TIPS TO BECOMING AN ART COLLECTOR

Lucien Freud's painting "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" is expected to fetch more than $32 million dollars at May's Christie's New York auction. This sale will be the most paid for an piece of art by a living artist.  This bit of news got me thinking about my personal art buying guidelines, my collection's value, and being an artist myself - how to make sure my artwork holds its value.

For the beginning collector, there are some simple guidelines that one can follow.  The first step is to Establish Your Purpose.  Are you collecting art for fun, for a future investment to create a legacy and inheritance, or simply to decorate your home, office, or second residence.  Your available space may dictate the size of the artwork you eventually purchase.  Making that decision to buy an original piece of art can feel very overwhelming.  It is intimidating to part with a substantial amount of money, especially in today's tightening financial atmosphere especially because we feel obligated to be accountable for our spending actions. 

Decide What Medium You Prefer; photography, painting, drawing, sculpture. Understand the formal aspects; light, color, line, mood; and choose a subject matter; humor, landscape, portraiture, political; that appeals to you.  Do you want abstract or realistic work? ( Since I'm an abstract painter I hope your answer is this style! )  Know that an art collection that is cohesive becomes more valuable.

Set a Budget for art purchases and be flexible.  You must allot an appropriate sum to purchase good artwork.  Choose original oils, acrylics, or watercolors over prints.  Get authenticity papers.

Know the Artist.  "Online" research possibilities makes this step easy, at least for the computer savvy person.  Credentials and references are the cornerstones of an artist's reputation.  Look for awards, solo exhibitions in galleries and museums, and corporate collections.  Whenever possible, meet the artist.  Creating this relationship gives access to the artists' latest works; the best work is often reserved for prestige and loyal collectors.

Art as an investment is a long-term investment.  This is a reason to like what you buy. Investment value will depend upon the artist's reputation, the rarity and uniqueness of the art piece, and its authenticity which is proven through paperwork, the aesthetics of the piece, the work's condition, and the current financial market environment.

Advance Your Art Education.  Join museum collector groups, art schools, to become part of a networking opportunity, and take advantages of special lectures. Subscribe and read art blogs and arts coverage in major newspapers like the New York Times.  Attend artist receptions and art fairs.  See as must art as possible.  Take an Art history class to build context and knowledge.

Collecting can provide a lifetime of fun, a focus to travel, and an opportunity to be enriched by the creativity of artists, some of whom you will get to know personally.  Believe me, we are an interesting lot.

As Picasso once said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life".  And for this reason alone, to be surrounded by visual images that evoke thought and emotion, there is no better reason to be an art collector.

( image above : Reclining Nude 408 by J. Behman )

THE ART OF PUPPETRY

Puppetry is a form of performance and manipulation of objects.  It originated 30,000 years BC and then was used as an art form and also for religious rituals.  

Today is it rare that this art form is selected as a business and sole source of income.  It takes a dedicated individual to derive pleasure from delighting his audiences.  Don Wallis, a San Luis Obispo resident, has been doing just this for over 24 years with more than 8,000 shows under his belt.  He is a hand puppeteer, hand puppets, not Marionettes.

Hand puppets take as long to learn to master.  Both involve story telling.  Hand puppetry requires not only head and body movements, but also a well planned entry and exit strategy ( stage blocking ) in order to bring on more than two puppets.  The famed "Punch and Judy"  offered up to 9 puppets per show.

His background as an Actor, Screenwriter, and Stage Director all adapted themselves to this art form.  Also being a graduate in International World History as a literature historian he incorporates actual historical events into the plays he writes.  There is something basic to world humanity that moves the child within the Adult human being, along with delighting children.

Many child birthday parties offer puppetry entertainment.  Puppets have been used by psychotherapists to  facilitate role playing and to help in diagnosis for mental disorders. Puppets can teach children important lessons.  Employed by the State of California, Don has toured public schools doing a production with the underlying message being Anti Tobacco.

So remember, when someone asks you directions to...your pointing finger tells a story. 

Point of Conception

WHEN IS THE POINT OF CONCEPTION?

As it pertains to the art world; rather than stem cell research; the topic of “conception” is quite interesting. When is the point of conception? When is the idea realized? Is it critical to begin a visual or performance art piece using a preconceived notion, and stick to it? As opposed to genetic manipulation, we artists can plan and redesign our works to reach a vision. But, the original intent may alter along the way, simply because of inspirations.

I would venture to say that even though realism painters, authors of autobiographies, and documentary filmmakers edit their works through to completion, the original concept remains the ultimate goal.

Is there a non-objective painting, or a jazz melody, or a modern dance performance that begins and ends with the original concept?

Abstraction artists may approach their work with an initial concept, but along the way, something happens. Action painters such as William DeKooning and Jackson Pollack certainly could not visualize the ultimate outcomes of their process. The Gutai painters using their bodies to make marks on canvas could not plan out their strokes. Yet, these artists have left a legacy of color, form, and masterful mark making.

Maybe it is important to begin a piece with an initial idea because it sets up an agenda for what one may want to do, or explore, in the media. It is a starting point. The artist’s path is found and eventually unearths the perception by working, as opposed to starting with a preconceived notion.

What about the viewer’s experience? Must the artist’s concept that results in intent be the same as the viewer’s interpretation? Intent and Observation are often unrelated. The observer interprets the vision based on personal experiences and cultural history. For example, a red wedding dress is very appropriate in Asia but USA brides wear white.

The painting’s title or words embedded in the composition can insure that the viewer understands the artist’s intent. Authors use graphic book covers to illustrate inside characters. Many non-objective paintings are untitled leaving the viewer to ponder and experience the artist’s method of paint application, choices of color, and compositional design.

Fellow students and respected professors at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco have bantered this subject. Looking at a painting by Clifford Still or Motherwell, both non-objection artists, there is a consensus that although an initial concept was acted upon, during the process of the painting (its actual application of products) the concept and the painting were developed simultaneous.

During this month, HBO will air “The Gates”. This documentary is about a public artwork in New York’s Central Park. The artist’s concept was to turn the dark winter park into a garden of light and color with the installation of over 7,500 fabric panel gates. It took 26 years to finalize his concept.