<img src="http://cravenmaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/photo.jpg" alt="Art in the kitchen" width="375/">

I love art. Having been an artist myself and a supporter, (where possible), of the artists I love, I believe in art rejuvenating every and any room of the house - including the kitchen. Yes the kitchen is a functional space, but it is also a <em>living </em>space. So often referred to as the 'heart of the home', to deprive the kitchen of creative pieces that are mentally stimulating is to deprive oneself of a slice of happiness.

I am always impressed at the way people introduce art into their eating and cooking spaces - most go for decorative glassware and the occasional drawing, I for one have portraits i've shot over the years, ingloriously taped up with gaffers tape. Nevertheless, including art that you would usually reserve for a different type of room always gets people talking.

There are many great resources out there for affordable art..I am listing a couple faves of mine and pieces they have, or have had on sale, that have been on my kitchen art wishlist:



<a href="http://www.tinyshowcase.com/">Tiny Showcase</a>
I am a huge fan of these guys. Every Tuesday a limited edition tiny letterpressed print is dropped priced under $35. Not only is it a great opportunity to get a piece of limited edition artwork from some top artists, but a portion of all proceeds goes to charity. A selection of TS prints would make a lovely cluster to any kitchen wall. Check out some of my favourite pieces they have had on offer in the past:

<img src="http://www.tinyshowcase.com/images/display/stephaniespecht/1614.jpg" alt="Apple Tree-Stephanie Specht" width="150/">          <img src="http://www.tinyshowcase.com/images/display/alikacooper/1598.jpg" alt="Towards the trees - alika cooper" width="200">

Left: <em>Apple Tree - Stephanie Specht</em>
Right: <em>Towards the Trees - By Alika Cooper</em>


<img src="http://www.tinyshowcase.com/images/display/josie/1668.jpg" alt="Earn This - Josie Moray" width="150/">                       <img src="http://www.tinyshowcase.com/images/display/KimBeury/1283.jpg" alt="SilverCup - Kim Beury" width="150" height="164/">

Left:<em> Earn This - Josie Moray</em>
Right:<em> SilverCup - Kim Beury</em>

A word of warning though - Tinyshowcase is very popular and when prints drop at 7:30pm est, they usually sell out within the hour! Sign up to the mailing list (only one email per week) so that you can get a heads up for the print releases.



<a href="http://www.papermonster.net/">Paper Monster</a>
These guys drop some of the kewlest 'urban' art prints and originals out there and like Tinyshowcase, they sell out pretty quickly. Names such as BAST (whose work graces many an outdoor wall in Brooklyn), Anthony Lister, Swoon, Judith Supine and Faile are amongst some of the greats on their artist roster. The pieces vary in price from the hundreds to over a thousand - so it is an investment , (unless you 'got it like that'), but you can be rest assured that the work is from some of the best street artists that currently roam the world.

Urban art in the kitchen is no doubt a unique contrast to the norm and will help make this room in the house even more of a congregating spot. Below are some of my fave prints from the Papermonster cache that I wish I could've added to my kitchen:

<img src="http://papermonster.net/images/items/small/1263486432.jpg" alt="The Wig Yellow - BAST" width="150/"><img src="http://papermonster.net/images/items/small/1188939135.jpg" alt="Untitled 1 - Judith Supine" width="150" height="164" />

Left:<em> The Wig - Yellow by BAST</em>
Right: <em>Untitled #1 by Judith Supine</em>

<img src="http://papermonster.net/images/items/small/1188937980.jpg" alt="A moving Mass - Kozyndan" width="150" height="105/"><img src="http://papermonster.net/images/items/small/1257972009.jpg" alt="The netherlands at Night - mike perry" width="150" height="105" />

Left: <em>A Moving Mass by Kozyndan</em>
Right: <em>The Netherlands at Night by Mike Perry</em>

It is highly reccomended that you join the papermonster mailing list if you want to score a new piece as these limited somewhat reasonable priced pieces by these artists are quite coveted.

If you have unique art in your kitchen let me know all about it!!


<strong>PS - YES - the picture up top is a shot of my ever so ever so ugly kitchen, which i try to hide with some of the portraits i've shot over the years..</strong>

<em>images from the <a href="http://www.tinyshowcase.com">tinyshowcase</a> and <a href="http://www.papermonster.net">papermonster</a></em>