A Guide to Creating a Beautiful Gallery Shelf
Jeanne Horst’s beautiful and intentional display invites you to explore!
When you start selling your work, it can be hard to know how to present it. All sorts of questions come to mind — how do I price my pieces? How much work do I put out? What will people like? The truth is, all of these answers will come with time, but the key is to start with your best guess, and then learn and adjust.
One important way you can highlight your work is to arrange your shelf intentionally so that it catches people’s eye, and feels inviting. Here are some tips on how to do this, based on our own experiences, as well as learning from the folks in our gallery:
Sometimes less is more
Jean Mendenhall chooses a small number of pieces to display and changes them out with the seasons
You might be tempted to put everything you have out on display, but when a shelf is very full, it can be hard to focus on any individual piece. Consider holding some pieces back so that each piece on your shelf has some space around it, so that it can be truly appreciated.
Create varying heights
Karyn Posey’s lovely levels
It’s easy for pieces to hide behind each other. To make each piece easier to see, and to create a pleasing visual display, arrange higher pieces in back and lower pieces in front, and consider using props to create varying heights. You can use thrifted finds or simple wooden boxes from Michaels, or these clear shelves, which are easy to find in stores or online.
Choose a few intentional props for ambiance
Lynne Rhea uses books and fabric to create a cozy feel
Think about your style. Is it homey? Modern? Chic? Cabincore? Folksy? Choose a few props that evoke this feeling and use them to decorate your shelf. If you don’t feel you have a style yet, just choose a few things that speak to you. Your work comes from you, after all, and so it will likely go well with other objects that fit your taste.
Rotate your work, and vary your props with the seasons
Barb Carlton’s florals add a seasonal touch!
People will often come back to the gallery to check for new work. Rotate your work every few months to keep the selection fresh. Rotating your props and decorations will also signal to people that you have new work available.
Consider your price tags
You want your price tags to be easy to find and read, without taking away from the visual appeal of your work. Choose tags in neutral colors (like these or these), and place them on the bottom of your work, or in other out-of-the-way places, so that the work catches people’s eye, rather than the price tags. Or alternatively, make them a feature like Bethany Nowviskie’s beautiful wax seals!
Most importantly: Experiment!
Most importantly, keep trying different things to see what works. If something isn’t selling, replace it with something else, to see if it is more in demand. Try rotating your props to see what grabs people’s eye. Take a look at your shelf periodically to see what you notice, or ask a friend to give you their opinion.
Remember, Sales are seasonal
Keep in mind that there are slow and busy times throughout the year, and your work may not be selling some months because traffic is slow in general. We’ve noticed that April, May, November, and December tend to be particularly busy months, whereas January and July are particularly slow. If you are wondering how the month is looking, you can always ask us to give you a read.
We hope this is helpful to you as you continue your journey of selling your work. If you have any tips or lessons of your own to share, please don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!