PRO TIPS TO CURATE A KILLER ART COLLECTION.
“It’s wonderful to see how accessible original artwork has become,” says Muriel Foster Schelke, partner/ director of the Atlanta Artist Collective that represents 85-plus artists from across the Southeast. From her Buckhead office in The Galleries of Peachtree Hills, Schelke helps art lovers find works to fill out their collections or simply get them started on their artistic journey.
“Art is really just about an emotion,” Schelke says. “It’s endless the ways your art can be an expression of you, your family, your values, travels and emotions. It’s part of your story that can be interpreted in different ways on different days.”
How do you go about curating an art collection that brings joy and brightens the home? Here are some tips.
It’s Personal
The first rule of art curation is that there are no rules. “Art is totally personal,” Schelke says, “so the single most important thing is that you love it and respond to it. There should be a feeling when you look at the piece.”
And don’t worry about mixing styles. Go ahead and hang an abstract next to a landscape next to a geometric. You can group things by color, theme or some other connecting thread, but focus more on how the art feels in the room and what you want it to say. “Your art collection becomes a journey. It tells a story,” Schelke says. Feel free to color outside the lines and take some artistic license with it.
Location, Location, Location
Art doesn’t just have to be on the wall. It can be on a bookshelf, in a display case or even tacked to the front of the fridge. But what looks good in one place might not look good in another, so experiment and move things around. “Think about where you’ll get the most joy from a piece, and then work out from there,” Schelke says. Think practically, too: Don’t put an oil painting above the stove where it could catch fire or place a fragile sculpture on a coffee table where the cat could easily knock it over.
You Don’t Have to Break the Bank
Yes, art can often be expensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay an arm and a leg to curate a collection. “A budget is important because that’s the reality of things,” Schelke says. But if, for example, you love a 36-by-36 painting that’s out of your price range, see if the artist has similar works that are smaller and less expensive. Keep in mind, too, that a frame adds to the cost, so focus on the work itself because you can always search for a cheaper frame on sites like Framebridge, which has a storefront on the Westside. If something really speaks to you but you’re concerned about the cost, see if the artist or gallery will let you take it out on loan and live with it for a bit before you bite the bullet.
Consult a Pro
Professional curators like Schelke can be sounding boards and guides as you curate your collection. They know the questions to ask and can help you discover new artists, consult on the budget and advise on grouping pieces together. “We want our clients to absolutely love their art and feel totally comfortable with their purchases,” Schelke says. The bottom line is that your home is your canvas and you’re the artist, so have fun and make it your masterpiece.
ATLANTA ARTIST COLLECTIVE
404.414.5399
atlanta.artistcollectives.org
@atlantaartistcollective
