Creating Your Child’s Personal Art Gallery

As a parent of 4 children, I have a lot of creative art projects coming through the door at any one time. Since my children are at different ages, the amount and type of art that I see on the kitchen counter has always been varied. But from their first doodle to the latest self portrait, I’ve saved everything.

A few beloved pieces have found their way into frames around the house. However, the majority now reside in a Tupperware system I established to keep it all organized. In my storage closet I have 4 big bins. Every 6 months, I gather all of the artwork that has accumulated in my house and lovingly store it away for their adulthood. What I love about the bins is that I can save even the smallest pieces of art. It is my archive for all things great and small.

As I was gathering the latest stack last week, it occurred to me that some of the art around my house has not been updated in a while. Six months is just the blink of an eye to me, but to my children it’s a lifetime! In that time they’ve already created dozens more fantastic projects for display. So I started thinking… if I could find easy ways to switch out the artwork, I could have more current pieces on display. This week I’d like to share some fun ideas to make your own rotating art gallery for your family.

Hanging Systems

I like this idea from Frills Fluffs and Trucks as a hanging system for your children’s artwork. Grab a curtain rod and use the rings to hang their art. Great idea!

The design blog Ohdeeoh has some great ideas for displaying your children’s artwork from a curtain rod. Here’s an example below from Ohdeeoh, using this creative hanging system.

Another artistic and simple idea to exhibit their artwork is to create a wall gallery, like the one below from Susanna Salk‘s book, Room for Children.

I love this seagrass wallpaper from Elle Decor as a wainscot around a room. It’s forgiving, so you can pushpin and nail to your heart’s content and never have to worry about marking up the wall. Kids can add and subtract from this wall collage as they please, to maintain and update the room.

Back of the Door

Allowing my children to define their own space is important around our house. I have to let go of the idea that everything is clean and perfect in my the kids’ rooms, and allow for their creativity to flourish in their own personal space. The back of a bedroom door is a perfect place to create a collage of art, stickers and posters.

Maps and Wallpaper Backdrops

Using large maps or other unique wallpaper as a backdrop is an imaginative backdrop for your children’s art. The base stays nice, and the maps or wallpaper will cover up the nail holes in the wall.

I’d love to use one of these wallpapers from Osborne and Little, the black background comes with a white or pastel rainbow type.

On a string or wire is another unique place for the gallery. Find clothespins and paint them in fun colors. String the wire above your kitchen sink or over your bed, and let the rotating gallery begin. Check out this room from Susanna Salk‘s book, Room for Children.

In my home I have a room that is dedicated to arts and crafts. If you can find a space, the eclectic sampling of art is always great. But sometimes a room requires a more sophisticated and organized assembly. Treating your child’s illustration like it’s a genuine Picasso is an innovative way to integrate their art with it’s more expensive counterparts from the museum. Result: everyone is in good company! Here are more examples from Susanna Salk.

I adore the idea of a chalkboard hallway… fantastic!

I can only say from my own experience that as the art work comes home, celebrate it, display it, and love it. As they get older, the steady stream of little doodles and other class projects starts to dwindle and the gallery becomes filled with the latest pop artists or photos of friends. Enjoy their little scribbles and have fun creating your family’s own personal gallery.

Will you use any of these concepts to display your children’s artwork? What method do you use in your home?