How to choose art for your environment
How to choose art for your environment
Art often is the single most important element in an environment…
However, with many of my clients, it either seems as though art is an after-thought, or we are caught pigeonholing their favorite piece into the wrong space!
Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artsy” person anyone can learn how to choose meaningful pieces for their own space, in alignment with their own innate aesthetic! Art is extremely personal like your taste in music or clothes and it really should never be outsourced to anyone else!
I want you to choose the pieces of art that you live with intentionally so that their magic can influence you in your home or another environment.
I know the art world can be scary and overwhelming, not to mention the prices of originals!
(*Completely worth it but for regular folks, I understand the fear level! More on how to navigate this later!)
I am someone who goes to museums for fun and deeply enjoyed my childhood art classes… but I do understand when most of my clients tell me “eh I’ll skip on that piece of art for now…”
But more often than not art is the most important piece in a room that ties it all together!
I’m here to show you that you have all the tools you need to choose the perfect art for yourself.
Thinking that you can ignore arts impact or “just pick something” for your environment is sadly mistaken and will have major effects on how your space feels.
By understanding yourself and what you are naturally drawn to you can intentionally find pieces that are perfect for you and reflect the ideals you wish to live with.
Discovering that the art world is here to inspire you even if you didn’t even engage with it before is so fun.
If you ignore this process and continue to pick things just based on their size or color instead of how they make you feel then you are really missing out!
When you look towards your own attraction or repulsion towards different pieces of art you begin to realize that you can do this, and even more important than that that you need to be the one to do this for your environment!
Ok now here’s how we find art inspiration… and then how we find art you like using your rules!
Look through your own photos!
Here’s some of the best secret sauce… There’s a lot of deeper information held within what people take photos of. Think of your photo roll as the first gate of your taste. Look through all of them and see if you can start seeing any patterns…
Are there a ton of photos of your loved ones (maybe portraits are your vibe)
Are there photos of the places you love (maybe versions of your favorite landscapes are more your thing)
Are there photos of decor vignettes in your home (maybe still lifes are up to your alley)
Are there photos of nature and flowers (maybe something evoking nature is your thing)
Maybe one of these photos you took yourself deserves a special place in your home as it is!?
What colors keep showing up again and again
Can you start to feel the overall vibe of your camera roll as a whole… What are these feelings?
Etc! - I recommend you start writing some of these details down for yourself as the guiding lines for this art journey.
There are patterns in everything that you do, looking through your camera lens is a window into what you are attracted to. And what you are attracted to should be featured as the art you bring into your home!
Now that you have a handle on some of your personal patterns…Look at the images you save online!
Do you have a Pinterest you save images to?
Instagram?
Reddit?
Etc.
Treat these image stacks (that you personally curated remember) just like your camera roll your job is to find the patterns.
Focus on…
feelings
colors
themes
environments
subjects
symbols
any art you like in photos of other environments…
Again, write these down. You are creating your OWN rulebook to the artwork that will be aligned to who you are on a deeper level!
Now it’s time to get out of our online box, Field trip time!
Check out some local:
Art Faires
Art Shows
College Art Expositions
Museums!
If you are not someone that already enjoys going to museums or events like these I implore you to try each at least once! If you are willing to expose yourself to new things you will find some things you really love trust me.
I believe the more different art that you expose yourself to the easier it becomes to feel out what pieces are for you!
When you are out in the world exploring all the creativity…
Remember your personal patterns list
Are there any strong reactions you have to certain pieces?
If you Love something take down the name of the artist to research their portfolio later, or (IF PERMITTED) take a photo to start your own inspired collection
If you dislike something ask yourself WHY your dislikes are just as important as what you love since they show you the edges of your art taste.
Doing this work trains your mind to start looking for what you love in new art allowing you to choose the perfect pieces to become effortless over time!
Ok, now we know what we love…
Time to start picking some art out!
What’s your budget?
This is (for normal human beings) probably the most important factor. Think about what you are willing to spend for a piece in your space before starting because we all have budget needs that should be heeded!
Consider scale…
This is so important if you don’t know the correct scale for art PLEASE ask someone who does! Nothing ruins a space quicker than badly scaled art in an environment! I made this little guide here to get you started,
and as always I’m available here:
If you have a lower art budget start with prints…
Take all that you have learned about yourself with your art research with you to,
Online marketplaces like:
Minted
Artfully Walls
Society Six
Etsy
*Are all great options to show you a ton of beautiful art prints.
A bonus to many prints is that they can often be scaled to your needs!
Look at as many pieces as humanly possible and start saving your favorites somewhere. This is an invaluable resource to yourself because when you have a new need for art somewhere else, you have already curated pieces that you love!
But please consider originals! (especially if you have a larger budget!)
Some great online marketplaces that support many artists are…
Saatchi
Zatista
Artfinder
*These are all great places to find those pieces that speak to you!
However…
This is how to find artists to commission some original art!:
Do you have a creative friend, maybe commission them for some originals!
Now that you have your art inspiration and patterns you can communicate what you love and trust what they create for you!
What about that talented student whose work you loved? Reach out and work with them!
This is an amazing opportunity to make a new friend and support your local artist community.
How about that piece you saw at the fair that you can’t get out of your head?
Remember that famous artist’s name you wrote down while at the museum? Look them up! See if there are prints you could buy,
or even better see if there are other artists with a similar feel and purchase a piece from them!
What about tackling a piece yourself!? Now hear me out! Art is wonderfully therapeutic and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. You can take all that has inspired you from your art research and create an original of your own! Heck if you don’t love the piece someone else may…, or you can just chalk it up to a nice activity for yourself!
When you follow your own aesthetic like this you are guaranteed to make some awesome new art and artist discoveries! Maybe even yourself!
And when you form an intentional relationship with the energy you wish to embody in your environment art quickly becomes one of the most important elements. The more you reflect on your own aesthetic the easier it becomes to pick out what really speaks to who you are. (if you are looking to discover your own design aesthetic click here!)
If you arent willing to take the time and intention to discover your own taste…
Really think about it! Are you willing to outsource the feeling of your intimate environment to someone else? I think the answer to this question should always be NO. (Which is EXACTLY why I take a holistic approach to interior design!)
Always follow your heart because your tastes naturally can change too!
I know for me my art sense has really changed as I grew up. I used to be drawn only to literal scenes and landscapes but exposure to museums and my own emotional evolution grew into really deeply appreciating abstracts, and have always enjoyed creating art of my own.
The most important tip I want you to take from this is to keep your finger on your own pulse and let your heart guide you towards what attracts you naturally in this moment of your life!
Let me know if you found any of these tips helpful! I would also love to see some of your favorite pieces and how they make you feel!
Thank you so much for reading!
Love,