With unusual weather, certain areas of the world are seeing flowers blooming early. In the south east of the United States, daffodils are shooting out of the ground and cherry blossoms are forming on bare limbs. The famous Pennsylvanian ground hog, Phil, did not see his shadow this year, thereby accurately signifying an early spring in the United States.

Spring is here, which means watching your flowers come up and getting a little “spring cleaning” done. While you are cleaning out household closets (and maybe even the garage this year), you are likely considering bringing spring back into your home.

Redecoration doesn’t have to be a hassle. Often, it can begin with a simple element to focus the color scheme on. Since we are on the subject of spring and flowers, here are five floral paintings that may inspire your spring fever:
 

1. Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom 
    Rendered by Van Gogh in 1890, as restless as the painter’s mind this work’s color scheme would soothe a dynamic home. Pull the gray-green and blues along with the pale peach for a serene appeal, especially great for wall or fabric palettes. 
2. 
    Artist’s Garden in Giverny
   Rendered by Monet as a part of his famous garden and water lily series at his home in Giverny, France, these bold and impressionistic colors are sure to inspire those with a love life and color. Each brushstroke is unique unto itself. This piece is wonderful to consider for gardeners with a passion for cultivating plant life as did Monet and his rendering of it.
3. Field of Poppies considered a favorite of Van Gogh’s works, Field of Poppies was originally rendered in 1890. Petals may be almost any color, and some have markings. Two primary colors in art–blue and red–sky and earth–are calmed by the green hues of the work. Movement is suggested, a spring wind. Take a hint from the poppies and let red be the color that pops in your home.
4. Orchard most of us are familiar with Klimt’s lovers and extravagant use of pattern. His rich, advant-garde brushwork is still evident in the yellows, golds, and the highlight of the sun on tree trunks in the orchid. Flowers begin to bloom among the trees. Spring overcomes even the branches, and the view is left feeling at peace and in restful seclusion.
5. Red Amaryllis - Rendered by Georgia O’Keeffe in 1937, the artist was one of the rare prominent female painters of her time. She rendered flowers, bones, and landscapes. Many see feminist aspects in her flowers, the empowerment of fertility, vigor, passion, the feminine, and life.

These five floral paintings will assist you in finding artistic ways to welcome spring back into your home. Discover more famous spring paintings by master artists at overstockArt.com.

Get rid of the winter blues and brighten up your home décor for springtime. Design Expert Dawn Kail of overstockArt.com, makes it easy to freshen up your look with a top five list of decorating trends and tips for the season.

The easiest way to reinvent your space without making a huge commitment is by updating your accessories seasonally.” said Kail. “Liven up the look of your home with an assortment of accessories that bring in the spring color trends, which are driven by vivid hues and serene shades.”

Refresh your home for spring with Kail’s top 5 decorating tips:

1. Brighten up with Bold Colors – Let the light in and brighten up your home with bold colors and vivid hues this spring. Spring color trends include bright colors like classic red, hot pink, apple green and orange. Accessorize with brightly colored draperies, wall treatments, throw pillows, an arm chair and art work to liven up your look.

   The red interpretation of Vincent van Gogh’s famous oil painting “Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom” is a wonderful example of a fine art piece that will bring a burst of bold color to your room. By using white and crème base colors you will keep these vibrant shades from overpowering the space.

2. Serene Shades – Experience tranquility with lighter shades of turquoise and white. Bring a light and airy look into your space with a variety of throw pillows in your favorite subdued shades and different shades of white. Add a touch of color with an accent piece in the color of the year – turquoise. Do it yourself and repaint a chest or picture frames in your favorite subdued turquoise hue.
3. Print Designs are in – Print designs are very popular this season and you can easily make them a part of your home. Choose from big prints to smaller prints, from stripes to floral patterns and incorporate them in your space with wall treatments, curtains, pillows, upholstery, wall décor, carpets and whatever else you like. Use the print designs as highlights for your home or go the whole way and make them the feature of your design.
4. Retro: The wheels of fashion are turning – We saw it first in fashion and now in home design trends – the 70’s are in. Orange is back and in a bright and bold way. Bring the sun-drenched shade into your home by painting the walls in a citrus shade or carefully placing a few orange décor pieces here and there. If you’re still not sure get used to seeing the color in your home by displaying orange flowers or hanging an oil painting, such as one of Mark Rothko’s masterpieces, that incorporates the color in your room.
5. Homespun Charm – The texture of homespun fabrics are in. Vintage print laces, knitted patterns and crotchet detailing are the trend this spring and can be seen on furniture and in accessories ranging from pillows, doilies, tassels, wall decoration and more. Now is the time to bring out Grandma’s homespun handiwork and put it on display.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to reinvent the look of your home,” said Kail. “If you start with a neutral base you easily add seasonal décor trends to your home for a low cost.”

Who says sports fans are not visual art fans? Most who tuned into the Super Bowl to see the Pittsburgh Steelers face the Green Bay Packers were there for the win, the food, the crazy commercials, and of course cold hard cash. Betting on the big game is a tradition decades old.

So why shouldn’t Pittsburgh bet a Renoir that the Packers will win? The Carnegie Art Museum bet Renoir’s Bathers With Crab.

The Milwaukee Museum of Art called that bet and placed Gustave Caillebotte’s Boating on the Yerres on the table.

The “Super Bowl Art Bet” is an annual tradition among the art museums, according to current employee of the Milwaukee Art Museum, Chelsea Kelly (who is also, interestingly, a former employee of the Carnegie Art Museum). While Christina Aguilera searched her hand for lyrics to the national anthem, were the two teams aware that two paintings over a century old were on the line? Bet not.

We know the outcome… The Renoir is going to Milwaukee.

But what’s a wager without a little talk to back it up. Here’s what the directors of our respective art museums had to say.

I’m confident that we will be enjoying the Renoir from Carnegie Museum of Art very soon. I look forward to displaying it where the public can enjoy it and be reminded of the superiority of the Green Bay Packers, – said Keegan of the Milwaukee Art Museum.

In Pittsburgh, we believe trash talk is bad form. We let the excellence of our football team, and our collection, speak for itself. It will be my great pleasure to see the Caillebotte from the Milwaukee Art Museum hang in our galleries,” said Zelevansky, of Carnegie Museum of Art.

That excellent form from the Carnegie Museum of Art and their Steelers did not ensure that the Caillebotte would hang on the museum walls. Instead, Carnegie will be making a temporary loan of its Renoir to the Milwaukee Art Musuem. So what does someone on the inside have to say?

…Our Senior Director of Marketing told me that originally the Carnegie had gone after our famous Fragonard The Shepherdess painting (check it out on our Collection website, or read about it from Third Coast Digest’s Tom Strini). We agreed–on the condition that the Carnegie put their Vincent Van Gogh Wheat Fields after the Rain on the line. At that, they balked and the Renoir and Caillebotte were decided upon. Vicki is convinced that this betrays the Carnegie’s lack of confidence in their football team, and I’m pretty sure the majority of Museum staff would agree… Burn! -Chelsea Kelley

The loan of either painting is traditionally temporary, and the Renoir’s official date of stay at Milwaukee has not yet been determined.

Many would argue that fashion is art, and many designers are inspired by literary, performing, and visual arts. Artists argue that art furthers an innate understanding about human existence that philosophy, science, and even nature do not readily provide. The human body is subject to being rendered on canvas and measured for decorations that emphasize our individuality as much as societal labels.

We are living in a recession, which economists have paralleled to the Great Depression, a time when Art Deco was at its height. Think the Empire State Building in New York City. For fashion, this meant a continuance of abstraction and adornment with beads, seaming as decorative lines, and in the Depression hemlines dropped and longer lines were in fashion, which meant less expensive embellishments. Today there is a focus on sustainability, reusables, and individuality. It may also be a little about cheering ourselves up with classics, something with a since of timelessness.

We recently discovered that Polyvore, a site “where people can discover their style and set trends around the world,” has many collections inspired by mastered artists featured at overstockArt.com. When people shop they create “clips” of shoes and different clothing essentials which they can combine into “sets” and share on Polyvore, Facebook, Twitter, or through email to friends. Let’s see what’s trending based on a few famous paintings:

Girl With a Peal Earring, Vemeer

This set on Polyvore is inspired by Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, painted in 1665. The set features Scarlet Johansson, an Amor & Psyche top, black suede pumps, a Judith Leiber New Bean satin clutch with a touch of sparkle, and popping red makeup.

The items chosen reflect attributes of various decades… the dark red lipstick of the 1930s, made popular by photography showcasing more and more women wearing it. Satin, from the purse featured here, was also a much used fabric of the time. Besides pearl earrings, this set has something else in common. The Girl with a Pearl Earring is also nicknamed “The Mona Lisa of the North,” and Johansson’s debut film was “North.”

The same painting can influence color palettes in clothing choice. 

Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt was known for his embellishment and lavish patterns in his paintings of lovers. The Dale 2 shoes from Icon collected in this set by a fan are a direct depiction of Klimt’s Stoclet Frieze.

Wassily Kandinsky
Some credit Kandinsky as the father of the abstract movement. His works dealt with symbolism and a balance between the scientific and subjective components of color. He depicted the experience of color on the viewer as parallel to the experience of music to its listener. He often contrasted yellow and blue, where yellow is warm and has a longer wave length, arresting the viewer immediately. Blue invokes a deep, almost spiritual, calm as it moves away from the viewer. It’s similar to the western use of red stop signs instead of blue.

Does that dress remind you of a certain era? What about Mod? It’s a subculture that originated in the UK in the late 1950s through the 1960s. However, in wasn’t until the late seventies that North America saw a Mod (“Modernist”) revival.  If the term isn’t enough to jog your memory, perhaps we can spread the inspiration to something more political–the Royal Airforce roundel in the UK.

We challenge you to visit overstockArt.com and personalize your fashion sensibility with a favorite painting! What are your thoughts on how visual art has influenced fashion trends?

Google has launched a new discovery tool, called Art Project www.googleartproject.com. Visitors can explore 17 of the world’s most well-known museums. Not only can you walk the rooms of the galleries, but you can get close, EXTREMELY CLOSE, to the surface of some of the more famous paintings that hang on the walls. Fans of Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” for example can zoom in on the canvas and see every detail of this paintings brush strokes and texture. How you ask?

Google provided the same cameras that were mounted on cars to capture the street views of cities all over the USA for this project. Team members then pushed these cameras around each participating museum to make an interior map of each location. Then to add another diminution to a visitors experience samples of art from each of the 17 galleries were selected and photographed with one super high-resolution image. Each image containing around seven billion pixels, for those who do not know how large that is, it provides you the same close visual as if you were shrunk and standing on the surface of the canvas itself. IT’S REALLY COOL!

One down fall with the program is the navigation of the rooms. It seems a bit limited compared to actually being there and you find yourself outside the museum if you get too excited with your clicker while walking the rooms, but for those who can’t travel to experience the work in person it is a close second.

Two big thumbs up for this ingenious idea for Art lovers everywhere!

The online art gallery, overstockArt.com, published today its official Top 10 list for most romantic painting for Valentine’s Day 2011. Topping the chart is Gustav Klimt’s sensual masterpiece “The Kiss.” Other artists named on the 2011 Valentine’s Day Top 10 Romantic Oil Paintings list include Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent van Gogh.

The oil paintings that made the 2011 Valentine’s Day Top 10 Romantic Oil Paintings list are:

1. “The Kiss,” Gustav Klimt
2. “Dance in the City,” Pierre-Auguste Renoir
3. “The Lovers,” Pablo Picasso
4. “Lovers with Half Moon, 1926,” Marc Chagall
5. “The Heart,” Henri Matisse
6. “Fulfillment (The Embrace),” Gustav Klimt
7. “The Bridal Pair with The Eiffel Tower,” Marc Chagall
8. “Dance in the Country,” Pierre-Auguste Renoir
9. “Hand with Bouquet,” Pablo Picasso
10. “Noon: Rest from Work,” Vincent van Gogh

More than 3,000,000 page views to overstockArt.com’s romantic gallery were tracked. According to the click tracking, “The Kiss,” was the most sought after painting clicked at almost 37 percent, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Dance in the City” garnered 25 percent of the clicks to grab second.

“Klimt”s work uniquely reveals the sensuality of life and relationships – which is testament in his masterpieces ‘The Kiss’ and ‘Fulfillment (The Embrace),’” said David Sasson, founder and president of overstockArt.com. “His distinctive style remains extremely popular, which is evidenced by the fact that ‘The Kiss’ was named the most romantic oil painting of the year and was our third best-selling oil painting in 2010.”