Art Consultant, Janet Hill places an original oil painting, photo by Portia Snow

Just as there is no single recipe for making art, there is not only one way to present it. Or sell it. Or buy it. Working through traditional galleries works great for some artists, and patrons. Others choose to self-represent. A third option is working through the art consultant, a professional who works closely with both artists and clients, working directly with the needs of a particular space to match art with locale.

Janet Hill works in this third field. She is an independent art consultant who functions as a mobile gallery, placing the work of artists she represents in the homes of (mostly wealthy) Utah families. For this, she is paid a commission by the artists and a small consulting fee by the homeowner. She also works with interior designers, such as those at Hamilton Park Interiors, to guide their clients in art selection. And she helps home builders with art for homes on the Parade of Homes circuit in several Utah counties.

Naturally, Hill’s success depends on satisfied homeowners who will then refer her to their friends and family members. A typical homeowner, she says, is one who sometimes doesn’t know what he wants until he sees it, or can’t quite explain what she likes, and depends on the experienced eye of someone like Hill to know what would look best in the home.

An original oil painting placed by Janet Hill in a new home for the Park City Showcase of Homes, photo by Portia Snow

Hill, who managed Repartee Gallery in Bountiful until it closed, is very particular about the art she represents and the way it is framed. She tends to specialize in traditional subjects and styles – her current roster of artists include people like Utah painters Alan Lund and David Jackson — simply because that’s what her current clients want.

She encourages clients to purchase originals rather than prints because they bring authenticity and warmth to a home. In fact, about 80 percent of the Parade of Homes residences she has supplied with art over the last four years have won People’s Choice Awards.

Recently Hill worked with Dawnita Atkinson of Hamilton Park Interiors and homebuilder Doug Knight to furnish a new home for the Park City Showcase of Homes. I met Hill and Atkinson at the home in The Woods development in Summit Park on a recent morning. They showed me original oil paintings by John Collins that Hill had selected for the lower level guest rooms, and lithographs by Chris Young in the master bedroom. Hill brought with her two additional paintings, small oils by David Dixon, which she and Atkinson discussed hanging in the main living area. There have been times, says Hill, when a homebuyer has purchased the entire package – home, furnishings, and art.

Hill also advises clients on ways to update or better present their existing artwork. For example, she advises them on the right frame for the painting, not a frame that matches the furniture. “I tell them they’re not framing the sofa,” she says. She might even show them several frame moldings to convince them that her recommendation shows the painting to best advantage.

She discourages her artists and homeowners from hanging unframed, gallery-wrapped paintings because she has seen too many fray at the corners. If it’s a contemporary look they want, she recommends a simple, thin frame around the canvas. She also usually shies away from art under glass, simply because most of the large homes she works with have many large windows, and paintings under glass are too reflective. Furthermore, works under glass tend to be on a smaller scale and her clients often need larger pieces.

Janet Hill and Dawnita Atkinson of Hamilton Park Interiors place artwork in a new home for the Park City Showcase of Homes, photo by Portia Snow

Hill’s group of artists are mostly from Utah, but that’s still a large area to cover, with plenty of talent. Recently, she says, “I drove more than 600 miles to look at art for a particular home.” She delights in helping clients discover the great talent in the state. “My customers have been absolutely delighted at the quality of art there is in Utah. There are so many nationally known artists here.”

Working with the art consultant is clearly a win-win for both consultant and artist. The consultant is able to show clients how paintings will work in their homes, and artists are assured the artworks will be presented professionally and in personal way that creates an emotional attachment and willingness to purchase on the part of the homeowner.

Always in search of other artists, Janet Hill attends group shows, plein air events, and competitive exhibitions. She invites interested artists to contact her by email (hill.janet@live.com) with a link to their web site.

15 Bytes

UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, 15 Bytes is published by Artists of Utah, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.