How to Add Art
Art can be intimidating.
In another life, I taught undergraduates History of Art and I will always remember a mature student I had in my class, a 40-something year old man who turned up with a bandage over one eye looking like he should be saying “you should see the other guy!” He was quiet at first, but clearly attentive, and when it came to the first class presentations at the end of term, his blew me away. I was speaking to him afterwards, and he was explaining how growing up, he had always felt that galleries and art were “not for him”. Having worked in (and left) the art world, I can completely understand how alienating and privileged it can appear. It’s a world shrouded in buildings which speak of wealth, whispers, and academia. Lofty knowledge of languages, mythology and high society, and often huge sums of money. But seeing this student thrive having conquered his feeling of not belonging, I would encourage you to shrug off that impression of superiority.
Art is for everyone, and everyone should feel that they have a place within the enormous range that art offers. Whether it’s landscapes, still lifes or portraits, (personally and as you’ll see, I can’t resist an equestrian theme), whether it’s prints from the National Gallery or IKEA, engravings, oil paintings or watercolours, it is a really simple way to bring your personality into your home.
I’ve lived in a frightening number of rented rooms and homes - ten years of University will do that to you. Having done a quick tally, I think it’s been six rooms over my University career, and four rented houses since moving in with my husband. Having moved so many times (hopefully not again for a while), the easiest way to make a new place feel like home is art, and textiles. Change the light shades, put down your rugs, and whether you’re allowed to hammer a nail in or you’ve got to find creative ways of leaning, get your pictures up.
But first, you have to find them. As mentioned, prints are a brilliant and relatively cheap way of getting started, and postcards often look surprisingly good when framed, either alone (I love a small artwork and find them charming beyond their stature), or in a group. I would say though, don’t make assumptions about the costs of antique artworks. Your local auction house or car boot/house clearance market may yield treasure for surprisingly little. Ebay tends to be more expensive, and where you can I would always advocate seeing works in person especially if they’re on the pricier side.
One of my favourite things to do is to mix contemporary art with the antique. I have a number of works by the textile artist Nikki Heaton, a piece made of rosehip thorns by Anna Kora, and a beautiful abstract work by Ida Vikfors, all hanging alongside oleographs of 500-year old portraits (more on oleographs later) and framed 19th-century prints. You might be surprised by how complimentary they can be, especially if you’re working in similar tones and colour schemes.
This is a subject I will speak about a lot, and I’ll be sharing any treasure I come across, but for now:
find your local auction house - you’ll generally be able to view the sales beforehand so that you can prep and then bid either online or in person. Do set yourself a firm limit though, as the bidding rush can lead to getting a bit carried away, and don't forget to factor in the buyer’s premium, often set around 20-25%;
browse your nearby car boot sales and house clearances - there is so often treasure to be found;
do not be intimidated by fine art - art has always been for all levels of class and wealth;
mix the old and the new, the contemporary pieces you like will offer good guidance for antique hunting.
