Collecting Fine Art

Growing up, everyone I knew collected something.  Sports cards, matchbox cars, stamps, coins.

Me?  I have always loved rocks.  I can remember enjoying the hunt for a piece of fool’s gold, or a particularly beautiful piece of granite and the thrill of finding what looked like gems to me in the Rock Run creek that ran behind my parent’s house.

Common Blackbird 1, acrylic, 8"x8"
Private Collection

As an adult, everyone I know STILL collects something! It would seem that collecting is in our nature…  As Mark B. McKinley, Ed.D. noted in The Psychology of Collecting article in The National Psychologist “During the 1700s and 1800s there were aristocratic collectors, the landed gentry, who roamed the world in search of fossils, shells, zoological specimens, works of art and books. The collected artifacts were then kept in special rooms (“cabinets of curiosities”) for safekeeping and private viewing.”  Our motivations to collect are many – some people collect for investment, to preserve the past, or as a way of expanding their social lives.   Like me, some people simply enjoy the quest for the next piece to add to their collection. And still others find pleasure in classifying our world.  

Common Blackbird 2, acrylic, 8"x8"
Private Collection

Most of all, collecting can be fun and enriching. And in this respect arguably highest among collectibles is art. The value of having original fine art to enrich and personalize your life can not be overstated and building a fine art collection can be hugely rewarding.   If you are new to collecting, you may wonder where to begin?  Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. First and most importantly ask yourself, what do you like?   I will let you in on a secret:  You can start your art collection without really knowing anything at all about art.  If you LOVE a piece of art, than it is worth adding to your collection!    

2.  Relax.  There is no rush.  Part of the joy of any kind of collection, is the search for the perfect next piece.  Whether you are looking for a particular genre, work by a specific artist, or something that will look good in your living room, don’t feel you need to rush it.  When you find it you will know it. 

Tuesday's Blackbird , acrylic, 8"x8"
To purchase click here

3.  Spend some time looking at all of the options.  Start local, if you can.  Searching galleries, art fairs and the like give you the chance to see the art work in person (the best way to view art!) and to know the artist and/or the story behind the artwork.  This will only serve to add depth to and enrich your collection.  If you like the idea of buying art from the comfort of your own home, a few reputable sites to browse fine art include  Daily Paintworks (which I sell through), invaluable and Artfinder.  These types of sites have several benefits – the diversity of artwork to be found is practically limitless, you often can read a little about the artist and sometimes find out what went into the artwork. 

4. Know your budget.  Depending on what you can spend at the time, your search can be narrowed.  Limited edition prints are a great starting place as these tend to be less expensive if you want to own something by a well known artist.  But original fine art can be found by lesser known artists for under $200, so don’t forget to search in smaller, lesser known venues. 

 5.   Do your research.  Most artists, well known or not, have a website, facebook page, blog or somewhere you can find out more about them and their artwork.  Find their bio page to see a list of exhibitions they have been in, prizes won for their art, where else they sell and any press they may have.  This kind of information may be the determining factor between two pieces you love equally, but can only afford one of them.

Friday's Blackbird , acrylic, 8"x8"
Private Collection

There are other things you can consider when adding to your art collection which you will learn over time, but thinking about these few things will get you well on your way to a beautiful collection.!

If you want to delve even deeper into how to start an art collection, check out this article from the blog “In good Taste” -    ‘How to Start a Fine Art Collection’

Cheers, and happy collecting!

More on the psychology of collecting can be found here http://nationalpsychologist.com/2007/01/the-psychology-of-collecting/10904.html,