Get the latest pulse on art facts & home decorating tips.

The online art gallery at ArtSelect.com offers an excellent selection of Art on Canvas titles in a wide range of art styles and subjects.

Sophisticated and Striking Nothing sets a quiet tone of sophistication in a room like a piece of fine art on canvas. Rich with texture and color, canvas reproductions beautifully convey the artist’s original intention to a degree unmatched by any lithograph. And while a well-framed lithograph certainly lends an air of style to any room, a canvas piece takes the original work to a whole new dimension.

“When you decorate your home with canvas it instantly adds sophistication and chic to your walls,” says Stacy Dalton, Senior Designer at ArtSelect.com “The texture brings out the subtleties of the piece, making the colors richer and giving the art more substance and depth. It’s a quick and easy way to update your décor; by choosing a progressive color or a hot trend like photography on canvas, you can instantly update your look.”

No matter your taste in art or home décor, the world of art on canvas is rich with decorating possibilities.

Choose from Abstract Art , Landscapes, Floral Art, Museum Masters, and more.

If you’re considering adding canvas art to your home décor but you can’t decide which pieces would look best, keep in mind that just about anything looks great on canvas.

“Some prints really take to canvas,” says Dalton, “For example, pieces where the artist’s original work is really painterly and incorporates a lot of visible brushstrokes look incredible on canvas. ‘Flowering,’ an abstract art piece by Nancy Ortenstone, is a terrific example.”

Flowering, Nancy Ortenstone

“We’ve also discovered, though, that a wide range of fine art prints work incredibly well on canvas—even photography!”

Ullswater, Glenridding, Cumbria, Mel Allen

The bottom line? Canvas complements a wide range of fine art and photography titles; let personal taste and creativity be your guides. What images naturally appeal to you? What pieces can you easily envision hanging on your walls? Browse the Canvas Collection at ArtSelect.com for inspiration, or shop our entire online art gallery by Art Genre, Decorating Style, Subject, or Color for a great selection of prints, many of which are available on canvas.

Enjoy your explorations in the world of art on canvas!

Stay tuned for our next blog, where you’ll learn about the different types of canvas reproductions (canvas transfers and giclée), plus designer tips on framing and museum-style canvas wraps.

In our last blog, we talked about how easy it is to upgrade your home décor by bringing art on canvas into your home. This time, we’ll talk about the different kinds of canvas reproductions, so you can be a discerning art buyer.

There are two great ways to bring the textured look and feel of original canvas paintings into your home – Canvas Transfers and Giclée Canvas. Although the processes are quite different for each, the result is the same: a beautiful work of art with a vividness and depth that cannot be achieved on paper.

Canvas Transfers

In creating a canvas transfer, the original image is lifted from a paper print, transferred and permanently mounted onto artist-grade canvas. This process elegantly seals and preserves the images in acrylic, which gives them the deep and lustrous texture characteristic of genuine oil paintings.

Canvas Transfers are available in a wide range of subjects, from Abstracts to Animals, Cuisine-themed art, Florals, Figures, Landscapes, Sea & Shore, World Culture, and more at ArtSelect.com

Giclée (Printed on) Canvas

Giclée, a French word pronounced “Jhee-Clay,” literally means “to spray”. To produce a giclée work, the images are digitally captured and printed directly onto artist-grade canvas using highly sophisticated inkjet printers and archival-quality ink. These fade-resistant, collector-quality works of art are guaranteed to retain their color and detail for over 100 years.

Giclée printers use six ink colors, compared to four in traditional lithography, and spray tiny pixels of archival ink for rich, long-lasting color and detail. The colors mix on the surface to create true colors, rather than the dots that the eye has to blend together in a lithograph, resulting in a finished artwork much more like the original painting.

For decorating inspiration, visit our new giclée canvas collection. You’ll find custom-frameable fine art and photography, and more.

The Museum, Claude Monet

For authentic canvas transfers and giclée, visit the online gallery at ArtSelect.com. We offer a wide range of the highest-quality art on canvas available in genres ranging from Abstract Art to Impressionism. You’ll find works by all your favorites, including Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Klimt, O’Keeffe, Kandinsky, Degas, and many more.

With today’s sophisticated reproduction technologies, anyone can relish the rich, textured presentation of an original work of art in his or her own home—but without the costly expense. Dress your walls with our exquisite art-on-canvas titles by historic and contemporary artists, and see the difference.

Looking for easy ways to expand a small kitchen, make the master bedroom cozier, or infuse the living room with new life? Try adding color-themed wall accents -- namely framed art -- to your décor. You’d be surprised what a big difference a little color can make.

Savvy home decorators know that a room’s predominant colors not only set its emotional tone, they can also alter its proportions to the eye. If you’re ready to give your walls a makeover without repainting, you can easily shift the “mood” of any room with well-placed framed fine art.

Adding light-colored wall accents to a room helps open up the space and create a feeling of expansion.

Art & Colors 101

There's a world of possibilities to explore when it comes to decorating with color. To get started quickly, just keep these two basic color principles in mind.

Heating Things Up

Warm, red-based colors can make a room seem more cozy and intimate, and they can also stimulate passion, energy, and appetites. If you’d like to make a room more warm, friendly and sensual, we have hundreds of warm toned framed art prints, giclée and canvas to choose from.

Try abstract art in Tangerine, floral art splashed with Red, or Yellow landscape art.

Cooling Things Down

Cool, blue-based colors tend to lend rooms an air of serenity and calm, while simultaneously expanding the space. If you’re looking to open up the dimensions of a small room, a good place to start is our collections of fine art in cool tones.

Cool down with a Baby Blue seascape. Sooth & refresh with Celadon Green or Purple art.

For an easy way to get started choosing art by color, visit ArtSelect.com’s online Art by Color Gallery today! Expand your living room, make the kitchen more festive, give your study a little extra pizzazz -- the possibilities are literally endless.

Just in time for spring, our designers have compiled some decorating tips and suggestions for you based on our 2007 Color Trends palette and fine art collection.

1) Silver Peony

The petal-soft hues of Silver Peony are favorites for artists and home decorators alike. To gently ‘warm up’ the look and feel of a room, select one print or several Silver Peony prints and custom-frame them to your taste. It’s an easy way to lend your home a fresh, inspiring spring air.

2) Opal Grey

The understated elegance of Opal Grey-themed artwork can easily bring an air of quiet sophistication to any décor. Start with our Opal Grey art collection, select your favorites, and custom frame your picks. Try art on canvas for extra detail and texture.

3) Tarragon

Verdant and full of life, art prints with predominantly Tarragon hues will bring cheer to any room. Use the season’s new green to uplift your home décor. Whether your taste runs toward Abstract, Impressionist, or Cubist Art, the world of wall art has much to offer.

4) Golden Apricot

Decorate with the honey-colored hues of Golden Apricot, and bring light and intimacy to your home décor. The sunny art prints in our Golden Apricot collection are excellent for a wide range of home decorating projects -- kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and more.

5) Hollyhock

Decorate with custom-frameable fine art prints from our Hollyhock collection, and your walls will bloom with new life. Hollyhock-colored wall art tends to comfort and inspire, suiting décor themes from contemporary through traditional.

6) Grapemist

Deliciously refreshing, the prints in our Grapemist collection both invigorate and uplift – whether Post-Impressionist, Vintage, or Abstract-Art-themed. Choose wall art that reflects who you are and suits your décor. Ask yourself, is my home décor style contemporary, traditional, casual, or global?

7) Whatever Hue Appeals to You!

No one knows your home better than you. And while the 2007 Color Palette calls for fresh spring hues, perhaps other colors meet your home decorating needs better at this time.

Perhaps you’re looking to spice up the master bedroom with vivid artwork in Bright Colors. Perhaps you’d like to lend cheer to the family room with a kaleidoscope of vibrant, energizing art in Primary Colors. Or maybe you’d like to usher in spring with the understated drama of framed fine art in Neutral Colors. Visit our entire Color Collection and get started choosing art by color!

Whatever your home decorating plans for spring, chances are you can accomplish them with a few pieces of well-placed wall art in this season’s hottest colors. Get started decorating with colors from the 2007 Color Palette today, and watch your walls transform!

Self-Portrait, 1889
Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890)
Birthday: March 30

“Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Decorate Your Home -- and Walls -- with Love

Save 10% on All Van Gogh Art from March 30th to April 1st.

Want to breathe a little fresh life into your décor, but don’t know where to start? Just take the wise words of Vincent van Gogh as inspiration. Start with what you love.

From your bedding to your furniture, choose your home décor accents because they speak to you and reflect your signature style. Your unique personality manifests itself in your environment and the items you surround yourself with. So let your home — and your walls — speak volumes for you.

Van Gogh found much to love in his homeland, Holland—bright flowers, inviting cafes, farmlands, starry night skies and more. Each of his paintings reflects this love, tenderness and refinement of vision, which is why he remains one of history’s favorite artists today. A prolific talent, Van Gogh created a wide range of masterpieces in his day, from landscapes and still lifes to portraits and art with flowers.

If you love Van Gogh’s art, this weekend is the perfect chance to save during our Van Gogh Birthday Sale. From March 30 to April 1, you’ll save 10% on all our Van Gogh art prints, canvas and giclée. You’re sure to find plenty of frames that will suit your home décor in our online custom frame shop.

Don’t miss out! Shop our Van Gogh Birthday Sale today!

Art that Expands

One easy way to create the illusion of spaciousness is to decorate with art that features warm, cheerful tones and expansive imagery. Look for pieces that have simple images -- a flower, vase or portrait -- and especially those with a predominance of yellow and orange hues.

Art that draws the eye beyond the room itself -- such as far-reaching landscapes and seascapes -- can also make a room feel more open and airy. Our Space & Light Collection is chock full of art that expands -- from inspiring landscapes and seascapes to buoyant still lifes and art with flowers.

The Magic of Mirrors

Mirrors also serve as admirable works of art in their own right, especially when they are artfully framed. Our handpicked designer mirrors come in a variety of styles, shapes and finishes, each one offering you a world of ways to reflect light -- and your own unique style.

Decorate with these simple tips in mind, and watch any room become more expansive and filled with light. Ready to expand your horizons? Shop our Space & Light Collection today.

From your floor lamps to your furniture, you’ve handpicked every item in your home to ensure it speaks of your signature style -- and framed fine art is the finishing touch that ties it all together.

Is Your Décor Style Traditional?

Today, we’ll be highlighting framed fine art for the traditional home decorator.

• Do you love antiques and timeless home accents that never go out of style?
• Is your home décor inspired by the classic beauty of the past?
• Do you relish any occasion to bring out your vintage china for elegant dinners and afternoon tea?

If you answered yes to some or all of the questions above, your home décor style is likely traditional.

Themes in traditional art include museum masterpieces, still life florals, formal portraits and scenic landscapes -- all of which you’ll find in our Traditional Art Collection. You’ll also find a variety of famous works of art by many of history’s most famous artists, including Claude Monet, a popular choice for the traditional home decorator.

Haystacks at Giverny, by Claude Monet

Bring light, color and beauty into your traditional home decor with a classic work of art like Haystacks at Giverny, by Monet, a master Impressionist. One the most beloved artists of all time, Monet is celebrated worldwide for his unwavering devotion to painting the transient effects of light and color "en plein air" throughout his long career.

Other Décor Styles…

Whether your home décor style is traditional or contemporary, casual or global, you’ll find there’s a wide array of art that will beautifully complement your home. Find art that suits your distinct personality and decorating style today. Visit our Style Collection now!

Stay tuned for coming blogs where we will highlight more decorating styles and how to enhance your home decor with art!

Art Lighting Dos

• Do invest in top-of-the line picture lighting. Museum-quality picture lights provide a generous, evenly distributed glow that will beautifully enhance your artwork—without risk of fading.
• Do shop around for the right lights for your décor. Do you prefer the clean, finished look of cordless picture lights? Would you like dimmable picture lights that you can adjust, depending on your mood, the occasion or time of day? Does the ease of picture lights with remote controls appeal to you?
• Do use halogen art lights to display your artwork—making sure that they conform to museum standards for UV output. Halogen lights most closely approximate natural sunlight without causing fading or dullness.
• Do angle your picture lights at a 30 degree angle to avoid a glare and to lend the most appealing effect.

Art Lighting Don’ts

• Don’t hang your artwork in direct sunlight or near windows. The sun’s infrared and ultraviolet (UV) rays are so powerful they can fade works of framed art, prints and canvases over time.
• Don’t hang your art prints, photography or canvas under fluorescent lighting. Apart from being unflattering with their cool, green tone, fluorescent lights emit extremely high levels of ultraviolet rays that can cause fading and overall deterioration of your artwork over time. Cold Cathode Fluorescent (CCF) lights are the exception—this type of fluorescent light is safe to use.
• Don’t hang your artwork beneath or across from a spotlight. Even ordinary incandescent light bulbs—an un-shaded 100-watt lamp—for instance, can cause fading and dulling over time if placed less than 10 feet from a work of art.

Bottom line? Professional, museum-quality picture lights can draw attention to your artwork and enhance its colors and richness. Overexposure to sunlight and certain kinds of artificial light will cause it to dull or fade prematurely. Choose your picture lighting wisely!

Hi there! I’m an artist, interior decorator, and busy mom who loves spending her free time scouting out the hottest trends in art, décor, and design -- and of course decorating. I’ll be dropping by the ArtWire blog from time to time to share my favorite art facts, decorating ideas and more. Hope you enjoy my first installation!

Contemporary Chic

Here’s what I’m really into this week: the ArtSelect Contemporary Art collection.

I have to admit I’m an eclectic decorator at heart. My husband and I live in a home that’s brimming with quirky accents – from our bright red chairs to our graphic-print curtains. So naturally, the ultramodern artwork in the Contemporary collection really appeals to me.

Best of all, the collection contains 4 inviting categories to browse. Retro Mod is my favorite, chock full of fun graphic shapes and bright colors like this wonderful Rex Ray print.

Merengue by Rex Ray

The Black & White collection features art and photography prints with striking shapes and silhouettes like this cutting-edge X-ray print by Stephen N. Meyers.

Calla Leaf I by Steven N. Meyers

There’s also the Modern collection, with all manner of intriguing and eclectic Modern Art by Abstract masters like Joan Miro, Wassily Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock.

L'Oro dell'Azzurro by Joan Miro

And finally, the Urban Loft collection features art with a dramatic urban edge, like this cosmopolitan G. Lang cityscape.

Urban Abstract No. 165 by G. Lang

So if you’re the kind of person who loves progressive décor, dig into these 4 ultra hip collections.

Contemporary décor not your cup of tea? Discover your signature home decorating style—and art to match it—in ArtSelect’s What’s Your Style collection.

What I Wish Was on My Walls Right Now

Last week, inspired by art with exotic birds, I started a wish-list of framed art I’d like to see on my walls this year (maybe not all in one room). I seem to be into a retro/metro/hula girl/graphic-prints/global style these days, both in my wardrobe and my décor, but somehow it all works together!

So here they are: my top 5 art picks for this season.

1) Tiki Bamboo

As you can see, I’m really into retro art these days, but with an island feel. Notice the funky stained bamboo frame I found to go with it?

2) Constant II
By Brent Nelson



The big city girl in me loves the contemporary, Abstract feel of Brent Nelson’s work. I thought a sleek, simple black frame would showcase this print best.

3) Waikiki
By Scott Westmoreland



Hey. If I can’t get to Waikiki, at least I can have it on my walls!

4) Vertical Focus I
by Lisa Kowalski

Isn’t this fabulously wacky? There’s something decidedly ultramodern about geometric art prints. I thought a clean, stainless steel frame would work best with this image.

5) Floating Motion
By Aleah Koury

Exotic and elegant. This Asian art print would beautifully complement my celadon green living room walls and red paisley sofa.

Well that's it from me for now. Want to add to this list? By all means -- show me what inspires you!

Designing an Artful Office

My colleague Erik just moved into a new, larger office at work. Last week, he asked would I like to help him decorate his new corporate digs? Do dolphins swim?!

The Goal: A tastefully modern office that felt like home to Erik.

The Plan: Develop a theme based on Erik’s existing art collection and office furniture.

The Plan in Action: Erik’s furniture has a lot of warm earth tones, and his personal art collection includes B&W sailing photography prints and an angelic pencil portrait of his daughter. His art preferences tend toward Abstract Art and black & white photography.

Looking for art to extend and enhance his collection, I found a great assortment of Abstracts with earth tones. Abstracts and B&W photography prints are naturally complementary, so that made things pretty easy. I also found him some "soft contrast" photography prints by Alan Blaustein that beautifully echo the feel of Erik's pencil portrait.

To keep things interesting, I used different frames on each piece: warm walnut frames to go with the furniture and art color palette; classic black frames to play off the B&W photography; and stainless steel frames to bring in a modern element.

Because the office had a lot of wall space, I hung the matching frame groups together to create an interesting yet unified feel between the different pieces. I also made sure to align the tops or bottoms of the pieces to give the room a symmetrical feel. And voila: Mission accomplished!

I’d love to hear about your adventures in office decorating! Post a comment and drop me a line.

This season, beachside décor is making waves across the country. Designers are calling for crisp linens, whitewashed walls, wicker furniture, bamboo placemats and other boathouse-chic accents. Below, you'll find 3 easy ways to lend your home an inviting seaside feel you can enjoy all year round.

1) Decorate with Beach-themed Art

Nothing says summer like beach- and ocean-themed art. Try decorating your walls with art featuring lighthouses, tropical vistas, ships & boats, and other oceanside images.

2) She Sells Sea Shells…

Just about everyone has a seashell or two in their collection of knickknacks (if not, you can usually find them at local arts & crafts stores). You can easily make fresh, creative displays with your shells; otherwise, try our seashell-themed art prints and canvas.

3) Splash Your Walls with Summer Colors

Try waking up your walls with art in these inviting, oceanic hues:

What Creative Tension Can Do for Your Décor

Have you ever seen people in outfits that match just a little too well? Like, say, a red velvet blazer paired with a green turtleneck, red and green plaid pants, red flats and a green beret with a plaid bow? The problem is there's too much repetition of color and pattern in that outfit; there's no creative tension. Now on the other hand, a red velvet blazer paired with skinny black jeans and a funky graphic-print t-shirt -- that's intriguing.

The principle of creative tension applies to home décor as well. When you're decorating a room or home, it's easy to accidentally overdo it with a particular color or theme. If you want to avoid getting stuck in a decorating rut, try keeping these 3 tips in mind.

If your style is Global, for example, and your furniture is largely earth-toned wicker and wood, try introducing a little color with some colorful Chinoise cushions and Asian Artwork. The images above are, from left to right, Moon, Flower and Moth and Moon, Persimmon and Moth by Anita Munman.

If you tend to favor neutral tones and whites in your decor, why not add a vibrant splash of color to lend even more drama to the overall effect? This Abstract Artwork, Passport: Bora Bora, by Marlys K. Mallet, nicely does the trick. The round, Asian-style lanterns also bring a nice counterpoint to the clean, angular and Contemporary feel of this room.

With the easy, breezy weather in full swing, designers and decorators across the country are shifting their focus to moving the "inside room" outdoors. This summer's most stylish patios and porches now feature furniture and accessories that are barely distinguishable from what you might typically find inside -- relaxed sofas and chairs, stylish carpeting and WeatherPrints™ -- the world's finest outdoor art.

WeatherPrints™ are beautifully resilient masterpieces that can withstand all of nature's elements, not just during summer months, but all year round. They retain their quality and vibrancy in all kinds of weather conditions, including intense humidity, UV rays, rain, sleet and snow, making them great for patios, porches, and indoor/outdoor pool areas.

Whether you're throwing a summer garden party or just looking to spruce up your backyard, outdoor art's a quick and easy way to upgrade your porch and patio decor. Elegant and intrepid, each WeatherPrint™ looks so much like unframed canvas gallery wrap, the difference is undetectable, even inches away.

WeatherPrints™ won't fade, crack or rust, even in the harshest weather. How do they do it? They're made of a specially-formulated, hardy, aluminum-based composite substrate, then printed with Ultra Violet-protected inks, and, finally, treated with a powerful weatherproof coating. Because they can withstand high levels of moisture and humidity, WeatherPrints™ also work great in steamy spas and bathrooms.

Here are just a few of our new outdoor art prints:

Discover the beauty and ease of outdoor art. Decorate with WeatherPrints™!

Outdoor Art Saves the Day!

The other day, a good friend of mine asked if I knew of any no-hassle ways to add a little flair to her front porch. The answer was easy: aside from all the usual stuff like potted plants and floormats, why not try WeatherPrints outdoor art?

If you read last week's ArtBeat entry, you know that WeatherPrints are works of art that hold up beautifully in all kinds of weather -- sunshine, rain, and even sleet and snow! Weatherproof art -- what'll they think of next?!

WeatherPrints can take an outdoor porch like this...

...and transform it into a mini oasis like this:

This work of art, Patio Urn I, by Liz Jardine, fits in beautifully with all the green foliage and flowers in bloom right now, and it will perk up my friend's porch all winter long. Yet another decorating mission accomplished!

If you're curious to know all the nitty gritty details about what WeatherPrints are made of, check out this in-depth entry on Outdoor Art.

Until next week!

According to a June 26 article from ApartmentTherapy.com's LA blog, one of summer's hottest décor trends is framed art with leaf imagery.

The colorful, nature-inspired artworks above are at once Contemporary and Global -- and, as the ApartmentTherapy.com writers rightly point out, they're much easier to care for than actual plants!

On the lookout for art with leaves? ArtSelect offers a wide range of beautiful images to explore.

There are botanically inspired tropical designs:

(Block Print Palm, by Chariklia Zarris, and Ferns IV by Edward Lowe)

There are artful Abstracts with images from nature:

(Quiet Leaves by Dominique Gaudin and In Play by Chris Donovan.

The ephemeral x-ray photography prints of Steven. N. Meyers afford an unusual glimpse into the delicate structures of leaves:

(Leaf Bouquet and Celosias by Steven N. Meyers)

The decorating possibilities are endless. So...are you ready to turn over a new leaf in your home décor?

How to Make Little Spaces Speak Volumes

Using a predominantly red and white color scheme, Jack lends his space a crisp, clean, modern flair. Notice that Jack also chose a large, bold Pop Art print to adorn one wall. While you might expect art with bright, primary colors and a Contemporary feel to overwhelm a small room, they can actually work beautifully. The trick is to choose art in hues that match the rest of the room -- in this case red, black and white -- and to keep everything else relatively simple.

Got a cool small room you’d like to share? I’d love to hear your design tips.

And for more inspiration on decorating small spaces, be sure to check out these pages about expanding small rooms and adding space and light.

These days, you don’t have to be a world traveler to decorate like one. While rich tapestries, exotic furniture and other global accents used to be found only in the homes of elite globe-trotters, today they’re readily available for everyone.

One of the most popular trends in home decorating today, Global décor combines exotic style elements from all over the world. From the rich silk curtains of India to the Zen-inspired artwork of Japan, Global décor offers up a veritable feast for the senses.

•Lush, ornate, exotic, sensuous, Olde World

•Rich color schemes, usually in neutrals or brights

•Geometric patterns and animal prints

•Zen-inspired imagery and motifs

•Wooden accents, especially dark cherry, mahogany, teak and bamboo

Whether your décor is predominantly Global or you’d just like to introduce a few exotic accents, Global-themed artwork can help set the tone. If, for instance, you tend to favor elements of Asian decor -- like rice paper lanterns and bamboo screens -- you could tie the pieces together beautifully with Asian artwork.