Art Collecting DO’S and DON’TS – Part 1

Posted on by sorrelskygallery

Owning art that you personally connect with is both satisfying and enriching. But how do you go about buying art, or more specifically, collecting art? How do you keep it fun while maintaining a longterm goal?

In each segment of this 4-part Art Collecting DO’S and DON’TS series, we’ll cover 3 Do’s and 2 Don’ts. Our hope is that you’ll feel empowered and inspired to keep making your art collection dreams a reality!

DO

DO BE TRUE TO YOU – Yes, educate yourself as much as you can … but, buy what YOU like, what speaks to YOU. Look for artists that are new to you or that you have long admired. Look for art that resonates with who you are, where you’ve been, where you are and where you’re going.

DO KEEP AN OPEN MIND – Don’t confine yourself to the same artists, genres or mediums. Be open to expanding your search to include what you may be curious about, but hesitant to investigate. Think about who you may be sharing this collection with over time.

DO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS – Take time to select well-respected and established galleries. Create a relationship with a member of their personnel, someone who is both knowledgeable and pleasant to work with, and who is also interested in building a relationship. Those connections will go a long way in making your collecting journey enjoyable and rewarding.

DON’T

DON’T COPY OTHERS – Resist the impulse to follow others as they pursue a current trend or ‘hot’ artist. This might be tempting but the end result will not be a collection that reflects who you are. Nor will the process be nearly as satisfying and fulfilling as compared to following your own path.

DON’T OVERLOOK SMALL ART – Paintings that typically measuring 12×12 or smaller make for fantastic pieces for beginner collectors. Galleries often have an entire section of their space dedicated to these tiny gems. For more established collectors, hanging several of them in the “gallery wall” style creates a dynamic, impactful display.

Gallery wall display at Sorrel Sky Gallery featuring two dimensional and three dimensional artwork.

In our next Art Collecting DO’S and DON’TS segment, we’ll talk about commitment, “on approval” buying and staying limitless.