The Art of Collecting: Creating a Home That Reflects Your Story
Photography by Lisa Petrole for The Expert
When someone walks into your home, what do they see on the walls?
Is it simply decoration—or is it a reflection of who you are, what you’ve experienced, and how you want to feel?
I believe what we place on our walls matters. Our walls are among the first surfaces we engage with when we wake up, when we walk in the door, when we gather, and when we rest. They surround our most meaningful spaces—our kitchens, bedrooms, children’s rooms, studios, offices. They’re part of our daily rhythms, whether we realize it or not.
And yet, so often we overlook them—or fill them without intention. But your walls are an opportunity. They can ground you. Energize you. Comfort you. Remind you. Inspire you.
For many of the collectors I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years, artwork isn’t chosen to match a color scheme or complete a design checklist. It’s chosen to express something personal. Something real. Something that can’t always be said with words. For these collectors—and for me—art is so much more than an accessory.
It’s the heartbeat of the home.
It’s memory.
It’s identity.
It’s a mirror of where you’ve been and an invitation to imagine where you’re going.
Every piece you choose becomes a part of your visual autobiography—marking a chapter, a season, a shift, or a spark. It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about living alongside work that speaks to you, shapes your environment, and deepens the meaning of the spaces you move through every day.
Because when your home reflects your inner world, it becomes a place where you can truly be yourself—and where the people you love can feel that, too.
Design by Collab Studio
Photo by Stephani Buchman
Photography by Lisa Petrole for The Expert
A Collection That Grows With You Art collecting doesn’t happen all at once. The most compelling collections are often built slowly and intentionally—layered over time with a mix of high and humble investments, varied mediums, and pieces discovered in unexpected places.
Some works are acquired after long searching; others are chosen in an instant. One might be a carefully commissioned piece, another a photograph picked up during travels. Both can hold equal emotional weight.
What matters isn’t the price tag—it’s the personal connection.
I’ve seen collectors pair a major investment piece with a framed child’s drawing, or hang a contemporary textile work next to a vintage portrait. That balance—of old and new, humble and grand, intuitive and intentional—is what makes a collection feel real, human, and alive.
Let Each Room Speak I believe every space in your home should reflect how you want to feel when you’re in it.
In an office, art that makes you feel focused and empowered. In an entryway, artwork that sets the tone for openness, welcomeness, ease. It’s not just about aesthetics—it’s about emotion. Art helps define the energy of a room before anyone says a word.
Maybe your bedroom calls for calm. Maybe your dining space invites connection and conversation. Maybe you want your hallway to spark curiosity. Art gives you the language to express these things—without having to explain a thing.
When you begin collecting with this in mind, your home becomes not only beautiful, but deeply intentional.
Marking the Moments One of the most beautiful and often unexpected gifts of collecting art is realizing, over time, that each piece becomes a chapter in your life’s story.
A work that once simply looked beautiful on the wall may later remind you of a very specific time in your life—a move, a fresh start, a loss, a celebration, a moment of clarity, or even a leap of faith. Without even trying, your collection becomes a kind of visual journal.
That fiber piece in your bedroom? It might always remind you of when you finally found rest in a new city. The abstract hanging over your fireplace? You chose it the same month you launched your business, or welcomed a child, or celebrated a milestone birthday.
The art we choose—especially when we’re drawn to it intuitively—reflects something about our inner world at that time. And when we live with those pieces over the years, we revisit those memories again and again, sometimes without even realizing it.
Art has a way of anchoring you to the present while quietly holding space for your past. It says, this mattered. This season was real. This part of your story deserves to be seen.
You may not remember what shoes you wore that year, what was trending in design, or what was on your to-do list—but you’ll remember the piece you fell in love with and why you needed it. The color, the energy, the texture—it all becomes a tactile echo of a moment that meant something.
That’s the magic of collecting with intention. You don’t just fill your walls. You fill your home with evidence of the life you’ve lived.
And as your life evolves, so will your collection. You’ll find yourself drawn to new palettes, new materials, new stories—and that’s exactly how it should be. A collection isn’t meant to be static. It should grow and stretch alongside you, reflecting both who you were and who you’re becoming.
When a Piece Moves You, Move Toward It There’s something powerful about falling in love with a piece of art. It often happens instantly, and yet it lingers—staying with you in the back of your mind, echoing in the quiet moments until you return to look at it again. That’s not coincidence. That’s connection.
And when you feel that connection, I want to encourage you: don’t wait.
Each piece I create is one-of-a-kind. Once it’s collected, it’s gone. That’s part of what makes original artwork so valuable—not just financially, but emotionally. It can’t be replicated, and it wasn’t made to be. It’s a singular expression, created in a moment, meant to live in only one place: yours, if it moves you.
And I use that word move very intentionally. My work is physically responsive—it shifts and dances with the air in the room, interacting with its surroundings. But it also moves people emotionally. The texture, the flow, the rhythm of each fiber—it often stirs something unspoken. That’s the moment to trust.
Because when a piece of art moves you—in the room and in your spirit—it’s worth listening. That connection is rare. And letting that moment pass can mean missing out on a piece that was meant to be part of your story.
So if something I’ve created catches your breath, lingers in your mind, or brings you back for a second look—reach out. Explore it. Act on it. That’s where the magic of collecting truly begins.
Working with Artists (and Galleries) to Build Your Collection The purpose of this website has always been to connect with you—as an artist, a creator, and a person. Through my work, newsletters, blog posts, and especially Instagram, I love sharing not only what I make, but why I make it.
Many of my collectors enjoy commissioning a custom piece directly, especially when they’re looking for something personal or tailored to a specific space. And while I’m honored to work one-on-one when my commission schedule allows, I also want to make the process of collecting my work as simple and enjoyable as possible.
That’s why I’m proud to be represented by Breitbard Williams Fine Art, the gallery my husband James co-founded. The gallery works with collectors and interior designers across the country to source thoughtful, high-quality artwork from artists around the world—including my own collections.
So whether you’d like to connect with me directly through this site, or you prefer to partner with a gallery that can help guide you through the selection and acquisition process, both paths are welcome. Both lead to meaningful, personal artwork in your home.
If you’re ready to find a piece that marks this moment in your story—or want to begin building a collection that reflects your life—I invite you to explore my latest available work here, follow along on Instagram @LaurenWilliamsART, or reach out to inquire about a commission.
And if you’re a designer, collector, or simply love the ease of working with a trusted gallery, you can visit the BWFA Gallery online or stop by the gallery in Dallas! We’d love to help you discover your next piece.