My Gallery Wall | Art Thoughts & Best Sources
Do you love gallery walls? Do you have them in your home? I have always loved collections and assemblages of art. I am rarely satisfied with one piece, unless it obviously covers the space and nothing else is needed. Or maybe the room is already busy enough with wallpaper. The Brits seem to do it very well, sort of a tasteful “more is more” look. I love layering with collected things.
And art is one of those things I love.
It tells a story - it speaks to me. It is the jewelry of the room, along with lighting, in my opinion. It usually comes last, unless it’s so good that the room is done around it, to begin with. If you’re not sure where to buy artwork or where to put what you like, give yourself permission to start small. There is such joy in freshening up your home with a little gem.
Art is not like anything else. You might get tired of the drapes or the rug might get worn. But artwork’s story and the feeling that comes from it, is always there, waiting to take you somewhere or remind you of something.
I was lucky in that I was surrounded by good art and buying opportunities when I owned the shop. We saw wonderful pieces four times a year, at the High Point Furniture Market and the Atlanta Gift Mart. That was one of my favorite items to buy for the store. I also have several friends that love and appreciate art, and one that is an amazing painter.
When I renovated/decorated my living room/library, I knew I wanted an inset area between two bookcases, with a gallery wall above a sofa. And I knew that I wanted objects as well as art. So by the time I had finished the room, I had assembled quite the collection of art and stuff.
My friend Amy, who was my business partner, decorator and fellow art enthusiast, helped me pick through it and place it. You should have a running theme of some kind and/or a similar style(s) of frames. I chose artwork that meant something to me - places we’ve been, quotes I love and whimsical objects. When two of the pieces of art were too large and expensive, for the grouping, I made small copies myself. (I am NOT an artist, but I’m great at copying things…) I chose gold and black framing with one white exception, just above the white sofa.
Working on the layout. I had so much stuff from which to choose! We decided what to hang and how to frame it.
One of the larger pieces - a print of a watercolor of the North Light from Sachem Pond, on Block Island, RI where my husband went in his youth. We own part of a house there still and try to go every year.
This is another of the larger pieces. I got it at market from Wendover Art and it reminds me of Crescent Beach, also on Block Island.
This is the third larger piece. It was sitting in an artists pile of old canvases that he had sanded down, to paint over. I grabbed it! It reminds me of Savannah or Charleston, both of which I love.
This quote is to remind me to go out and try to live my life, and not play it safe. I should’ve cropped out the signature…
Many a dance party was started with this quote…my motto…
There are several Museum Bees on my wall - I got these probably six or seven years ago - before Trace exploded in magazines and on Instagram. I love them - they are pieces of framing with little bees or other items on them. Now, he posts them on certain days and they sell out in an hour.
This is one of the two I did myself. I saw the huge originals at market. I felt like the wall needed a break from all the color and the blues. I traced the basic form from a photo and went from there.
Here’s the other one and one of the birds that I love. This artist used to show at market and I love song birds, so I have lots of these. The names of the prints were funny too. I think he’s still out there…Matt Adrian.
I had a collection of old keys and so we used some. The butterfly was framed in a shadowbox and I took it out. It’s just painted paper on foam. These are the types of items that sing a little song to me.
This is a print that I got in the Bahamas - we go there often with friends.
The book case to the left…
…and to the right…
i realized that i have little gallery walls all around the house…
This is a great way to experiment with this - pick a small wall space and start there.
My animal wall in the laundry room, dedicated to my two mini-schnauzers - Toby and Friday, and our Maine Coon cat, Figaro.
The wall on either side of the window in our powder room.
More birds from Matt Adrian in the back hall.
Pretty empty looking, huh? My upcoming project is to wrap art around that wall to the upstairs hall. I love it when it turns the corner! So much art - so little wall space…
Best Art Resources…
Here are my best resources to find wonderful artwork online, some of my favorite artists, and some locally in RVA as well…
ETSY…
Amanda Tanner Art - original oils and giclee prints on paper
Homestead Vintage Art - really nice printable art - great for art on a budget - buy some nice art paper and have it printed yourself!
Amy’s Artistic Studio - mostly tiny original acrylics in vintage frames - wonderful
Restoration Art Prints - architectural and botanical print sets
Tea Stained Madness - tea stained prints and original art - botanicals, anatomy, and nautical prints and crazy funny animal prints
Decor Maison Art - inexpensive art print sets
Haley Mitchell Art - cool and colorful cubist style, graphic faces - prints
The Painted Life Studio - original watercolors and prints on canvas or paper
MarleenArt - original landscape and flower original paintings from the Netherlands
Curious Prints - botanical and diagram prints
Lloyd Gallery - interesting small art prints - this is my favorite
Belle Maison Art - ready to frame prints of many different subjects
Instagram…
@restlessartprintshop - she has nice photographs for framing
@jessieedwardsgallery - this Rhode Island gallery is owned by an artist with exquisite taste. She mostly has coastal art originals and prints…very good stuff.
@carriemeganart - one of said artists at the gallery above - gorgeous soft pieces
@inslee - Inslee Farriss - you’ve probably seen her work. She does a beautiful calendar each year and is a popular water color artist. Love her sensibility.
@katiejacobsonsart - she does really interesting work with a large range and does take commissions
@eghaysart - I can’t get enough of this stuff. These are 3D paper butterflies in acrylic shadow boxes. She does all sorts of other things too, but these are my favorite. Love her creativity - it makes my heart sing!
@rachelenglishfineart - these are SPECTACULAR clouds and skies. They’re just incredible. Her thunderstorms and night skies are amazing. I am determined to have an original in my home - hopefully my bedroom.
@annjosephdesigns - the most amazing framed intaglios you’ve seen
Others…
Ballard Designs - they are a great resource for prints - I have gotten several pieces from them for the River House, and I some for my home as well..most recently a print for my master bath.
Postcards From Provence - the artwork of Julian Merrow-Smith - small original oils are sold via his daily painting blog - wonderful. They are little nuggets of goodness.
Pat Huber - I “met” Pat through my pal, Cindy, and I really like her work!
Brian Blood - a plein air artist based near San Fransisco - love his work - I think he sells prints of his originals too
Artfully Walls - has some nice artwork prints at good prices - you really have to look through it though.
RVA Local Artists & Shops (who are online as well)…
Chris Shands - wonderful large abstract pieces as well as great paper and paint collages. She’s a local treasure! I am a huge fan and would love a large original!
Pastels by Melissa - love her original pastels
Liza Pruitt/The Pruitt Shop - she is based in Virginia and carries many wonderful artists, some of whom are local - this is fine art and so it can be pricey!
Kellogg Collection - has a great selection of prints. They are local to VA-DC-MD and the artwork is typically soft colors and neutrals, like their interiors
Fellow blogger Molly, from Molly in Maine, had a great two part post about artwork a few weeks ago. Her beautiful home on the coast in Maine is really great - it has lots of whimsy and color, and little items that sing a song!
Coming soon - a new Gadabout post and the ladies hit Charleston Wine + Food Festival a few weeks ago in early March! Happy Spring from Virginia!