the art of mimesis in home decor

I love the word mimesis.

mimesis (noun) - a representation or imitation, especially in literature and art.

I have found so many uses for it in all my attempts at home decor and in defining the style I try to infuse within each space. So back to the secret..almost 3 years ago, I was paging thru the latest Ballard Designs catalog and came across this delicious piece.

Did I have a place for it? No. Did I want it? Yes. But! There is always a "but."

The cost of this (with all 4 pieces ) was too overwhelming for my teacher's salary to even comprehend...so I decided to invest in the art of mimicry. And here is my TOP SECRET trade secret that I am about to share with you and encourage you to use.

I hired a high school art student to "copy" the painting for me. Now..being a high school teacher, I KNEW who to ask and about the ballpark of what to pay for the "commission." And the results? You can be the judge.

Please note: I chose the colors and the dimensions of each canvas

So this masterpiece was 1/4 of the cost of what I would have paid and my student was able to use it for her art school portfolio application and..oh yeah...she got a B+ on the painting (she worked on it IN class so a grade had to come with the project). I definitely would have given her an A.

Right now it is hanging over our garden bathtub in the master, but I am not sure if that will be its permanent home. I have another idea that I would like to "copy" and think it might be divine over the tub. We shall see.

All I know is that I LOVE the piece and it was created by a student (now almost a college graduate) who I adore.

So next time you drive past your local high school, just imagine the talent that you could untap, and the treasures you could obtain.

Cheers~
e