Happy Friday Starving Patrons!  I have just come from a very intense 2 week training period at a new job as a web copywriter.  And while I am absolutely thrilled to have my new position, the craziness of the last two weeks reminds me that it is necessary to make time in life for simplicity and stillness.  This is what I am drawn to in today's photograph of a Burmese Monk in a quiet moment of study.  From the simplicity of his dress, to the sparseness of the room he inhabits, I find that looking at this work of art reminds me to breath slowly and take moments to live simply.  A good message for us all as we head into the weekend.  (The only thing I will encourage you to hurry on is in ordering this print- there are only 20 prints in this edition!)

Burmese Monk, Mandalay, 2011, by Geoffrey Hiller ($50 on Collect dot Give)

We've talked about Mid-Century Modern on here before, but this original painting is so cool, I had to bring back another retro themed work of art.  Eames and Saarienen Organic Chairs were created in the 1940's but didn't really go into larger production until the 1950's.  And today if you want to buy one of these vintage charmers, you're going to have to shell out about $2,000!  So how about instead, you check out this amazing painting of said chair at the affordable price of $200. 

Eames and Saarinen Organic Chair, by Laura Browning ($200 for original painting at Zatista)

Sometimes color can be a big deciding factor in your choosing art.  I'll be the first to admit I'm drawn to certain colors more than others- (as you might have guessed from today's post, blue is one of them).  And while I'm a huge fan of mixing different colors and styles of art together, there's something great about grouping artworks of the same color, and letting the difference in their shades play off each other. 

Clockwise from left: Crawfish by Sonja Thomsen ($40); Natural Selections XIII by Jason Burch (starting at $20); Angel in Blue by Annie Marie Musselman ($50)

I am so excited to present today's curation of affordable modern art.  All of these amazing images come from online galleries dedicated to showcasing works from current college students or recent graduates of the top art schools in the U.S. and the U.K.  College Art Online, Degree Art, and New Blood Art all have an amazing array of talented emerging artists and ridiculously reasonable prices to boot.  Some of the artworks on these sites are limited edition prints, but many are one-of-a-kind originals, so if something catches your eye you might want to snatch it up right away! 

Top row left to right: Twiggy by Ashli Cook ($425); Untitled by Annie Purpura ($400); Self Study 6 by Samuel Evans (GBP 150). 

Middle row left to right: Arcadia (Zamami) by Allison Maletz (GBP 180); Lucy by Agnieszka Maksimik (GBP 80); Signifier by Nick Hazzard (GBP 180). 

Bottom row left to right: Miss de Vor by Chloe Woodgate (GBP 200); 16-12-09 by Emily Krainc (GBP 100); Breakfast by Clare Simmonds (GBP 100)

I love assembling groups of art to hang together.  Creating collections of complimentary and contrasting images can really make a statement in your home.  But sometimes the best curration is a curration of one, and there's a lot of great art out there that stands best on its own.  Today's photograph, Short-Winded Elations by Valerie Chiang ($45 at 52 Editions), is one such work of art.  I'm really drawn to this image, but had a hard time finding companion pieces.  Nothing seemed to compliment the highly stylized aspect of Chiang's work.  I love the bright colors and the retro 80's dress, paired with the 1920's-meets-Russian-fur-hat.  Add to that the dramatic pose, and this work is striking enough to hang solo on your wall with gusto. 

I've recently discovered the online non-gallery called Not a Gallery, which features digital paintings by New York City artist Justin Belmont.  The emerging art form of digital painting is still somewhat new to me, but Justin's site was a great introduction of the amazing images that can be rendered through this medium.  One of the things I love about his site (and art) is that he has assembled various exhibitions of his paintings that work together in a theme.  One of his collections, The Royals, was inspired by the movie The Royal Tenenbaums and contains art that one might find in the abode of bourgeois bohemians.  There is also a great curation of art from an imagined apartment in Soho.  But my favorite of his exhibits is Sunset Strip, which contains images that one might discover in an L.A. home overlooking (yup you guessed it,) the Sunset Strip.  Today's featured work, Sunset 3 (Bardot), comes from said collection.  This digital painting, along with the others in the Sunset series, is a vibrant color burst, with a distinct modern art flair.  I might not have a palatial home in a hip L.A. neighborhood, but I can definitely see how adding this work to my walls might give me some West Coast coolness and street cred. 

Sunset 3 (Bardot) by Justin Belmont (starting at $269, all artwork is dry mounted and attached to 2" birch wood frame) 

Sometimes it's what you don't see in a photograph that makes it interesting.  Today's collection of affordable art is all about vacant spaces.  We can only imagine that these scenes once had a flutter of activity and life in them- whether it was a festive celebration, a bustling subway station, or a swarm of travelers waiting to pick up their luggage.  Images such as these can cause us to take pause, and ponder what was or what will happen in these locations.  And in turn, quietly reflecting on art can also give you a moment to reflect on your own life, before the daily chaos comes back in. 

Top row from left:  Aftermath by Mahesh Shantaran (starting at $20 at Mammoth Collection); Air Terminal by Douglas Ljungkvist ($75 at 52 Editions); Locker Room by James Rajotte (starting at $30 CAD at Circuit Gallery)

Bottom row from left: Place St-Henri Station by John van der Woude (starting at $25 at Eye Buy Art); Alka Theater III by Katherine Newbegin (starting at $25 at Art Star); Conveyor Belt by Mahesh Shantaram (starting at $20 at Mammoth Collection)

It is time for some fabulous art again! (as opposed to the equally awesome photography images from the last three posts).  There is so much to love in this stunning art print. 
The layering of cathedral-esque architectural floor plans reminds me of my trips to Rome and the textured golden background adds a sense of aged, worn paint.  I’m also drawn to the drips of red, which contribute a wonderfully modern contrast to an otherwise old world-inspired work.  I’m a huge fan of art (and interior design) that combines styles, colors, and periods. For me, too much vintage style can become overly precious, but then design with only stark modern minimalism can leave me feeling cold.  It’s great to find affordable art like this, which gives me the best of both worlds.  

Circle of Influence, by Jennifer Chenoweth.  (Starting at $25 at Art Muse)

I live in a building that is over 100 years old, and as you can guess we do not have central air conditioning to cool us during the summer months. My window unit tries as hard as it can, but unfortunately the only cold spot in my condo is my dining room. And when I say cold, it means about 78 degrees.  So when I spotted  today’s affordable photograph, it really spoke to my summer desires.  I can think of nothing better right now than to be hanging off a diving board waiting to plunge into a pool.  But even putting those water wishes aside, I really do love the color and the composition in this work of art.  The stark white board is a great contrast to the deep turquoise water, and creates a striking focal point.  So today as I sit in my mildly chilled abode, my summer to-do list includes: #1- buy this photo; #2- find a friend with a swimming pool.   

The Edge, by Joy Mickinney (starting at $20) available on Paperwork. 

I've had a not-so-secret love affair with the United Kingdom for quite some time.  From their fashion of the swinging sixties, to the Madchester and Britpop music scenes, to the vibrant modern culture in London- if it comes from our friends across the Atlantic, chances are I'll be enchanted. 

Today's photograph pays tribute to the original Mod culture from the UK, but within the context of contemporary England.  I love the Modernist fashion sense here- the fitted suit, the narrow tie, and of course no Mod is complete without a scooter by their side. 

This work of affordable art is available from the established online gallery called Degree Art.  All of their artwork comes from students and recent graduates of the most prestigious UK universities.  So show Great Britain some love, and invest in their artists of the future.  It's your chance to collect some amazing art at reasonable prices before these kids hit it big.      

Scooterclub- Jimmy by Tom Langford.  Available on Degree Art for 295 GBP.