5 Local Artists We Love
5 Local Artists We Love
Art breathes life into a space and helps to turn a house into a home. The art you’ll see in our staging is never a last-minute addition, but rather, part of the cohesive vision we have for each property. Certain types of art work best with different staging styles, but when selecting pieces for a home, we typically look for abstract work with a contemporary feel. We love supporting local artists in the San Francisco Bay Area by featuring their work in our staged homes, and we always encourage homeowners to buy local when shopping for art for their homes too. Check out this list of some of our favorites, along with where they’ve been featured, and links for shopping.
THE ARTISTS WE FEATURE:
6725 Skyview Dr., Oakland (dining room)
1. Louise Valeur
Location: Sonoma, CA
Medium: painting, mixed media
Style of Art: abstract, biophilia
Why We Love Her: Louise was a lead designer at NurtureSource for many years. She was our in-house local artist – producing one of the largest collections in our inventory – and acted as a mentor to our current staging team.
Best For: Louise’s art works beautifully in bedrooms and living rooms or anywhere you want to create a serene and calming environment. Her bold use of color is also great for contemporary spaces.
Where We’ve Featured Her Work: 5925 Thornhill Dr., Oakland (family room); 6725 Skyview Dr., Oakland (living room and dining room); 214 Santa Rosa Ave., Sausalito (dining room)
2621 La Honda Ave., El Cerrito (living room)
2. William Ulrich
Location: Oakland, CA
Medium: drawing, painting (oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, mixed media)
Style of Art: architectural, abstractions, mixed media, Oakland at night
Why We Love Him: William’s work is unique, impactful, and feels like a staple of NurtureSource’s design aesthetic. We have the largest collection of his work in our inventory, and he’s even created custom commissions for us based on our needs (color, size, and general vibe). He makes a lot of diptychs that can be hung either together or separately and uses black accents and subtle metallics that help complete the look in our staging.
Best For: Contemporary spaces that have a zen, creative, or unique style
Where We’ve Featured His Work: 915 Sea View Dr., El Cerrito (living room); 4628 Fieldbrook Rd., Oakland (dining room); 2621 La Honda Ave., El Cerrito (living room); 5925 Thornhill Dr., Oakland (living room & kitchen hallway); 8440 Skyline Blvd., Oakland (living room); 38 Schooner Hill, Oakland (primary bedroom)
2592 Marineview Dr., San Leandro (kitchen)
3. Kyle Cohen
Location: San Francisco, CA
Medium: acrylic painting, prints
Style of Art: contemporary abstract
Why We Love Him: We love Kyle’s work because it’s bold and contemporary. Striking and dramatic with heavy saturation, lines, and texture, it really stands out in a room.
Best For: Kyle’s art works especially well in contemporary spaces, lofts, condos, new construction homes, and spaces with an urban farmhouse vibe.
Where We’ve Featured His Work: 1027 Sierra St., Berkeley (living room); 260 Stonewall Rd., Berkeley (family room); 284 Lexington Rd., Kensington (kitchen nook); 2592 Marineview Dr., San Leandro (kitchen)
831 32nd St., Oakland (primary bedroom)
4. Jeff Cohen
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Medium: painting, paper and canvas
Style of Art: abstract line explorations at different scales
Why We Love Him: Jeff is such a friendly guy and his art adds something a bit different to NurtureSource’s inventory of local work. His pieces are abstract yet complex, in an array of earth tones that are great for staging versatility.
Best For: The earth tones in Jeff’s work make them versatile pieces that suit a variety of different spaces. They work especially well in bedrooms and with a modern organic design style.
Where We’ve Featured His Work: 831 32nd St., Oakland (primary bedroom); 1829 Versailles Ave., Alameda (closet); 5225 Cochrane Ave., Oakland (family room); 214 Santa Rosa Ave., Sausalito (bathroom)
8840 Skyline Blvd., Oakland (kitchen nook)
5. Janet Yelner
Location: Sonoma, CA
Medium: acrylic, encaustic, mixed media painting
Style of Art: abstract and colorful
Why We Love Her: Some of our largest paintings are from Janet’s collection of artwork. We love her pieces for their bold contrasts, layered intricacies, and playfulness.
Best For: Boldly designed or playful spaces, dining rooms, or anywhere that requires large standout pieces
Where We’ve Featured Her Work: 5925 Thornhill Dr., Oakland (teen bedroom); 915 Sea View Dr., El Cerrito (kitchen nook); 8440 Skyline Blvd., Oakland (kitchen nook); 1829 Versailles Ave., Alameda (teen bedroom)
Nonprofit We Support: Firehouse Art Collective
Director Tom Franco introduced us to the local artists we support in our staging through his nonprofit Firehouse Art Collective. The community-based project provides shared studio spaces in Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville where artists can create, display, and sell their work. Check them out to learn more about what they do and how you can show your support.
We’re Here to Help
If you’re looking for art to personalize your home, consider buying local and supporting artists in your community. Our team of experts is also here to help – if you’re looking to leverage the value of your home with art or need advice about what type of art works best for your home and personal style, give us a call.
Let’s talk. Schedule a call today.
