The Art of Buying Art

Universal Gift

In a flash second, how many works of art do you visually scan when you first walk into an art gallery or art exhibit?  25?  50? 100?  How exciting!  And, maybe even a bit overwhelming.  Where do you start, how do you decide? Here are few considerations to help you thoughtfully consider your next art purchase.

Art is a two-way conversation

How an artist sees and feels in her world is found in her artwork. She is communicating to the viewer.  All artwork comes from within the artist. There are reasons for the theme, objects, colors and the arrangement.  It is purposeful.

When you look at an artwork, you are looking inside the artist.  So, when you are drawn to a particular painting in the sea of gallery offerings, consider what the artist is telling you and notice how you interpret the message based on the elements presented to you in the objects, shapes, colors, etc.  

Take the time to view as many works as you can, to understand the depth of the paintings. You may find that the quiet, soft-colored painting communicates with you on a deeper and longer-lasting level than the flamboyant one that first caught your eye.  It takes time. 

Counteract bad media

You've seen the T-shirts, bumper stickers or messages on the television, such as:

Real art doesn't match your couch, or my kid could paint that, or what is popular this season or year in color or design. Just like what you monitor on TV, really monitor what messages you get from media and rumors.  It can influence your beliefs about what is real art or worthy art, when really, it is a very personal choice.

Connect with art

Put aside all of the advice you hear and communicate with the artwork you are drawn to.  Buying art is connecting with the human race in a different way.  You are receiving a bit of art history, current and social events, spirituality, and/or emotional imagery.  

Art and lifestyle

Art is lifestyle. Each artwork you hang on your wall or stand on a pedestal, expresses something about you; it speaks to you, your guests and family.  

Leonardo da Vinci wrote that it was important for him to be surrounded by items that involved the five senses, such as the fragrance of fresh flowers in his home, paintings  and books, good food and music.  

Meaning and enjoyment

Above all else, the art you choose should carry some meaning and enjoyment, regardless of  how you interpret a work of art. What one sees in a painting may be different than another person or even the artist.

Art often offers memories of a past event, person, or travel, or it may hold a vision of a dream that we desire. You may read the Artist Statement about that particular work of art, or you may choose not to. It is a very personal choice. 

One example of the different ways one painting can be interpreted is my Universal Gift painting. I painted this with a particular message in mind; and yet, a friend of mine saw something very different in the painting and loved it just the same.  I saw the fish as a metaphor to our lives in search of meaning, whereas my friend saw the Christian story of the loaves and fishes.  

Where am I going to hang my new art?

Note where you and your family and guests sit in the living room and decide which art pieces show off the best at those different vantage points.  For the entry room, choose an inviting piece, as this is the first impression your guests will experience.  

When hanging your artwork, place the center of the painting at your eye level, or about 5-1/2 feet to no more than 6 feet from the floor.  This height of placement invites the viewer into the painting. There is a tendency to hang the artwork too high, which disconnects the painting from the viewer.

If you have decided to purchase a new work of art, but you really don't have room for it, consider collecting a sufficient number of paintings to trade out in your home periodically, whether it is is seasonally, bi-annually or annually.  I have an aunt who changed her artwork and home decorations each season all the way into her 90's.  

Live and breathe art!

Of Art Reproductions and Authenticity

Artist's Proof, Limited Editions, Certificates of Authenticity.  What does it all really mean? As an art or sculpture purchaser, you will want to know what you are buying and proof that the print or reproduction you are buying is worth something.  Here are some answers.  

These are general answers and descriptions and may differ between artists, so be sure to ask how they interpret these terms.  On a side note, since nearly all printing is digital today, it tends to render the Artist's Proof tradition moot, however, it is still carried on in the art world.

Artist's Proof

An Artist's Proof (aka A.P. or AP or A/P) is a proof print that is part of the process of refining the reproduction of an etching, or other printmaking image, a photograph, or fine art reproduction, in preparation for a limited edition print run. They are also found in sculpture editions, such as bronze. These proofs are not considered part of the final limited edition run, but should not exceed ten percent of the final run quantity. If you have a limited edition of 100, then ten A/P's is the limit.  You will need to check your state for the laws concerning Artists Proofs, but that is what I have found to be the norm.  

Some say that an Artist's Proof is more valuable, as in the past they were the richer, more refined prints when printing etchings and other intaglio art forms.  Often they are saved by the artist, or given away, sometimes they are sold.

Limited Edition

A limited edition is an edition of identical prints that are numbered in order and signed by the artist.  The top number is the number of that particular print in sequence, and the bottom number is the limited quantity.  So, a print numbered a 10/50 is the tenth print created in an edition of 50 maximum prints of that image. It is said that the lower numbers are more valuable, so many artists will save those, generally prints numbered 1 through 9.

There are several approaches to limited editions of one image. Some assign a limit number of prints and include in that limit any size print they may print or that the customer wants.  Other artists have several limited editions for one image—each size and or media (paper type) has its own limited edition.  The choice is up to the artist. 

In the past, the plate from which the prints were run was destroyed after the limit was met, but that is not true today. 

Certificate of Authenticity

Often the artist will include a Certificate of Authenticity (Cert.), noting the quality of the paper and inks, who printed it, the original image medium and size, the limited edition number, and the artist's signature. 

Now you will be in-the-know the next time you shop for art!   

Here are few sample Certs: