Trends in the Art World

by Tonya Aspegren, Fine Print Marketing Maven

"The Good Wife" set

What comes around, goes around. Trends are part of our culture. Everything comes full circle, maybe just to see if it ever went out of style in the first place! We love them, we hate them. They are part of our fashion, our decorating, our way of thinking. Sometimes a color scheme, a hairstyle, or a fashion makes its way into your consciousness. What do you do with that information?

In the last year, we’ve noticed a trend in botanicals. We’ve seen it on the walls of TV series such as "The Good Wife" and "Madam Secretary", as well as the cover of Professional Framing Magazine and the pages of Pottery Barn catalogs. Fine Print even had a mention in the magazine This Old House as the printer who could produce vintage botanical prints on high quality art paper!

As an artist, you want to continue your own style and originality. You likely have a collection of similar works. As trends come and go, you don’t want to abandon what you do for something that may be gone tomorrow. However, if you are tuned into the current trends, you may be able to grab onto a color that may be attracting the eyes of a buyer or a motif that fits your painting style.

There is nothing wrong with noticing the trends around you even if you don’t want to jump on the bandwagon. If you notice a trend in more contemporary, streamlined styles, you may choose to go with a simple, less decorative frame. If you notice a color scheme that is standing out, you may want to showcase a painting that complements those colors.

What trends have you been tuned into lately?