Have you ever bought a piece of art? Perhaps a print or a painting or a sculpture?
If you haven’t bought any art yet, you’re in for a treat.
You can become an art collector even if your resources aren’t great.
Off and on through the years, when we’ve seen a piece of art we liked, we’ve bought it. Not for thousands of dollars… but for modest amounts we could afford.
We’ve made a practice of buying directly from artists. When we can, we visit their studios to learn more about them and what they do and why.
And slowly, piece by piece, we’ve developed an art collection.
Ours is not a collection that we have assembled for its investment value. And we’re not collectors in any snooty way. But we’ve collected interesting art that not only adds richness to our walls, but also connects us with artists.
Never Thought About Yourself as an Art Collector?
Actually, I didn’t think of myself as an art collector either!
Many people never even consider buying art or being “collectors.”
But I encourage you to buy a piece of art now and again from an artist.
It doesn’t have to be expensive. You’ve just got to like it and have some connection to the person who made it. And you’ve got to be willing to take care of it through the years.
If you start buying art now, in several years, you’ll have created a collection of work that has meaning to you. And yup, you will have become an art collector!
Each piece you own will have a little story from your life woven into it. You’ll remember when you bought it and why. And you might get to know some artists you probably wouldn’t have gotten to know otherwise.
Start Your Art Collection Today
I have a suggestion for you.
If you’re eager to start (or add to) your art collection today, I have the perfect piece to suggest…
It’s an inexpensive limited edition print by artist Dan McCarthy and it comes with a unique story.
This beautiful 15″ x 15″ forest scene features intriguing silvery light and whale bones (which you can’t see well in the reproduction here). It’s richly screened with six colors. It’s one of those pieces I love best because the longer you look at it, the more you see.
Why am I suggesting you buy this particular piece?
Not only is it a wonderful print, but on the back of it, you’ll find a hand-written code to download 12 songs by my talented musician daughter Carla Kihlstedt and her husband Matthias Bossi.
Every year, they release a CD of the 12 songs they’ve written and recorded throughout the past 12 months (one on the first of each month).
And this year, innovators that they are, they’ve released their newest collection of songs, Swallow Me Whole, with this special print rather than a traditional CD. They’ve worked with print-maker and neighbor Dan McCarthy and each print is signed by all three of them.
It’s an affordable and special way to start your art collection with both art and music.
For $40 plus shipping, you can purchase this beautiful signed, limited edition hand screened print.
Have it framed when it arrives and hang it on your wall.
Get Acquainted With Your Artists
Then, the next time you go to Cape Cod, stop by to say hello to Carla and her family. Tell her I sent you. And get in touch with Dan McCarthy to see if you can visit his studio.
In that way, your art collecting will begin not only with acquiring wonderful works of art, but also by getting to know the artists who made them. And those special memories will trigger every time you look at the piece.
I hope you have as much fun collecting art as we have!
Imagine Yourself as an Art Collector
Take a minute today and think about what it would be like to be an art collector. Think about what it could it add to your life… both today, and for many years to come.
Please share your thoughts about collecting art in the comments box below. And if you do purchase the print above, let me know how you like it and what it feels like to own such a rich and interesting piece!
So I stared at that picture and it is quite captivating! I was never one to collect pictures or hang things on walls (my sisters get on me about this all the time) – Maybe its time to break the mold??????????