Thursday, September 30, 2010

My Art DECO Garden PRINTS at Home: Part 1

I decided for a change of pace to show you some of my favorite prints that I buy, and those are my original Art Deco garden prints of lush cottage gardens. Some of these are by the famous illustrator/ artist Atkinson Fox, some are copy-cats of that time period, and some are by a few other famous artists back in the 1920-30's time frame. 
Here I am last Summer on my stairs ( below ) , I get my son to help me take some pictures for my eBay site here, and in the background are one of  my walls of deco prints. I have collected, and sold a few, of these old original prints for about 22+ years.

They really have made me smile, when I walk up the stairs and look at them. I envision having a garden like the ones in the prints, and I also enjoy how when the seasons start to change, like they are doing now..
 I can still have that  atmosphere, through Art, of a full Springtime or Summer flower garden...all year long.
I will just start at this wall, and show you some of my old prints. I do not care if the frames match, most deco frames are angular, so they blend. They do not have to be perfect...but I try to buy them in fairly good condition. The prints, the original old lithographs I try to get in the best condition that I can. No big tears, or foxing, or water damage if I can help it. I usually pass on old prints that have that type of damage.
 Look at these flowers ! Hollyhocks, draping roses, snapdragons, cabbage roses, and peonies , and more. Another Fox print. I do not buy reproduction prints, only old originals.
Another Fox print, with a gorgeous old deco frame. I also try not to buy any old prints that have too much fading of their colors from the sun. Which happens with old prints, try to buy them with their colors fairly vibrant still.
This one is one of the few I bought that is a bit more faded and yellowed with age. I liked the frame, so I bought it anyway.
 I just buy what I really like, and since the theme is basically the same, they blend nicely together.
 Another Atkinson Fox print. I like Fox better than Maxfield Parrish, whose prints are more fantasy oriented, I do like Parrish, but Fox has more garden prints, so I like his better. Not that I would turn down a Parrish print if I got a great deal on it, as original Parrish prints sell for more than Fox prints.
But I have bought these, not for their worth in money,
but their worth in aesthetics and inspiration for me. 
Love-a-ly.
This may have been my first deco garden print I bought about 20 years ago. I have three sizes of this print.
If I had more energy I would look up all these prints titles and artists for you, but my energy level is at it's lowest point of my life, so I will simply just show you these.
This is one of a pair I bought by the artist C.K. Van Nortwick. soon as I tell you I won't tell you names, then I go and tell you.
Here's the other:
 These are in excellent condition. I have many with women in gardens, half-nudes, Grecian or Roman style. This was a very popular theme in these prints and the Art deco period of 1920-30's time frame.
The smaller version of the one I have three of. I buy multiple size versions occasionally of these prints.
This is an Atkinson Fox landscape  ( The Good Luck Line ) I bought, I do not usually keep these, I strictly stay with the garden prints, so this one I will probably list on eBay. I loved the frame though.




So hard to photograph these all together as the stairway gets in the way.

I occasionally move the prints around, then I get to see a different one in a new way when I pass by. I get many compliments on these prints , which I like, but I am truly an old oil painting nut...these are secondary , but a close second in my heart to my paintings.
You could find many of these style on eBay or in some antique malls for sale. 
I have many more, I will show you the rest in one or two more posts.


I had a lady stop by and give me a card and a grief book today. She called me,  she knows my children, and was thinking of me. I do not know her very well at all. I know it is brave to confront a person who is grieving...I would say so far half the people avoid me , or never say anything about Sarah, the other half do...and often say some of the wrong things...but they mean well, and they speak.
I would rather no one speak to me, but I know that is not a healthy way to be..just how I feel . Since my stomach/rib problems, I have kept my grief in a ' box' inside me, not wanting to open it, not wanting to look at my unbearable loss close up for awhile. Keeping it closed until I get myself physically better. Even considering what has happened , just the thought of it...crushes me.

I sometimes think that I am one of those parents I never wanted to be, the one whose child was killed in an accident. Never wanted to think it could be me. I always felt so sorry for those parents, usually would not speak to them ,as I did not know them very well. I only remember two, one I spoke to, one I did not.
The one I did not, came to see me three or four days after Sarah died , and cried with me.


Back to my prints, more later for you, I hope you like them,
Gina








4 comments:

  1. Gina,

    I love the prints you've shared. My favorite is the one you said was your first. It looks like she's all alone in nature and reaching out to God.

    Thinking of you.
    Terri

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  2. Hi Gina,
    I too love the prints, particularly the Fox ones. and moreso the landscape one, it makes one wonder where the path leads. As you personally choose each one, isn't it hard to sell them on?
    Please take care, and just let time work it's course.

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  3. The images I like best are those which have both mountains and a lake.

    No mountains anywhere near me in real life.

    For me, that sort of image is a particular kind of fantasy. It invokes ideas like the Grove of Diana, with her lake.

    Those paintings are almost better than a physical garden, just close your eyes and dream.

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  4. Your garden prints are beautiful and very peaceful. I like the way you have them displayed, so that you can enjoy them. It is always hard to know what to say to someone who has suffered the loss of a loved one...thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

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I love comments , please leave one if you like. I try to respond to comments,but if I'm running behind, please know that I read each one before they are published. Thanks much, Gina