How long has that painting been hanging on your kitchen/living room/dining room wall? For most of us the answer is: decades.
Many of us grew up in homes where rooms were “decorated” and remained frozen, well, for eternity. In my house, the only time the décor changed was when we moved.
One way to do some good for both your surroundings and the community is to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by Santa Clara’s Triton Art Museum to buy original art and limited-edition prints by contemporary California artists.
Before you say buying art isn’t in your budget, the silent auction at last week’s Triton Gala demonstrated that you can decorate with good, original art on just about any budget.
For example, I was the only bidder on a piece by Palo Alto landscape painter Diane Bergh. For $70 I took home an original watercolor – matted and framed. A friend got another original watercolor for $30.
Look, you’ll pay that or more for a mass-market print at Aaron Brothers. And a purchase from the Triton comes with the satisfaction of supporting local artists and the museum’s many community art programs.
And you don’t have to wait until the Triton’s 2012 Gala to enjoy the work of contemporary California artists in the pleasant ambiance of the Triton Museum.
On June 18, 2011 about 200 artists, working in every conceivable medium – painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, glass, jewelry – will display their work at Triton’s annual Midsummer Art Celebration. And there are many original items to be found anytime in the Triton Museum store.
The Triton Museum of Art is at 1505 Warburton Ave. in Santa Clara and is open Wednesday through Sunday. Admission and parking are always free. For information, visit www.tritonmuseum.org or call (408) 247-3754.