Artwork needs to be seen to be appreciated. It needs to have the proper display area so owners and guests can view it and enjoy it on its own merits. Too often clients have art placed in a haphazard arrangement where it is crowded by too small of a space, it competes with other artwork in a shared area or it doesn’t make sense where it’s placed.
Give art the space it needs to be seen
Give art space. Art work, whether is be a painting, photograph or sculpture, needs room to breathe. It needs to have the proper wall space or, in the case of sculpture, requires a cleared area around it so as to have its lines, textures, and various planes visible and enjoyed. When we overcrowd an area, the art withers and its full presence diminished.
Make sure the art fits the space for which its intended. Too often I see paintings or photographs that are too large or too small for their intended placement. They either overcrowd and overpower the wall or look lost floating alone in space. A small picture can’t be responsible for holding up an entire wall just as a larger piece tries to break free when its cramped in a limiting space such as between two door frames.
Art needs relationship. Many times people will place a variety of similar types of artwork, such as family photographs all around a room, when they can make a much stronger impact when they are grouped together to create a story and a relationship. When artwork connects with other pieces in which they relate, the art comes alive by feeding off similar colors, patterns, textures in the other works. They start a conversation and that’s when the art becomes far more interesting. Creating a wall of photos from travels or of family members creates a powerful story that engages the viewer as the photos interact with each other and play off the ones surrounding them.
Recently, I was working with a client whose husband had placed many of the paintings too high. The middle of the painting should be placed at eye level. By bringing them down, they could be seen and appreciated. Another wall featured a variety of pieces with red frames. I removed two smaller pieces that didn’t belong and lowered one that was too high, then moved a red chair into a corner near them and they all started to talk together. Their connection, through red, made the story work. The dining room came together by creating an art deco theme, sort of a 1930’s club feel, where artwork and elimination of excess items created a cohesive theme, pulling it all together. In other homes, I’ve made simple movements of artwork from one wall to another and suddenly the artwork comes alive and is seen just by giving it more space as well as how it relates to other items around it.
Often times we just need a fresh eye to see an area anew. We see the same thing everyday and we stop seeing the problem areas. Make your art come alive by giving it the space and relationship to thrive. If you should need help, call Creative Space Organizing at 510.501.1213 for help.