Another example of how eclectic the work .. This one has actually sold but an example. I'd like to hang the work, but want to do it in a way that give credit to it .. Not just thrown up there is a hectic mix, if that makes sense.

Independent Art Project done with acrylic paint and color pencil. My vision was to portray the theme, "reach towards the stars," with a portrait of an astronaut and the flashback of his dreams as a child in the reflection of his helmet.

I buy and hang what I like, often in whatever frame it was in (lots of thrift store stuff). If it needs matting and framing, I select for what makes the art look its best if there is a collision between what the decor needs and the art needs.


Both of those pieces would look good with a dark mat, maybe a double mat with a thin inner line in teal - or any other color they have in common - and a dark sleek mostly flat wooden frame ... sort of a rustic modern.

The only time I bought art for the locations was after I bought my first sofa and wanted something to go above it in place of a collection of B/W photos I had done in college. Other than that, we have acquired things we love over the years, so our homes have changed - the art remains. Since we buy what we love, it only makes sense to keep it and work it into our home. It is an eclectic collection now. I try to group in rooms by theme, color, intensity, or some unifying factor.

You daughter's work is vivid and probably needs only simple framing. With an artist in the family, you may find that you have a more changing collection that most of us. You may want to standardize a classic look for most pieces you hang (like a B/W photo collection) so they can be moved around and grouped or split up easily -- black, dark wood and silver frames seem to go with nearly everything, black or off-white mats. If she is beginning to sell work, pick a look that will appeal to most buyers (seems the pieces I have acquired framed have generally been black or dark wood, simple frames).

Over time, you may become so attached to a piece or do something you know will have a special place in your heart and your home. Frame and hang those pieces to bring out the details and colors in that piece and make them special.