Interior Decorating and Home Decor With Inuit Art from the Arctic North

Sculptures

Interior Decorating and Home Decor With Inuit Art from the Arctic North
Author: Clint Leung
In order to help give a room a classier touch, interior decorators have used sculptures to bring in a mansion or even museum-like feel to a home. This is particularly true for the interior decorating of living rooms, dens, home offices and hallways. When many people consider sculptures as home decor, the thought comes to ancient Roman or Greek mythological characters like Apollo, Venus or Zeus. Others think about abstract contemporary fine art sculptures that are sometimes difficult to interpret. Since there has been a trend in recent years towards a more natural look with more earthy color tones for interior decorating, Inuit art from the Canadian Arctic north can fit in nicely as part of home decor.

Most subjects used in Inuit art tend to be focused on the observations that the Inuit people (formerly referred to as Eskimos in Canada) make of their Arctic surroundings whether the pieces are soapstone sculptures or prints of drawings. We often see Inuit art depicting Arctic wildlife including polar bears, seals, whales and walruses as well as lifestyle scenes involving family or hunting. The Inuit have been carving stone sculptures for thousands of years but it was only introduced as fine art to the modern world on a significant scale during the 1950s. Today, Inuit art has gained international recognition as a valid form of contemporary fine art.

Colors of Inuit sculptures tend to be polished shades of blacks, grays, browns, greens and whites. Inuit artists also tend to utilize relatively neutral colors for their art prints which work well with all color ranges of today's more natural styles of interior decorating. Adding an Inuit sculpture on an end table, mantle or shelf gives a living room or office that gallery touch. An Inuit art print on the wall of a hallway or corridor also works the same way. Since the majority of people especially outside Canada have never seen Inuit art before, such artwork in a home will often end up as conversational pieces with guests.

There are Inuit stone sculptures to suit almost every price range and budget at about $100 to several thousand dollars for large, intricate pieces. Most can be purchased at galleries located in major Canadian cities but there are now a few galleries located in the USA and Europe that specialize in this form of art. Not surprisingly, the latest retail source of Inuit art is on the internet. This development is especially useful for those who are not located near an Inuit art gallery. Check out some examples of Inuit art either in a gallery or online and imagine how a piece or two can be part of your home's interior decorating.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca ) , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

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How to Buy and Shop for Authentic Canadian Inuit Art (Eskimo Art) Sculptures

Sculptures

How to Buy and Shop for Authentic Canadian Inuit Art (Eskimo Art) Sculptures
Author: Clint Leung
Many visitors to Canada will be exposed to Inuit art (Eskimo art) sculptures while touring the country. These are the magnificent hand made sculptures carved from stone by the Inuit artists living in the northern Arctic regions of Canada. While in some of the major Canadian cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City) or other tourist areas popular with international visitors such as Banff, Inuit sculptures will be seen at various retail shops and displayed at some museums. Since Inuit art has been getting more and more international exposure, people may be seeing this Canadian fine art form at galleries and museums located outside Canada too. As a result, it will be natural for many tourists and art collectors to decide that they would like to purchase Inuit sculptures as nice souvenirs for their homes or as very unique gifts for others. Assuming that the intention is to acquire an authentic piece of Inuit art rather than a cheap tourist imitation, the question arises on how does one tell apart the real thing from the fakes?

It would be pretty disappointing to bring home a piece only to find out later that it isn't authentic or even made in Canada. If one is lucky enough to be traveling in the Canadian Arctic where the Inuit live and make their wonderful artwork, then it can be safely assumed that any Inuit art piece purchased from a local northern store or directly from an Inuit carver would be authentic. One would have to be more careful elsewhere in Canada, especially in tourist areas where all sorts of other Canadian souvenirs such as t-shirts, hockey jerseys, postcards, key chains, maple syrup and other Native Canadian arts are sold.

The safest places to shop for Inuit sculptures to ensure authenticity are always the reputable galleries that specialize in Canadian Inuit art and Eskimo art. Some of these galleries have advertisements in the city tourist guides found in hotels. Reputable Inuit art galleries are also listed in Inuit Art Quarterly magazine which is devoted entirely to Inuit art. These galleries will usually be located in the downtown tourist areas of major cities. When one walks into these galleries, one will see that there will be only Inuit art and maybe Native art but none of the other usual tourist souvenirs such as t-shirts or postcards. These galleries will have only authentic Inuit art for sale as they do not deal with imitations or fakes. Just to be even safer, make sure that the piece you are interested in comes with a Canadian government Igloo tag certifying that it was hand made by a Canadian Inuit artist. The Inuit sculpture may be signed by the carver either in English or Inuit syllabics but not all authentic pieces are signed. So be aware that an unsigned piece may still be indeed authentic.

Some of these Inuit art galleries also have websites so you could shop and buy authentic Inuit art sculpture from home anywhere in the world. In addition to these street retail specialty galleries, there are now reputable online galleries that also specialize in authentic Inuit art. These online galleries are a good option for buying Inuit art since the prices are usually lower than those at street retail galleries because of lower overheads. Of course, like any other shopping on the internet, one must be careful so when dealing with an online gallery, make sure that their pieces also come with the official Igloo tags to ensure authenticity.

Some tourist shops do carry authentic Inuit art as well as the other touristy souvenirs in order to cater to all types of tourists. When shopping at these types of stores, it is possible to tell apart the real pieces from the reproductions. Authentic Inuit sculpture is carved from stone and therefore should have some weight or mass to it. Stone is also cold to the touch. A reproduction made of plastic or resin from a mold will be much lighter in weight and will not be cold to the touch. A reproduction will sometimes have a company name on it such as Wolf Originals or Boma and will never feature an artist's signature. An authentic Inuit sculpture is a one of a kind piece of artwork and nothing else on the store shelves will look exactly like it. If there are duplicates of a certain piece with exact details, the piece is not authentic. If a piece looks too perfect in detail with absolute straight bottoms or sides, it is probably not real. Of course, if a piece features a sticker indicating that is was made in an Asian country, then it is obviously a fake. There will also be a huge price difference between authentic pieces and the imitations.

Where it becomes more difficult to determine authenticity are with the reproductions that are also made of stone. This can be a real gray area to those unfamiliar with authentic Inuit art. They do have mass and may even have some type of tag indicating that it was hand made but if there are other pieces on the shelves that look too similar in detail, they are most likely not authentic. If a seller claims that such as piece is authentic, ask to see the official Igloo tag that comes with it which will have information on the artist, location where it was made and the year it was carved. If the Igloo tag is not available, move on. The authentic pieces with the accompanying official Igloo tags will always be the highest priced and are usually kept in a separate (perhaps even locked) shelf within the store.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca ) , an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

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Home Interior Decorating

Sculptures

Home Interior Decorating
Author: Max Bellamy
There is no better haven than our home. "East or West, home is the best," is a common saying. Whoever it may be, whatever position he or she may hold, finally everyone returns home to find peace and relax.
A home is cozier and more comfortable than any other place. We build our homes with the utmost care and sincerity. After all, it is a place where we spend most of our lives.
Home decorating means a lot to the owner. It also demands hard work and devotion, as it is not an easy task. Decorating includes both the interior as well as exterior aspects.
As far as home interior decorating is concerned, every nook and corner has to be studied so that the available space is utilized to the maximum. A good interior decorator should be able to help you in selecting the correct interior decorating solution for your home. Before actually starting the work, you need to be sure whether the emphasis is going to be on beauty, comfort, or the appearance of your home.
You need to attend to all parts, namely, doors, windows, floors, furniture and accessories. For windows, curtains, blinds, rods and panels should be attractive and appealing. Some people prefer light colors, while others prefer heavy and striking upholstery. Doors can be tastefully designed and the material itself can be exotic.
There is a wide range of flooring options available. You can choose from marble, granite tiles, bricks, slates, concrete, or steel. To add more color, suitable carpets can be spread. Rugs can be used to complement them.
Walls, pillars, and other standouts can be decorated using artifacts, paintings or wall hangings. Modern arts are becoming a common choice.
Not just the living room, but also every part of your home needs your attention. The kitchen should be convenient and easy to use. The gas tables, racks and shelves, cooking range, utensils, and all other accessories should be chosen carefully and arranged neatly to avoid messing them.
Further, furniture selection should be done wisely. The sofa sets, chairs, dining table, dressing table and cots must reflect your taste.
Pottery and decorative plants are also a welcome addition in home interior decorating. Sculptures or a mini-fountain may seem incredible. An aquarium can add beauty to your home. You need to pick the right colors and paints for your wonderful home.
While deciding on the interiors, themes like energy-efficiency can prove useful. As you see, there is no limit to home interior decorating.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Interior Decorating Ideas provides detailed information on Interior Decorating, Interior Decorating Ideas, Home Interior Decorating, Office Interior Decorating and more. Interior Decorating Ideas is affiliated with Home Interior Designs .

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Grant Park: Chicago's Front Yard

Sculptures

Grant Park: Chicago's Front Yard
Author: Theresa Carter
"Nor is it out of character that Chicago's grandest achievement- a largely manmade arc of lakefront parks and beaches - began as a mistake, from waste thrown into Lake Michigan - a 75-year-old dump." - - - Pat Colander

As a Chicagoan (not by birth, but by choice), I choose to take the above quote as a sign of a characteristic to make the best out of a bad situation. (Consider the beloved Cubs: hey, if they don't win, at least we'll make a party out of it.)

Grant Park, Chicago's "front yard", owes its current glory to two very different reasons. The first is the fact that it was a landfill. After the Chicago Fire of 1871, ashes and rubble were pushed into the park and expanded its boundaries into Lake Michigan. In the years after its dedication as a public space Grant Park was quickly losing ground due to erosion. The erection of two breakwaters and the "waste not, want not" use of the
city's rubble increased the area to the size it is now.

The second is to Aaron Montgomery Ward's dedication to keeping the lakefront "free and clear". In 1835 and 1836 the area was deeded as a public square. When Daniel Burnham created his much-heralded Plan of Chicago he laid out drafts for a formal landscape with civic buildings. Mr. Ward took umbrage with that design. The original deed said that the area was to "Remain Forever Open,
Clear and Free of Any Buildings, or ther Obstructions Whatever," and he was determined to keep it that way. After almost 20 years in court he got his wish.

Burnham wasn't entirely defeated, however. And thank goodness. If he were there would be no Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, or Adler Planetarium. These were all built on landfill portions of the park's southern border. So we get our cake and can eat it, too. Mr. Burnham gave us these cultural outlets, Soldier Field,
and a city designed around the lake front, and Mr. Ward's efforts left us with this grand space that allows the city to hold its frequent summer festivals.

There's one more player who is responsible for the park as it is today. Kate Buckingham, a frequent visitor to Europe, commissioned the Clarence Buckingham fountain to honor her late brother. The fountain is a landmark, a point of reference, and a centerpiece.

The area north of Grant Park and the Art Institute used to be an unsightly rail yard. It just didn't seem right to have an eyesore so close to the vast expanses of green in the heart of the city, so in 2001 Millennium Park was built. This park is much more
structured with buildings, sculptures, a permanent outdoor theater, and a bridge designed by Frank Gehry. Methinks Mr. Burnham and Mr. Ward would be proud.

About the Author

Theresa Carter is the creator and publisher of TheLocalTourist.com, a free online guide to downtown Chicago. Find restaurants, bars, spas, salons, events, attractions, shopping, media, transportation – anything Chicago. Theresa also provides a weekly events newsletter. http://www.thelocaltourist.com

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