How to Show Off Your Art When Hosting

We collect art because particular pieces please us in some way. However, while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, art isn’t an entirely individualistic thing. In fact, many art lovers collect art to share with their families, friends, and business acquaintances. They place their favorite paintings throughout their homes and offices, showcasing these pieces and providing those around them with some insight into themselves. In some ways, art is a way to share a part of yourself with others.

With that in mind, displaying your favorite pieces when you are hosting your friends or family in your home can become a large part of your impromptu gathering or scheduled dinner party. Many art collectors curate their pieces, displaying them throughout their homes in the spots that provide the highest impact and that allow them to see pieces as they get ready for work in the morning or relax at home after supper. However, if your most precious piece is in your bedroom, it’s unlikely your guests will have a chance to enjoy it. 

Mendocino Light by Erin Hanson

If you are planning to host a get-together, think about your art collection as an essential part of the ambiance. Here are some tips to get started:

• You likely know what mood you are hoping to create in your gathering. If you have lively music, stand-up tables, and perhaps dancing, bring your most vivacious pieces forward. Allow your guests to be buoyed by vibrant colors and apparent movement. If it’s a more serious affair, display stately pieces that evoke calm or make you ponder.  
  
  
• Consider the needs of your guests. If you are going to have a multi-course dinner, don’t place a piece of art in line with the chairs—position it so diners can see it. If many people will be standing, display multiple pieces that flow from one work to the next. This creates motion and invites guests to move about the room, meeting others and creating a convivial atmosphere.
  
  

• Do you have a gem or two of which you are incredibly proud? Put it up for all to see! Many of us keep such pieces in our personal spaces, in our home office or bedroom so that we can see it all the time. However, those areas are likely off-limits to your guests — so bring it out and show it off.

• Think about children. If young children are coming to your soiree, you may want to keep art out of the reach of small hands. This is generally easy to do with paintings but can be more difficult with statues and other such works. One person on our staff had a friend whose chandelier was custom-created by a local artist to cascade to the ground. Unfortunately, the chandelier’s owner also had a two-year-old. The chandelier had to be put into storage for later enjoyment.

You curated an art collection to both please yourself and share with others. Art not only provides a glimpse into yourself, but it shows others your sensibilities. Share your collection with your guests. Who knows? You may find that some of your friends, family, or business associates are moved by the works you have curated and collected.

Are you looking for new pieces to add to your collection — or hoping to find the right painting for an upcoming get-together? Enjoy Erin Hanson’s landscapes.