"A study published in the June issue of the journal 'Brain and Cognition' looked at the research that neuroscientists have done while scanning the brains of people looking at paintings.
Viewing paintings triggered responses in brain regions associated with visual understanding and object recognition, as might be expected, but viewing artwork also was connected to activity associated with emotions, inner thoughts and learning. Other research tells us more about how art can change the way we see the world." - source from Business Insider, December 9th, 2014
Feng Shui teachers the importance of becoming a master observer in you home, which in term also translates to your everyday happenings in life. Your home is metaphor of your life and the artwork you choose to display (consciously or subconsciously) is telling a story, conveying a mood, an idea and stirring up emotions.
Art is highly subjective and what inspires one person may be uninspiring to another. So this is why is vitally important to understand your intentions for why are you asking and taking action to change the environment of your home and life.
Although art preferences vary from person to person, and home to home, there are still some basic rules to bear in mind when choosing art.
QUICK STEPS TO CHOOSING ARTWORK:
- Select artwork that is appropriate in size for the wall, the room and the furnishings. Even this helps to create balance and harmony.
- To select the type of artwork, again become clearer with your intentions for why you are selecting artwork in the first place. Is it to represent a change in love? in career? in health? Based on that, you could then move to selecting certain colors, shapes, artists, themes and more to help narrow down your choices.
- The act of choosing artwork and selecting the style and subject matter that peaks your interests is allowing you to get to know yourself. There is a deeper transformation surfacing then just hanging artwork. It helps to visually display your values and even moral code you hold for yourself in life.
I’m personally not a fan of store bought mass produced artwork, which I did start off with until I graduated to a much more personalized touch and collection. The artwork that currently resides inside my home consists of pieces created by family and friends, art purchased from local villages and towns from my travels and artwork that I personally created. Each piece has a story, a rich meaning and strong positive emotional connection.
When was the last time you truly observed the story being told inside your home?