I once read that you know you’re a designer if you have art stacked against your walls in various places in your home. I think I took this as a badge of honor but maybe also a license to hoard the art and not hang it. You now know how I had lots of art packed away that MADE the library, but I should also tell you about the stacks of frames and various not so precious artwork in the garage and in my office. Some are pieces I found great deals on that I will use somewhere, some will eventually make their way to our booths or client homes, others were reserved for a client who ghosted me and we never finished their home (yes, this sadly happens) and some were just evidence of my indecision.
One day I had enough. I declared to myself “I want my office back!” And I set out on a mission to see where I could hang the frames and such that were leaning against my wall and somehow growing. There’s a lot to this story, and as always lessons we can talk from it so let’s start with the decisions…
Decision One: Hang the gold frames in the bedroom. We moved our larger TV in here and while it makes viewing much better, the black box was heavy on this wall. I took a little time one day to hang the frames and the balance was an immediate relief. But, this leads us to the next question
Decision Two: What to put in the frames. and this is where I really want you to lean in and listen to me. I might sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth and I kind of am but this will change your home. Knowing when to wait for something perfect and when to us a placeholder is an art we need to practice.
Remember when I talked at length about selecting real art that means something for your spaces? I seriously think you should get as much real art as your budget allows, but here’s what the really looks like.
First I’m going to give you my kind of crazy definition of “real art”
Real Art: beautiful works that have meaning to you and you truly love.
Notice it don’t mention price, medium, size, where you got it or anything specific. Now “fine” art might mean something totally different and it might also fit my “Real Art” definition. But so might your kid’s best finger painting from 1987.
Let’s unpack my definition further.
- Beautiful: Who decides if it’s beautiful? You do!
- Meaning: does it remind you of a time, place, feeling, person or experience? You decide this one too.
- Truly Love: That’s easy. If you love it, it’s real art!
So let’s back up. I hung the frames and proceeded to fill most of them with really pretty downloadable art. Do I consider these “real art?” Not really in my space. Do I find them beautiful and mostly love them? Yes! But they don’t really have much meaning for me so they miss that part of the definition. I would actually only call Tripp’s art work the only “real art” on the wall according to my definition. So why am I breaking my own rule? I’m so glad you asked!
We have to decide when we need to hold out for perfection or embrace a placeholder to make good progress. I think all of this art is truly beautiful and I have no regrets to hanging it. I love birds. The little dog who looks nothing like Hazel still makes me so happy. The juxtaposition of the modern pieces with the more traditional ones is magic for me. There is nothing on this wall I do not love, so it’s a good solid placeholder until I can “upgrade” it to real art. Do I hope to one day have all “real art,” on my wall and also hope some if it is truly “fine art?” OF COURSE. But I want my home to feel right to me now and these placeholders are a great way to get there as I work toward the bigger goals.
So whether you’re using real art or a placeholder or waiting to fill your walls up I want to give you a little help. “Real Art” is everywhere so here is where you can look…
Where to find “Real Art”
- Travel: a postcard, a map, a print from a local artist, real art you purchase on your trip, a photo you took, something you can place in a shadowbox… there are limitless opportunities to find “real art” to remind you of trips.
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Second Hand: There are layers to this form of shopping so let’s unpack these (also see how to shop vintage)
- Antique stores: typically the most expensive of the second hand option but that is because someone has taken the time to artfully collect, curate, clean, prepare and repair the item for you so you can be a little more confident in what you’re getting.
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Estate Sales: these can be a legit art collection or a junk store in a house and just about everything in between…. but you can also find real art! I found the sweetest little hand painted canvases that I treasure and consider “real art” (the bird watercolor below is an estate sale find and closely meets moth criteria)
- Thrift stores: Some are better than others and you never know what you might run across but there are treasures out there for those who hunt! Thrift stores are also a great place to find frame to upgrade your other art.
- Shop Small: Places like the Eagleville Mercantile have tons of artists under one roof. You are bound to find real art and support several small businesses!
- Craft fairs: This is another great way to find local artists in one place! If you find something that you love, you’re also supporting a local artisan and business and that’s a huge win.
- Make it: Not many of us are high level artists, but I think all of us are made to create in some way. That might look different for each of us, but just give it a try and see what you can come up with. I have a few paintings in my bathroom that I did myself and I love them. They’re not perfect but they make me very happy and meet my definition! Obviously kid’s artwork always wins too. Place it in a beautiful frame and you’l treasure it even more. (Our watercolor workbooks can turn any of us into an artist!)
- Download it: You can save big by downloading art. There are sites where you can access open source prints for free but also it’s a great way to support artists when you purchase their work digitally. Maybe you use this method for placeholders as it did, or you could also find “real art” and have it printed and framed from a digital source!
- Big Box Stores: This one might sound a little contradictory, but I want you to go all the way back to our definition of “real art.” But first, please indulge me this: I am always going to have a problem with some internet voice telling us we must have this week’s viral piece from target. It angers me the way slow traffic in the left lane angers my husband. Once something is in every single home, it loses some value and charm in my opinion. It’s similar to the “Hobby Lobby/Kirklands” effect of a few years ago where “farmhouse style” became a dirty word because it was basically mass produced, copy + paste. We can dig into my feelings on “farmhouse” another day (spoiler alert: it’s not what you probably think) but why am I telling you to buy “real art” from big box stores but also don’t buy from these places? It’s not to confuse you so let’s unpack it.
Real art is “beautiful works that have meaning to you and you truly love.” This means the if you see a mass produced print at Walmart and the roses in it look so much like the ones your granny grew you can almost smell them it is “real art” to you. That landscape at Hobby Lobby that looks like a vacation you took years ago and the colors even feel soothing to you is also “real art” (just wait for 50% off week) The print of the barn you ran across at the Dollar General of all places is also art when it takes you back to the drive through the country where you stopped for a picnic and laughed all afternoon. That modern abstract at Home Goods for some reason just draws you in and captivates you… also real art!
Big box stores have come a long way and some of the stuff they produce is beautiful. Even some of the oil paintings you find in Home Goods are unreal. “Real Art” can be found anywhere because you get to decide. That’s the key. Don’t let the viral internet bullies tell you what is real art for you!
So, this is a very long story about how filing my home with real art has become a major priority for me… but also embracing placeholders help me through the process.
