Category: Stories

Dogs Playing Poker: The History Behind the Classic

You may not even be conscious of it, but when someone says “Dogs Playing Poker,” you have a distinct image in your mind. You’ve seen dogs playing poker somewhere… you know you have.

Almost everyone has. Whether it was in the basement of your best friend from high school, or alongside the ping pong table in that one apartment building, the strangely famous painting by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge has mysterious mass appeal, and a permanent place in the hearts and minds of almost all living pre-millennials.

Dogs Playing Poker is an iconic centerpiece of wood-paneled dens everywhere, so it’s time you know the history… and some little-known facts… behind the clever canine masterpiece… or masterpieces.

 

Decorative Wall Art that Sparks Conversation

Decorative wall art could be the key to perfectly diffusing an awkward silence. Whether you’re hosting extended family or a new love interest, you will eventually reach a lull in the conversation. When the dreaded moment hits, many people instinctively look to the walls. If you’ve prepped your space with unique, inspiring decorative wall art, you’ll be ready to get the dialogue ramped back up.  

The Singing Butler, c.1992 by Jack Vettriano

If you’ve never given a second thought to your wall art, it’s time to get to work. Keep reading to find out how you can choose the right framed art, prints, or photography to keep the conversation going.

Aspiring High School Entrepreneurs Visit FramedArt.com

How do you get a great idea to market? A group of thirty rising high school seniors from the Camden Academy Charter High School visited FramedArt.com’s headquarters in Monmouth Junction this summer as part of the second annual Think Like an Entrepreneur (TLAE) program at Rowan University’s Rohrer College of Business.

Think Like an Entrepreneur students visit Metaverse.

Over the duration of the two-week TLAE course, the students learned the nitty-gritty of new product and service marketing and development, focusing on business models, viability, and financing. The visit to Metaverse (FramedArt.com’s parent company) provided the students with a first-hand view of the quickly changing world of e-commerce. The students learned the ins-and-outs of marketing and producing made-to-order customized wall art, from the boardroom through the loading dock from Metaverse CEO Tom Novellino.

Vincent Van Gogh – Two Starry Nights?

Vincent Van Gogh is the preeminent Post-Impressionist. He was born on March 30th, 1853 in Zundert, Netherlands and left this world in late July 1890. His innovative techniques laid the groundwork for modern art. The Starry Night (1989) is his most famous painting and is one of a pair of similarly named pieces. 

Don McLean paid tribute with his classic song Vincent (Starry, Starry Night), which was released on the American Pie album, in 1971. As legend has it, the song was written on a paper bag after McLean read a book about Van Gogh’s life.

Vintage Marilyn Monroe Prints

Marilyn Monroe with Amber Beads photography by Sam Shaw

Norma Jeane Mortenson was born on June 1, 1926 into a broken home in Los Angeles, California. She married three times, the first at just sixteen years of age. Her first husband, Jim Dougherty, was a neighbor. The marriage didn’t last long. After a brief stint as a model, Norma Jeane changed her name to Marilyn Monroe and had her first taste of Hollywood fame in The Asphalt Jungle (1950). FramedArt’s selection of Marilyn Monroe prints spans her career. No star has ever burned as brightly, before or since. 

Tamara de Lempicka – Born on This Day – May 16, 1898

Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980) was a leading artist of the Art Deco period. She was born in Warsaw, Poland and studied at Académie de la Grande Chaumière, as well as Académie Ranson in Paris, France. Her work, which was most popular prior to the end of World War II, melds cubist and neoclassical styles. She spent much of her life in the United States and passed away in Mexico, at the age of 81.

Tamara was best known for her portraits and nudes. As legend has it, she created her first portrait, a pastel drawing of her younger sister, at the age of ten. Jack Nicholson, Barbara Streisand, and Madonna are known to be collectors of her work.

Autoportrait by Tamara De Lempicka

James Dean – Dream as if You’ll Live Forever. Live as if You’ll Die Today.

James Byron Dean was born on February 8th, 1931 in Marion, Indiana. Although Dean’s life spanned a mere twenty-four years, his impact on American culture is monumental. He left this world on September 30, 1955, when his Porsche Spyder collided with a Ford Tudor sedan in Cholame, California, roughly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in a tragic car accident.

The FramedArt.com galleries contain many pieces of custom framed James Dean artwork, including movie posters, photographs, and tribute paintings.

James Dean Movie Posters

While his career spanned just three motion pictures, James Dean’s legacy will live forever.

East of Eden poster

East of Eden was the only movie to be released prior to James Dean’s untimely death. The film was based on the acclaimed John Steinbeck novel and directed by Elia Kazan. Dean earned a Best Actor nomination for East of Eden, while Kazan was nominated for Best Direction. The film nabbed a Golden Globe award for Best Picture. Jo Van Fleet earned an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, as well.

Welcome to the FramedArt.com Gallery Tour Blog

Welcome, FramedArt.com friends and family! We’re launching a new Gallery Tour Blog for 2018 to add to your enjoyment of our ever-growing collection of artwork. With over two hundred thousand pieces of art in our collection, we know how much time it can be to find the perfect wall art for your home or business. We’ve had many requests for alternate ways to navigate our online galleries. These guided tours are just the beginning. To keep things rolling, we aim to post at least two gallery tours each week.

In the coming months, you’ll see a steady stream of blog posts that explore our collection. We’ll tackle the task topic-by-topic, artist-by-artist, and room-by-room to accommodate your needs. FramedArt.com has grown steadily since its launch and we’re proud to be one of the Internet’s leading e-commerce art websites.

Our innovative frame-and-mat selection feature allows you choose the optimal finishing treatment for your framed artwork, with a fully interactive preview. This provides endless possibilities.

Let us know what you think!

We are always looking for ways to improve our service and increase your options, as we deliver an expanding array of delightful framed artwork direct to your door. If you have ideas or requests, we’d love to hear them. Please let us know in the comments below!