Art Display Project | Rachel Chaney

When I read through Rachel Chaney’s blog post a few weeks ago after she sent it, I was blown away by her beautiful home and lovely art displays, but the one thing that has been swimming around in my mind since that day is her philosophy of sharing the prints of her kids with her kids.  As in, give them their own copies.  So often I’m too concerned with  keeping the photos tucked away from sticky hands so that I can get the prints in frames, that I don’t consider how important it is to my kids to be able to have copies of their very own.  Take a look at Rachel’s beautiful art and be sure to read what she says at the end of the post.

Thank you, Wendy, for inviting me to share how our family enjoys the photos
that I take.  I have already been inspired by the display ideas so far.  It
has been interesting to see how the display ideas are often a continuation
of a photographer’s photographic style.

This year I made a 5×7 flat family stationary card.  The front features a
collage of some of my favorite images of our family.  The back simply has an
outlined “frame” on all four sides to accommodate a handwritten note.  I
like that this card allows people to get to know us a bit better.  It is a
way for us to reach out to other people, share our family story, and use my
art all at the same time.

I took the plunge and got a gallery wrap canvas of each of my kids when the
canvases went on sale.  These hang on a small wall in a hallway that runs
alongside my open kitchen.  I love that I can see these when I eat my cereal
in the morning and when I am prepping dinner.
I plan on refreshing these periodically with newer images and dispersing the
older ones throughout the house.

Each year I dream of sitting down to build a proper family yearbook album.
I haven’t done it yet because I am too busy at the end of the year.
However, in the meantime, I enjoy printing up our family’s “greatest hits”
from the past year in a bound proof book.  This particular books holds about
80+ photos from the past year.  They are 4×6 prints on 5×7 paper, spiral
bound with a clear cover. I don’t have to put in any design time in terms of
album layout (other than simply putting them in the order I want).  I like
that I can carry this book around and share it with other people.  I make
several copies and give them out to grandparents and great grandparents for
Christmas.  They’re a big hit with them.  
I am passionate about telling my family’s story–not just taking portraits.
I like that these proof books allow me to print and share everyday moments
that I probably would never blow up as a canvas and hang on a wall.  For
example, I took this image of my daughter with her permission when she was
very sick.  I like the way she is holding onto her doll while she is
watching TV.  I like that it shares the honest truth about family life.
Family life isn’t just birthdays, smiles, and “perfect” outfits.  It is also
life shared in sometimes challenging circumstances.

This bulletin board hangs just a few steps inside our front door alongside
our dining room.
Whenever I’m ordering prints for clients, I just snatch up a few favorite,
recent family photos.  I like the flexibility this bulletin board offers.  I
don’t have to worry about aspect ratios or filling a specific sized hole in
a frame with a specific sized print.  The bulletin board, like the proof
book, allows me to enjoy and display certain photographic stories that I
wouldn’t enlarge to display on a wall. It is one of the first things people
see when they come into our house.

I have another smaller bulletin board right by my computer.  You can post
images using magnets or push pins.
Here’s the link:
http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10000382&N=&Ns=p_sales_quantity
%7C1&Ntt=magnetic+board

Oh, and one other little note. . .
I try to regularly give my kids loose prints of our family–especially of
images that feature them.  I tell them thank you with my words when I
photograph them.  I tell them thank you with my actions when I share the
finished product.  These prints get wrinkled and fall behind their beds, but
they eventually end up in some “secret stash” tucked away in one of their
drawers.

Thanks, Rachel!

StaceyWoods

Aubry Startin

Breeze Floyd

Tamara Burross

Carey Pace

Nancy Lary

Jules Trandem

Gail Pomare

Elisabeth Ross

Amy Lockheart

Jasmine Johnson

Hope Toliver

Kristina Buskirk

SaraTegman

Misti Dawson

Deb Schwedhelm 

Jennifer Nguyen

 Jolie Starrett 

Val Spring 

Jasmine Sargent

Ali Crane 

Jobrina Hofleit