Rotating the Art
January is a time to rotate the art.
As I pack up the holiday decorations, I create a blank canvas, ready for decorating. Throughout the ritual of routine cleaning, I consider my inventory of lovely objects- art, nature, and otherwise.
Where the living space meets the kitchen, I have my Cabinet of Curiosities, shelves on which I display all manner of lovelies. I select a few anchor pieces to showcase. Then I browse through drawers and cabinets, selecting additional pieces. In January, I leave the shelves a bit sparse, allowing for additions throughout the year. There is always a “pop” of color that keeps the eye flowing around the display.
As I curate my Cabinet of Curiosities, I gather more objects for additional shelves and surfaces. Some favorites remain on display for another year but move to a new location. Other items reappear from storage.
I also rotate my art quilt wall hangings. These change “seasonally”. Quilt seasons are based on my mood, time of year, events, visitors, activities, or anything else that inspires me.
When the art and other lovelies have settled into their new positions on shelves and surfaces, and the quilts have rotated, we look at the rest of the house with new eyes. The art rotation cascade continues. A piece we no longer notice may move to another room, or it may take its turn in storage, allowing another to return to the wall.
Rotating our artwork draws our attention to it. It is amazing how different an artwork can look based on the color of the wall behind it, the lighting over the course of the day and through the seasons, and the other furnishings in the room. Rotating our artwork also allows us to own and enjoy more artwork than we have room to exhibit at one time. We can keep buying and creating.
Meet the Some of Artists Whose Artwork We Collect
Elizabeth Busey is a print and collage maker who shares our love of nature and maps, but helps us see them in new ways.
Chris Plummer is a print maker with a sense of humor and with whom I talk Art Ed. when we visit his booth at 4th Street Festival.
Adam Egenolf is a ceramic artist whose use of crystalline glaze is amazing. I especially love his cobalt blues.
Craig Whitten is a watercolor artist whose use of simple strokes and empty space reminds us of the beauty and calm of white.
Joe Henderson is a wood carver whose birds are irresistable and whose clock tries to keep on running on time. He is too busy in his studio to have an online presence.
