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.

Halloween is celebrated in October, on the 31^st of the month. It is rich in tradition and fun. The modern way to celebrate this holiday is to dress up in costumes and have parties or “trick or treat” throughout the neighborhood, door to door seeking sweet treats. All Hallows' Eve preceded All Saint's Day in Christian religion. But like many religious holidays are celebrated by many others and transcends religion these days.

HalloweenPainting

Paintings showing festive Halloween scenes are the perfect way to decorate for this holiday, for many centuries folks have been decorating their houses with scary and frightful things, and wall art is a good place to start, it can set the mood of a room and make the scary come alive.  A great way to show this is through a solid work of art and Halloween art is a great place to start your search, there are wonderful paintings such as “Spooky House” by the MacNeil Studio. At FulcrumGallery.com you will not be disappointed with the quality of art or the layout of the site, with its easy navigation and easy checkout.

Jack O'lantern

Pumpkins carved up turn into scary Jack O'Lantern's. Why get your hands all messy? When a tasteful yet equally scary piece of art will do the trick. Or use a fine art print as your inspiration to create your own real three D art. Such pieces on this page jack o'lantern art will stand the test of time. “Ghostly Gourds” by Norman Rockwell, is a time-honored classic that would be good year round. Tastefully place that piece in your kitchen or hall and make year round memories of this wonderful fall holiday. Halloween can remain a state of mind year round with these reminders.

Halloween by William Vanderdasson

Pumpkin Art

Pumpkins are synonymous with Halloween but they are also synonymous with the fall season. What great artwork there in pumpkin art. Harvest time is a wonderful time of year the sky is blue and the sun is warm during the day, and cool at night, picking pumpkins in the field before the first frost hits. “Grandpa's Pumpkins” from Jack Sorenson with the little grandson and his dog eagerly looking on with anticipation while grandpa collects the field’s bounty. Pumpkin art is a perfect way to celebrate this amazing time of the year. Make great memories by adding these quality works of art to your collection. You will be amazed by how impressed your friends and family will by these paintings. You can tell them where you got them and how they can get great quality works of art for themselves.

Kittens

Halloween is a special time of year for kids and adults alike, dressing up and trick or treating, decorating the house in scary fashion and enjoying a good scare or two. Harvesting the fields spoils and getting ready for a long cold winter are some of the many memorable times. Gorgeous artwork is as special and heartwarming accent to any decor.

When it comes to French commercial artists from the Art Nouveau period, one would be remiss to skip over Jules Cheret. Despite having passed away in the fall of 1932, his work continues to mesmerize art and advertising students alike. Here’s a snapshot of his career and some of his famous framed art:

Born in the late spring of 1836, Cheret officially began his artistic career in 1849. He started with a brief apprenticeship in France and later moved on to England. Once there, he focused his attention on London’s most famous entertainment venues. Among them were the now iconic Moulin Rouge, Olympia, Palais Garnier and Folies Bergere. During that time, he created a highly visible and coveted series of posters. Many of them featured dancing girls designed to promote the venues’ assorted shows. The collection of framed art produced for such venues includes the following prints:

• Folies-Bergere Le Miroir
• Pantomimes Lumineusses Theatre Optique of E. Reynaud
• Folies Bergere La Loie Fuller
• Alcazar d’ Ete Kanjarowa

The much sought after posters were not the only works he produced throughout his career. Cheret was also known for his paintings, book jackets and extensive advertising work with a variety of commercial enterprises. They often included elements like great coloring, watercolor washed backgrounds, floral designs and engaging subjects like actresses. Among the ones immortalized in Cheret’s works are Rene Maizeroy and Sarah Bernhardt. Examples of his commercial work include advertisements for the following companies:

• Monaco Parfumerie Distillerie, Iris Villa Monte-Carlo
• Quinquina Dubonnet Aperitif
• Saxoleine, Petrole de Surete
•  Vin Mariani, French Tonic Wine

Because of his large body of impressive artwork, he later went on to win the prestigious Legion d’honneur (1890).

If former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln were still walking this earth, he’d be turning a whopping 206 years old this past February and we can’t imagine what that would be like for him. However, what we can imagine is how wonderful it would be to walk into a display area during this month’s Presidential holidays that’s filled with images from American history. The former 16th President’s image could be at the center of the display.

Over the years, there have been many paintings and photos taken in Abraham Lincoln’s memory. The list of artists whose work has spotlighted the former world leader at one time or another includes George Henry Story, Howard Pyle, Nathaniel Currier, Jason Lauritis and Mark Hampton. Some of the artists, like Howard Pyle, also created a great deal of art devoted to the Civil War and American history in general.

Others, like Jason Laurits, choose to take a quirky approach towards the former U.S. President. For example, he created a print featuring Lincoln wearing roller blades. It would pair well with contemporary pieces like Abraham Lincoln’s Face Against Colored Backgrounds, Abraham Lincoln: Honesty, Freedom, Equality, Tails and Heads. We should also mention that the artists who created the first two pieces are unknown. The third and fourth prints were created by artist David Bromstad. They are part of a two-piece series that showcases American currency.

Politics aside, Lincoln was such an interesting figure in his own right. As such, his image could be paired with artwork associated with his personal life. For instance, it is well-known that he loved his pets and often let them eat at the dinner table with him. He was also very religious, enjoyed wrestling and even participated in a séance at one time in his life. So a display created in his honor could include pictures of cats, dogs, wrestlers and the reprint of a 1800s Poster Advertising a Psychic Performance by the Davenport Brothers.

To find the framed artwork mentioned above and other pieces of Americana that could be used to celebrate Presidential holidays, please contact us at the Fulcrum Gallery.

Celebrating Black History Month doesn’t have to end with jazz concerts and documentaries on notable figures like Martin Luther King, Dinah Washington, Barack Obama, Jackie Robinson and Charlie Parker. It can be recognized year round by creating a display area devoted to world culture art that highlights the African American experience. Because the group’s history has such great depth and breadth, there are several artists whose work might be apropos. Among them are the following:

Monica Stewart

African American artist, Monica Stewart, has a large body of work that speaks to the culture’s softer side. Over the years, she’s created a series of prints that highlight the complex relationships between women, men and families as well as the group’s love of creative expression. Some of her dance related prints feature muted earth tones and have an almost ethereal quality to them. Others contain bold colors, like fiery reds, in juxtaposition with otherwise subdued tones. In our opinion, those factors make them excellent candidates for placement in family rooms, dining rooms, music rooms, bedrooms and dance studios.

Tim Ashkar

Artist Tim Ashkar’s work also spotlights familial relations and the role of women in African American society. Thus, they would certainly compliment Monica Stewart’s prints and help extend the underlying themes. The list of complimentary examples in Ashkar’s body of work includes, but isn’t limited to prints like Beauty of Color, Nassauan Venus, The Student, Summer’s Evening (1925) and Sisters. Families may want to consider hanging them alone too, as each Ashkar print is strong enough to stand on its own.

Maurice Evans

As we’ve mentioned previously, African American culture is multifaceted. Thus, it would be a good idea to include the artwork of Maurice Evans too. Evans’ body of prints is colorful, contemporary and focused largely on the group’s connection to various genres of music. So it is not uncommon to see them feature black musicians and singers. In addition to being modern and vibrant, Evans’ paintings also tend to have an urban feel. Consequently, prints like The Songstress and Give the Drummer Some would look fine alongside of work by other modern artists. Ones that easily come to mind are Lonnie Ollivierre, David Garibaldi and Charly “Carlos” Palmer.

To learn more about these prominent artists and others whose world culture art help celebrate the African American experience, please contact us at the Fulcrum Gallery. We have a very broad collection of art in stock now, including true-to-life photos of iconic, African American figures.

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At last count, there were over 50 million Hispanics living in America and that number is expected to only grow in the years ahead. Many of them zealously embrace their heritage and others are just learning about their ancestors’ birthplaces. However, both groups seem to enjoy showing off their familial roots with the aid of world culture art. So we’re chiming in today with a quick look at five Spanish artists that people may not be familiar with:

1.) Simon Silva (Mexican)

One of the first artists to make our list is Mexican Simon Silva. Considered a native of Mexicali, he was born into a family of migrant farm workers who eventually relocated to California. Not surprisingly, many of his vibrant prints feature agricultural families going about their daily lives. Our list of favorites includesAmor a Todas Horas, Las Comadres, Dos Mujeres and Un Dia de Campo.

2.) Pedro Alvarez Castello (Cuban)

Pedro Alvarez Castello is another world culture artist of note. Born in Cuba, he was influenced by other Spanish artists, like Victor Patricio Landaluze and Alejandro Mendoza. Unlike Silva, his work took on a more pop culture feel. As such, it was not uncommon for him to highlight Latin American dances and other aspects of Cuban American culture. One painting that illustrates the passion found in Spanish dances is titled, Tango Argentino. It features a dancing couple in the midst of a romantic embrace.

3.) Juarez Machado (Brazilian)

While we are on the subject of world culture art that features Latin American dance, we can’t help but mention Juarez Machado. A native of Brazil, he has produced many paintings that show Spanish dancers and revelers in all of their glory. His list of fabulous works includes Femme au Robe Rouge, Tango a Robe Rouge and Copacabana Palace Hotel.

4.) Jaime Olaya (Columbian)

Of course Latin American culture includes more than just passionate dance and agrarian roots. It also includes a good deal of religious images. So we wanted to add Columbian artist, Jaime Olaya to our list. His paintings feature images of Hispanic family life, women and angels. Paintings in his collection that world culture art lovers may enjoy are Dos Angeles, La Maternidad and La Familia.

5.) Diego Rivera (Mexican)

Lastly, we’d be remiss to bypass the world culture art of Mexican, Diego Rivera. He is quite well known and exhibits devoted to his work are located all over the world. Some of his most beloved paintings feature calla lilies, sunflowers, women, children and farmers. Examples include Vendedora de Alcatraces, Muchacha con Girasoles and Flower Festival: Feast of Santa Anita.

To discover more art from this culture, check out our Hispanic art selection!