedrooms and basements. Etsy is a great place to search for a new piece to add to your collection, and my favorite way is tracking a few blogs that have a similar taste in art and design. They’re always a step ahead with trending art and artists.

Your collection can start with the letter pressed thank you card you saw at a local gift shop, or the quilt you found at the flea market. Surround yourself with things you love and see just how much it inspires your every day. Let’s support our friends who despite little praise and funding, keep creating work that changes everything. They need our help, and we need their art!

Some Links.

I have a few paintings from my friend Austin Power (yes). A New York based artist, he’s making a name for himself in the fiercely competitive Brooklyn and Chelsea gallery scene.

Jason Munn was one of my first poster obsessions back in 2008. Four of his prints are framed and hanging on my walls.

Not all of my art is collected on paper. My love for sewing has developed into a truly scary collection of printed fabrics and textiles. Heather Ross is a favorite, and her characters come to life on fabric.

You’ve probably seen Jessica Hische’s work through her dailydropcap.com project. She is a prolific designer and you’ll start seeing her work pop up all over the place once you learn her style!

Jason introduced me to Creativity Explored a San Francisco based non-profit where artists with developmental disabilities create, exhibit, and sell art. The pieces Jason brought to the office are really beautiful, and the rug we got for the office was a collaboration between Creativity Explored and CB2!

I started collecting Heath ceramics after my 21st birthday. They are always the center pieces of my meals, and I reserve my favorite flowers for their timeless vases. I love visiting their factory in Sausalito, around since the 1930’s.

Designers always have the best blogs, and Skinny LaMinx is a favorite. Her blog introduces you to her favorite artists and gives you a behind the scenes while she works on her latest designs.