Owning original Art

Have you ever gone to someones home and your senses were filled by their Art collection? Creating an Art collection is much different from decorating a house although your Art will eventually decorate your home. Your Art is much more personal than a mere decoration. Deciding to collect art is exactly that, a decision. And it comes from an appreciation of the creativity around us. Like any big project, you break it down into manageable steps (like the saying, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.) Step 1, say to yourself, "I'm going to build an Art Collection." Don't stress, step 1 is free. Step 2, identify what media you like or prefer (e.g. oil paintings, pastels, sculpture, printmaking, ceramic, etc. ) Step 3, decide you want to buy one piece of art each year. Or, I want to spend $300 (or $3000, etc.). It becomes a game. When you go to a gallery, you say to yourself, "is today the day?" Once you decide to enrich your world with Artwork it's a matter of narrowing down to the piece to buy. If you have a gallery or artist you like, visit regularly. If it's a gallery rather than an artist, learn about the artists they represent. If you like a particular artist's work, ask to meet him or her. Like I said earlier, owning Art is very personal. Attend openings. At Nelson Fine Art, we have an opening reception for artists every month on First Friday. If a piece of art at a reception seems interesting to you, ask the gallery owner to introduce you to the artist. Visiting with an artist can give you a better sense of what he or she was trying to accomplish. Just like that, you've added to the art experience. You can't do that with a vase or print you buy at a store. Step 4, buy! Now wasn't that simple? And in a few years you will have a collection of Art to be proud of. Benefits of buying original art? You own one of a kind pieces. If you met the artist, you have a better understanding of your piece. By buying original Art, you also encourage your artist to continue. And you keep the dollars local.