Valentine’s Day, a holiday with a long history and great contemporary relevance, is just around the corner! February 14^th is celebrated as love day, but it was not always a holiday like it is today. Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? Traditionally, people send valentines, or love notes, to show their love at this time of the year, but you can also show love by changing your décor at home or in your work place. Artwork is a perfect way to celebrate this holiday that dates back to the early centuries A.D.

About Valentine’s Day

In ancient Rome, February was the month for the fertility festival called Lupercalia. At some point around the third century A.D., the Christian church began to observe Valentine’s Day, either as a way to Christianize the pagan Roman festival, or to commemorate the martyr Saint Valentine. The history is murky, but eventually February 14^th was established as the day of love, which we still celebrate today.

Inspirational Decorations

February 14^th is recognized as a special day for love, but it is by no means the only day for love. You can get your décor ready for the special day by changing your wall art. At Fulcrum Gallery, you can find dozens of inspirational posters on the theme of love. “Love Conquers All Things” and “Love Is All You Need” are just two of the beautiful sayings you can find here.

Birds

One poster you may like in particular is Alan Pelletier’s “Birds on a Wire – Love,” an evocative yet simple depiction of two birds together in space, balanced on a wire supporting the letters L O V E.  Birds are a fitting motif for Valentine’s Day because of the historic association between romance and birds. During the Middle Ages, when the celebration of Valentine’s Day was developing into its modern form, February was thought of as birds’ mating season, hence the connection between birds and romance. If the birds like February, it must be a romantic month!

Romantic

If you feel that there is nothing more romantic than Paris, Fulcrum Gallery has plenty of selections in its Romantic Art section. From prints called “Paris Romance” to Gustav Klimt’s well-known “The Kiss,” there is something sure to please your loved one this Valentine’s Day. If you or your loved one is more of a daredevil, or if you are a fan of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, the black and white “Speedbound Red” may be what you are looking for.

Lips, Kissing

Decorations are great way to get into the spirit of Valentine’s Day, and Fulcrum Gallery also has lips- and kissing-themed posters in a variety of sizes, shapes, and styles. These posters can be given as gifts, but using them as decorations leading up to Valentine’s Day can make the holiday even more special.

It’s All About Love

We love people every day, but Valentine’s Day gives us a special opportunity to make people feel loved. Let’s get into the spirit and make the most of the holiday!

Martin Luther King, Jr., a central figure in the Civil Rights Movement, preached peace in the face of brutality and died a violent death at the age of 39. His methods, shared by Mahatma Gandhi and other well-known leaders, have been praised long after his death, and he lives on through his quotes. Color your living room with the words of a great man who continues to influence millions.

These art prints evoke a sense of hope and security, even through less vibrant colors like black and white. Although simple, they remind us that the words are the focal point by refraining from using graphics that can distract from them. This provides a calming contrast to more colorful decorations in your living room. If there aren’t many other decorations, it emphasizes the minimalism in a very classy way. Martin Luther King art prints fit in just about anywhere, no matter the environment.

Just Words

Some of the most bare bones art can be the most potent. Veruca Salt’s “Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate” proves this with black, cursive-like scripts against a plain white background. Featuring only four lines of text, it offers a quote that’s easy to remember. Capitalizing the word “LOVE”’ creates a focal point near the bottom center, and it also drives home the point of the quote and reminds us of how much power love really has. This is a great print to hang in the living room to bring your family together. Family love can turn into love for your fellow man for the people who live alone. “Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate” inspires warmth and simple goodness through its minimalistic approach.

This approach is repeated for Veruca Salt’s “You Have to Keep Moving Forward – Martin Luther King Jr,” which sets King's words in a variety of texts (most frequently block text) against a dark gray background. Using large letters that take up the entire space of the poster, it is easily readable. Capitalized verbs accentuate the importance of actions, while the word “forward” is italicized to create a forward slant. Different words are bolded to add emphasis.

Words And Simple Graphics

Taylor Greene’s “Martin” uses large capitalized white print over a generic silhouette. Rather than taking away from the text, the graphic enhances it, giving King’s words an ideological context by placing it within a person’s head. That it isn’t Martin Luther King’s head isn’t a problem: rather, it echoes the belief that his approaches are universal and that anyone can benefit from using them. With this print in their living areas people can challenge themselves to put King’s ideas into practice and bring him back to life through the realization of his ideas.

Martin Luther King, Jr. art prints can bring hope and positive energy to people’s homes and provide constant motivation to love one another and work for a better future. Treat yourself to a happier life by hanging Martin Luther King’s words on your wall.

From bathroom to bonus room,  Michael Mullan's art prints are perfect for adding creative cheer and inspiration to rooms in your home. Mullan grew up in Chicago and currently lives in Woodstock, Vermont. He works as a graphic designer and illustrator and he enjoys playing the violin and guitar. Michael Mullan went to Millikin University and earned a BFA in graphic design. He also has a MFA in illustration from SCAD. Mullan's creations are published as wall art. His art is also displayed on fabrics, dishware and more. These can be 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. To read more about Michael Mullan's accomplishments, click here.

Enhance the creative cheer of the most necessary room in your house with Dancing Bubbles I. This is an art print of a bathroom sink full of water with bubbles in the background. The print is made of light blues, beiges and browns. Hanging this art print in your bathroom not only adds a complimentary decor, but also brings a relaxing and soothing feel. This print sets the mood of the bathroom because it has words like "calming" and "soothing". Dancing Bubbles I features a simple, fun print with gorgeous earthy hues of blues and browns for relaxing in your bathroom. 

Spice up your kitchen decor with splashes of deep reddish brown. Many of Michael Mullan's kitchen art prints include phrases like "A cup of love" and "Cooking is love made edible". These prints will bring love into the room and make it more family friendly. Most of Mullan's kitchen prints use red, black, white and light blue. The simplistic colors of these pieces make it easier to one to match your kitchen and choose a finish as well.  

With the wonderful hues of light sage and aqua, Mullan's prints like the Night Owl II print is perfect for children's rooms and sun rooms. This art print shows a owl perched on a tree branch under the moon. Right next to the owl's feet in small letters are the words "GOODNIGHT SLEEP TIGHT". The colors are light and compliment each other.

July is already here, that means it’s time to scream for ice cream! July was set as National Ice Cream Month in 1984 by President Ronald Regan. He also set the third Sunday of the July to be National Ice Cream Day only right here in the United States.  This fun national holiday is a great excuse to sit back and relax while you enjoy a few (big) scoops of ice cream. If you're really in love with ice cream, check out some of our ice cream artwork before they all melt away!

Catherine Jones’ Malt Shop Collection

Catherine Jones, an artist who was born into a family of creative artists, creates paintings of the vintage styled ice cream shops. Her malt shop prints feature vintage advertising for small ice cream shops. Jones has a few other art pieces that include other frozen treats. Some of these are strawberry ice cream cones, hot fudge sundaes, chocolate shakes and root beer floats. Catherine Jones creates art work that will make you appreciate ice cream and its history.

Virginia A. Roper’s Ice Cream Parlor Collection

Catherine Jones is not the only artist to ever pay tribute to malt shops and diners. Artist Virginia A. Roper has previously tried her hand at spotlighting ice cream parlor treats. She has a series of five prints that showcase sundaes, cones and a delicious-looking, three-scoop banana split.  Yum! Like Catherine's pieces, these ice cream prints by Roper also have a vintage look with their light colors and patterned frames.

Andy Warhol Ice Cream Dessert Collection

Andy Warhol is a well known artist for his pop art creations. He also has a few ice cream pieces in a dessert collection as well. Created in the late 1950s, the iconic artist’s prints make the frozen treats look more like colorful works of art than a dessert item. The four prints to look for are Ice Cream Dessert (Fancy Red), Ice Cream Desert (Purple Fancy), Ice Cream Dessert (Red and Pink) and Wild Raspberries. The later was made in conjunction with another great artist, Suzie Frankfurt.

They are just three artists whose ice cream art are a part of the Fulcrum Gallery’s current collection. Some of the many other names to consider are Darrin Hoover, Dawn Collins, Megan Meagher, Rosiland Solomon, Jennifer Sosik and Megan Duncanson. See more ice cream artwork to decorate your home with in our ice cream art category. 

The days before summer’s official kickoff are melting away faster than a slushy sitting in the midday sun. Celebrate summer art and hang up a few pieces of seasonal art before it arrives. We have made a list of a few summer art decorating tips to help you get started. They will help you create a sunny space within the home or office that is just too beautiful to ignore.

Do remember that summer is all about color. Choose artwork that brings bursts of color into the room. Summer is full of color from fields of bright yellow sunflowers with there deep green stems to orange red sunsets over the calm beach. These colorful scenes and more are portrayed in art. Not only does summer colored art brighten a room, but it also brings summer vacation memories due to the vibrant colors. Memories of vacation days gone by or those yet to come.

Canvas finishes are a great option for beach artwork. Brushstrokes give plain artwork texture and dimension. This is great for beach scenes because it makes the waves and sand come to life. If you would rather a frame finish, don’t forget to select mats, glazing options and frames that not only compliment the seasonal art but are tough enough to stand up to the sun too. After all, chances are high that you’ll be letting some natural sunlight filter into your home or business during the bright months ahead.

Do remember that summer is also about living easy. So, try to keep those frame and mat selections simple as well. Choose unpretentious patterns or stick with plain frames and single mats. Save the intricate, heavy pieces for the fall and winter.

Don’t skip over summer themes that may not immediately align with traditional, seasonal design schemes. We have found that there is something to be said for hanging summer art that fuels the imagination. Let’s take Panoramic Images’ print, Woman and High Heels on Beach as an example.

To find the ideal slice of summer art and start decorating your home or business’ bare walls, check out our summer art category. 

So you're a sports fanatic seeking to decorate your home or office with conversation pieces or maybe you just want a vintage sports theme for a specific room like your man cave or bedroom. Purchasing antiques can get expensive and require space to display them. Consider filling your space with vintage sports photography. Artwork is something that can hang on your walls so it doesn't take up too much space. It’s also a great way to surround yourself with conversation starters without going broke. There are a few tricks and things to consider when choosing vintage sports posters.

Choose a color!

One big thing to consider is the color. What will fit best in your decor, black and white, sepia toned or color sports photos. The color theme you choose can depend on the color of your walls, furniture and other accessories in the room. If the room is full of color it may be a good idea to use black and white or sepia to tone the colors down. Using color sports photography in a room full of color can become overwhelming. The sepia tones and photographs that lack rich colors is what tends to give the photograph a more vintage feel. When you find the right color for your room, the finish for the print is your next big step. If a frame compliments your piece best, you'll want to use a frame that has more of a vintage feel rather than a modern frame. Some mat colors that may pair well with retro sports photos include egg shell, buff and serene cream.

The Sport or the Name?

Before you automatically select photography that includes famous athletes or stadiums, browse pictures that feature the unexpected or show humankind’s love of the sport. Good examples are photos like Free Golf and Retrieving the Ball. Each one presents everyday people engaged in the sport of golf. We carry prints in various types of categories like football, racing cars, hockey, tennis, lacrosse and more. So take time to find the beautiful golf course or the motivational soccer poster rather than automatically searching for famous sports players and stadiums.

If you do feel compelled to spotlight famous athletes or locations, there are tons of sports places and people to choose from in our categories. One of our best illustrations in that regard may be found in the photo titled, Lou Gehrig – With Bats. It's almost a 3-D look the way that the baseball bats are positioned, it gives the illusion that they are literally coming out of frame. This piece and pieces like it would look great printed on a seamless piece of canvas or a two-toned, ebony and gold bastion frame.

The Last Game

The last best thing to consider is the last game. If you have a favorite athlete, finding photographs from their last game is not only great decor but a great conversation starter as well. A good example would be to pair photos like Lou Gehrig – Farewell #2 or Babe Ruth - Farewell.

Finish it Off

Artwork is not complete with out a frame, laminate or canvas finish. If a canvas best suites your desired piece, choose a painted sides color that matches something in the frame. For black and white photos, black painted sides is always an amazing finish. If you're choosing a frame finish, choose a vintage styled frame. You can also choose a frame that matches the furniture in the room it will decorate. If you have a mahogany colored bed frame and the chosen piece is going in that bedroom, try choosing one of our mahogany frames if they match the piece as well.

All of our frame and canvas finishes come with 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Mother's day is almost here, every mother or soon to be mother should be appreciated always but especially on this day. So, what should you get her to commemorate the occasion? Every mother is different so if you don't already know what mom likes, it can be tricky shopping for a gift for her. An easy and meaningful gift to give mom is artwork. If your mother likes the beauty of flowers or wine then getting artwork is easier than ever. But for mothers that don't like anything specific, that you know of at least, what about art that highlights the special bond between parents and their children? Let’s take a look at some unique fine prints and you’ll quickly see why art is truly the best gift for moms.

For the Flower Loving Mom

Flower art is a great gift for mom's that like flowers and gardening. If you know her favorite flower, you can shop by flower type and get her a painting or photograph of her favorite flower. If she doesn't have a favorite or you don't know her favorite, try searching by color. Giving mom a flower print that is her favorite color is a gift that keeps on giving. Even a print that matches the color scheme in her bedroom or living room. This will make decorating so much easier....all she has to do is open the box and hang the frame or canvas piece.

Another good alternative to getting her flower art that is not her favorite (if you don't know her favorite) is getting a painting or photograph of two flowers together. Giving this to her as a gift can represent you and her and it can also represent your relationship together. If it is a gift from both... find flower art with three flowers.

For the Wine Loving Mom

If mom loves wine, chances are she'll love wine art as well. With over 1,600 art prints in our wine category, you're bound to find one that mom likes. Some women don't like to drink wine, but they love the beauty of wineries and the beauty of wine glasses and bottles. Prints like Vineyard Hill I by Sung Kim and A Wine Tasting by Marilyn Hageman are perfect for the Mothers that love wine for the beauty.

For mothers that love the beauty of wine, but also love drinking it for the taste prints like Wine Bottle, Grapes and Walnuts by Loran Speck would be a better choice. It shows a wine glass with food and also shows foods that go great with wine like fruit and nuts.

For the Animal Loving Mom

Animal paintings are always a great path for a gift, it can speak to lovers and non lovers of animals and gives a personal touch to your gift. The first way you can go about shopping for animal gifts for mom is to shop by animal. If she has a favorite animal, you can start there. If you don't know Mom's favorite animal, you can look for images of animals in pairs. We carry many art prints of baby animals with their mother. Art prints like First Christmas by Bonnie Mohr, Watching the Horizon by Lucie Bilodeau or Makulu by Ron D'Raine are few of the many mother animal and baby animal prints we carry that would make a perfect gift for Mom.

Motherhood Gifts for Any Mother

Emile Munier Collection:

First on our list is Mother’s Day art by Emile Munier. He was a French-born painter who specialized in portraits of women, children and household pets. We have several of his best works in our collection, including Pardon Mama, A Special Moment (1874) and Maternal Affection. Some of these paintings that would be a perfect gift for Mother's Day are ones that include a mother embracing her child.

Giving these paintings to a mother can show that she is passionate and loving. These specific pieces are best when given from the mother's child but can also be given from a spouse or other close relative as well. These paintings can be grouped together or paired with paintings by Munier’s mentor, William Adolphe Bourguereau. Bourguereau is the next French-born figure painter on our list.

William Adolphe Bouguereau

Unlike his student, William Adolphe Bouguereau liked to paint cherubs and angels too. His paintings relate to all mothers as he has paintings of young mothers with their children as well as older mothers. He also has portraits of couples together which would be a great gift from the spouse to the mother. Paintings like Mother and Child and Not Too Much to Carry are perfect depictions of motherhood. In some of William's paintings, women and children often appear in a holy light. Examples include paintings like Awakening Heart and Whisperings of Love (1889). However, not all of his women and children were given angel’s wings. These pieces that show women and children as angels and other spiritual figures are perfect pieces for a religious mother or a mother that believes her children were a gift.

Giving Mom the gift of art is a gift that keeps giving. She will feel appreciated and loved every time she sees it hanging on the wall. Have Mom's gift already hanging on the wall and surprise her! Check out our how to hang framed art and how to hang canvas art pages for help on hanging the art for her. 

Showing your love for someone special during Couples Appreciation Month doesn't have to include fattening foods, overpowering perfumes and expensive flowers that eventually wilt and die. There is a better option, love art. Love art comes in different forms to match the personalities of those you appreciate the most. For instance, there are heart paintings, romantic art and love prints to choose from at our gallery. Created by a variety of accomplished artists, they’d fit into a wide array of interior designs too. Let’s take contemporary interiors and pop art fans as examples. They may enjoy art by Roy Lichtenstein.

Roy Lichtenstein’s artwork often features comic book characters kissing or pining away for a loved one. His romantic yet contemporary scenes may be placed on to canvas, framed or laminated to suit your loved one’s design sensibilities. We've even heard of couples who display the comic book lovers alongside of memory boxes filled with souvenirs of their first date, engagement or wedding.

Word art also tends to be quite popular among Couples Appreciation Month celebrants.

This is especially the case with prints that include romantic poems or sayings. Artist Louise Carey has several pieces of art that fall into that category. The sayings that she uses in her artwork often talk about unending love, true happiness and friendship. They tend to have a contemporary, youthful vibe that many people adore. Those that prefer a more mature feel to their artwork may prefer prints by artist Bonnie Mohr instead. Her paintings include complete romantic poems and verses that touch on issues like fate, spiritual love, marriage, new beginnings and the joy found in sharing life’s journey with another.

Those are just a few of the art themes lovers will find among our holidays collection.

A kitchen is one of the most valuable assets of a home.  Modern design is becoming more and more popular and the natural flow between living and kitchen areas make this type of decor very appealing.  Polished stainless steel, sleek straight lines, and uncluttered surfaces deliver a clean and organized space to prepare meals or ponder the days events with a cup of coffee.  Be selective in minimal modern art wall hangings and your kitchen will deliver that perfect balance of modernism and contentment.

What to Look For

A silhouetted picture of kitchen utensils on a frameless canvass mat, is a subtle reminder of the room's purpose without becoming overbearing with too much movement.  Never eye-catching, but bringing volume to an empty wall space, a single fork, a pair of spoons, or a tea-pot fills a void with character, without distraction.

A Touch of Color

Add a colorful reminder of naturalism with large slices of oranges, limes and grapefruit for a complimentary display of realism.  A contemporary oil painting, surrounded by a skinny frame, will provide a touch of sheer elegance among polished appliances.

You can never go wrong with sepia or black and white photography, encased in bordered, silver or black frames, when creating a delicate balance of modern motif.  An ordinary cup or a group of scattered spoons work well when hung in duplicate along a side wall or positioned above a stainless steel range or basin.  Captured shading adds dimension and highlights the beauty of chrome and stainless steel.

Before deciding on wall hangings to compliment your modern kitchen, search around on our website for various ideas of popular designs and images that are present in urban, contemporary, or even eclectic decor.  Not only will your kitchen become more appealing to your own taste, but will also blend more naturally with surrounding areas with like decor and style.

"I learned a ton from exploring new techniques and making mistakes. Don't be afraid to try new things and fail. Make that a part of your development." ~ Michael Mullan. See more quotes by Michael Mullan by reading our Q&A interview with him. 

Michael Mullan is an artist who initially lived in Chicago. His artwork is a combination of digital and traditional media. He uses hand drawing and technology which makes his art unique from other styles. Although Mullan has now mastered his art technique, he hasn't always known his style. Mullan started out by going to an art school, he drew book series for an author. He went to Savvanah College of Art and Design to get his MFA in illustration, after that his career really took off. Mullan has worked with many big projects since, his art has been featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Walgreens in Chicago, the Wonderment Beer Label and many more places.  When asked what is his favorite advertising project he has done so far, he replied "I recently worked on branding for a new brewery in Vermont. This was a fun one because I love packaging, I love beer and it was for a local business. I cant wait to see my work on all sorts of beer swag!"  Michael Mullan believes that his unique style of art has developed through trial and error. He is always looking for new ways to improve his style and technique so he can stay current.

Mullan's work is featured in many well-known places as murals on the wall, artwork and products. His fun, colorful and inspirational art is motivation for many people including the staff here at FulcrumGallery.com! Michael Mullan is always excited when a new project comes his way, especially when the completed project turns out better than he expected.

In his future, Mullan hopes to still be creating art. He aspires to get into new illustration markets that he hasn't gotten into yet. For example, handmade goods. Michael Mullan is also interested in expanding his art skills like getting into painting so he can take on gallery work. 

We are currently running a giveaway for a signed print by Michael Mullan. Two lucky winners will be picked by entering our giveaway on Facebook and two lucky winners will win by pinning their favorite Mullan prints from his artist page. Good Luck :-)