How to Better Enjoy Your Art Work

21. August 2009 by Marie Pinschmidt.

HOW TO BETTER ENJOY YOUR WORKS OF ART Do you walk through your home with no awareness of your wall décor? Is your field of vision limited to only what is immediately in front of you? Then you probably also pay little attention to sunrises and sunsets, beautiful flowering trees, or meandering streams. Are you tired of looking at the same landscape over your mantel or sofa that has been hanging there for as long as you can remember? Do you feel a need for change but your monetary budget leaves nothing for non-essentials?  Do your paintings or other wall décor no longer speak kindly to you although you purchased the item because you absolutely loved it? Are you tired of the original oil you inherited from your great-grandmother but can’t part with it for sentimental reasons? Have you upgraded your major furniture pieces and now find the works of art just do not work with your new color scheme? Or are you one of those rare individuals who have no interest whatsoever in art, know nothing about it, and don’t care to learn? So be it — I’m sure you find beauty and pleasure in other things. Works of art are not an insignificant part of your home. A beautiful painting or a piece of sculpture can make or break a room. It can add refinement, overpower, or if improperly placed, destroy any artistic ambience. Nothing says more about a homeowner’s personality and identification than the items collected to fill his personal space. Are you a traditionalist or an art deco enthusiast? Are you more comfortable around Rembrandt’s and Monet’s, or do you lean more toward Salvador Dali and his distorted images? Are the more current mixed media works of artist with a creative edge more to your liking? Are you attracted to oversized canvases, bright fields of color, or do you prefer paintings that calm the spirit and quiet the mind?  

The wonderful thing about art is it can be love at first sight and become a lifetime companion, bringing joy each time you pause long enough to say hello. A painting can transform a space with no logical reason to ever replace or move it to another location. It blooms where it’s planted, perfect just where it is; not unlike a much-loved spouse or beloved pet. The older it grows the more beautiful it becomes. However, unless the work of art is of great merit, size or value, chances are it could be relocated for better advantage—recycled, if you will. In all probability you bought the work of art for a specific space in your home, but how would you like to live in the same room for all eternity?  I like to think of works of art as living entities — much like the human hands that created them. A poem begs to be recited and a song yearns to be sung, not unlike a baby who cries for nourishment. Should they be left to feel ignored like neglected orphans hidden away in some obscure corner, their beauty and worth unappreciated?  Like people, works of art needs attention, and you can nourish that desire. Take them on a vacation to other rooms in your home; get a feel for the new environment. Both you and the art may like the new surroundings enough to extend your stay. The room takes on a new look, the colors in the painting take on a new vibrancy, and you have something fresh and new to look at when you wake up in the morning. It’s not the paintings fault if the lighting was poor in the old space, or if the huge wall made it appear insignificant. Group small works of art together; give them friends to converse with while you’re away. Or, if the little gem is really special, hang it just to the side of your favorite chair, or above your bedside table where the light can illuminates it and where you can view it up close and personal before saying goodnight.  Few people are totally satisfied with their surroundings, so take a fresh look, find a new perspective, and gain a new appreciation for your faithful, but often bored, friends. To better brighten your day, they may just need a little attention.   ““““““ 

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