Pay homage to the artist or artists whose work is displayed in the gallery inside the walkway. Hang a photo of each artist or a created self-portrait. If there is only one artist, hang a variety of photos in different poses or a variety of self-portraits. Along with the photos and/or pictures, ask each artist to submit a quotation, lyric, thought or saying that is meaningful to him. Frame the words and display them in the gallery walkway as well. This gives the visitor a taste of the artist and a basic understanding of her before experiencing her displayed work.
For an artist who focuses on nature or environmental influences in his work, coordinate this inspiration with physical representations of nature. Fill the walkway with a variety of plants and flowers. This can be done to excess, so the visitor feels she is walking into a garden or forest. Choose a variety of both tall and short potted plants and small trees to line the walls. Place bouquets of flowers on shelves and tables. Suspend hanging plants from the ceiling. Fill clear vases with natural substances such as dirt, sand, rocks and seashells. Envelop the room with elements of nature that will enhance their artwork in the gallery itself.
Choose elements from the artist's paintings and place a physical representation of them in the walkway. For example, if the artist has on display a painting of a still life of fruit in a bowl, place a bowl on a table in the walkway that displays the same fruit as in the picture. This will create a surreal experience for visitors when they enter the gallery and will help connect the decor of the entire gallery with the artist's work. If the artist focuses on nautical subjects, fill the gallery with objects that represent this influence, such as sails, anchors and even a ship's steering wheel.
Use the work in the gallery itself as inspiration for determining the color scheme of the walkway. The colors in the walkway can enhance the work in the gallery by either contrasting or coordinating with it. For example, for a gallery that displays vibrant works full of color, paint the walkway in tones of only black, white and gray. When visitors emerge from the walkway, they will be struck by the vibrant display of color. For an artist who uses noticeable touches of a certain color in his works, such as bright red, paint the walkway entirely in this color. The initial bombardment with the pop color of his work will make the color stand out even more when visitors enter the gallery and view the paintings.