It is such a delight, especially as an artist, to visit someones home and see their art collections. People have wonderful stories about how it was acquired, and what it means for them. Yet, often times you'll go into someone's home and find cheap prints etc or worse - blank space on peoples walls. Now, I know we all work for a living and original art can be expensive, but I think the larger problem is that people are often intimidated by art. We can all find some way to add thought and character to our space without hurting ourselves financially. So, in an effort to encourage everyone to get more comfortable, at least with the
idea of collecting art, today I offer some unsolicited advice for people who are ready to find some art to live with.
First: Find out what you like. Look at as much art as possible. Go to all the art walks, fairs, museums, galleries you can manage. Think in terms of collecting art for a lifetime -and to be a caretaker until the next generation takes over. Avoid fads - but if you found you have faddish works, hang onto them until it becomes charming and retro. Everything gets cool again.
Be Engaging -- While you're looking at as much art as possible, seek opportunities to meet some artists. Artists generally love creating - and they get really good at that aspect of their craft and have a hard time marketing and promoting themselves. It's a dream come true if you seek out, ask around, spot something interesting in a restaurant and look up the artist website and seek to contact them directly. That's really cool for them- and it's fun for the collector too. You might even be able to arrange to visit an artist in their studio, learn about the process, see a lot of available work that you wouldn't otherwise see.
Be open minded -- avoid having an exact idea of what you're looking for, be ready to discover something unexpected. Keep this in mind if you're ever thinking of commissioning a piece. If you give the artist maximum freedom and minimum guidelines, you're more likely to get something fresh, alive and special. If you can picture exactly what you want - go to art school and learn to make it yourself.
Be Persistent and Patient -- You may not find something that strikes you for a while, but you will, keep trying. There's no reason to rush, but if you find something that makes your heart beat, get it now.
Be Discerning and Educated -- I believe art should last for several generations. There are numerous fabulous exceptions, of course, but there is something very special about having something that will age well and you can give the future. So when you do find something you like, ask questions: What did they do to ensure this artwork will be durable? How was this created? What materials were used? When you do buy a piece, write all this information down and save it in a file, including the year it was made, a description of the piece, the location it was made in, maybe where the artist studied, what kind of schooling they had. Get lots of information, it makes your artwork more precious.
Bargain - it's easier if you deal with the artist directly. Ask to make payments - this works directly with the artist and with galleries
Be Realistic -- You may be nervous about spending money on something like art, so avoid little pitfalls that can cost you money like unframed art. It's often a very good price, but a decent framing job costs a lot more than you might think - if you're buying art from emerging artists sometimes you'll spend more on the frame than on the piece itself. And NO you probably can't frame it yourself!
Finally, Be Patient -- don't try to collect a life times worth of treasures all at once, buy one or two things a year - you can buy better quality that way and your collection can grow with you.
When you've purchased artwork -- Never hang your artwork anywhere it will receive direct sunlight - everything fades eventually or be exposed to steamy moisture. Avoid sudden changes in temperature and humidity. This can cause warping, cracking, separation of the parts.
When moving - pack it very carefully. Insure it when shipping, photograph it for your renters or homeowners insurance, store the photos and value info online somewhere - and not in your home.
Yay for art!
