Artwork Above Fireplace Mantel . Vases make an easy addition to bare corners and empty shelves. Overlap artwork in varied sizes and frame finishes, surround with potted plants. Art Above Fireplace Photos (12 of 14) from www.lonny.com Shop for fireplace mantel wall art from the world's greatest living artists. Using the mantelpiece as a shelf is a more relaxed way of featuring your artworks than hanging them. You may have noticed that i’m not a seasonal/holiday decorator.