First Baptist Church of Herndon

The Art of Hanging Art

Linda Soller | May 24, 2021

There are rules for just about everything. Sometimes we question whether we should follow the rules. In hanging art, I read the most frequent mistake is hanging art too high. The rule is to hang the center of the art piece at eye level. I liked that rule. If you know me, you can guess where I am going with this. At 4’11” my eye level is a bit on the low side of the scale. Frequently I’d hear that my art was too low on the wall. But what about the rule? To account for my personal vertical challenges, I now try to think of someone a bit taller when I put art on the wall.

Recently I needed to replace pictures hanging in the company headquarters where I work. These pictures are the result of photo competitions between our employees. The winning photographs are hung on the walls of the headquarters.  As I replaced the prior year’s photos with the newer winners it became clear that there is an art to hanging art, not just a rule. Do you use the same J-Hooks already in the wall? Which pictures go well together? Are some of the pictures better suited to more remote halls? Can I choose my favorites to hang and forget the others? Do I follow the hanging height rule? The answers: Yes, on the J-Hooks, go with your gut on the mixing, yes on the remote halls (trust me), no I can’t just hang my favorites, and yes, the height rule applies. 

Life is full of rules. Some of them are for our protection. Some rules point you in the right direction. I am pretty sure some were put in place just to irritate everyone. The art of living is applying the rules with understanding, good judgement, and a positive attitude. Every rule forces you to make decisions. Christian faith has rules; be loving, be kind, love God, and obey God’s teaching. The art of faith is remembering the rules even when it is hard. Like the art of hanging art, the way you apply faith rules can make all the difference. In both, we may need to aim a little higher.

Make a difference this week! :o)