Colette von
Colette von (She/Her) is an Art Installation & Design Specialist with over a decade of experience delivering precise, visually compelling, and structurally sound art installations throughout Los Angeles. Known for her meticulous approach to layout design, Colette prioritizes both aesthetic impact and long-term safety, including earthquake-secure installation techniques and enduring wall presentations. Her work reflects a deep respect for the artwork itself and the environments it inhabits.
As the founder of She Hangs LA, Colette provides comprehensive art services for galleries, residences, and commercial spaces. Her offerings range from framing and matting consultation to canvas stretching, secure shipping, signage and branding installation, art fair coordination, exhibition management, and full room layout refreshes. Whether managing a single-piece install or leading large-scale team installations, she brings a hands-on, detail-oriented approach that ensures seamless execution from concept to completion. In addition to her installation practice, Colette is a curator and community builder dedicated to elevating marginalized artists.
As former HAUS Director and Curator of ONE ONE SIX TWO, she orchestrated over 40 exhibitions and 25 pop-up events, showcasing the work of more than 800 visual artists and 500 performers while raising significant funds for nonprofits including RAINN, the Downtown Women’s Shelter, and the LA LGBT Youth Center. Having collaborated with respected galleries, celebrity clients, and leading studios and corporations, Colette continues to seek opportunities to curate, design, and install transformative art experiences that bring creative visions to life.
Shockingly, von is severely visually impaired with deteriorating vision and uses a blind cane when she is not working. With a condition known as Cone Dystrophy, Colette has been legally blind since the first grade. Despite the lack of visual acuity, Colette is able to perform and execute installations, including those on ladders and rooftops without fear, always delivering exemplary installation and design choices.
• CPR/First Aid
• Musicians Institute
• Top OSAT Award
• Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Community Recognition
• Girl Scouts of the USA
• LA LGBT Youth Center
• Downtown Womens Center
• Cats Meow
• RAINN
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a deep passion and love for the field of art, as well as the influence of my parents—my father, an engineer, and my mother who loves interior design—they shaped both my technical precision and creative eye. Although I initially pursued music and attended a musicians’ college, my lifelong passion for design and my ability to find beauty in anything ultimately guided my path, even as I navigated life as someone who has been legally blind since childhood. Building and running my own business has required resilience and determination, and the challenges I’ve faced have only strengthened my skills, perspective, and commitment to delivering exceptional work for my clients.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received was from a good friend and professional mentor, Kirk Wise, in regards to a personal project I’m working on that I’ve applied to my business. He said “Don’t wait. Do everything now. Get it out of your head, and make sense of it after.” The creative spark is a beautiful, impermanent thing, and you must act on it when it comes. Luckily I have flexed this muscle enough to be able to use it any time indeed to for She Hangs LA, but I’m also in the middle of an expansion in working with bigger firms on larger-scale projects. I’m never satisfied, and staying hungry keeps the business fresh and exciting.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering this industry that you absolutely can be successful, even in a very male-dominated field. Believe in your skills, but never stop learning and honing a craft. Don’t cut corners and own your mistakes, graciously — the faster you make good on a fuck up, the better it’s going to be for you in the long run. Trust your judgments, but don’t let an ego get between you and client satisfaction. Don’t be afraid to take up space—your voice, creativity, and expertise are not only needed, they are powerful.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in my field currently is economic strain. I’ve seen a huge decline in the low and mid-level installations because those levels are feeling the squeeze more severely. My service is considered a luxury service, and in times like these, those services are the first to get cut. Thankfully, I’m busy enough to withstand the slump, but it is certainly impacting the industry.
One of the biggest opportunities in my field is being one of very, very few women that participate in art installation. While it is sometimes a challenge garnering respect from male counterparts, my repotoir and service history speak for themselves, and because of this, I’ve been able to carve out a very special niche and offering. Not only do I have the technical and physical skills needed, but I have the artistry and design eye to pull it together with style, all while serving fantastic customer service.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life center on service, community, and compassion. I am deeply committed to making a difference by giving back whenever I can, including offering pro bono work for single mothers, supporting women’s shelters, helping feed those experiencing homelessness and food scarcity. These efforts reflect my belief that meaningful work should uplift people and create positive, lasting impact beyond our in-person interactions.