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Are
you are an intelligent, affluent, sophisticated consumer
who knows nothing about contemporary art or how to buy it?
Believe me, you are not alone, and it is not your fault.
The art market is intimidating, confusing,
and rife with over-priced rip offs.....
You
are justified in being confused and cautious. Most of my
neighbors think nothing of spending thousands on window
treatments, but are terrified of buying a $500 piece of
art. Unlike other cultural experiences, such as the theatre
or dance, buying art is not a transient event. If you make
a mistake, it hangs there on your wall proclaiming to the
world your lack of taste. This fact scares the hell out
of most people which is why they stick with their posters
from college or pictures they pick up on vacation. Thus,
you often see exquisitely decorated houses without good
art. Decorators are no help either; they are just as intimidated
and unsophisticated as you. But - never fear -
The
Art Lady is here to get you started.
Learn About Art, Learn About What You
Like, Learn About Yourself!
Actually,
there's only one step - LOOK, LOOK,
and LOOK some more. The quickest ways to get started
are:
Surf
the web for images - There are millions of wonderful web
resources (Click here for some of the most important
links to good art
Use Local Resources -Visit local
fine art museums and libraries. Every town has a local
museum associated with the city or a local university.
Local libraries have art books and magazines to browse.
Take courses at local universities, attend lectures
sponsored by local art organizations and museums. As you
fill your eyes and mind with images, here are some things
to think about:
"I
don't know anything about art, but I know what I like". This
is probably the most common phrase an art dealer hears.
To a certain extent, it is true, but remember the corollary
- "The more art you see, the more you know what you
like."
Everyone
has a different reaction to the images they see,
depending on their personal psychological makeup.
Look
at all different styles of art with an open mind. As you do,
write down the names of the artists you like the best.
This
bit of advice from my wise friend Jeanne Frank whose new book,
Discovering Art : A User's Guide to the World of Collecting
is a wonderful source for beginning art aficionados. After
a while, you'll notice the works of art that appeal to you
all have something in common. It may be softness, boldness
of color, or a color itself. Perhaps you are attracted to
blues, grays, or a compositional element such as the consistent
use of deep space. Maybe there is a subject matter that unites
all the work to which you are attracted such as landscapes,
realism, abstraction, still lives, or florals. When Jeanne
first analyzed what drew her to a work of art, she realized
that it was pictures of people. As she says - " It's as simple
as that!"
VISIT
THE LOCAL GALLERIES- Find galleries through listings
in the local papers and local arts organizations. While
these galleries might have the best of your local artists
try to avoid the tacky galleries. (Click
here to learn how to spot a tacky gallery)
ASK QUESTIONS when visiting galleries - questions
such as "Can you tell me about the artist? Do you have other
things by her that I may look at"? Ask whatever questions
you can think of, and don't let youself be intimidated even
if you're dressed in sweats and sneakers.
SIGN GALLERY GUESTBOOKS - You'll receive notices
of art openings. Most art openings are casual affairs
and it's easy to meet collectors, the artist, and find
out more about the local art world. Openings are a great
opportunity to
ask more questions. People in the art world love
to talk and give out information.
SUBSCRIBE
TO MAJOR ART MAGAZINES -Here
are links to some of the best! |
