A R T. O F. L I S T E N I N G.
September 14, 2022
A designer worth her salt has mastered the "art of listening". The prospect's wishlist and vision may not be our personal preference, and yet our ability to understand what makes the client tick coupled with a mastery of design skills will result in an environment that has hit the mark on all accounts.
An element of design whether it be in the workplace, amenity or hospitality space is the artwork. The display of art can elevate employee performance, mood and physical well-being. Art can serve as a landmark providing wayfinding in a space, communicate a company's branding or culture all through the use of non-verbal messages. According to Colliers, viewing art can "improve empathy, lower anxiety, restore cognitive energy, and help develop critical thinking skills." So many benefits, but where to start???
GET AWAY FROM IT ALL
We all know that we should be taking a break from the computer screen to rest our eyes and muscles. Providing an array of color and shades in artwork forces the eyes to work differently. Occupants (whether a resident or employee) can consider images which offer a focus other than their work/life, refreshing their thoughts and potentially taking them to a more peaceful and energized state.
Propitious by Molly Mansfiield: Golden hills welcomes you to create a story behind the image, as you focus on the undulating hills and merging of soothing colors.
LET'S GET CREATIVE
Another powerful benefit of art is that of boosting creativity. When we are forced to think in alternate ways, inspiring new thoughts and developing a story beyond the image creates new connections. We are subsequently able to think more creatively to solve problems & generate new ideas.
Ampersand by Paper Raven: An image begging one to think outside the box, at all the possibilities. Creative piece, welcoming creative explanation.
LOCAL FOCUS
Many of our clients prefer to support local artists, which is a great example to your workforce that your company culture is one of fostering the community. Another approach one of our national clients takes on a regular basis is to incorporate images indicative of the area in which their facilities reside. The Local touch, whether by artist hand, or artist image is one that brings it all "home".
KDI moved our studio to the iconic city of St. Charles, IL in 2021. One of the most recognizable landmarks in our area is the bridge, and Baker Hotel. An example of local photography grounding a space.
COMPANY CULTURE
A company's facility, a senior living campus, and a multi-family building all present an image which says a lot about its culture. The artwork hanging on the walls of these environments can reflect the values, character and culture ownership is intent on portraying.
As you view the above art pieces, each one so very different, ironically in unison they tell a story. For me, this story would be something like: "An established design studio/furniture dealership nestled in the Midwest (image 1) consists of a creative team partnering (image 2) with clients across the country, based out of St. Charles, IL (image 3)
"Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life" Pablo Picasso.
May your environment be sprinkled with art that speaks to you, and enlighten all the senses affected by a mere image.
- Kit DeWitt, Principal