“You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.” –George Bernard Shaw
Art, in its many forms, has a powerful impact on our lives. However, if you’re a person who doesn’t feel particularly confident about selecting art for your home, these words can carry an awful lot of weight. It might feel like a lot of pressure to select pieces for your home that allow anyone present to “see your soul.” Does this sound like you? If so, three local artists have suggestions to guide you. While each of them may focus on different media, the heart of their message is the same: Art is a reflection of you and your interests. Don’t worry that others may not see it in the same way. It is your own story that you are telling.
Eddie Frank Hickerson works at Fleur de Flea in Louisville, one of many great places in the area to walk through and see vintage and current art in many forms. She is also a member of the relatively new community co-op, Maybe It’s Fate, in Butchertown, where she recently curated a show called Paper Cuts that highlighted the work of three female artists.
“I believe that finding what you like is a skill that you can build,” Eddie says. “The world of interior design and the world of art don’t overlap in the way you might expect. A work of art can speak differently to you from one day to the next. Our feelings about any particular piece can change based on light, shadow, the weather, and your mood on a given day.”
Eddie described a giant gold leaf installation that couldn’t help but catch her eye every time she passed it. It was placed along a brick wall but across from a window so that the light hit it differently throughout the day. “It was changing minute by minute — in the early afternoon sun, when clouds passed over, and when the sun was setting,” Eddie says. “It really shook my understanding about how art can change and our feelings about each piece can change too. I find that any time we install a show, my favorite piece at the beginning is almost never my favorite in the end.”
Ruth Dowling, an artist and educator in Sellersburg, Indiana, agrees that feelings are at the heart of any piece that she purchases or creates. “I am extremely picky about art that goes into my home,” she says. “I do not have a lot of art, and initially felt that I needed to “fill in” all the blank walls as soon as I moved into a home. However, after our 11th move, I embraced the white walls and only put things up that spoke to me or my family.”
The art in Ruth’s home showcases the importance of faith, family, and personal values. Her own art is hung on the walls, as is the work that her children create. Each of them is encouraged to express themselves artistically and to decorate their rooms in a way that shows their own values and interests.
Marietta Willman, an artist, educator, and docent, works primarily as a ceramicist, sculptor, and painter. After a lifetime of work in the arts, she still says, “I think what I do is play at art.”
No matter the style in which the art is created, most items on Marietta’s walls reflect a special memory — a person or place she treasures. “When anyone asks me how to select art for their home, I ask them, ‘What do you want to look at? What brings you joy or peace?’” Marietta says. “I have a painting I did years ago of my husband John when he was hunting. I can see it from where I sit every evening, and that’s a happy memory for me.”
Ready to put some inspiration on your walls? Each of these women share their insights about the process of selecting and collecting art.
Where can I go to see a variety of art and figure out what I like?
Eddie: Make an appointment to visit Maybe It’s Fate. It can be hard to realize that all art is personal art. Sometimes when it’s hung on a white wall, it doesn’t feel personal. At Maybe It’s Fate, you can sit with the art. You can get to know the artist who made it; they are typically members too. You begin to realize that art is made by people for people. It is personal and accessible.
Ruth: I go to galleries, art fairs, and stores like TJ Maxx or Hobby Lobby where you can see a variety of different things. People often assume that because I’m an artist, I spend lots of hours in galleries. In my busy life, I may only have one hour to spend. I can walk through and find the piece that really hits me and then spend time enjoying it.
Marietta: I enjoy museums and art fairs, like St. James in Louisville and Chautauqua (in Madison, Indiana), but I have also been known to go into Target or Big Lots and look at what they have in the store. I can see what colors and styles interest me and then have a better idea what I may want to find (or create) for my own home.
What is art?
The answers here were common — “anything” is probably the best answer. Photographs, something we all have, are works of art, although we don’t always think of them that way. Other examples include children’s and grandchildren’s drawings, posters, metalworks, fabric, ceramics, and family heirlooms. Anything that you love and that you want to show in your home is art.
How do I know where to put the art I select?
Eddie: Put it in the place that feels most right to you and let it sit a bit before hanging. I believe art is porous and takes on the memories of a room. For example, if I have a favorite picture above my couch and memories of a person who sat beneath it at a special event, I will likely remember that person or special event each time I look at the picture.
Marietta: You may want to consider each room on its own. Whose room is it? What are their interests? What is the purpose for that room? Are you trying to create a formal or informal space? Your choices can be easier to make in this way, going one room at a time.
Ruth: I would tell someone to consider the selection as a curation, something that will take time, and that they should collect artwork as they feel drawn to it. Original work is powerful, but photos that make someone happy and remind them of what is important to them are just as powerful.
What if I find a piece I love but can’t afford?
Eddie: Spend time with the piece. Go to look at it; take friends with you and enjoy it. If you are in a place like a gallery or Maybe It’s Fate, you can meet and spend time with others who also enjoy that piece and can talk about it with you.
Marietta: Perhaps you’ve seen something at a gallery or art show that you can’t afford, but you keep thinking about it. You can keep it in mind as you continue to shop around. You may also ask yourself if you know someone who might be able to recreate something similar for you.
Ruth: There are many replicas to be found of famous works that are quite affordable. You would be surprised at how attainable art is and about what you can learn to do yourself. I took a photo of a black and gold octopus sculpture done by Dale Chihuly when I was visiting his museum in Seattle. I have created a print based on that photo that hangs in my guest bathroom. Another thing I think to myself is about my budget. Perhaps I see a piece, and I think, ‘I like this $50 worth.’ It may be $200 on the day you see it, but you can give it time, keep an eye on it. One day the price may be just right.
Any last words?
Eddie: Art is personal. It has to be beautiful. You decide what is beautiful to you.
Marietta: Focus on the feeling you get when looking at the art. If it makes you happy, it’s exactly the right thing for your home.
Ruth: Be intentional about what you put in your home. It needs to be meaningful to you and reflect what you believe in and treasure.
By Megan S. Willman
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