Artful Gifting
7 Thoughtful Ideas for Art Lovers
This Holiday Season
As the holiday season approaches, finding the perfect gift for the art lover in your life can be a challenge. You want to show the ones you love how special and different they are by getting them something that speaks to their interests. For those who appreciate the emotional and psychological depth of art, this curated gift guide offers seven thoughtful ideas that seamlessly integrate art into daily life. From customized home decor to sensory-rich experiences, each suggestion aims to inspire and connect through the power of artistic expression.
The Gift of Being Wrapped in Art
Have you ever seen a piece of art so inspiring you wish you could just step inside it? Give the gift of tactile artistic expression with an art-printed item you can wrap yourself in. A beautiful hand-painted scarf from a local artisan, or a stunning art-printed blanket.
Mindful Art Journals
Art lovers tend to be thinkers and feelers. Give the gift of introspection and emotional exploration with beautifully crafted art journals. If you choose journals that prompt self-reflection, they can become a personal sanctuary for recording thoughts, sketches, and emotions. If the art lover in your life doesn’t like to be constrained by suggestion, a journal with blank pages inside but a cover of an inspiring piece of art would be a perfect gift.
Expressive Art Classes or Workshops
Learning and self-discovery is a fundamental part of what I means to be human. We are learning all the time but a class can give us a structured dose of inspiration. Art classes focusing on a specific skill can inspire the artist in your life to learn to use a material or technique they might not have played with before. Collage, batik, ceramics, watercolor, and calligraphy are just some ideas. Taking them in person locally, or gifting the materials with an online course are both great options.
Customized Home and Lifestyle Products
Gifts that might otherwise seem ordinary can be elevated when they feature an artist's work. By printing art from an artist you support, you can give a unique yet practical gift. From throw pillows to phone cases, it’s easy to find unique and handcrafted items directly from talented artists. You are also supporting an artist to continue to create beautiful things for the world.
Art and Psychology Books
A good book is always a fantastic gift. For the art lover, a coffee table book featuring their favorite genre, era, or artist is bound to delight them. For the art lover who wants to go a little deeper, books that explore the connection of art, emotion, and psychology would be a welcome gift. “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield explores discusses the resistance caused by the battle between ego and self that any human that tries to express themselves can relate to. Renowned producer, Rick Rubin, released a book this year called “The Creative Act: A Way of Being.” This book is profound and beautiful work that explores what it means to create and how to live a life that is creative in nature.
What are your favorite books?
Mood-Enhancing Lighting
Our surroundings can inspire us, and the right lighting makes a powerful impact on the mood of an environment. Harsh lighting can be overstimulating so gifting some softer lighting options will help your art-lover create a cozy and inspiring space. Consider Himalayan salt lamps, LED flickering candles, or maybe a touch of nostalgia with a lava lamp!
Full Sensory Experiences
Art lovers more than anyone are connected with their senses and are moved by the influence on all of them. Smell can be one of the most powerful senses so engaging that it can subtly bring inspiration, calm, or peace. While scented candles are the obvious choice, you can also consider an essential oil diffuser, pot pourri, or essential oil room spray. Finding them from a local artisan will make for an even more unique experience.
Shopping Tips:
Buy Directly from the Artist
If we get caught up in the stress of gift buying at the holidays we can forget how wonderful it is to give a gift. When you see someone’s face light up as they open the thoughtful present you’ve picked out for them the sense of connection and love is palpable. Whether your love language is gifts or not, it’s a beautiful tradition we have as humans to give tokens of our love and affection. When we buy a gift from a small business, local artisan, or artist we are creating a bigger network of love and connection. Supporting the creativity and artistic expression of individual artists provides a profound sense of joy and appreciation for the seller that is transferred to the buyer. You just don’t get that from large retailers. You can feel just as good about the source of a gift as the destination. Plus, receiving something unique and rare can be an even more special gift.
Make the wrapping as unique as the gift
A few artists (me included!) have created beautiful wrapping paper featuring their art. The experience of giving and opening a present is heightened when thought is put into the wrapping. Show your unique style on the outside of each gift and create suspense for the recipient that this is going to be a special experience from beginning to end.
Whatever you’re giving and receiving this year, make it an expression of your creativity, uniqueness, and love.
