Desiree Ruiz Velazquez, April 5, 2022
Although at first intimidating, collecting art is a one-of-kind experience that is also incredibly easy, attainable, and thrilling.
Upon giving it much thought, I've decided to share the ins and outs of collecting art based on my perspective and experience as a former art consultant inside the art gallery industry, as an art collector, and as an artist in hopes of making this information accessible to artists and future art collectors alike.
Yes, It's Intimidating, But Don't Get Discouraged
A situation I've come across quite often was that people were intimidated by art.
They didn't consider themselves worthy of owning artwork simply because they didn't know anything about art itself; they didn't know about its history, about the artist, about artistic techniques or terminology, and honestly, you really don't need to know any of it.
Most of my collectors, as both an art consultant and as an artist, don't know much about art; they just like what they see, and if you ask me, that's a reason good enough.
It's more about what the work makes you feel like and about what it makes you think about. It's a personal and intimate experience that has little to do with being an art connoisseur, at least to these collectors.
The Value of Art and its Benefits
Another huge factor that contributes to people feeling intimated by it, is the monetary value of art.
The value of art always increases throughout the years, doesn't matter if the work is coming from an emerging or an established artist.
Something I loved telling my clients, as an art consultant, regarding the monetary value of a piece, is that they will be enjoying their new acquisition in the comfort of their homes for years and generations to come as the art piece goes up in value in the art market, which is the reason why some people collect art, as a form of investment.
Reasons for Collecting: The Art Connoisseur
Let's say you are indeed an art connoisseur; you've been wanting to build your own collection, whether to form your own legacy, to support the arts, to decorate your home and establishments perhaps, yet you don't know where to start.
Ask yourself if you want to base your collection around a specific time period or art movement, a specific color palette or subject matter, or if you want to solely support and collect the works of emerging artists and/or established artists. That should give you a guide on where to start. Also explore what's out there, visit your local art galleries, artist residencies, events such as farmers markets, art fairs and expos, just to mention a few. This will get you started on discovering artists and artworks you never knew existed. You might not know what you are looking for, but I assure you, once you see it, you'll know.
Reasons for Collecting: "I Just Buy What I Like"
"I just buy what I like" was often times the most recurrent and the number one answer I would get from buyers/art collectors.
Let's say, maybe none of the previously mentioned before about the "art connoisseur" is of much importance to you specifically. Perhaps you're someone that wants to acquire works of art that simply resonate with you regardless of whether or not they look cohesive as a collection.
Maybe you don't even want to build a collection; you just want pieces you come across with that you happen to like.
It's that plain and simple.
You don't need to have a big collection in order to be an art collector.
I once collected a piece by an artist I knew nothing about, whose artistic technique