An oil painting by P. Willis, purchased for $15 on Thursday at the Recycled Art Sale, Paradise Center for the Arts, downtown Faribault. The sale continues until 5 p.m. Saturday, June 15. The painting now hangs in my living room.
AFTER PURCHASING two original paintings at the Recycled Art Sale at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault this week, I started thinking about the art I choose for my home.
Nearly every single piece I’ve purchased second-hand from thrift stores, garage and yard sales, or that annual Recycled Art Sale. I’ve also been gifted with several works of original art.
Why do I buy what I buy?
You tell me. View examples below of art currently displayed in my home and share what you think the pieces reveal about me and/or why I selected them.
Go.
Displayed on a shelf in my dining room, this watering can was purchased at a craft store many years ago. I bought the Minnesota beverage tray at the Rice County Gas & Steam Engines Flea Market on Memorial Day weekend. I often repurpose items like these as art.
I have yet to find a spot for this gladioli oil painting which I bought for $10 at the Recycled Art Sale.
I removed the folding legs from this TV tray, attached a ribbon and hung it in my dining room. I have several more of these same trays, purchased at a yard sale.
Here’s the setting where the fruit tray hangs, next to a vintage family dresser which my husband refinished many years ago. The items on the dresser, with the exception of the candle holder, were purchased at the Faribault Salvation Army (creamer) and at a flea market (wooden box). The embroidered runner came from a garage sale. This is in a corner of my dining room.
Another TV tray, purchased at a garage sale and repurposed as art, sits atop the entertainment center in my living room along with dried hydrangea from bushes outside my front door.
Inside one of the cubbies in the entertainment center, I arranged these books, purchased at an annual used book sale in Faribault, and this alarm clock, bought at the Faribault Salvation Army for a few bucks.
One of my all-time favorite finds is this oblong mirror (only a portion shown here because mirrors are challenging to photograph without getting yourself in the pic) bought for 50 cents at a garage sale years ago. It hangs in a hallway, reflecting light.
In the guest bedroom, I created this floral scene atop a dresser. The floral print was purchased for less than $1 at a garage sale. I seldom spend much on any art I buy. The hydrangea are from my frontyard bush and the vase from flowers I once received.
© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Thanks for sharing your art:) I like using plates/platters as decorations – my fav is a deviled egg tray in the shape of a chicken that is black, white and red. Happy Saturday!
That sounds like a great plate for deviled eggs and as a form of art. I have a vintage plate with a floral design hanging in my bathroom. Surprised?
I love floral design and no it does not surprise me – ha!
Bring on the floral designs.
Hubby and I have talked a few times about the theme in my favorite art pieces – all have trees and flowing water depicted. I hope to expand my personal collection at bargain prices, but I think you have bested me in every instance in the prices you have shared in the story above!
And what, Marilyn, is the reason behind that trees and flowing water theme in your favorite art?
3 canvases purchased from down-on-their-luck art students traveling through our region (2 Israelis, one British); 1 canvas from a friend who is a mouth painter (had polio as a teen back in the 50s); some is framed calendar art (free); most recently hubby won a watercolor in a raffle (a wll-known artist from our area). The theme, if indeed it is a theme, is cheap and it appealed to me.
Cheap. Perfect.
I think you are drawn to colourful flowers. There appears to be flowers in almost all of your purchases. I’m sure they are good for cheering you up during those white-out months of the year xx
Florals most assuredly are a common theme in the art I purchase. And they assuredly help lift my spirits in the winter, especially during the recent long winter we endured.
Your style is beautiful Audrey, Vintage items, color and flowers seem to be the theme. You’ll have to let us know when you decide where the “glad” painting will go.
Definitely vintage, Jackie, definitely vintage with lots of florals. I replaced the floral TV tray atop the entertainment center with the glad painting. I like to swap my art out and rotate it, depending on my mood and the season.
You definitely have a great sense of using the old recycled and repurposed items to create a homey feel in your place. Lots of floral vintage fun going on in your home!
Give me old anytime over new. And, yes, florals seems to be my thing, based on my love of flowers.