Choosing Art As A Floridan #14
The Art Lady – As Seen in Villager Magazine – by Arrachme
Does taste in ART transform after moving to Florida? Let’s explore the most important changes that happen when moving to the Central Florida area and why. Florida has subregions where design does vary but we will focus on what is called central Florida in our city, which is just 50 miles from Disney. The closer that you get to the equator no matter where we are in the world geographical change affects design elements.
The most noticeable change is the amount of light in our color selections. Everything becomes bolder, brighter, more fun, and exciting. My over 30 years of artistic life in Florida is because I love everything about Florida including the unique expansive lifestyle. I think the biggest difference that people notice when moving from a cold climate is the wide-open skies with their remarkable ever-moving cloud formations. The vivid light lasts from early morning through into the evening. There is no muddy grey or darkness to engulf us. It should be noted that Central Florida, does have four distinct seasons. I feel it is the best life that one can imagine. Nothing is sacrificed to reap the positive benefits.
Another abundant aspect is the access to sandy beaches year-round which affects the art that homeowners gravitate to when choosing paintings to hang on walls. I always tell people to leave northern art up north and start afresh in Florida. The grey blues change to phthalo blue and ultramarine. The deep alizarine crimson reds change to a more vivid naphthol red. The variety of greens lightens up to a rainbow of deep greens that morph into light green, and on and on. Dark wood frames change to no frame or just a thin inset floating frame of black or white to highlight colors on the canvas. The weight of the furniture changes from dark heavy ornate carving to lighter-weight lines and even lighter colors. Not in all cases but in many cases, if someone tries to bring down truckloads of furniture, the house feels like one tried to fit a square peg in a round hole. If squeezing it all in is accomplished, the house never quite feels comfortable. It tends to be off-balanced. If one does not understand interior design, it doesn’t matter, people still feel like leaving the space rather quickly. After entering the home, guests might automatically suggest a move to the patio or make a beeline to the outdoor seating. Sometimes after arriving in Florida, it’s too late when the homeowner realizes that all the items are either too much, the wrong size, or the wrong color. It can be very expensive to hire moving trucks. People feel that they made a heavy investment in transport, so the homeowner tries to force pieces, especially art to fit on the walls. When all else fails, the garage becomes home to the excess. My advice is to leave it all behind and start over with a new life, new ideas.
Daylight is Everlasting
Central Florida does not have tall mountains that cast shadows or obstruct light. It does not get dark at 4:30 pm no matter what season. As a result, there is more time in the day to enjoy life. People travel frequently, take up exercise, and generally have more access to outdoor activities. Observing the outdoors creates a desire to bring more of the outdoors inside. The easiest way to accomplish this interior design tip is to acquire fine art paintings.
Since close airports and shipping ports make beautiful places so close, travel from Central Florida is as simple as deciding to take a weekend trip. Locals can often call friends to take car-rides, then Bob’s Your Uncle. Crystal clear blue-green waters surrounded by native green palm trees become a part of a pleasant history. Developed happy memories during fun dives in pristine blue water bordered by yellow sand beaches describe Caribbean trips. Floridians return home with the keen desire to collect seascape, landscapes, or abstract paintings that reflect and retain the accumulated positive memories.
With all this said about vivid contrasting colors, the brilliant color does not pop unless darks and mid-tone values are present to balance the painting. Without fail, all fine art focuses on the proper balance of elements of design and design principles. A painting can feel “off-putting” if these aspects are not understood by the artist during is creation. Notice my painting, Powerful Sea, which is a very large semi-abstract seascape in oil. See the value changes and the gradients of blues. The cohesive balance of these is what makes the painting successful as desirable fine art. The other painting, “Pause” is an abstracted seascape. Notice the variation of blues. It too is a large painting. It is simple in composition but laid out in such a way that it captivates the viewer. The blues in this piece are different than Powerful Sea and lean more to the Caribbean colors. Even though it is an abstract seascape the traditional captured shapes of a wave are carefully altered to create movement and impact.
Availability Has Always Impacted Art
Water paintings are used in the north but will lean more to mid-values to darks. You can notice the fact that regional and historical events affect the choice we make. Before every home had electricity, artists would paint by candlelight. There were more cast shadows. Blackish dark backgrounds were commonplace. Rembrandt is a perfect example of an artist from this period. His paintings can still work in Florida homes if they are used sparingly as accent art, but not as the focus. It takes a very talented designer to be able to use a few of these pieces by combining them effectively without making them look out of place. If a home is six thousand square feet versus two thousand. This type of combining painting styles will be much easier.
So yes, I have found that when people move to Florida, tastes do change in very specific predictable ways. The elements like water, the lighting, and the uniqueness of our surroundings change us for the better. The best advice I can give is don’t resist. Let the warm breezes, bright open skies, and the happy smile transform us into better, kinder people. Florida can do that.