BECOME AN ART BUYER - TEN TIPS TO HELP
1. When the lights are on in an art sales gallery after 5 o'clock and a crowd has gathered, it means you can walk right in, have a drink and a bite to eat and look at the art. No invitation is needed. You don't have to pay to enter and you won't be pressured to buy anything. Gallery openings are listed in magazines and newspapers and you are welcome to attend.
2. If you do happen to like one of the works but you are unsure, ask if you can take it home to see if you can live with the art work.
3. One of the pleasures of owning a work of art is meeting the artist. There are many opportunities for this to happen. Go to an exhibition opening and the artist is often present. Most cities have an open studio tour or an art walk (San Diego has both). An art dealer may be able to arrange a meeting and most artists welcome a call from you directly to arrange to see more of their work.
4. Celebrate if you fall in love with an artwork. This is a totally valid reason to buy. Like in any good love match, if you treasure it, it will reward you.
5. It is also OK to buy a work because it fits the décor of your home. Just make sure you have an emotional and/or intellectual connection to the work as well.
6. Don't hesitate to buy a work of art to commemorate a special event or to remember a favorite place or feeling. Many famous collections were started in just this way.
7. If you are nervous about buying or even looking at art, seek out a friend, an art collector, an art dealer, an appraiser or consultant to mentor you. Some artists are excellent mentors and can speak well about a whole range of art work.
8. If you buy art, you may eventually outgrow it. This is all right and you can sell the work, give it away or put it in the attic. Just make sure and replace it with a new work.
9. Once you buy an art work, share it with friends and let them experience the joy, insight and pleasure from the works that surround you.
10. Trust your instincts by buying what you love and having the courage in your conviction.
TOP 4 REASONS NOT BECOME AN ART COLLECTOR
1. You meet too many interesting people and have no time to be lonely
2. The parties are too much fun and might distract you from taking out the trash or fixing the disposal.
3. When you buy a work that increases enormously in value over the years, you might become spoiled for the simpler life of poverty.
4. All the notoriety of having a famous art collection makes it impossible to go anywhere because of the paparazzi.
ART COLLECTORS: OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET
MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
- SUPPORT ART GALLERIES and help to find the new market of excellence
- BECOME EDUCATED especially about local art.
- CREATE A SYNERGY between yourself and other buyers. Have an attitude of co-operation not competition. Be transparent in all dealings and not secretive. Share all sources and contacts.
- EMBRACE ALL HIGH TECH opportunities such as web sites of galleries and artists, web marketing, web ezines especially www.SDVisualArts.net
- AWARD THE ARTISTS OF EXCELLENCE to create ART STARS by buying their work and spreading the word
- ENCOURAGE ART WRITERS to develop our media with documentation, critics, interviews, on TV, radio, internet, and all newspapers, magazines.
- BE FLEXIBLE AND OPEN TO ALL CREATIVE IDEAS by welcoming art at the beaches or the sports arena; even at corporations in the parking lots from a mobile van. Patronize restaurants with changing art shows, and galleries in our Art Colleges
- MENTOR THE FUTURE ART SUPPORTERS by introducing children to art and taking them to art events. Also please recognize and support teachers of excellence.
