Why Buy Paintings? #7

What strip mining is to nature, the Art Market is to culture.

Support artists, not the art market

Why Buy Paintings? #8

#8 Give the Gift of Art.  Giving someone a work of art is a lasting, genuine way to show appreciation.

Also, if you have a charity event that is auctioning items, buying a painting and giving it for auction is a great, and tax deductible, way of showing love to the artist and the cause.

Why Buy Paintings? #9

Make friends with an artist.

Understanding the Other: it’s one of the basic challenges of humanity.   Getting to know someone is a process of discovery and in some ways easier than the never ending quest of self-discovery.  In general, the best way to do that is to find out what drives the other person, what their passion is, and if you can understand that, you can come to some kind of common ground. 

Artists are tricky, though, especially with personal relationships.  Most artists do all they can to obscure their actual personas, speaking primarily through their work.  So the best way to make friends with an artist is help them.  Tangibly. Artists need help.  They live on the borders of society and frequently fall through the cracks. Don’t assume self-sufficiency because the work may be strong.  The biggest difference between successful and unsuccessful artists is the quality of their friends.

Ask yourself: Will I sit idly by and merely appreciate the life’s work of an artist I know, or will I do something to help them and make society a better place?

A few tips on artist friendship:

-          Begin by acquiring their work and experiencing it first hand. 

-          You could also host an event, showcasing their work.

-          If you have acquaintances who work in or run galleries or other venues you could make a pitch for them (you have no idea how impossible it is for an artist to pitch their own work). 

-          When you have people over for social occasions, you could be sure to mention the work in your home and encourage others to check it out. 

-          When you attend other artist openings or museum exhibitions, you could talk about your friends’ work.

So don’t just press “Like” and forget about it.  Pressing “Like” and being social media “friends” isn’t really making friends with an artist.  If you don’t own even a print of a painter, you’re not their friend.  

Why Buy Paintings? #10

Test Drive  

Buying art doesn’t have to be a giant leap of faith.  Some artists, especially the ones you may know, will let you try a piece of work you fancy in your home or office or public space before you buy it.  This will allow you to really enjoy the subtleties, detail and actual size of the original work.   If the piece is of quality, your appreciation will do nothing but gain over time.  

A few things to consider in this circumstance: 

-         -  A percentage of the full price as a deposit.  A small show of faith, even 10-15%, can go along way.

-          - Packaging shipping should be paid for by the potential buyer.  The artist will take care of the work of shipping, typically to very expensive.

-          - The collector may want to consider how the work fits into their insurance, or be ready to pay for the painting if damage occurs while it’s in their possession.

-          - To avoid uncomfortable relations, a definite period of loan should be agreed upon.  I’ve found 6 weeks to be a good sweet spot

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