By Newt Grover
One of the greatest things about owning your own place is that your house gets to be a blank canvass to store art that speaks to you. The joy of finding a piece of art that serves as the perfect new addition to your new home is one of the greatest feelings in the world. However, the pressure of purchasing pieces that adhere to the popular artistic trends has caused many casual art collectors to purchase art that their friends enjoy, but does not speak to them.
I have been a professional artist all of my life and I think it is time we stop overthinking the art in our homes. I think it is time we stop worrying about the popular trends and start selecting and commissioning artwork that speaks to you and you alone.
Here is some practical advice for selecting the right artwork for your home.
Stop worrying
Art is subjective which means finding the perfect piece that is universally loved by everyone in your social circles is a pointless endeavor. The best advice I can give you is to just pick something you are going to love. Don’t worry about the message or if the style may seem strange to your neighbors. All you have to do is pick a piece you love and speaks to you personally because at the end of the day you are the one who has to live with it.
How do you know for sure if a piece speaks to you? It is actually pretty simple, if a piece of art makes you smile as you walk by it then that is a pretty good indicator that it will brighten your home.
A lot of people looking to purchase art also spend too much time worrying about how it will match the furniture in their house. I would not worry about how a piece of art matches your furniture because you can always rearrange the layout of your artwork to better match the layout of your home.
Communicating with your artist
Many homeowners choose to hire an artist to commission a piece of artwork for them. When trying to find the right artist you need to hire someone that is willing to speak with you and guide you to the piece you want.
Don’t be intimidated by an artist’s suggestions and speak your mind if they are giving you suggestions you are not interested in. A good artist will not choose a piece for you but help you craft the ideal piece that speaks to you.
Don’t be afraid to give the artist input as well. If you are having trouble explaining your vision, ask the artist to draw a rough sketch for you. Setting up a few parameters for your artist to go by is a good way to keep an artist tuned to your vision.
Picking artwork can be an intimidating experience for many people, but the process does not have to be intimidating. At the end of the day you are the one who looks at your art everyday and if you enjoy a piece of art then let it bless your home. Stop worrying about the pressures of peers and the popular art trends. If a piece of art speaks to you then it will be a great addition to your home.
Newt Grover is a glass artist and the owner of Newt Glass in Scottsdale Arizona.
