All week long, I’ve brought to you the series “The Art Dilemma, Solved,” in which several experts help solve the common conundrum of how to bring artwork into the home. For many, figuring out what to hang on their walls can be a perplexing situation. Are you sometimes unclear on what is the “right” kind of art to hang at home? Do you have trouble figuring out what works well – and what doesn’t – in a particular space? Or, have you ever moved into a new place and felt overwhelmed at all the walls you think you need to fill up? Whatever the reason, the art dilemma is very real for so many people, including my own design clients. I’m excited to get questions answered by Karen June Grant and Zandra Zuraw, the design lovers and bloggers behind the site Little Yellow Couch and the Style Matters podcast.

“Take every opportunity you can to expose yourself to art of all kinds and you will begin to train your eye to the pieces that really speak to you and don’t be afraid to let your feelings lead the way.” – Karen June Grant

Q.What are the biggest challenges you think people have when it comes to deciding on artwork for their homes?
A. Zandra: The challenges are primarily mental. People think that they can’t afford “real” art, they don’t know where to find it, and they think they don’t know what they like. Art has for so long been thought of as something that only rich, well-bred and well-educated people indulge in. Galleries are intimidating so they choose things that are either mass produced or they buy from online art shops that sell prints. Now, there’s nothing wrong with the latter because many of these companies have working relationships with emerging artists and it helps keep those artists in business. But even then, when people go to choose a limited edition print, if they’ve told themselves they don’t know what they like, they’ll lean toward depictions of things that are “safe.” The problem with “safe” is that that usually means choosing images that have no point of view and are emotionally neutral. But you don’t have to have a degree in art appreciation to know what you like! You simply have to have an emotional reaction to something and to encounter a piece of art that impacts you in some way. But that usually requires seeing it in person. It’s very hard to feel that impact on a computer screen.

Q. What have been the biggest challenges you have faced in adding artwork to your own houses?
A. Zandra: For me, it really hasn’t ever felt like a challenge. Or, at least, not a bad challenge! It’s something I always do with my husband because he’s just as passionate about collecting art for our home as I am. We take our time and usually visit a piece more than once before deciding to buy it. We both have to feel that emotional connection that I referred to above in order to buy it. And of course, we take into consideration the price! There’s not much you can do about wanting a piece you simply can’t afford! But if it’s in our budget and we love it, we’ll buy it.

Karen: I have always had a very broad definition of art. For years, my walls were mostly covered with collections of vintage items whether they be vintage signage, menageries displayed in vintage crates and old shaving cabinets, or even vintage objects like typewriters mounted to my walls. I like finding art in everyday objects. I love attending artist open studios as I feel the most connection to a piece when I can really understand the artist themselves and even experience their workspace.  My favorite piece of art that I own is called “Saint Frida” by the artist Jane Spakowsky. I had followed her work for a number of years online and just really related to her story and her aesthetic. She freely shares her process on social media and I think this built my connection to her work. I told my husband that some day she was going to paint “my” painting and I wanted to be ready to scoop it up. So I had money set aside for just that and the moment she posted “Saint Frida” for sale online, I bought it. My connection to the artist and her process had grown over time, but my love for this particular piece was instantaneous.

Q. What kinds of pieces do you think make the easiest works of art to bring into a home?
A. Zandra: Starting small, in terms of the price tag, is a good way to go because you won’t have to consider the difficult question of “worth” when making your decision. Instead, try to choose something based solely on how it makes you feel (Does it make you smile from deep within? Does it hold your attention for more than a few seconds? Do you love it just as much as you did the first time you saw it?). Go to an outdoor art show or a craft fair or a student show where the cost isn’t high but you’re still looking at one-of-a-kind, original pieces rather than prints. These are the “easy” pieces to bring into your home.

Q. Do you remember that feeling of when you finally got a certain piece of artwork that finally completed or made a space? What was that feeling and what was the piece of art?
A. Zandra: Oh, yes! I’ve had that feeling multiple times! It’s actually two feelings: the first is when we find the piece and the second is when we figure out where to hang it since we don’t always know where it’s going to go when we buy it. We just know we have to have it! One example is our oil painting of land and sky with one small house by Sandra Pratt. It felt intensely personal while still recognizing the vastness of the exterior world. Another example would be a piece we commissioned of our boys at the beach I grew up on. The artist is Ruth Scotch and, somehow, she captured the essence of each of our sons and the relationship between them. It’s very powerful.

Karen: My “Saint Frida” is probably my best example of this. I actually had some vintage metal trays hanging as a place holder knowing the perfect piece would come along. I also had another experience like this with an art print titled “Standing Tall” by artist Dan Burgess. I don’t necessarily recommend this approach, but I had fallen in love with the handmade vintage map style poster hangers by Gritty City Goods and set out on a mission to find an art print for my new bedroom that I could display in this manner. I spent hours, I mean HOURS, online looking for the right piece. I didn’t even really know what I was looking for other than that I wanted my heart to sing when I found the right piece. And it did! My home is my sanctuary and I think this is especially true of my bedroom. This piece represents that feeling of security and inner sanctum. Take every opportunity you can to expose yourself to art of all kinds and you will begin to train your eye to the pieces that really speak to you and don’t be afraid to let your feelings lead the way.

Q. Must good art be expensive?
A. Zandra: Absolutely not! In fact, artists at every stage of their careers need to be encouraged and paid for their work. Which is good news for those of us who don’t have gobs of money! There are galleries that specialize in showcasing emerging artists and those gallery owners can be really helpful in introducing you to new works. They realize that finding a piece you resonate with is a process and so they don’t expect you to necessarily buy right away. Go to their openings and just pop in every now and again. And also seek out those sidewalk art sales you see in the summer! Prices there can be very affordable.

Q. Must a home have art to be complete?
A. Zandra: You know, we’re not big on “rules” when it comes to decorating. We believe that a home can and should be a true reflection of the tastes, preferences, moods and personalities of the people who live there, which means pretty much anything goes.  However, we can also say that we’ve never, ever seen a home we loved that didn’t have art in it. To us, art is central to creating a home because it so obviously represents some core aspect of the person who has chosen to hang it. Certainly neither of our homes would be complete without art!

Q. Anything else you’d like to add?
A. Zandra: Don’t worry about whether your piece will “go” with your room. Art isn’t meant to match your furniture! Hang your art lower than you think you should. It should be eye level with the average adult, which means it won’t always be centered on the wall. Move your art around. If you realize you haven’t really looked at a piece in awhile, move it to another wall and you’ll feel like you’re having a whole new experience with it. Artwork can go in every room, including kitchens and powder rooms, except maybe in a high-moisture space like a shower room. And most importantly, buy pieces you love and love deeply. If you can articulate why you love it, that’ll help you figure out what you love and don’t love in general. But sometimes you can’t even put your feelings into words, and that’s ok, too.

Thank you, Karen and Zandra, for helping solve the art dilemma! Follow the podcast on Instagram here. To catch up on “The Art Dilemma, Solved” series, check out my Q&A with MoMA’s Karen Hernandez, artist Angela Chrusciaki Blehm, and creative Evie Kemp.