The Creative Home
USING ORIGINAL ART TO CREATE AMBIENCE IN YOUR PERSONAL SPACES.

Buying art.
There are no set rules for choosing original artwork. Some people even feel that the art actually chooses them! Regardless of who chooses whom, there should be a gentle balance of many decision-making factors.

Setting a budget for the space, first, is a must. You wouldn't want to spend the largest portion on your art and not have enough to finish off the room, or visa vera. There needs to be balance and practiced restraint--purchasing art can sometimes be an act of passion or even very emotional. You need to be in the same state of mind that you would like to enjoy in your room when you are looking for your art.

	There are 8 pieces of original artwork in this living space. Each piece was created by a different Creative Native artist. A. Pam Moody - Hand-built Ceramics B. Kelly Savery - Paper Sculptor C. Susan O'Hara - Ceramicist/Sculptor D. Curtis Miles - Hot Glass / Sculptor E. Margaret Conte - Mixed Media / Sculptor G. Maya Schonenberger - Fiber Artist H. James Vann - Painter / Cubism

Defining your colors.
When decorating a room, begin by divide the colors into percentages: 60% as the Main Color (walls), 30% as a secondary color (furniture) and 10% (Art, pillows, flower or table arrangements) as an accent color.

COLOR WHEEL PROJECT:
You will need a glue stick, scissors, and a notebook with paper. Gather at least 12-15 items that are the colors that you love the MOST. The idea is to put all these items together and see how you can make the colors work together. If you have large pieces, such as clothing or furniture, snip off tiny pieces or remove small pieces from each item in places that are not noticeable. Set these items out on the table in a large circle so you can see them. You can group similar colors.

If you don't have all the colors you need... go to a Home Store and gather those paint swatches and clip them apart, so you only have the single color you want. Look through the tile for color pieces. You can purchase single tiles.

Once you have all of your favorite colors in a large circle in front of you, you're ready to test new color schemes. Select a wall color first. If you're willing to make the change, avoid white. If you want drama go with color! If you feel uncertain, at least consider color as an accent. Select a Main (80%) color choice you would like to try to pull that to the center. Think Walls! Then select a secondary color (30%) that closely matches your current furniture or the color you would like for new furniture, and pull that to the center with the main color. What do you think? How do they look together? Try another secondary color. Is the pair now more dramatic, more soothing, more energizing? Once you have the Main color and the Secondary color chosen, then test colors to use for your accents and art. Once you have these colors, arrange them and title each color, in order (80%, 30%, 10%), on your notebook paper.

In addition to your favorite color swatches that you've arranged, you can also go through magazines and trim out photos that have your color schemes and favorite designs. Keep this notebook with you while you are searching for your artwork.

Consider bringing different textures into the space. Design elements made of different materials create a luxurious look while adding dimension and interest to your space.

Measure your space.
Consider what types of art you would like to purchase and your available space. Wall art, suspended art, floor art, pedestal art, or table art. Measure each space and jot down the dimensions (allow extra space for "breathing space" around each piece of art).

Finding the perfect art.
Bring your notebook to The Creative Native Gallery and we will help you select the perfect size and color of art for both your home and your budget! We will perfectly match original works of art to your notebook colors, notes and specs, so you know that once your artwork is displayed in your home it will be the focal point of your rooms for you to enjoy for years to come.

Be careful where you place paintings in your home. Paintings, no matter what type of paint, have pigments that can fade in direct sunlight. Don't place paintings where they can be touched my full or even partial-full sunlight at any time. Protect your investment. Opt for dark walls where you can place under non-ultra violet lighting. Make sure that delicate art such as pencils, pastels or acrylics are framed under UV protected glass.

The Creative Native Gallery is ready to help you purchase your original works of art, so drop in to see us today. We have a wonderful, whimsical, thought-provoking collection of work by popular local and Native Floridian Artists! There's no other gallery around that even comes close to this in spirit, passion or presentation - we're sure you will be "Wowed" by our wonderful selection and budget accommodating price ranges!