Art as Sensory Development, Hang-Ups and Hanging Art: Tips for Buyers
I’m in Boise, spending time with my friend Jared the potter. He and I always bounce artistic ideas off of each other, and we’ve had some conversations about the inherent value of art.
He has a degree in neuroscience and one of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned from him is about the power of environmental stimulus on sensory development.
There was an experiment done in the 70s with cats where they were studying the impacts of visual stimulus on development. They took two newborn kitten groups and modified their enclosures—one group had vertical-striped-everything, and the other had horizontal-striped-everything. Their handlers, food bowls, and walls were all striped.
They found that after nurturing the kittens in these environments and releasing them into a fully-enriched enclosure, the two groups had different behaviors. The horizontal group had a deficit in perception of vertical stripes—they would bump into chair legs, but they could perceive a chair seat and leap into it. The vertical group could perceive and weave through the chair legs, but they struggled to jump onto the seats.
How does this relate to art? We have to consider that everything in our environment makes an impact on our behaviors and health—”you are what you eat.” I know that adding the right visual stimulus through texture, color, and association to meaning, we’re enriching our bodies and brains. I wouldn’t want to live in a world devoid of art—we would have functional defects around navigating our fully-enriched environment. Art is a facilitator to our development. What would it be like if we literally could not perceive certain colors or nuances of texture?
I personally make, buy, and consume a significant amount of art. I think that everyone else should do the same—as an artist, I often wonder what stops people from buying an original piece of art, especially online. Some engaged members of my online community tell me that they don’t have room, while others say that they’re waiting to move from one space to another. There are many reasons which I’ve heard, but I know that it’s only a small slice of the pie.
I consider the possibilities which might stop someone from buying and hanging art, even if they know the value that art provides to their space and to their life. I see two main categories of problems: a lack of information around the nuance of buying the right art and then appropriately placing the art into their space (for new patrons), and a lack of information around the pieces or artists themselves (for consistent patrons).
Want-to-be or soon-to-be patrons encounter a wider variety of reasons which might delay the process. If you’ve never chosen art for your space, you might not even know how or where to hang the piece. You might not know how the art will “age on you” over time. You might be unaware of best practices for lighting or sizing.
I want to assure you that none of these problems are overly complex. I started adding art to my space as a freshman in my college dorm—it all started with a simple Café Terrace at Night print taped above my desk. I’ve found what I like and started making pieces to fit spaces with a higher degree of fidelity than my previously-inexperienced self.
If you aren’t aware of some best practices for hanging art, here are a few easy rules of thumb:
Hang art roughly at eye level. The center of the piece should be near eye level, if your ceiling height allows it.
Try to fit the width of a wall by about 2/3. If I have an 8’ nook for my bedroom, I would ideally make or find a piece that is 5’ spanning the center of the wall. If that’s too large of a piece, it’s appropriate to find two pieces and span them so that their width touches on the two ends of that 5'.
Most art doesn’t need more than a single nail in drywall, unless it is exceedingly heavy or framed. I recommend using a simple stud finder and placing nails in studs when possible. Hooks and hangers are always nice to have, but I’ve gotten by with nails for many years. These holes are always easy to patch when I move—I use a small dab of spackling compound before moving out and I’ve never had a problem.
Start with prints or posters which are easy to move. I’ve spent hours moving pieces around until it “feels” right, and this is a sense that you’ll develop over time.
Consider some basic color theory when finding art to match a particular room. If most of my furniture leans warm, I’ll try to add a warm painting to match. If I have primarily gray furniture or fixtures, some sharp colors can serve as accents and liven the space.
I’d love to hear from you—do these concepts help solve any of the reasons for which you’ve held back on buying and hanging art? Are you looking for more advice? I’m offering free design consultations—even if you don’t use the advice to hang up my art, I want to help you introduce more art to your space, because I know the value that it brings. Schedule here.
For those of you who are already in the habit of buying art, I recognize that it’s difficult for pictures to convey the true sentiment of visual art. I know that most of my paintings have texture which is far more impactful in person. Prints make this far easier, but an oil painting itself might seem different once it’s in your hands and on your wall. For this reason, I want to offer the same ability to discuss live about a piece—feel free to schedule some time where I can showcase some pieces over video and help identify exactly what art might match the aesthetic you’re going for—or to dive deeper on any individual piece to ensure that it’s a good match for the energy of your space.
Art is also far more meaningful when we know the story of its creation or inspiration. I know that I buy art from people who I connect with. It’s even better if the piece touches on a story that moved me or gives me a reason to ponder something deeper. I’ve been trying my best to articulate these for all of my pieces via social media, but I’d love to share more about my art—feel free to reach out and I’d be happy to talk about my process or any individual piece.
Thanks for reading,
Kevin
