It’s Friday! And with Friday comes my Friday Favorites. This week you’ll see how Imagekind is making a difference in the interior design community by connecting designers with the independent member artists on Imagekind. Also, take a look at a fascinating artist I found who is selling a very unique style of nature and world art.

Check it out!

Imagekind Artwork on Ava Living

Ava Living, the “thriving global community of interior design enthusiasts” has teamed up with Imagekind to offer their interior design community members the opportunity to purchase framed artwork for their interior design projects and clients. Their mission is to “[help] connect those who are passionate about the various aspects of interior design with professionals in the field.” One way they do this is through their Designer Room Review service, where anyone can “get personalized attention in a written review of your room from a professional designer.” See the ad for this service below.

Day Seriani and Pangaea Art.

I am always on the lookout for inspiring art and when I came across Day Seriani’s work on Imagekind, I was quite blown away. What’s really compelling about Seriani’s work is how she overlays images of nature, the earth and places where people and animals inhabit, onto various portraits that may, or may not, represent that land. Check out her work and you’ll see what I mean. It is an inspiring and unique form of art that I have not seen done in such a way before. Fascinating.

One With the Earth by Day Seriani

“Done in the style of my “Earth series”….but as I was doing this piece images of life, death, change, time, sadness, pride, honor, and destruction all came to mind. being ONE with the Earth….we come and go…we become the past and also the future.” Read more…

Tethys by Day Seriani

“The Caspian Sea … About 250 million years ago, during the late Permian Era, a new ocean began forming in the southern end of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean. A rift formed along the northern continental shelf of Southern Pangaea (Gondwana).” Read More…

East Africa by Day Seriani

“This is East Africa. The geography of East Africa is often stunning and scenic. Shaped by global plate tectonic forces that have created the Great Rift Valley, East Africa is the site of Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, the two tallest peaks in Africa.” Read More…

Choeung Ek by Day Seriani

“*Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields) where the Khmer Rouge marched prisoners from Tuol Sleng to be murdered and buried in shallow pits. It is now a memorial to those who were killed by the regime. Phnom Phen, Cambodia, The Killing Fields.” Read More..

Have a Friday Favorite yourself? Drop a line and let me know! Leave a comment or send me a message on Imagekind.

Spring has officially arrived. And with spring comes the inspiration for change and newness. Now’s the time to freshen up your interior design. It’s not too hard to have a completely new look and feel with just a few framed art pieces. Artwork has the ability to liven up a space to make your home or office feel like a completely new place!

Below are 5 of the top decorating trends for this spring. Find framed artwork that features natural subjects, colorful and patterned prints, along with images that inspire you to refresh and renew, but most importantly, make you feel comfortable.

Nature

Welcome Spring by Kristen Stein

Nature and the outdoors are still very popular decorating trends for spring 2009. With the continued emphasis on being green and going organic, you’re sure to see an emphasis on trends surrounding nature. With artwork, this means bringing the outdoors in. Find artwork that focuses on nature: trees, flowers, rural and natural landscapes. All of these make nature and the outdoors the shining star.

Color

Blue Circles by Joan Theodore

Spring brings more daylight and brighter colors. This means color is back and one of the top trends for interior decorating. Designs are sure to feature high levels of color. Bold uses of the primary and other bright colors are sure to make your interior design really stand out. Shop artwork by color; reds, greens, yellows, blues. Look for colors to brighten up your home or office decor.

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Patterns

Teal Floral by Debbie Lord

Patterns and symmetry can bring balance to distressful situations. That’s why patterns are making a huge impact on the 2009 interior design trends. With bad news seemingly all around, more and more people are looking for familiarity. And, though it will not cure everything, familiarity can help quell the feelings of anxiety. Find artwork on Imagekind that features pleasant patterns and comforting symmetry.

RE-

Flower: Dahlia "Intimate #1" by Soulful Photos

2009 is shaping up to truly be the year of RE; refresh, redesign, renew. A hot trend that caught fire throughout 2008, the ideas of RE are staying strong in 2009. Refresh your interior design by starting with the walls. Find framed artwork that opens a new world of possibilities and brings both the freshness and newness of Spring indoors. Rearrange the furniture and accent the room with art that’s sure to refresh your space.

Comfort

A day at the beach 6 by Gerla Brakkee

With more and more people staying home in an effort to weather the econmic climate, they need an interior decor that’s comftorable. Look for ways to showcase your personality with your art. Framed pictures of family, friends, pets and past vacations are all fantastic ways to make your interior both comftorable and personal. Being surrounded by the things you care about most, really helps to remind us of what is most important in life. Frame your own favorite photos at Imagekind.com/create. Or, print them on canvas!

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Whether you recently received a framed art print for Christmas or other holiday celebration, or just want to infuse some change for the coming New Year, deciding how to decorate with artwork can be a stressful process.

The constant second guessing of what will look good on the wall, where things should go, what art should be paired together, can often lead to an overwhelming sense of confusion. However, displaying and decorating with artwork doesn’t need to be that difficult. In fact, it can be quite fun and rewarding.

Natasha Wescoat, one of our member artists, has five tips for displaying artwork on her blog that I found particularly insightful.

Here’s what Natasha has to say about Rotating and Displaying Art:

1. Create a group of art/photos on the wall to create an interesting focal point and eclectic feel. Plan the way you want to hang them by doing placement on the floor, and then map out where they will go. Having prints, originals, or sculpture together in a group looks beautiful and complex.
2. Use an easel to display paintings. This adds interest and dimension as well as provides for ease of change. And no need for tools! (unless you intend to BUILD an easel.)
3. Set art on the floor. With the right structure, sturdy paintings as well as framed prints can be displayed separately or in clusters under tables, against walls, or in corners. It adds depth and energy to the area. Be sure you don’t do this with LARGE pieces, or they may warp.
4. Display art inside glass door cabinets or standing on shelves along with other artifacts, such as books or collectibles. It’s modern and exciting!
5. Rotate your art collection! Another great refreshing splash to any room is to switch out artwork for other ones. Display a new set of works each week, month, season, or special occasion. It’s nice to have a huge art collection to be able to do this. Rotating your art collection freshens up a room and makes everything feel new. People will ask if you renovated your living room!

If you are looking for more design tips, make sure to check out Imagekind where you can find all kinds of great resources and ideas.

Looking for something more personal to give this holiday season? With Imagekind, you can easily upload your favorite pictures and shop for gifts that cost less, but mean more. You can choose to frame your photos in one of our custom frames, wall frames, desktop frames or the Imagekind exclusive Story Frame. Or choose to print your photos on canvas!

Now is the time to create the perfect gift.

This weekend only, Imagekind is offering Free Shipping on all create products! Frame your favorite pictures and digital images to give to your friends and family this holiday season. Imagekind create products truly are the ideal gift – both thoughtful and personal.

But hurry, free shipping* offer expires on Monday, November 24 at 10pm PST.

Get creative! Upload your favorite pictures today.

Free shipping promo applies to US ground shipping only.

Imagekind Corporate Art Sales

We are extremely excited to introduce the new Corporate and Hospitality Art Sales program at Imagekind.

Now you can easily make your corporation or hospitality organization stand out from the rest. With the Imagekind Business and Hospitality Art Sales program you can decorate your office with stunning, framed artwork. Browse art from over 50,000 unique and independent artists on Imagekind and decorate your office suite with truly inspiring art.

Contact sales@imagekind.com to setup an art consultation and for more information.

We continue to see the demand interior decorators and designers have in finding high quality framed artwork, at an affordable price. That is why Imagekind launched this service. By creating a one stop shop for framed and canvas artwork, decorators and designers can easily find artwork for businesses, hotels, offices, hospitals, hospitality organizations and other corporate settings.

Shop artwork for your business, office and organization and discover these outstanding advantages:

All Inclusive

• One stop shop for all your fine art and framing needs
• Print your art on high end stretched canvas
• Choose art from our online catalog, or upload your own images and custom create your masterpiece

Vast Selection

• Experience the Classics or discover new and exclusive Member Art from our over 750,000 high-quality fine art images for sale
• We offer over 5.5 million custom frame and mat combinations
• Choose to print on one of 8 different paper types or 2 canvas options

Unparalleled Quality

• All of our custom framing is done onsite by our expert framers with over 30 years of experience in the framing business
• Our art prints are meticulously monitored for quality control ensuring you receive only the best
• We pride ourselves on our extraordinary customer satisfaction record that features thousands of happy clients

Exclusive Benefits

• Enjoy attractive discounts on corporate and bulk orders over $1,000
• We work with your deadlines and offer quick production and speedy shipping options
• Our art consultants are happy to assist you find artwork based on your decorating needs

Visit Imagekind.com for more information on the Corporate and Hospitality Art Sales program.