Sheila M. Evans

Now after all this business about going big, it’s time to go the other direction. Last week I ordered some tiny canvas stretchers the same depth as my large canvases, making some nice, chunky little 6″ x 6″ x 2″ supports for a dozen soon-to-be paintings.

I’ve always really enjoyed small work. I love the idea of tucking an original painting into a bookcase, a mantel, a windowsill or a hundred other unexpected spots.

Since I began selling at art fairs, I’ve always included some miniature version of my work in an effort to make original art available for a relatively low price (and for those avid collectors without another inch of available wall space). Although I did offer some reproductions of my work the first year, I decided to discontinue them and focus exclusively on original art. While the miniature originals may not be quite so potentially profitable as repros, I feel good about making them. I also find that I get along much better with my printmaking neighbors at shows.

Up to now my only miniature works have been in pastel, but since I began showing oils, it followed that I should make oil minis as well. The little canvases pictured at left will be my first efforts. I’ve always loved the almost-sculptural look of chunky, cubular little paintings. I’m so excited to see how they turn out. I’ll post some favorites soon!

I’m not sure where the past two weeks went, but somewhere during that time I finally managed to finish my first project for my new category, Living with Art. My hope for my Living with Art posts is to inspire you, and me, to find ways to get some of those artworks we all have out of storage and up onto the walls. Or wherever.

One question I hear a lot from people buying artwork is, “how do I light it?” Of course there are so many ways to effectively light pieces of art. What you do depends on your situation, obviously. Some people are able to install beautiful built-in art lighting systems to showcase their collections (for a funny client story about this read to the end of this post). If you have the means to do that, then by all means, do that. I personally can’t, so I will be dealing with some more easy-access alternative ideas. But before I get on with it, a story about picture lights:

My first solo show was at a local restaurant, which was funky and fun but very dark—lit only by a few strings of holiday lights, and little night lights over the tables. With a collection of dark, subtle work behind glass to display, I was concerned the art would not be seen at all. So I suggested that I buy inexpensive picture lights for each piece. The owners were hesitant, concerned that it would detract from the ambience of the restaurant. But, thankfully, they let me go ahead with the lights. As it turned out, the lit pastels added such a pleasant lighting effect to the room that when my show ended, the restaurant owners bought all of my lights and used them in subsequent shows.

In her amazing book, The Not So Big House, architect and author Sarah Susanka suggests the use of a lighted picture at the end of a hallway “so that you have something to walk toward.” The idea is to open up a potentially claustrophobic space, and make it more inviting. With this project I have followed her advice and lit a painting in my own home’s hallway. Read more