Know what you like. The only way to do this is to look at lots of art. You can look in your phone book or do a Google search for art galleries in your area. Devote a Saturday or two to go gallery-hopping with absolutely no intention to buy. Spend some time browsing on art-related websites. Read some books about art. You don’t need a degree in art history to figure out what kinds of art you are attracted to. Write down the names of any artists you really like. Join art communities. This is simpler than it sounds. Get on the mailing lists of local galleries so you get invited to art openings. Subscribe to the mailing lists and blogs of artists that you like. Read and post on art forums online. Talk to artists. When you see art on someone’s wall, express your curiosity. Lots of people out there are into art. Find the people who like what you like! Doing this will help you learn more about any topic that interests you, and art is no exception. Determine your art budget. You may have to look at your finances to figure out how much you can afford to spend on art. Try to get a dollar amount. For some people it might be only $100/year, for others it might be $10,000. Don’t be discouraged if your art budget is small—it is possible to find something you love in any price range. (If your budget is small, consider buying a small piece, a print or a reproduction to start your collection. ) At this point you’ll start to get excited about the possibilities, but you shouldn’t necessarily buy the first thing you see. Make a plan. I read somewhere that all you need to do to become an art collector is to buy one piece of art once a year—perhaps on your birthday or wedding anniversary as a gift to yourself. Start small. You build a collection one piece at a time. Spend some time thinking about what kind of art you’d like to hang in your home, and how the different pieces will go together. Your collection is yours alone and can be anything you want it to be. You can decide to collect a particular theme, style, or genre of art, but you don’t have to. Buy from serious artists. It is okay to buy work from a young artist or an artist who doesn’t yet have many credentials. Emerging artists tend to have lower prices, and it is exciting to seek them out. Of course your first consideration should always be that you love the work. But you should also ask yourself, “Is this a serious artist?” Questions to ask might include: * How many years have they been working? * Have they received university-level art training? * Do they show in galleries? * Have they won any awards? * Do they have a website? * Has their name been mentioned in any press? * Do they have a recognizable style? * Are they serious about their craft and technically proficient? * Have they sold a lot of artwork? An artist certainly does not have to meet all of these criteria, but it should be clear to you that the artist is serious about his or her work. This will not only protect your long-term investment, but it will also give you the pleasure of following the artist’s career over the years and knowing you are a part of it.
Posts Tagged ‘Collector’
How to Become an Art Collector
January 10th, 2010Ever Consider Becoming an Art Collector? Here’s How to Start
December 11th, 2009Maybe you buy art simply to decorate. Most of us do. We have a blank wall and want something fabulous, so we go looking for a great piece of art. But, have you ever considered collecting art? Take a look around at the art on your walls to see if there’s a common thread or theme that emerges. Do you have a number of florals? More than one landscape? Or, maybe you have a budding art collection of pieces purchased on trips you’ve taken. Of course, when we talk about paintings, we’re talking about real art. Art that’s created by actual, living artists. Not art you’d buy in a department store. So, if you have that kind of art – real art – you can stop thinking of it as a bunch of paintings, and turn it into a budding art collection. Here’s a wonderful example of real art that’s collectible and affordable. This fine art photo could be the beginning of a wonderful Americana art collection. There are literally thousands of artists who artfully document everything American, including this example of a vintage sign advertising the last privately owned bar in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The artwork titled The Last One is a 20″ x 24″ print available for $125 from fine art photographer Nick D’Andrea. http://www. discoveredartists. com/. A collection of vintage, neon bar signs or advertising symbols from the 1950′s could create an interesting, decorative art wall while at the same time become an enjoyable pursuit as you hunt for more Americana artwork. But, the subject area for art collection themes is wide open. For example if you absolutely love cityscapes and have photos of skylines and skyscrapers, before you know it you’re an Architectural Art Collector. Or, if you have a couple of floral or animal prints, and begin collecting similar pieces, you can build a collection of botannicals or nature artworks Believe it or not, chickens and cows are very big with collectors. These are creatures that artists particularly like to paint, often because of the challenge of turning fur and feathers into interesting, lifelike figures with personality. Rooster 25 is a perfect example of an artist who took on and met the challenge. This fierce looking bird already has his feathers ruffled, ready to strike without provocation. The painting is an original 12″ x 12″ oil on canvas by artist Ilse Kleyn and sells for $100 in the artist’s DiscoveredArtists. com gallery. http://www. discoveredartists. com/ So, all you really need to do to become an art collector is to put some thought into your art buying. Before you know it, instead of just buying art, you’ll be collecting art. Decide on a theme based on art that appeals to you. Perhaps you love raku vases, or glass art. Or, maybe you’re attracted to bronze figurines. If you’re into wall art then cityscapes and watercolors from a particular country could become a theme for your collection. Cityscape at Dusk is a wonderfully warm, inviting photo that captures a moment in time at the intersection of North, Damen and Milwaukee Avenues in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Collecting photos and original art that takes you back to places you’ve visited or neighborhoods where you once lived adds meaning to the art that you use to decorate your home or office. This fine art photo by photographer Kurt Kramer can be purchased for $90 in his online gallery at DiscoveredArtists. com and is just one in a series of collectible, big city neighborhood cityscapes. So, as you can see, there’s no end and no limit to the types of themes for collecting art. In fact, many collectors just buy what they like and create collections comprised of favorite artworks. These are collections that bring the owner years of pleasure and great satisfaction. In fact, when compared to using art simply to decorate or to impress someone, collecting art gives you an even greater payoff. The process of collecting art is a life enriching hobby that beautifully mirrors who you are and shows the world what you love. It can return a lifetime of satisfaction and value. Where to Find Real Art At Reasonable Prices: At www. DiscoveredArtists. com you can search over 4000 pieces of original and limited edition art created by international, independent Artists. Search by style, color, price, shape, size, and theme. Read artist biographies and search for artists by career experience, credentials, juried status and more. Artwork is shipped directly to you from the artist’s studio. Prices are set by the artist, not by the gallery so you avoid paying gallery markups. Purchase art using a major credit card using a secure shopping cart. All purchases are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee including return shipping.
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