How to find great art on Etsy
In this third instalment of our Etsy shopping mini-series, we’re looking at what to search for and who to follow for the best wall art. Filling empty space on a wall can be an expensive habit, so we’ve (mostly) focused on the more affordable sellers who are offering handmade or vintage art. Etsy is a vast ocean of a shopping platform and it can take a fair bit of paddling to find where you need to be, so although the below guide to art buying isn’t exhaustive, it should help point you in the right direction and narrow down your search.
Never too much of a good thing
Some things are just better in multiples, that rule applies to slices of cake, days off work and also art on walls. We’re not necessarily talking about a gallery wall as that’s not everyone’s bag and it’s not always right for a space, but some pieces of art just look better when they’re grouped as part of a series. A large abstract work in very quiet colours or a black and white photograph might look good alone but it’s particularly special when hung as a pair with another piece from the same series.
This strength-in-numbers theory applies to collections of things such as pressed seaweed or botanicals, wall-hung plates, framed textiles, architectural drawings - they will always look stronger framed as a group of at least four but ideally a grid of eight or more. You could also group works according to colour or subject matter – for example, a whole wall of mid-century landscapes or – in the case of Maison La Minervetta hotel in Sorrento – a group of volcano paintings.
What to search for?
When you’re searching for art on Etsy, keep in mind what might look good when grouped en masse and don’t rule out ‘art’ that isn’t necessarily a work on paper or canvas. There are many brilliant makers and crafters on the platform and you can find wonderful vintage pieces from all over the world, so how about experimenting with art alternatives? Some suggestions to start you off could include a series of woven bowls or placemats on the wall, a pair of textiles or vintage flags, or a number of woven Ghanaian fans (as used by Isabella Worsley in her Callow Hall project).
With more traditional artwork, it’s best to keep it simple with a search like ‘pressed flowers’, ‘lithograph’, ‘vintage painting’ to get the best results and then once you find an item you like, it will show you similar pieces from similar sellers, so then you’ve been channelled into the right rabbit hole for you.
How to frame them?
If your artwork doesn’t already come framed, consider glancing over our guide to framing. A favourite tip from designer and House & Garden Contributing Editor, Matilda Goad, is to try eFrame for affordable frames in custom sizes. If framing something simple in a series as mentioned above, play around with coloured mount boards or bobbin frames. Textiles, botanicals and 3D items are particularly nice in clear acrylic frames.
What to avoid?
Art is subjective and a matter of taste, so if a piece really speaks to you, who are we to tell you to run for the hills? A few points though, if buying from an Etsy seller overseas, remember to account for import tax, also be wary of old prints and posters that claim to be (or you wrongly assume are) vintage when they may be fresh from the printer with no age to them. Etsy is a great place to unearth prints in limited editions, or support the work of lesser-known contemporary artists.
The art to buy on Etsy
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