IS YOUR ART “THE DRIVER” OR THE “ICING ON THE CAKE?”

This year, my hubby and I have decided that it’s time to collect some art.  Real art.  We have a few beautiful pieces that have been gifted to us, but now that we’re “all grown up”, we’ve decided it’s time to make more of an investment. A recent visit to the Elizabeth Moss Gallery in Falmouth, Maine proved to be a great stop on this journey.

First, I got the chance to hang out with Elizabeth, whose down to earth approach paired with her in-depth knowledge about art made the whole experience fun. Did I mention she’s super cool too?  Well, she is.  One talented lady.  Anyway…

It was here that I immediately took notice of artist John Knight, who seems to be gaining more and more recognition.  His bright, crisply colored oil-on-canvas was an immediate shoo-in for me.  What do you think?

Then, there’s renowned artist Don Stone, who summers on Monhegan Island and whose work is simply stunning.

In selecting art for your home, it’s important to remember a few things.  First of all, go for what you love.  Don’t sacrifice your choices based on whether or not it will fit perfectly, but do consider whether it’s the icing on the cake or the driver of your home’s interior design.  Here are a few tips:

• Do the colors in the artwork and framing pair well with the other colors in your room?

• What about the theme of the art? Does the art share something in common with the other artwork on your walls or overall aesthetic of your room?

• If you’re starting fresh in a room, then let your favorite piece of art determine the colors of that room. In fact, if you pick a color or two from the artwork, those colors can be your driving colors throughout your home, creating a nice sense of design cohesiveness.

• Lastly, make sure you hang it properly so that its loveliness can shine for all.  The average height is 60” to the center of the art, so here’s how you make that happen.

  1. Measure and lightly mark 60” on the wall.
  2. Take the height of your art and halve it (if it’s 20”, then your # is 10”).
  3. Then, measure from the tightened wire to the top of the art (let’s call it 3” from top), which you’d then subtract from the 10” (so your number would be 7”).
  4. Take that final number and add it to 60” and mark it on the wall. (In this case, it would be 67”.)
  5. This is where your hanger will sit.

Whether your art is the icing on your design or the driver of your castle, remember, buy what speaks to you and enjoy the journey. LG