A Little Primer on Collecting Art

In my last post, I talked about what elements to look for in visual art. This time, I'll talk about how to go about buying it.

I first began appreciating art many years ago by visiting museums and galleries. More recently, I have gotten directly involved by supporting local art organizations, galleries, and museums, and I buy art. A large percentage of my friends are artists, art dealers, and museum directors, and over the years, I have learned a lot from them about appreciating and collecting art that I want to share here.

Why people buy art

Two of the greatest questions about collecting art are "what should I buy?" and "why should I buy it". For many collectors, though, it's just a matter of buying work that they respond to, and before long they realize that they have an art collection.

When it really comes down to it, people collect art for these reasons:

1) Emotional attachment to a piece
2) To beautify their homes and create an atmosphere that reflects who they are
3) Investment purposes

They're all good reasons to collect. Bear in mind however that very little art appreciates significantly in value, so I recommend that you buy art for the pleasure it gives you rather than buying it as an investment. If you want to invest in art, you should seriously consider hiring a consultant to help you build your collection.

Keys to Collecting

• Do some research by looking at a lot of work
• Try to discover what types of work and styles you like
• Ask a lot of questions
• Build relationships with collectors, art dealers, and artists if you can

When you're first thinking of buying and collecting art, you should begin by doing some research. Look at a lot of art to get a sense for what you appreciate and the variations in terms of quality, price, and styles. Check out the local museums, galleries, and studios that showcase the kind of art that interests you the most, whether it's paintings, sculpture, photography, video, etc. You might want to make several visits to a venue that you like so that you begin to feel more comfortable with the art, and to see what new work they bring in. When you see a piece you like, ask yourself why you find it compelling, and ask someone about the piece. The dealer, curator, or artist will be happy to tell you about it and the artist. Don't be afraid to ask about the merits of an artist or any a piece that interests you.

You might also want to look through magazines like "American Art Collector" which covers a lot of artists across the spectrum from the Old Masters' styles to the most cutting edge contemporary art and artists.

What to expect from art venues

There are basically three types of places to find art, and each has a different purpose:

• Museums - Museums are simply showcases for art. Many of them specialize in art from specific periods in history, some are private collections that became public upon the death of a significant collector, and others specialize in a specific medium, such as sculpture or photography. Major museums will usually have a lot of everything. Just check out the museums that have the type of work you're interested in, and be sure to get a program if one is available. The staff at most museums is very helpful and they will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
  

• Galleries (Art Dealers) - This is the most obvious place to start looking for art. When you visit a gallery, you should try to get a sense of what type of work they show, and what the dealer would be like to work with. Some dealers are not very helpful, and have little interest in developing a rapport with you. Those dealers won't do much more than ask if you have any questions when you make your first visit. They don't realize that most of us don't even know what questions to ask.

The best dealers won't simply ask you if you have any questions. They will approach you to tell you about the piece you are looking at and the artist who created it, without you having to ask. This can lead to a very interesting and informative conversation that helps you to understand the work. Those dealers aren't just waiting for you to buy something. They have a passion for art that they want to share with others, and the sale is almost secondary. They know that you might come back many times over the course of years before you buy anything, and they are fine with that. It can be very rewarding to have a relationship with such a dealer who is excited to share his knowledge and excitement about art and enjoys building a relationship with you.

• Artists' Studios - Visiting an artist in his or her studio can be a fascinating experience. It can be wonderful to hear about art from its creator, and it gives you the opportunity to develop a relationship with the art through your relationship with the artist. Generally speaking, you will only be able to visit the studios of independent artists who sell their work themselves. Art dealers will not grant access to their artists' studios unless you are a good repeat customer because they don't want you to try to go around them and buy work directly from the artist. If you happen to be in Austin the weekend of November 22 and 23, I urge you to take part in the East Austin Studio Tour. Over one hundred artists will be opening their studios to the public, and the tour is free. You'll get to see a huge variety of art and meet the artists where they work. It's a great way to spend a day or two and learn a lot about art. You're bound to see work you like, and much of it will be very good and very affordable. In many cases, the studios are in complexes like the Pump Project, Big Medium, Tillery Studios, and the temporary show at Sustainable Waves which will feature the work of about 15 local artists who are in the Bootstrap Art group. Sustainable Waves, located near the corner of Springdale and Cesar Chavez, will have live music, food, and drinks, as will many other studios and complexes. Visiting one of these group shows makes it easy to see a lot of work on one stop.
  

A few pointers

• Don't be afraid to make several visits to a gallery or studio before you make the decision to buy a piece you like. If there is a piece that truly interests you, you can usually arrange to borrow it for a few days to get a sense of what it would be like to "live" with it. You'll usually have to put down a deposit in order to do this, but it will go a long way toward reducing the chance of having "buyer's remorse". You will also have the opportunity to see whether it looks and feels right in your home with your decor. If a piece doesn't fit in, you'll probably regret buying it. If you already have a collection, you may want to see how the work fits in with what you already have, and perhaps move a few pieces to different places to see how they work together. (Congratulations! You've just become a curator!)

• If you think you might want to be a serious collector at some point, then it might be good to focus on artists who have some combination of representation in a respected gallery, presence in a museum, or coverage in a major art publication. Of course, you can expect to pay more for the work of artists who have these "credentials". Keep in mind that you can always find great original works of art from emerging artists at very reasonable prices.

• It's generally not a good idea to buy the work of one or two artists exclusively. That can get a little too boring. Another thing to avoid is focusing on one genre, as in only collecting portraits or landscapes. You want to have some focus, but you need variety, too, in order for your collection to remain fresh and interesting. One thing you might want to do in a photography collection is to collect works in which the photographers have contrasting styles in their use of light or composition. Juxtaposition is good! For paintings, you might want work from artists who use different subjects and textures.

• Prices are rarely if ever negotiable. The artists need to make a living, and in the case of talented emerging artists, the price may be considerably lower than it should be due to their lack of experience or self-confidence. Art dealers have to cover very high overhead expenses before they can even think about making a profit.

Building an art collection doesn't have to be a daunting task. It should be fun, and it should happen over time. Learn as you go. You may find that your tastes become more refined or focused as you continue to see more art that you like. Your collection is likely to evolve and become more interesting and personal in the process.

By the way, the painting you see at the top of the post is one of my favorite pieces in my collection. It was painted by Rob Harrell who is represented in Austin by the Wally Workman Gallery. Wally represents one of the best collection of artists in town.