ML GUEST BLOG: Expert Advice for Adding Art to Your Home

August 25, 2010 in Mountain Living by Christine

In Mountain Living’s “Best Of” Issue, I revealed in my editor’s letter that I was once one of those people who hung her artwork way too high on the wall. Thanks to my husband’s advice, I’ve reformed and our artwork is now happily hanging at an appropriate height. But I must admit that hanging artwork, especially groupings of art, can still be pretty daunting.

Fortunately there are helpful folks out there like Maren Bargreen, owner of Park City’s Gallery MAR (pictured above in her gallery), who upon reading my editor’s letter sent me an e-mail offering her expertise and this helpful tip: “I typically recommend a height of 61 inches for the center line of an artwork,” she told me.

I wanted to hear more of Maren’s advice for incorporating artwork into my home (and I thought you might too), so I asked if she wouldn’t mind sharing a few more tips. Here’s what she had to say:

Use your eclectics to create a “salon-style” wall:

“Several framed pieces can look fantastic on a wall, in a non-traditional collage. The key to success is to choose one element and go with it: genre, medium, frames or spacing. Lay out your pieces on the floor and negotiate the spaces between the works. You can measure and even use blue painter’s tape to lay out the installation on the wall. Or do what I’ve done in my own home (below) and freely hang the works, allowing for a more organic look that is less precise. Choosing a salon-style hanging, where the spaces between the paintings are never the same, keeps the wall from looking too regimented and lets you add to and expand the installation.”

Art as architecture:

“Sometimes the obvious choice for an architectural element in your home is just that: too obvious. Why not spice up your space with some unexpected and functional art pieces? Try using blown glass for a powder room sink and rinse your hands in fine art. One of my favorite ideas is to use a wall hanging or large canvas painting in place of a headboard. To hang the piece, allow about 5 inches above where your throw pillows sit. I recommend a 60-inch wide painting above a king-size bed. Or, commission an artist to paint a three-paneled folding screen for your living room. I saw a piece like this in a collector’s home in Scottsdale and it was the favorite piece in the collection.”

Fill your home with memories:

“Adding art to your lifestyle doesn’t have to be expensive. Do you make a beloved trip to Martha’s Vineyard each year? Next time, bring back a watercolor scene of your favorite private beach. Or stop at a glass blower’s workshop in Seattle for wine goblets that you can use all year to remember your trip to the Emerald City.”

About the expert: Maren Bargreen is the owner of Gallery MAR, an art gallery located on Main Street in historic Park City, Utah. The modern space showcases a selection of fine contemporary art, from detailed still life works to abstract landscapes and whimsical figurative pieces. To learn more, visit www.gallerymar.com.

Posted via email from Mountain Living Magazine

“Flower,” 20″ x 16″, $2075

“Bubbles,” 9″ x 12″, $1200

“Boutique,” 24″ x 13″, $1975

Currently Fred Calleri uses each piece as a new lesson. The desire is to have a goal for each piece that may relate to mood, palette, light or expression. By looking at the way Sargent used his palette or Vermeer’s light and use of pattern, Calleri is able to garner a small lesson from that and use it from that point onward. As he explores different paths, the figure resonates throughout each piece. While exploring the figure and representational painting in general, Calleri found by adding a slight distortion he was free to let the image take him where it wanted to go. By distorting the image the bonds of reality and style become less commanding and the piece develops a style on its own.

This year’s Arts Festival kicked off new program and venture for the Kimball Art Center: RELEVANT, through which young, emerging artists are mentored and supported and encouraged to flourish and create right here in Park City.

Daily work sessions included critiques by mentors and peers and round table discussions, of which I was able to be a member. The residency requires dedication, long hours, deadlines and flexibility and will continue next year in 2011.

Through this artist-in-residence program, students were given the experience of developing art for sale, while being challenged to expand their artistic boundaries. During the residency each student’s primary goal was to create a piece… of artwork that was sold at the Opening Night Art Auction and Gala. Ryan Hughes’ painting was picked up at the Friday night Gala by two very lucky collectors– myself and Mr. Mullin.

The rest of the weekend brought even more events and artistic experiences.  On Friday night, Ron Russon painted a demonstration here at the gallery and on Saturday and Sunday we featured two jewelry artists, Susan Richer and Cyndi Sharp, here at Gallery MAR.

Two of our Gallery MAR artists, Penelope Moore and Aaron Memmott, were featured in the festival, and we are fortunate to have new works by both artists in the gallery today. The BMI Cafe at The Downstairs blasted fantastic new musicians all weekend long, with our favorite Seattle-based shown artist above, Alan Stone.

Local Utah painter Ron Russon will visit Gallery MAR on Friday, August 6th from 6 to 8 pm to paint in the gallery. Friday night is the “Locals’ Night” of the Park City Arts Festival, and the KAC is asking for $10 donations for non-locals. This is a great night to come by the gallery and see the newest works on and off the street.

Russon’s latest works are exhibited right now, in the “Color Theories” show. Mary Scrimgeour is also featured. Stop by and see the artist at work!

Park City Art Gallery

What a wonderful opening night for the “Color Theories” exhibit by Ron Russon and Mary Scrimgeour. The show  will continue  through the month of August so don’t miss out on these creatively colorful and expressive works of art.

Mary Scrimgeour and Ron Russon, the night of the opening reception

“All The Pretty Horses,” Oil,  2010  by Mary Scrimgeour

Ron Russon and a huge fan of his work

Wearable artwork by local, emerging artists!  Gallery MAR is pleased to welcome Susan Richer of “Eagle Designs” and Cyndi Sharp of “Rooted in Stone” for an exclusive Trunk Show August 7th and 8th, both days from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

The Arts Festival is the perfect time to introduce these two exciting artists. Both Susan and Cyndi design unique, one of a kind jewelry, and are local here to Park City. Both artists will be in attendance here at the gallery over the Arts Festival weekend.

Susan turned her lifelong passion of designing jewelry into making wearable art, using organic elements that are thoughtful and respectful of their origin. It is important to Susan to know the history of the elements she uses: antique prayer beads, fossils, antique glass and ostrich shells (to name just a few).

Cyndi’s passion for rustic furniture lead her to learn the art of furniture making, through which she designed and built furniture of twigs and roots. She now designs on a much smaller scale: creating jewelry of burled roots found in the forests of Utah and gemstones from around the world creating very unique and interesting pieces.

Maren Bargreen (gallery owner) and Matt Mullin were married yesterday overlooking the incredible mountains and sunset here in Utah.  As you walked into the reception there was a beautiful  painting of the couple commissioned by one of  gallery MAR’s featured artists, Fred Calleri. With family and friends from all over, they exchanged vows and danced the night away.

It was a joyous occasion filled with so much love, laughter, and celebration.  What a wonderful union, with the art of marriage sure to be mastered by these two for years to come. Cheers to the lovely couple!

Shawna Moore

• “Bee Conscious” Exhibition August 20th-22 and Recycle Utah Fund Raiser

Honey bees take the stage for this exhibition of encaustic works by local and regional artists.  Stop by this weekend to view the latest in this ancient, wax-based medium. This exhibit will be mounted to raise awareness for the plight of the honeybee, one of nature’s most cherished and necessary animals. Works by encaustic artists Bridgette Meinhold, Gretchen Papka, and Shawna Moore will be featured. Montana-based Shawna Moore will also hold an encaustic painting workshop at the Kimball Art Center, details below.

Gretchen Papka

This “Bee Conscious” event kicks off a month-long fund raiser for Recycle Utah, culminating in Park City’s Non-Profit Awareness Gallery Stroll on Friday September 24th. Gallery MAR will be selling $10 opportunity drawing tickets to benefit Recycle Utah throughout the month of September. Enter to win your own “Bee Consious” encaustic artwork by a local artist and find out the lucky winner at the Gallery Stroll.

Bridgette Meinhold

Park City Signs just installed our new Gallery MAR sign, here on Main Street, Park City. This is an historic day! It’s been 2 years and 2 months working with Park City Municipal and the owner of my building to make it to this point.

Stop by this weekend for our “Local Fireworks” exhibition featuring local Utah artists. Join us for our reception on Saturday the 3rd from 3 to 5 pm. Take home your very own pack of Sparklers! Let’s celebrate Independence Day, artfully.

Bridgette Meinhold, from her “Family of Trees” series, Encaustic, 2010

Last fall, I purchased one of Bridgette Meinhold’s figurative encaustic and mixed media works from Phoenix Gallery’s miniature show. The artist dropped by my gallery a few weeks later and introduced herself. As I came to learn more about Meinhold (formerly Steffen), I decided to add her works to our 2nd Annual Local Fireworks show, here at Gallery MAR this weekend.

Where she lives, this artist has nature at her beck and call, and her pieces are inspired by her surroundings– aspen trees, mountain vistas, wildlife, and the changing seasons. In her latest encaustic works, we are seeing families of trees as they grow and change with each season (see above). The surface quality of her wax paintings is thick and lush– many layers go into each work, and graphite transfers are common. Later this summer, we will feature a group of works inspired by the plight of the honey bee, for our “Bee Conscious” series.

Last night, I visited Meinhold in her studio in Brighton Estates, over the back of Deer Valley. She lives there with her fireman husband Matt, on what they call the “Meinhold Compound.” Dog Cooper met us at their door, and we got a tour of the grounds (see below for pictures). Her studio and Matt’s workshop are each a divided half of a reclaimed shipping crate. They’re insulated and rigged the crate into a lovely (albeit narrow) space in which to work. Their whole space is incredible, and the hiking straight from their front door is divine. What a life…

Come by the gallery on Saturday from 3 to 5 pm to meet Meinhold and all of our local artists for our “Local Fireworks” celebration.

The Meinhold compound and [shipping container] studio