13 ways to incorporate more art into your life

 

 

 How many of you reading this would love to have more art in your lives?

Maybe, like me, you don't want to have every bit of wall space filled with pictures but you love art and don't want to stop buying, creating, or acquiring it based solely on the limitations of your home's wall space. 

A quick disclaimer before I begin; If you own antique, valuable, delicate, or highly personal art please hang it above your sofa, or in the dining room. Or even in a study, or a vault. The suggestions below are for 'regular' art. The art we live with everyday.

   I love art, and I have noticed that contrary to what I may have thought, acquiring beautiful pieces actually spurs me on to find new and delightful artists and their work. I got into art about 13 years ago because I wanted to have a house full of paintings- ( I am in no way averse to sculpture, etc...). At that time it was harder to find beautiful, inspiring, affordable artwork. Galleries were the place to go and local artists were the primary source unless it was a vacation. At that time I walked through galleries and museums knowing that I would probably never have the 2 to 10 thousand to buy something I might want above my sofa or opposite the dining room table. Today, I have a beautiful piece hanging in my dining room from an artist in Ghana the I met via my social media art groups. His paintings are colourful, full of life and dynamic. Even better, they are large and affordable. 

   With this new access to artists everywhere art has become so much more widely available to everyone. When I began to paint I had three goals: 

First: To create 'real' art for my home

Second: To make 'real' art available to regular people who like myself wanted that connection that seemed to be reserved only for collectors.

Third: To trade pieces of art with other artists. I hope one day to grow a collection representative of my artist friends as well as those whose abilities I truly respect.

 

   However, with all of this talk of acquisition, collection, and production comes the minor detail that art may be infinite but our homes and walls are finite. This is the reason I have decided, as an artist with more art than walls, to share a list of creative ways to incorporate more art into your life.

  In my experience people chose art for one of a few reasons, either it is beautiful, adding an element of enjoyment to their lives; It is thought provoking, and causes them to reflect on deeper topics when ever they see it; or it invokes nostalgic memories, either actual or emotional. These elements play a role in how we view the pieces, how often we wish to see them, and where we place them.

Being aware of these reasons will be helpful in finding the right placements for a piece.

Here are a few ideas that will hopefully spur you on to becoming 'artistic' with your art collection:

1- Hang it where you will see it on your way out the door

   Do you have a piece that inspires you intellectually, perhaps a humanitarian, political or value based piece? Why not use consider a non traditional place for it. Hang it in your entryway, or at the backdoor or in the garage. If it is big what about hanging it in front of your windshield in the garage. Every time you leave the house you will leave with a mindset of inspiration. *If the piece is controversial and makes you angry this might not be the best choice.

2- Hang it in a cupboard or closet

   Now I am not suggesting that you invest in a beautiful piece only to toss it out of sight. But imagine stepping into your closet and seeing a piece that makes you feel glamorous, or strong, or independent,or beautiful. Do you have a large family and feel like you are always preparing meals? Why not hang a wonderful landscape in the pantry, every trip in could become a mini escape. Think about selecting a piece which isn't meant to impress anyone but to be a personal or private pleasure. A piece that you can enjoy weather other people ever see it or not.

 

3- Become your own curator

   Museum curators spend a great deal of time chosing pieces that will hit just the right vibe or speak to  time or emotion. One of the downsides of hanging a specific piece in a specific place for a long time is that at one point you no longer see it. One option it to find a place that you pass or sit near regularly, measure for the right size frame or canvas and then make sure to stick to that size for pieces you want to hang there. This is also a wonderful idea for photography and signed prints which may not have as high a value to you and your collection. If the work is on paper make sure that each piece is properly framed, switching out the art will probably ruin it eventually. Keep the pieces which are not being shown standing upright on a shelf like books. Never pile them on top of each other unless the frames are exactly identical. This can result in broken glass and damaged paper.

 

4- Hang art to reflect the seasons 

   Continuing along the subject of number 3, choosing pieces that are linked to the calendar year with both its seasonal and festive highlights will set the atmosphere in your home. Again make sure that your pieces in this collection fit the space and are well stored between showings. My parents in law had a spot beside their kitchen table where they hung a seasonal picture. It was enjoyed as its presence was as fleeting as the season itself. Each year as the picture came out, the feeling that the new season had arrived was instantaneous as was the feeling of seeing an old friend once again.

5- Think about art in a non traditional way:

   With the advent of Society6 Redbubble and so many others, many artists are making their art work available in non tradition formats. Sometimes the discovery of an artist comes at a bad time (no money, no wall space) but nevertheless it sticks with you, leaving the feeling that it would enrich your life. Depending on the motive creative and alternative solutions about. Are you more conservative, what about purchasing a set of christmas (or other holiday) cards (tip- they dont have to have a very festive as long as you love them and write the appropriate message inside). Are you bold, why not get it as a shower curtain?! (obviously some pieces will lend themselves better to such things and the line between amazingly cool and terribly tacky is a fine one).

6- Trade in an item in your home for one more 'artsy'

 

  How many coffee cups do you have?  I know I have several and I know that many people have even more than I do. What about getting rid of some of your lesser loved ones and choosing one with a piece of artwork from an artist you like or have resently discovered. I have been seeing a lot of scientific drawings on cups and mugs lately, everything from animal bone and muscle structure, and botanical illustrations and full colour deepsea creatures. Some of the octopus motives are truly stunning. This method can be applied to many different items from scarves to trays, umbrellas to shower curtains. I have seen many cloth reusable shopping sacks created by very talented artists. Etsy is also a good source.

7- Create a gallery wall

   I realise that this is a bit controversial since there are people who love them, just as many who hate them, and a few who think they are out. However, as an artist I have observed when setting up for a show that grouping certain pieces together will create a certain theme or mood and grouping others, or sometimes even the same ones differently, will create quite a different one. At the beginning of a collection this there aren't usually enough pieces to think about grouping but at a certain point it becomes a possibility. The important thing here is to make sure that there is a thread running through te collection. It could be the broader theme, or a colour that they have in common, it could be their frames or even their size. 36 small square pieces in matching frames look amazing together. A wide range of subjects which all incorporate a certain blue or gold, portraits, think about the work you have, take photos and lay them out of the table or position them digitally. Look for connections, commonality, inspiration. You might even surprise yourself. On about my 200th painting I realized that I have two favorite colours, I hadn't even known, but prussian blue and raw sienna kept coming up again and again.

 8- Update your home office

   When it comes to those small items, there are often beautiful office items that feature artists work. From notebooks to cards, magnets to post it notes. The number of tasteful options available from talented artists is impressive. Illustrators seem to be fairly good at making these items available. (folders, files, lampshades, boxes)

 

9- create a story or even an inside joke

   Art can be very personal, the emotional connection we can have with a piece, the memories it evokes, or the nostalgia for some part of our life are often the reason for buying it in the first place. Take a look at your collection with an impartial eye. Are there themes that go together, pieces that 'go together'. create a grouping to tell a story. Maybe a piece reminding you of your childhood home can be paired with a piece of a partners childhood home. maybe a series of portraits remind you of your university time or your grandparents and cousins, maybe a still life of a quiet breakfast can be pared with a portrait of an older woman bringing you back to your grandmothers kitchen. A first car, and the trip you took; a foreign exchange and the food you loved, a political piece and a landscape which take you back to protests you attended at university. a triptych highlighting opposing passions or hobbies. The possibilities are endless. It is your story and your art- make your collection even more personal.

10- Hang a painting in the bathroom

 Obviously I would never recommend hanging a watercolour piece near steam and water, but I have an acrylic painting of a mountain scene hanging near the bath. The water doesn't reach it and the steam doesn't hurt it. It adds a luxurious feeling to an otherwise functional room.

11- Create a window

  Often a hallway, small toilet, stairwell, or or other functional part of the house doesn't incorporate real windows. This is especially true of older houses. Sometimes the right size piece of art can create a 'window' in that space. The obvious choice is a landscape but a colourful abstract painting could warm up and vitalize a darker area. If the area is narrow or small a still life at eye level could be interesting, particularly if it is a place where someone will stand for a while or regularly. A coat closet, opposite the loo, in an entryway, near an armchair in a corner, above the shoe rack, near a door that needs unlocked, why not make these small pauses in our day that much nicer. This would also be a good place for something thought provoking. A second to stop and think.

12- Layering

As an artist I have a ton of artwork. Not all of it is destined to stay forever in either my living space or my studio, however I always like to 'live with a painting' for a bit after I finish it. This gives me the opportunity to see it from all angles. If there is an obvious flaw or even a little touch up that would improve it, it becomes immediately obvious when living with it. In order to actually logistically accomplish this seemingly simple goal I have installed two picture rails in my dining room. each piece ends up there as it is finished. Throughout the day I have hundreds of opportunities to catch a glimpse at it out of the corners of my eye. Pieces naturally 'layer' as they are added. Sometimes one ends up next to another that compliments it really well. I have found that colour scheme and balancing neutrals with colour and detail with abstract.

13- Coffee table books

 When in doubt many galleries and artists offer exhibition catalogues which are great for coffee tables, or other areas where a bit of browsing is possible.

I hope that this post gives you at least a few ideas of how to incorporate more art into your home and life. What did I miss? Do you have

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