Art on the Walls

I love the houses that each staging and design adventure brings me into.  The walkways, the windows, the rooms, the floors, the outdoor spaces, I love them all.  However, there's something I love even more than the houses.  

It's the people inside.  

I meet the coolest people while helping them prepare their houses to sell or guiding them through design projects.  Recently, I met Steve Levinson, a photographer and partner at Image City Photography Gallery. 

As you can imagine the art in his home is amazing.  I was gushing over several of the pieces when he suggested I take a trip to the gallery to learn about their process for setting up a show.  

I leaped at the opportunity and soon found myself getting a one-on-one tour with Betsy Philips, a photographer and partner at the studio.  Her personal show was exhibited when I stopped by.  

It was amazing.  She taught me all about how they set up a show.  Every piece is curated and its placement is carefully sequenced.  I even think that some of her process can be applied in our own homes as well.  

First Impressions

At Image City Photography Gallery, the artist's show begins outside of the gallery.  Pretty clever, right?  The same goes for our own houses. People's first impressions of our houses begin well before they ever enter our homes.  Curb appeal is where it's at!

Group by Content

When Betsy sequences a show, there's nothing random about it. A spot for each photograph is carefully considered.  One of those considerations is subject matter.  Photographs with a common theme or taken in the same place are often grouped together in the show.  The same idea applies to hanging art in our own spaces.  Consider the content.  Group art that has a common subject thread together for an appealing display.

Consider Color

Some photographs work well together because they have common or complimentary colors.  That same idea works in our homes as well.  This is particularly true when assembling accessories in a room.  Having a unifying color ties in pillows, art, and knickknacks.  The end result is a comfortable and pulled together space.

When my evening with Betsy came to an end I had learned so much.  I learned about the gallery, her personal process as a photographer, some behind the scenes tidbits about her photos, and the care that she takes in assembling a show for herself and others.  However, I think the best thing I took away from our time together was how wonderful it felt to be surrounded by the work of so many talented photographers.  Their work was proof that there is nothing better in life than doing what you're passionate about.  

Thanks to all of you for supporting me in doing what I'm most passionate about.

Oh, and you've got to make it a point to stop into 
Image City Photography Gallery.  
It's located at 722 University Ave.  

You can check out their website here.


Of course, all the artwork featured in this post is for sale (along with a ton of other work displayed in the gallery.)  
I'm a proud owner of one of Betsy's prints.  It's a stunner!