MY HEART FOR ART: BLACK & WHITE ART

Art & Interior Design by William McLure

My latest obsession is black and white art, mostly abstract with some portrait art and botanicals. I'm in love with the versatility of it! For years, I always thought art had to be colorful to liven up the space. And even worse, I often thought it needed to match other elements of the space like upholstery. Many years ago, my sister introduced me to the interior design work of Darryl Carter. It was the first time I fell in love with a neutral palette and space. A variety of textures and architecture, accompanied by beautiful lighting and furniture with interesting design, can make the most gorgeous room, even without color. 

But back then, and for many years after, my appreciation for a neutral space was only from a distance. Until now. We recently updated a dilapidated house that was originally built in 1896. After peeling off four layers of wallpaper with color in much of the house, we painted the entire house in Benjamin Moore Calm, a white that goes slightly gray, trimmed in White Dove. We love it! Our art and furniture add color, mainly blues with pops of pink.

Our primary residence is in New York City, and I'm currently crushing on the work of a few interior designers who have mastered the art of a neutral palette AND the use of black and white art. I dream of creating a home that would make them proud. So here's a small view into the inspiration they've provided. And as the title of this post, "My Heart for Art," suggests, I have quite a love affair with art. I love discovering emerging artists with enormous talent who are still somewhat affordable. So after the inspiration, keep scrolling to learn about a few of my favorite artists and see a sampling of their stunning work in black and white. 

First up for inspiration is the interior design work of Brooklyn-based Chango & Co. I love the way they have used black and white art to add interest and beauty to walls that run the spectrum--white walls, walls with color, and even walls covered with a patterned wallpaper. If you become as obsessed as I am with their work and don't have the budget to hire them, don't fret. They have an online shop that makes it easy to bring their beauty into your own home. Images via Chango & Co.

I'd be remiss if I didn't include the inspiration from my favorite interior designer, Paloma Contreras, based in Houston, Texas. She has a special place in my heart, as I've followed her blog, La Dolce Vita, for years. Paloma also designed much of our dilapidated old home and nailed the perfect mix of white, natural fibers, and pops of color. But Paloma can also create a mean neutral space, and her use of black and white art is sheer perfection. The interiors below feature black and white art on white walls, over natural grasscloth wallpaper, and on rich blue walls. Images via Paloma Contreras Design.

Alyssa Kapito Interiors, based in New York City, was named one of the top 10 Instagram accounts for interior design to follow by Elle Decor, so apparently I'm not alone in my daily anticipation of what she'll post next. I am truly, madly, deeply in love with this living room and the enormous William McLure piece over the sofa. Images via Alyssa Kapito Interiors.

Alyssa's use of black and white abstract art on gray walls, along with mixed metals and the sleek design of the desk chair, makes my heart skip a beat.

And finally, is it just me, or is most of the world obsessed with Studio McGee? This sweet and endearing husband and wife team hit it out of the park every time. And like Chango & Co, they have an online shop, making it easier to bring their inspiration into your own home. This Paule Marrot abstract piece from Natural Curiosities has been a favorite of mine for over 10 years. I've seen it in a variety of interiors, and it is a classic that can be used in almost any space. Images via Studio McGee.

So, are you ready to shop for your own black and white art? If so, here are a few of my favorites, and many at a very reasonable price point. A lot of people ask me how I know if I'm getting a good deal on art. While I have a few ways to justify my obsession, the most practical answer is that I look at the prices of mass-produced pieces that come from well-known retailers like Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma Home. And if I can acquire an original piece of art for about the same, and sometimes a even a lower price, then I know it's worth it. 

Jenn Thatcher has a delicious series called "Black Jack." These mini pieces featured below, found at Well & Wonder Artist Collective, have such a wow factor with their simple and elegant black and white palette, finished off with their classic and stunning gold frames. If you love Jenn's work and want a little color in other pieces, don't fret, she has that, too, and it's just as wonderful. Images via Well & Wonder Artist Collective.

McKenzie Dove has been on my mind a lot lately. I love the diversity of her work--I'll let the photos below speak for themselves on that front. She was recently featured in a Furbish Studio Pop-Up and is also represented at Well & Wonder, Gallery 1930, and few other galleries. Images via Gallery 1930.

Lindsey J. Porter is the go-to artist for botanicals. The beautiful thing about her work is that she can do an elegant black and white piece, add a pop of color to it, or go big on color. These black and white botanicals with a pop of yellow are featured at Gallery 1930. Images via Gallery 1930.

Kayce Hughes does so much more than black and white. In fact, some of her color pieces are my favorite. The first piece below is for sale at the time of this post, and the others have been sold. But she is always coming out with fresh new work on her own site and can be found as a pop-up artist on popular sites like Furbish Studio. 

I recently discovered Whitney Stoddard when Well & Wonder Artist Collective began representing her. Her tea-stained portraits just took my breath away. You can find many of those pieces at Well & Wonder. In addition, she creates black and white abstracts, silhouettes, and layered sculpted paper pieces, one which was recently featured in a design by the magnificent Bunny Williams. Images via Well & Wonder Artist Collective and Whitney Stoddard.

If a show-stopper large work of art in neutrals/black and white is what you're after, look no further than William McLure. As you saw from the inspiration above, top designers go to him to anchor their spaces. This particular featured piece is sold, but the one just below it is very similar and available at the time of this post. Images via William McLure.

And finally, if you can't find exactly what you're looking for, many artists, including those listed above, will happily commission a piece just for you. Lisa Bolin specializes in commissions of all types, and is especially good at black and white abstracts. You can see just two of her pieces below. To quote Lisa regarding her work: "For me, painting with a brush removes me too much from the process. So my works are created literally by hand, layer upon layer, slathered, rolled, scraped, or dolloped. They may be washed, abraded and burnished to reveal traces of their history. Gradually their souls are unveiled. Each painting is a bit of a magical adventure for me." 

A life-long journey as an artist has taken Lisa down many career paths: jewelry-making, graphic design, the realm of commercial photography, sculpting and painting. For the past two decades, Lisa has worked freelance in Dallas as a set stylist or food stylist on high-profile food photography projects and TV commercials. In her spare time, she enjoys petting puppies and growing vegetables, in North Texas. Lisa Bolin’s paintings are in collections across the country, and as previously mentioned, she happily welcomes custom commissions. Images via Lisa Bolin.

I could go on for days about art and the impact it can have on your life. The hunt for original art that you will treasure forever can be great fun! But if shopping for art doesn’t quite make your top ten list, yet you still want walls that wow, you can find great prints at places like Minted, Artfully Walls, and many other retailers.