Special GN contributor Jolene Hanson knows a little bit about showcasing art, as she oversees all gallery operations for Venice, Calif. based G2 Gallery. "G2" presents an illuminating range of exhibits that showcase nature and wildlife photography by artists who inform, inspire and generate greater awareness of the environmental issues we face.

Having grown up in rural Vermont, I have a strong appreciation for the natural world. Now that I live in a big city, I miss being able to walk for hours without seeing a soul, hearing the sounds of a deer running and crickets chirping, watching the trees sway in the breeze or snow fall gently as my boots imprint my path. In choosing art, I look for photography that brings back this feeling, that connects me with nature, its power and playfulness, and allows me to reflect and remember. In choosing where to hang art in my home, I follow a simple rule: Do I want to see it or do I want others to see it?

Placing art in the home

I want to see the things I love, so I hang photographs in areas where I spend the most time. In my home, you’ll see photos over the fireplace. There are photos in the entryway where we put on our boots and take off our coats—where we are welcomed in (or sent off into the world) with special visual reminders. We also have photographs to the right of the sink in the kitchen and in the bathroom, so we can get lost in the images while performing menial tasks like brushing teeth or doing the dishes.

Hanging art

As a gallery director, I have a keen eye for detail in terms of hanging art. I like to align images neatly, with the center falling at eye level. This is not a rule, but for my personal aesthetic, it’s very important. I like things to be a centerpiece on a wall or at a focal point that works with the architecture and the flow of how we move physically through the home.

When hanging multiple art pieces on one wall, I look at them as a whole, as I would in curating a show—how they relate to or reject each other lends to the order in which they are placed. Occasionally I will pull furniture into this dance—the position of a standing lamp will offset the images or the height of a piano, or will cause them to sit higher on the wall than normal.

One rule I always follow that was taught to me in yearbook layout in high school: Never trap empty space within the copy and images. Spacing needs to be even, and there shouldn’t be a blank area in the midst of the information because it will pull the viewer’s attention away from the content.

Images in my home include: “Calf Creek” by Jack Dykinga (photo) Untitled by Larry Brownstein (photo) Untitled by Nathanial Havholm (photo) “Day Sail” by Sabra Field (woodblock print) “Kids” by Elfriede Abbe (woodblock print)

Jolene Hanson is the director of The G2 Gallery on Abbot Kinney in Venice, Calif.

[Photo credits: Jolene Hanson]