Conversations | Danni Simon

Danni is Cofounder & Principal Art Advisor at Field Trip.

Earlier this year, House Beautiful featured an interview with interior designer Leanne Ford and Field Trip. Here's our full discussion about starting an art collection:

Leanne: Where does one start investing in art?

Danni: For most of our clients, art-as-an-investment is a secondary consideration. Buying art that you want to live with is everything! That’s exactly where we advise people to start. Determine what you love by looking at a lot of art. Art galleries are tiny free museums. Instagram and Etsy can take you down weird and wonderful rabbit holes. Explore everything and find what lights you up.

Leanne: What drew you to art in the first place, and how does that influence the way you collect yourself?

Danni: I'm drawn to story - the artistic process, the relationships with artists, the stories in the pieces. themselves, things that make living in this wild world feel more shared, more communal. Art helps me make sense of being human. I am also a very aesthetic person and process the world visually. So my environment helps set the tone for the life I want to step into. I collect art that reminds me to be who I want to become.

Leanne: How do you go about advising others?

Danni: Start thinking of art for your home more like music that you love. You don't have to know anything about music to love a song. Don't buy art because you hope your friends will think it's cool. Don't buy something just because your designer thinks it will look great with the finishes. Art is a way to embrace authenticity in your home, so ask yourself how you want to feel in your space. Do you want a soothing place to relax and reflect? A funky vibe that lets your quirks shine? Trust your instincts - and don't be afraid to get weird.

Leanne: What's your favorite piece of art in your home and why?

Danni: We have a painting called "A Rare and Delicate Flower" by our friend, Johnny Defeo, who paints incredible landscapes. He uses the best colors and includes an element of funk that is so charming. The piece transports me to a magical forest, and the light in our home changes the experience throughout the day. It reminds me of my small, unique place in this beautiful, mystifying world.

artist: Johnny Defeo

Leanne: If someone could only buy one piece of art this year - a style, a piece, or an artist - what you tell them to look for?

Danni: Buy a piece that you could look at for hours, days, months, years. A piece of art that is always opening it self to you, offering more tiny moments of discovery. For my money, this is the best kind of art investment.

artist: Jane Theodore

photo: Hallie Duesenberg

Leanne: How do you know what medium is right for a space?

Danni: Think about what the space already has and what may be missing. Is it eclectic and full of disparate components? A large, saturated oil painting could help ground the room, but a collage might tip the room towards chaos. Is the room stark and a little sterile? A textile could add warmth, or a photograph could bring light and life. That said, everything in moderation including moderation. Sometimes going all in - a blue wall with a blue painting, framed in blue - can feel deep, rich, moody, enveloping. It's really about staying intentional with the space as a whole and how you want to feel when you're living in that space.

artist: Rachel Mica Weiss

photo: Ryan McDonald

Leanne: Do you start with the space or the piece when choosing art for a home?

Danni: In my dream world? We start with the art and build it out from there. I love to imagine how quirky a space could be if it were designed around an awesome painting. In my real world, we're usually starting with a space that has some decided components (paint, furniture, rugs, etc.). So we look for art to bring everything together and help each choice in the room feel more organically collected over time, less decorated or contrived.

Leanne: Are there any mediums or styles you feel are having a "moment" right now?

Danni: Art trends often ring a little false to me - a "blue is the new black" kind of vibe. We are seeing from our clients (much to our delight) a renewed craving for the analog, wanting the texture of paint, beautiful imperfections, details that take time, thought, and experience. We have a new piece from Sayde Anderson, who creates textile pieces using only dyes created from flowers she growns on the farm. She's currently working on a deep-red dye grown from Madder root that won't be ready to harvest for three years. To me, that kind of craftsmanship is timeless.

artist: Sayde Anderson

Leanne: Are there any mediums or style that you feel are truly timeless?

Danni: Anytime you can see the presence of the creator in a piece - a brushstroke in a painting, a fingerprint in a ceramic, the perspective of time and place that a photo lends - this is all timeless for me. Letting the raw humanity of making something show through.

artist: Kate Roebuck

photo: Erin Little

Leanne: What's your advice for mixing different mediums in one home without it feeling chaotic?

Danni: Please do it! Varying the mediums will make your art collection feel unique, thoughtful, and reflective of your individuality. If that feels wide open and a bit intimidating, ground your collection in a color palette that repeats throughout. Always remember that you likely cannot see your bedroom and living room at the same time, and no one else can either. There's no need to be too careful or get too precious.

Leanne: What do you want people to know when they're getting started?

Danni: Start following the artists you're drawn to, even if their art feels out of reach, and see if something affordable pops up. We're always on the lookout for when artists we love drop a limited edition print. Or we'll spring for a tiny original piece; it's amazing how much texture and vibe a little gem can add to a home. Lastly, invest in quality framing. Sometimes the framing costs more than the art, and that's okay. Good framing will make your art look smart and considered.

artists: Elléna Lourens and Carla Petelski

photo: Kelly Calvillo