Hanging Your Art

As you may have noticed, color is an integral part of my paintings.  Years ago, in my Interior Design coursework I found that color is so important that I spent 8-9 months studying about the way color influences and affects us in our daily lives.  Anyone who has visited my home knows that there is color everywhere and I am always changing it as new paintings are completed.  I wouldn't recommend this approach unless you are showing off a collection on a specific wall.

Many of my friends and clients are afraid of choosing colorful art for their homes and offices. When you find that piece of art that you just can't live without, don't shy away from making it the focal point in the room. 

Please comment if this is helpful.

Here are a few tips on how you can make it fit in with your other more neutral pieces.

• If it is a larger painting, I would recommend that it be the only painting on that wall (e.g., over the fireplace) but pick up the dominant color elsewhere in the room with small decorative items, including, pillows, collections, fresh flowers or plants, and small furniture accessories.
  
• If your purchase is several smaller paintings that are similar in subject and technique, then line them up with either the bottom or top of each painting at the same height from the ceiling or floor.  I usually prefer the bottom lining up.   
• Framing is another choice you can make to tie in with other paintings in the room -- match the style of frame or at least the wood or metal colors.  
• As part of my latest series I ended up with three panels from 36 6x6 squares.  As you can see below, I have hung them vertically over the fireplace. They also can be hung horizontally. These panels are sealed so they don't need to be framed but this summer for the show at Giustina Gallery in Corvallis they required the center painting in this group to be hung horizontally and be framed.  Which way would you hang this trio--vertically or horizontally?

Which way do you prefer to hang your canvas or cradle paintings or prints--framed or not?  

I have preferred to frame my aluminum prints, but they can be hung with a special mounting on the back but be sure to add foam core to keep the aluminum from flexing.

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