In my role as an interior designer, I’m frequently asked to consult on the selection or placement of artwork.  I love this part of my job.  We help clients discover new artists, and we work with them to place beloved artwork they already own. 

Artwork has the power to transform a space in so many ways.  It can create energy, serenity, or spark a conversation.  It can add depth of color and texture.  It can unify disparate elements.  But most importantly, it can tell a story. 

Over the course of several years, I’ve been connected  in a small way to the story of San Francisco portrait artist, John Goodman. 

After launching Nystrom Design, one of my earliest projects was working with a bi-coastal client on her San Francisco residence.  Her roots are in New England, and several pieces of colonial furniture had traveled out west with her.

While we were working together to refresh her rooms with new paint and upholstery, she discovered John Goodman’s work, and borrowed a few pieces on approval.  We considered hanging them in various places, but ultimately we both loved how his abstract artwork enlivened the traditional dining room set, and that became their new home, as seen above.  

Fast forward several years, and I was contacted by John Goodman and his wife to assist them with a refresh of their living space.  As it turns out, they share a mutual friend with my bi-coastal client.

Artwork can be very personal, and I always take it seriously when I’m asked to help place it.  But it was a special honor to be trusted by the artist to consult on the placement of his artwork in his own home.

Once their space had been updated with a fresh coat of paint, a new custom area rug, and furnishings to create the two zones they desired, we got to work finding the perfect pieces of art to fill a large wall next to the staircase. 

In the process of working together, I had the pleasure of seeing some of John’s early work.  Below is a piece that was a gift to his wife when they first started dating.

And some of his recent work, like the portrait below, which I fell in love with on one visit to their home.  By the next visit, it had already been purchased by some happy collector! 

John Goodman’s work is represented by the Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery in Mill Valley, CA, a fine art dealer with an emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area Figurative Movement, American Modernism, and Abstract Expressionism.  Select pieces of his work are currently available through his storefront on 1stDibs.