WALLPAPER, FISH TANKS AND LIGHT SWITCHES
I asked Sarah Guinan, an Art Consultant with a wealth of experience assisting homeowners with art for their homes, to be our first guest blogger. Sarah approaches each project collaboratively with the client and I met her when she was looking for some modern/mid-century paintings for one of her clients and approached us.
This is the selection of paintings from Collins and Green Art Sarah proposed for her clients with, in her own words, how she goes about working collaboratively and the highs and lows of art consulting.
From Experience
As an Art Consultant I spend much of my time shopping for other people: picking up a brief from a client, followed by gallery and studio visits to find the right pieces to put forward for the project. I also approach artists directly about commissions.
I have been working as an art consultant for many years now and one of the things I have learnt is that when a client wants to buy art outside of my field of contemporary art, I will take them to someone who is expert in the period they want to buy. So when I landed a client who wanted to buy some modern/mid-century art works I thought of Julia Collins of Collins and Green Art.
It Needn’t Cost the Earth
It was a delight working with Julia at Collins and Green Art, with her depth of knowledge of vintage art and I spent a joyful morning going through her extensive collection of paintings in her home gallery for my new client. Julia sources paintings from here in the UK, France and Scandinavia. She often chooses works by unknown artists and sometimes named. She has a very good eye and I trust her judgement. One of the things that attracts my clients, especially when selecting several paintings at a time, is that it needn’t cost the earth. With no provenance on most of the works you are buying from Collins and Green Art and mainly unknown artists, you can buy paintings starting at £100 through to a couple of thousand pounds.
The Highs and Lows of Selecting Pieces for your Interior and the challenges and lessons learned
I spend the initial stages, listening to the client, looking at what they already have in their homes and the look they have created. I talk to them about budget as well as their likes and dislikes and what they expect to achieve adding art to their interior.
I also work with interior designers who have a true feel for art in their schemes and are able to provide me with more of a brief. This, in the main, has always been a successful and welcome collaboration for me. Although, I did turn down a job once when approached by an interior decorator who wanted to hang something for £60 above a turquoise sofa! I could tell it was all about matching a piece to the sofa, preferably one in turquoise! Forget the sofa/art collaboration, I didn’t think the interior decorator/art consultant collaboration would work either!
On another occasion I drove across town to a client who had seen some publicity I had received in House and Garden asking me for a piece for a three metre wall. I arrived to see a huge fish tank, full of tropical fish spanning the full length of the wall which they had omitted to mention. On that occasion the art lost out to the fish!
Let the Art do the Talking
Sometimes, a frame can take over and dominate the artwork. For example, it can be too ornate for the simplicity of the painting or drawing and, in these cases, I will always reframe. If the brief requires it I like to contemporise older works by reframing in unfussy, minimal contemporary frames.
I also have a problem with wallpaper! I don’t hang art on wallpaper! The wallpaper speaks for itself as does art in the right setting and wallpaper isn’t it!
Don’t even get me going on light switches mounted in the middle of walls taking up valuable art hanging space…….
Goals – Don’t Mix and Match, Complement
When selecting pieces, you want your collection to look as if it has been acquired over time, you want it to complement the interior not match! And, don’t be afraid to mix contemporary with older pieces. I also love to see large paintings in smaller settings. Don’t overthink it, often your first choices are the best, be led by what you like – this is your art for your interior and your tastes.
The Final Selection from Collins and Green
The client that brought me to Collins and Green Art, wanted to purchase some twentieth century art for the key rooms in their home and so I started the project at Julia Collins’s gallery. With her extensive collection of modern pieces, I was able to find several paintings to present to them. Julia also takes great care, keeping the art in its original frame, restoring frames when necessary or, reframing in keeping with the piece.
Below is a list of the pieces, with a brief outline of why I selected them for the specified rooms and they are all currently available from Collins and Green and on their website here.
The Sitting Room
Small works of art look great in amongst your books in bookcases. Mantlepieces are enhanced by smaller paintings propped up alongside ceramics and glass. Groupings by one ceramicist or glassmaker always look good as do the same colour-groupings but not in a matchy way; different shades in the same palette for example.
For this client, I chose two large abstracts, Cagnes sur Mer and Still Life with Melon. One to sit over the fireplace and one for another wall over a sofa; two impressive paintings for two key walls in the room. I also couldn't resist the smaller abstract piece...to prop up on one of the shelves in their library of books.
'Cagnes sur Mer' signed Eric Cederberg, 1897-1984, click the image for more information.
'Still Life with Melon' signed Gunnar Hållander, 1915-1980, click the painting for more information.
'Black and White Steps', unknown artist, please click here for more of our abstract pieces.
The Kitchen
When considering art for the kitchen, keep paintings and prints depicting functional kitchen objects in this room and any children’s art looks good here too. For my client’s kitchen I chose, La Bouteille and Still Life with Jug and Onions: two striking food and drink still lifes so suited to a kitchen setting.
'La boutielle' signed Hans Augander, dated '83, please click the image above for more information.
'French Kitchen Still Life with Jug and Onions', unknown artist, click on the painting for more information.
The Bedroom
Keep the colour palette cool and more muted for the bedrooms. This gives a feeling of calm and relaxation rather than a brighter, more vibrant hue. I also like to see nudes in the bedroom and for my client, I found a pair of serene and calm nudes in earthy tones, Seated Nude on Blue and Studio Nude.
'Studio Nude', signed by an unknown artist, click on the painting for more information.
'Seated Nude on Blue' signed Stig Sundin, 1922-1990, click on the painting for more information.
The Landing
I chose a charming portrait of a girl, La Petite, to hang at the top of a staircase, on a landing, with a good vista on the approach from the stairs. This strong piece will draw you in and with its sense of importance, there is no need for anything else in the space.
'La Petite', signed Hilding Rosio, 1902-1985, please click on the painting for more information.
The Bathroom
Finally, if you have a large enough bathroom, preferably naturally ventilated where there is limited condensation, art looks good here too, either in small groupings or one big canvas for a dramatic effect.
The client, in this case had a lovely large and roomy bathroom and I chose two stunning flower paintings, La Fleur Blanche and Green Plant with Red Flower; both colourful and minimal. The larger one for a bare wall opposite the shower and the smaller one over a chest of drawers.
'La Fleur Blanche' signed Gunnar Hållander, 1915-1980, click on the image above for more information.
'Green Plant with Red Flower', signed Gunnar Hållander 1915-1980, click the painting above for more information.
Conclusion
When it comes to hanging art, don’t hang too high! I like to give space round each piece and/or groupings and love to see pieces at eye level when you are sitting down.
Once you have selected your pieces from Collins and Green Art, Julia can also arrange for the work to be delivered to you and ships all over the world. So Collins and Green really is a ‘one stop shop’ and I can’t recommend them highly enough, not only for their selection of paintings and prints but their service too.
Based in London, Sarah is happy to visit you in your home and give advice on sourcing art, framing, installing and theming your hangs. She operates on an hourly basis and she is happy to work with existing collections; relocating pieces and reframing if necessary.
If you would like to get in touch with Sarah she can be found at:
LinkedIn: Sarah Guinan Art Consultant and her email is: sarah.brundle@icloud.com
