With more than 60 recognized species of herons living on this planet, it’s easy to see why so many nature lovers find them completely fascinating. And the love affair shows no signs of stopping. Why just this summer, a group of black-crowned night herons had researchers and Washington, DC, residents enthralled and scrambling to track their every move. Of course not all of us are blessed with such unique opportunities. So thankfully, there are pieces of heron themed, animal art that can help us remain close to these majestic, coastal birds.

 

Two pieces to consider are Rosiland Solomon’s Night Herons and John James Audubon's Night Heron. Solomon's depiction of the birds is very colorful and shows them in a classic wetlands scene. Color wise, Audubon's rendition is more muted and shows them perched on a branch in seemingly quiet response. Nonetheless, both feature the bird's thick necks, dark crowns, wide bodies, and beautiful color patterns. 

 

For those that want to surround themselves with photos of herons, we’d suggest taking a look at the work of Moises Levy. He is a talented photographer with a penchant for capturing waterscapes and related wildlife. That said, he has a series of photos that feature herons on the water as well as standing on boats, piers and pylons. There are even a few that depict the winged creatures in flight. Just look for the photos that start with the word, Garzas, or a number followed by the word, Herons.

 

 

Rosiland Solomon, John James Audubon and Moises Levy are not the only artists known for their animal themed pieces. Heron lovers may also want to check out animal artwork by people like Jennifer Goldberger, Sydenham Edwards, Alexander Wilson, Chris Vest, Utagawa Hiroshige and James Harris. To learn more about their animal art and tips for filling living space with heron themed decor, please contact us at the Fulcrum Gallery today.

From bathroom to bedroom, artist Michael Mullan's prints are perfect for adding a creative cheer to the rooms in your home. Michael grew up in Chicago and currently lives in Woodstock, Vermont, where he works as a graphic designer and enjoys playing the violin and guitar.

His creations are published as wall art, yet also grace fabrics, dishware, rugs, and stationary found in quality stores such as Bloomingdale's, Hallmark, and Target. Mullan's art has a special way of speaking across generations and lifestyles by adding modern flare to classic themes.

Enhance the creative cheer of the most necessary room in your house with Dancing Bubbles 1. This print features a simple, fun print with gorgeous earthy hues of blues and browns for “calming, dreaming, indulging, soothing, [and] relaxing” in your bathroom. Spice up your kitchen with splashes of deep reddish brown and cheerful phrases with this pair of 12X12 vintage themed prints: Vintage Desktop – Coffee and Cook Up Love.

With the wonderful hues of light sage and aqua, the Night Owl II print is perfect for children's rooms and sun rooms. Add some retro charm to your living room with the always stylish and complimentary hues of black, white, and gray: Vintage Analog Phone, Vintage Analog Camera, and the Vintage Analog Record Player. Inspire and entertain yourself, your family, and your guests with these cheerful phrase prints, which are perfect for adorning hallways and staircase walls: Dream Big, Stay Young, and Be Happy.

Excellent for any room is the most positive print you may ever find: THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BE. And last but certainly not least, if you're looking for a large, colorful, bold and incredibly artistic statement piece to adorn a special wall in your home, look no further than the Majestic city print by Michael Mullan.

Halloween is a wonderful time of year to embrace your truly spooky side. It is a time when you can go all out with scary home decor or you can take a more tasteful and intriguing route. The possibilities are endless! Let's take a few minutes to go over a few of the different color schemes you can use while decorating for Halloween.

A Halloween Color

ORANGE DECOR

You can choose to decorate with all orange and orange art. You can use a large roll of craft paper in orange and put a giant Jack-O-Lantern on your front door along with orange window treatments with crepe paper or even orange string lights on your bushes. Orange is a great accent color and let's not forget, pumpkins are orange and Jack-O-Lantern's are a fun family project!

BLACK DECOR

Another option is to use black decorations or black art. This may sound a bit depressing but when you look over the options of black art it's quite mystical and enjoyably spooky! You can put a black, skeletal tree in front of your house or on a door and use black cut out's to represent ghosts or other ghouls!

Pumpkin Decor

A wonderfully traditional option is to decorate with pumpkin art. There are tons of wonderful artistic representations of pumpkins to use and the best part, you can keep a lot of them up through Thanksgiving!

Traditional Halloween Art

Finally, a great way to decorate that is simple and festive, is to use Halloween posters. It is not as invasive as other decor schemes but gives your Halloween visitor some fun art to peruse while they visit.

A great way to decorate with Halloween art that is both fun, scary and hopefully intriguing is to do some kind of mix of the above suggestions, you can decorate with orange and black art while also adding in pumpkin and Halloween art to create a really lush and fun home this Halloween season. Don't be afraid to embrace your spooky side with these options and make sure to check out some of the other options we offer here at FulcrumGallery.com. 

If you are a fan of abstract paintings, there is a good chance that you’ve at least heard of artist Maeve Harris. For those that have not heard of her, please allow us to make the introduction. She is a versatile, Seattle-based phenomenon that’s known for her intuitive use of organic forms and blending techniques. In addition, she tends to incorporate elements of photos, literature and history into her work. Here’s a look at several excellent examples of her innate talent:

Maeve Harris Collection: Moment Series

Maeve Harris’ Moment Series is a prime example of her brilliant use of brush strokes to create the illusion of movement. The paintings in the series are appropriately titled Moment I and Moment II. In both instances, she blends blacks, whites, yellows and browns to create two distinct, abstract focal points. Because of their abstract nature and coloring, the paintings could very easily be used in a variety of settings.

Maeve Harris Collection: Jetty & Crème Series

Understandably, Maeve Harris does not restrict her color palette to the ones found in the Moment Series. She has two series that would be ideal for use in beach homes or areas ripe with cool tones. Those two series are Jetty and Crème. Each abstract painting in the two series incorporates white and off white colors. The Jetty Series, however, also infuses those colors with shades of blue and green. As such, all four paintings would look wonderful paired with natural items like pressed seaweed, sand sculptures, bowls of beach glass and driftwood fragments.

Maeve Harris Collection: Floral Paintings

No discussion of artist Maeve Harris’ work would be complete without a mention of her floral paintings. She has several collections that focus on flowers. Among the flowers highlighted in the various collections are marguerites, orchids, chiaroscuros and roses. Colors used in Harris’ floral paintings vary greatly. Therefore, it is easy to find one that will fit in with most design schemes.

Would you like to learn more about artist Maeve Harris and her exceptional paintings? If so, stop by the Fulcrum Gallery today.

Everyone loves popular color trends when they decide to remodel their home or renovate! It's fun to change your decor every once in a while to keep up with current popular color schemes. A very popular color for home decor, especially for this autumn season, is gold. Gold represents a meaning of success, achievement, and triumph. We often associate the color gold with money or wealth, but the color gold has so much more to tell us than just wealth. Many people have linked the color gold as a way to feel empowered and choose to think gold can give off a vibe of positive energy. Some also believe that gold can bring good wisdom, understanding, and enlightenment.

 Represents a Meaning of Success, Achievement, and Triumph!

Often we see gold metals for the winner of a race so we connect the color gold and it's meaning to the winner's metal. This color draws attention to itself, it is eye-catching, passionate, and confident. Gold is a color that is often overlooked when choosing decor because of the flashy and wealthy vibe it shows. Decorating an office with gold art, or neutral colored prints with a gold frame, can give one a sense of empowerment and success. Getting gold art, art with a gold frame, or art on canvas with gold painted sides is not only suitable for your office. These will also raise your feeling of success in a library or study room. 

Perfect Decor for Autumn Season!

Not only is gold great decor for offices, classrooms, libraries, and study rooms, but it is also great for general home decor during autumn season! Decorating your home with paintings and photographs of golden autumn trees and the golden kissed sky during sunset is a great way to bring the beauty of autumn into your home with out having crunchy leaves. Gold autumn decor helps a room pop with color and come to life. Golden touched autumn art is especially a great decor choice for those who find themselves who favor autumn over other seasons. If autumn season is your favorite, why not leave the autumn decor up year round to keep your favorite season around!

Although gold is a popular color to decorate, you want to make sure to not overdo it. Having too much gold decor in your home can be overwhelming since gold is such a bold color. If the room is painted a solid color that compliments gold, just decorating with gold is perfectly fine! But remember, gold is a loud color that does not need help standing out and making a statement. Too much gold decor can ruin the statement you want to make. If done correctly, gold decor can be the perfect inspirational art, or the perfect seasonal art!

With Oktoberfest kickoff closing in, we wanted to talk about decorating home bars and entertaining areas with animal art, specifically. It’s a great, subtle way to convey the feel of Old World Germany traditions year round. Of course one of the animals that should be at the center of the decorating scheme is the dachshund.

Dachshunds have been a part of German culture for centuries, and according to the American Kennel Club, their roots go back to the 1600's. At the time, many German huntsmen used the dogs to capture foxes, badgers, rabbits and feral pigs. In later years, they were entered into dachshund races during October celebrations and other competitive events, which continue around the world to this day.

On top of that, there are companies that manufacture dachshund themed wine, beer and bar supplies. Among them are Dachshund Riesling, III Dachshunds Beer and Maitland-Smith. The dog themed bar supplies include brass wine holders, shot glasses, steins, highball glasses, bottle openers, coasters and more. Thus, incorporating wiener dog themed animal art into a home bar or Oktoberfest décor scheme makes sense.

There are two pieces of animal art that must be mentioned when talking about Oktoberfest and home bar decor. One is Stephen Fowler’s Dachshund Wine print and the other is Ryan Fowler’s Dachshund Brewing Co. print. They both resemble vintage advertising signs and prominently feature the dog's image. Because they do have the appearance of commercial art, they could be paired with artist Brian Rubenacker's Dachshund Wieners.

 For a more whimsical look, there is also Tracy Flickinger’s Hot Dog. It features a cartoon image of a female dachshund enjoying a cocktail while dressed in a pink feather boa. Additional decorating options include actual photos of wiener dogs and work by artists like Dean Russo and Serena Bowman. A combination of these prints will make the perfect décor for Oktoberfest as well as everyday décor for your home bar.

Fall is almost here! As the temperature drops and the days grow shorter, nature follows suit with a change of colors. Yellow, orange, gold, rust and red take over the landscape, diffusing autumnal spell. An irresistible spell. A spell you want to bring inside your home and spread the magic all around. Here’s how you can bring the colors of fall into your home:

Celebrate the Colors of Fall

Fall means the orange of pumpkin, the red of corn, yellow of gourds and the rust of fallen leaves. Often, they don’t come in one shade but myriads of shades and hues – a subtle yellow, a bold red or deep burgundy. Fall celebrate colors, perhaps nature’s way of cheering the beginning of colder weather. Fall colors are warm and inviting and what better way of duplicating these hues than inviting them into your home. How? By using fall art and prints that capture the essence of the season. For instance Bright Autumn Day showcases trees touched by the glow of orange and red while Autumn Embers captures a more subdued autumn. What you pick depends on the mood and feel you’re going for.

Celebrate the Season 

In America, fall calls for celebration – pumpkin patch, hayrides, harvest fest, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Often, fall décor is employed to amp up the ambience. Apart from using pumpkins and gourds and fall flowers to build the atmosphere, consider using fall art and prints to add layers of interest. Transform the kitchen into an autumnal landscape of irresistible warmth and colors. Consider pictures of fall harvest such as playful Sharing the Harvest or thoughtful Harvest Blessings. Choices abound with pictures of wine, olives, prairie landscape and Tuscany harvest. 

Celebrate Fall One Room at a Time

Think of how many ways you can use fall décor and how many places you can go with that. We’re talking rooms in your house. The kitchen may be the most obvious place to deck out fall décor but don’t limit your fall magic to just one room. Cozy up your family room with autumn flowers or autumn landscapes or abstract art. Or the living room or the den for that matter. Follow your fancy and allow fall magic to invade your living spaces.

Use art to celebrate fall in all its glories!

Have you ever wanted with two simplistic yet intense colors? Most decorators will agree that the colors to do this job are black and white, two colors that are stark against each other. They are complete opposites in the color scheme, yet they work together cohesively to create a huge impact. When working with black and white, consider the effect you want to create in the room. You’ll be surprised at how many different ways you can go: sophisticated, chic, minimal, classic, cozy or vintage. Using black and white art is one great way to achieve that effect, here's how:

• Modern Black and White Art

A modern bedroom is all about sophistication and clean lines. It’s sleek and chic. Consider using cleverly chosen black and white art. From a single bold piece of art to a collage of black and white art, the effect can be stunning and dramatic. Whether it’s the clean lines and shades or the juxtaposition of the two bold colors, using modern black and white art can transform your bedroom into a modern haven of good taste.

• Vintage Black and White Art

Vintage is the rage these days. If you’re dreaming of transforming your bedroom into a vintage showcase, consider the use of vintage black and white art. From throwback to the good old days of baseball to iconic moments in history to famous movie stars, the choices are astounding. Go with a theme or create a feel with these visual pieces.

• Black and White Photography

Perhaps you’re a photography buff or a fan of black and white photography. You’re in good company. Black and white photography adds interest, appeal and a soft, understated, yet powerful effect. Scenery, places of interest, portraits lend themselves to that effect, though black and white photography is not limited to these categories. Use black and white photography to create a calming, soothing effect or to create a cozy getaway from the day’s hustle and bustle at the end of the day. A bedroom to soothe the soul, the perfect retreat.

Decorating your bedroom with just two colors will not be boring with a little know-how and imagination. Use as little or as much of the black-white combo and let the colors do the talking. You may also opt to add drama with an introduction of a third color but the call is entirely up to you. 

If you're one of the many who favors sitting in the golden sun and hearing the waves crash against the sand rather than ice covered roads and freezing temperatures, you're probably dreading these next couple weeks as summer is changing to fall. Instead of counting down the long days until next summer, create summer in your home to help you last through these cold seasons. There's nothing quite like coming in from a cold blistery drive to a warm house with summer paintings and colors to bring you back to the warm summer ambiance. 

Creating a summer atmosphere for your home is easier think whether you like summer wildlife, beaches, fields, or gardens best. The first step to creating a winter long summer is to figure out which scene you like the most. Let's say summer beach art is your favorite for example. Here are some tips to decorating for the winter with beach art. 

Ask yourself, what color of beach art would compliment the color of your room. If your walls are a neutral color, you may want to go for beach paintings that are full of color and life.  Keep in mind not only the art you like, but how it will look on your walls if they are a bright color. Winter is a season that is usually associated with dark colors so don't be afraid to go out of the box and be a little daring with bright oranges and blues.

If you are someone that needs more than just a pop of color to make thing exciting, try looking for dolphin figurines or even drape a fisherman's net above the mirror to create a tropical vibe to your beach and ocean scheme. Depending on the room can help you with unleashing your creative streak and really go all out with the decor.

Finding art that truly suits your bathroom can be a challenge requiring a significant investment of both time and money. If you're looking for a smart alternative or for an easy way to complement the art you already own, consider decorating with framed mirrors. Adding mirrors to your bathroom can make the space feel both bigger and brighter. How? It's all about placement.

Make it bigger...

You may have noticed many upscale bars and restaurants with a mirror behind the bar. It's not just there for you to watch yourself and the people behind you. Looking into a mirror instead of a wall gives you a subconscious sensation of being in a larger space, or of looking out a window. Try it out in your own bathroom, and the results will amaze you.

make it brighter...

Think about the location of your mirrors in relationship to light sources. Position a mirror so it reflects the light from a window back into the room. The most direct approach: place it on a wall opposite the window. If you have a window near the corner of your room, you may also want to experiment with creating "double window" effect by placing a mirror on the wall at a 90 degree angle to your real window, reflecting the view from outside.

... and show your style!

Once you've chosen a wall, it's time to think about creating a composition. Consider a mix of different sizes and frames for bigger bathrooms. Placing smaller framed mirrors with the same frame color but different pattern (or reverse) is one way to show your personality rather than having one big mirror. If your style is one mirror, cover a large area with that single mirror. Experiment places to put that mirror to create the illusion of a deeper room.