Tips for first time collectors and/or those who are collecting with moderate means
© 2005 Kathleen Bitetti/Artists Foundation
It can be intimidating for those who are not familiar with the “art world” and/or have moderate means to collect original art work. People always ask me- how do I know if a work of art is good? That is an easy one to tackle. It is good art work if you really love the piece and want to live with it. For those who are trying to figure out if a piece of art work is a good investment- stop thinking that way. If you are trying to get a financial gain, go work with a financial investor. Most collectors who are considered big collectors all started buying small works and works that they loved. They also developed relationships with the artists they collected from. Often times they started the relationship when the artist first started out. And for those collectors you read about in the paper with the multimillion dollar collections- they have multimillion dollars to spend- hence they have that type of collection.
If you buy art work you can afford and that you love, you will eventually have a nice collection of work to live with. When going into a gallery and you see that the price list is out of your price range, don’t panic. Remember commercial galleries are retail spaces and need to sell work. Many have “back rooms” that have works that might be in your price range by the artist on view and by others artists they represent. Many commercial galleries have payment plans. The majority of the commercial galleries do carry work that is less than $300. Prices also reflect if a work is framed (framing is expensive to do). So don’t be shy. Ask the person behind the desk if they have any work in your price range.
I recommend first buying small works on paper (unframed) or small works in general. One per year is a good goal to set. Most of us have small living spaces and you can get the most out of small works. They can go in any room and can be grouped together. This will allow you the most flexibly in where to place the works. The small size will make it easier to switch works into different rooms over time. I collect small works on paper and I can’t afford to frame them all. Nor do I have the room to hang them all at the same time. As a result of this, I am buying works that are similar sizes and getting inexpensive frames and switching work in and out of the frames. I am also in the process of buying a small leather portfolio book (with plastic sleeves) to keep my small works on paper in. So instead of an art book for people to leaf through on my coffee table, I’ll have this portfolio with my collection. I may also buy a special stand to keep the book on and might even figure out a way to have it opened to a different work from time to time.
I highly recommend keeping files on the artists you buy work from. Get their contact info, resume, artist statement. Keep track of work you bought by writing down when you bought it, the price, title, year made, and what it is made of. Ask the artist to put you on their mailing list in order to let you know about their upcoming shows.
The area’s art schools are a great resource for art buying on a budget. Mass Art (www.massart.edu), the Museum School (www.SMFA.edu), the Art Institute of Boston (http://web.lesley.edu/aib/default.asp), all have undergraduate and graduate programs. This will give you a range of work to see when these schools have shows or art sales. People in graduate school are artists who have taken the serious plunge to pursue their artwork/career. These artists will be easier track in terms of their careers and to keep in touch with. Undergrad’s often make great work, but like most undergrads it is not clear what career track they will follow in the long term (if they continue to make art work) and they may be harder to keep in touch with.
Open studios events are a great way to both to meet artists and to collect art. There has been a blossoming of these events in the last five years. Boston in the fall has over ten open studio events. There are also annual open studios events in the spring. artsMEDIA magazine and the Artists Foundation’s web site (starting this fall) list all of the Massachusetts open studios events.
Art auctions and benefits are another way to collect work. But be aware that artists can’t write off their art donation’s fair market value as a tax deduction. Check to see if the artists had the option to receive a percentage of the sale from the auction (see the AF’s web site section on public policy for more info on this- fair trade means fair trade). Most artists don’t earn a living from the sale of their work so the option to have part of an auction sale is important. Also take into consideration if the organization sponsoring the auction has helped artists and/or is dedicated to artists and not just trying to jump on the art auction band wagon.
And finally, make looking and buying art a fun activity. Think of it as one big adventure taking you to places that you normally wouldn’t go to. Most art receptions are free and are also fun ways to meet people. Get a group of friends together and spend a Saturday going to galleries or attend the evening openings together. A group trip to one of the area’s open studios is a great way to get to know a neighborhood/ area you have never been to before.
