The process of selecting artwork for various client's homes has been an enlightening experience.
Art is layered with contradictions - its very personal but also a universal language, its as satisfying as good cinema and as thought-provoking as good literature. I grew up surrounded by art so it was natural and wonderful. It was only decades later when my husband and I had our very first home together that I appreciated the thought (and energy) that goes into deciding what should go up on a wall of our home.
Luckily my husband also loves art and we love the pieces that we have acquired over the years, as they reflect our interests and personalities. Figuring out what you love, and loving it enough to look at it almost every day can be a little bit intimidating. Though we don't have exactly the same taste, my husband and I do have a similar “system” of selecting and collecting, and that is what I wanted to share with you to try and demystify the process and help you create more character in your home.
Dig into your histories
One way of finding art that resonates with you is looking at artists or resources (galleries, online platforms etc) with a similar background or interests to your own. That can be as varied as an artist from your country or hometown, to someone who shares your passion for dance or astronomy or strange sea creatures. Either in the subject of the artwork, the style or the feeling that it evokes, you’ll be able to see a part of yourself.
Look around you
In art, as in your other purchases, look around your local communities and support local artists. You may find a piece that holds special meaning for you in a shared landscape or a memory of Paris you can take with you if you move. Various cities & quartiers hold open houses that are the perfect moment to discover local art. Even our virtual communities have so many incredible artists, like caroline, havi and leila in this very group!
Mass produced art
Sometimes youre just looking for easy decor to fill up a wall and to complement your interior. Beyond Etsy, there are a number of more specific platforms dedicated to art where you can buy framed or unframed prints in various sizes and select your support (paper / canvas).
Some general suggestions for putting up work around the house once you have some art that you love :
Dining Rooms / Living Rooms : This is usually the best place to have a gallery wall, or a single large piece.
Bedrooms : I love more calming pieces for bedrooms, placed over the headboard in a pair or a large landscape format
Children’s rooms : My only advice for your kids’ rooms is to get solid frames where you can easily change the artwork as your children grow!
Hallways : The best place to create a rhythm, hallway art works great with a family of similar pieces in identical frames spaced evenly.
Kitchens & bathrooms : For some reason, I really love kitchens and bathrooms for funny, quirky art or quotes.
What you like and what speaks to you is going to be completely personal! Here are some resources I love:
Local Galleries https://www.carredartistes.com https://achetezdelart.com
Local Artists Partout_Paris_ is a local womens art collective Illustrafemmes is another great portal based in France representing international female artists with great limited addition prints
Online Platforms https://desenio.fr https://www.juniqe.fr
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