Max and Sheila Brown recently took the opportunity to give life to a vacant space by opening Xgaleri in Cashel Street. This was a golden opportunity to share and showcase their art.

Max grew up watching his mum Sheila develop her career, and this strongly influenced his own life. Sheila also busied herself with art as a child – growing up with no TV, she took inspiration from nature and started drawing it. Max considers himself an abstract spatial artist conveying feeling and emotion through minimalism, material and design, while Sheila is a specialist at crossover art, merging styles in her bird paintings.

The artistic duo has some advice for choosing the perfect pieces for you.

Choosing art to match a home theme or personality

Max: It’s love for the piece. Learning to live with it. Either something that feels right for your interior or love for the piece and work, but either way you wouldn’t buy a piece you don’t love.

Sheila: Start with a piece of artwork and bring your home around your artwork. Start with a piece you love.

Knowing when you’ve found the right piece

M: Be observant. The secret is to start. Start looking at art in galleries or online, get looking and learn what you like. Don’t be scared to invest in the artist, and think about who created the art and why you want to support them.

S: The right piece will speak to you. I feel like for every piece of art, there is one owner. Sometimes art finds you. Put it out to the universe, visiting studios visiting galleries. Don’t be intimidated by galleries. Research artists that connect to you on some level through the subject matter or the artist’s personal journey.

Tips on choosing colours in a piece

M: Sometimes, go with the seasons. Learn to live with a piece year-round. Consider the style of your home – an art piece can change the whole look of your home. Look at examples and think about why they work.

Finding your personal art style

M: Why do you like it? Why invest the money? I like art that is challenging, that makes you think “What is that?”

S: I think it comes back to the right piece speaking to you. Buy art with your heart, not the label that comes with it.

Making it look great

M: Think about what the art will look like in a frame. All art needs is space to breathe. Frame memories. Create significance.

S: Give the art space on the wall to breathe, let it pop off the canvas. Hanging art is important! Oftentimes art is hung too low.

Read more: Tips from Frame 'n' Copy, tips from Nailed It Art Hang, tips from Fiksate Studio & Gallery, tips from RightSide Gallery and tips from Distranged Design.

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