Finding the perfect piece of art to hang on the walls of your home usually takes some doing. It can be time-consuming and intimidating for the uninitiated – not to mention pricey.
But when done right, it’s also one of the most satisfying parts of decorating. Online gallery Bluethumb helps do away with the stress by bringing together works by thousands of Aussie artists, both established and emerging, under one roof. And they start at just $90.
Founded in 2012, the platform aims to make searching for specific styles of art, at different pricepoints, easier and more accessible, while supporting local talent.
“What’s unique about our model is it’s really meritocratic,” says Bluethumb co-founder George Hartley. “We give artists a lot of autonomy and power to upload – we only vet photography and sculpture submissions.”
Buyers can browse through works by more than 20,000 artists, including a large number of regional First Nations creatives. Looking for specific measurements to match your space? You can narrow down the search by width and height, plus other filters like orientation, style, medium, colour, subject matter and artist location.
Whether you’re into abstract art, Australiana, still life, pop art, portraiture or Aboriginal artwork, there’s something to cater for all tastes. Need help picking? Bluethumb also offers a complimentary art advisory service, providing expert curation based on your personal preferences.
Still, if you’re a first-time buyer, or even a seasoned art collector, it’s not an easy decision. Hartley has a few pearls of wisdom to offer up when it comes to picking out the best pieces.
What styles of work should people look for to fill small spaces?
I find small-scale, detailed still life and vibrant abstract artworks are the perfect choice for those wanting to decorate smaller interior spaces. Blue-toned abstracts are perennially popular with Bluethumb collectors.
What tips do you have for finding affordable pieces? Is it always best to look for undiscovered artists’ works?
“Affordable” means something different to everyone but, generally speaking, emerging and undiscovered artists are where you’ll find some incredible works at a lower pricepoint, comparatively. Not to be biased, but this is where having a wide variety of choice, as we do on Bluethumb, as well as a great piece of tech can be really handy. Our community really loves to search our collection based on budget as well as style preference to see exactly what is on offer to suit their aesthetic and their pricepoint.
Choosing art is very personal. But what tips would you give someone who feels overwhelmed by choice to narrow things down?
I think people get quite caught up in overthinking it, especially when it comes to how a piece of art will sit alongside their furniture or interiors. Art really is so personal, and you should be guided by what you love first and foremost.
Of course, for a lot of people, you may not know what you love just yet, and that’s completely fair. I’d start by identifying a few key things: your pricepoint, the approximate size you’re looking for, and maybe a colour preference to help narrow down the options. From there, you’ll get more confident in further filtering your search to get more precise results based on things like style of art and even subject matter.
What’s the best way to curate a cohesive gallery wall?
A unifying element will help your gallery wall feel more intentional and curated. Having a cohesive theme or colour palette can help tie everything together. This could be based on a specific colour scheme, a common subject matter or a particular style of artwork, such as a wall of portraiture, still life or landscape art.
Do you have any framing and hanging tips?
Make sure to consider your overall theme when selecting the style and colour of frames. Choose the same frames for a cohesive feel, or mix and match for a more eclectic vibe. Including a slightly larger focal piece can help anchor a gallery salon-style hang.
bluethumb.com.au
@bluethumbart
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