Buy Art: BLUES

Yeah I'm feeling alright

Feb 21, 2025

Hi hi hi! Today let’s look at some marvelous blue artwork you can buy. Feel free to play this on repeat in the background.

1. Horizons of Freedom Bessie’s Quest for the Skies by Chloe McCarrick

Cyanotype papercut collage, handmade paper. $9,000. Buy it here.

I won’t ruin this masterpiece with my own feeble take on it. Please read this from the artist’s description:

Bessie Coleman set her sights on the heavens, becoming the first African American woman to earn an international pilot’s license. With unwavering determination, she overcame adversity, carving a path through the skies that would inspire generations to come. A lightning rod for feminism and civil rights at the turn of the twentieth century, Bessie’s courage, ambition, and unyielding spirit transformed her into an aviator and a symbol of hope and empowerment, reminding us that the sky is never the limit for those who dare to dream.

2. Moonlit Messenger by Anisa Makhoul

Framed print. $249. Buy it here.

I love how quiet this piece feels — isn’t the title perfect? And you know I love a lotus pod! One great way to support real artists for a reasonable price is to buy prints of their work from other small retailers. Hooray for shops like Schoolhouse for featuring artists year-round.

Pro tip: if the artist offers their work both framed and unframed, it’s worth it to buy it framed. Artists help select frames for their artworks, so it’s almost a custom framing hack. Plus, finding the perfect frame can be a major pain, and so is framing it yourself or taking a trip to the frame store.

3. Antique Glazed Delft Tiles, 19th c., set of 4

Tile. $98. Buy it here.

May include: Four square blue and white ceramic tiles with decorative floral and bird motifs. The tiles feature hand-painted designs, including stylized flowers, leaves, and a bird. The color palette is primarily blue and white, with the designs exhibiting a vintage or antique aesthetic. Each tile has a cross-shaped design in the corners. These decorative tiles are suitable for various craft projects or home decor applications.

Tiles, like wreaths and flags, give a wall literal depth with their texture and tactility. Even though these ones are a little bit chipped, they’re in terrific shape for their age and the integrity of the original hand-painting can’t be faked.

4. Pteris Aquilina by Anna Atkins

Framed print reproduction from cyanotype. $375. Buy it here.

Cyanotype is one of the oldest photography techniques; this piece is recreated from Anna Atkins’ original 1851 print. Atkins was a pioneer in botany and photography and publishing — she’s the first person to ever publish a book illustrated with photos. Queen!

5. Coral 3 by Jacques Brun

Photograph, archival ink on museum-quality cotton rag paper. $1,000. Buy it here.

Can’t tear my eyes off this one. The moodiness and stillness and the bursting-forth-ness. Yum.

6. Monti Sabatini Roma 21-09-24 Painting by Joyce Dunn

Watercolor on paper. $510. Buy it here.

Of all the blue watercolor pieces I looked at for this issue, this is the one I kept coming back to. It’s heavenly, familiar, mysterious, sad, and special all at once. (I listed the original here but the artist also offers prints for a lower price.)

7. Lake Meridian by Alex Steele

35mm film via digital download. $9.99 Buy it here.

May include: A framed photograph of rippling water in shades of blue, from light blue at the top to dark blue at the bottom.

My sisters and I were sitting on the dock around 8pm when I shot this one July. Over the years I’ve made hundreds — maybe thousands — of photographs at this little lake in Washington where my mother played as a child, where I played as a child, and now where my children play. (I’ve never sold this one, but I’d be willing to offer a one-of-one signed print if you’re in the market.)

This newsletter is my free gift to you. Thanks for being here.

Tip $2 for today's issue

xoxo, alex