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Author: Dana
Buying Original Art 101
You’re ready. You’ve moved into a bigger space. You bought the rug, and that big blank space over your couch is begging for an upgrade from the Ikea poster you’ve had since your first apartment. It’s time to buy a piece of original art.
In this post, I’ll share the four basic things to do before you buy art and my recommendation on where to start.
- Make sure you love it. Art should make you feel something. Original artwork isn’t usually a return type of purchase, so be sure you want it.
- Set a realistic budget. You can read more about pricing in my post on understanding the price of original art (coming soon!), but for now, know that the size, material, and artist’s career history will all affect the cost of your artwork.
- Get to know the artist or gallery where you’re looking to buy. Follow them on social media, go to their openings, start a conversation. Artists and galleries desire to sell work so they will be receptive to your attempts to reach out.
- Try to see the work in person. If you live in the same city, consider making an appointment for a studio/gallery visit and indicate you are interested in investing.
Buying art will look different depending on the situation. You could buy directly from an artist, from a website (whether an artist-hosted personal shop or an online gallery), from a gallery, from an auction, or through an art consultant.
Where should you start?
If you want to build your collection on your own over time, I recommend keeping an eye out for artwork that moves you and inquiring when that artwork presents itself. Your first purchase is most likely going to come directly from an artist that you’ve spotted online or when you’re strolling through a maker market. Both of the sellers in these environments will be receptive to your questions and will make you feel great about your new piece of art.
If you want to fill your entire house with artwork at once, then it makes sense to visit a gallery or contact an art consultant. They will have access to a roster of artists and can help you fill your home with multiple art pieces in your price range. Similarly, if you want to start big with an established artist or a multi-thousand dollar investment, there is a lot of piece-of-mind that comes from working with a gallerist or consultant. Galleries can provide services such as white glove install, shipping insurance, and a history of working with artists that go on to have successful careers, which means your piece is more likely to retain its value.
Yes, there are lots of things to think about when it comes to purchasing art, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Start with something small, like an email to inquire, and see where the conversation goes from there. If you’ve got a commission on your mind, read my post on how to commission artwork from an artist.
Have fun shopping for your art and be in touch if you have a question. You can leave a comment here or send me an email/DM.
What To Do When Your Artist Asks To Borrow Artwork Back …And Why It’s A Good Thing
Borrowing back artwork is something that I’d never heard of until I entered the art world. It’s not surprising if you haven’t either.
An artist may ask a collector to borrow back a previously purchased artwork to have it in an art show. Artists can have art shows in galleries or juried spaces like museums or art centers. Most likely the artist submitted your piece to be in a show before it was purchased and found out after it was in your collection that it was accepted. Or, if you own work from a highly established artist, they may have early-career or retrospective shows in a museum where your piece is needed.
This recently happened to me. In January I found out that an art museum accepted one of the pieces I submitted into their curated show. I gleefully contacted my gallerist to ask for the artwork only to find out that it had sold!
So, what are you to do if you are on the collector side? Here’s what I recommend.
- Ask questions to be sure you understand the details. When you purchased the artwork, the artist or gallerist may have mentioned this possibility to you or maybe not. You’ll want to know where the work will be shown, for how long, and who will make the arrangements.
- Request that the institution pay for shipping and insurance (this is standard) and credit you in either the brochure or wall label. If you are working with an emerging artist and the show is in a small institution, there may not be standard insurance. Ask the artist/gallerist/curator about this upfront and come up with an arrangement that makes you feel comfortable. Perhaps you allow the artist to self-insure the work by offering to fix it or replace it with something else if it gets damaged – they made the first one after all!
- Ask the artist/gallerist/curator for a loan agreement. Make sure that all of the conditions of the loan are clear and signed in writing. Most institutions will have a loan agreement on file.
- Only say yes if you are comfortable with the arrangement. If the artwork is fragile or the risk of damage due to travel is high, then it is acceptable to decline. Navigating this situation could be touchy, but ultimately you own the artwork and can choose not to participate.
Now, why should you go through all this trouble?
It’s a good thing when an artist asks you to loan back a work of art. It means that the artist’s career is flourishing and the investment you made when you purchased their artwork was a good one. Each time an art piece is in a show, that specific piece increases in value. It is exciting to own artwork that has a long show history.
Most importantly, you are continuing to support the career of the artist that caught your eye. Making a living as an artist is difficult, and when a collector agrees to a loan, it’s a win for everyone.
P.S. Don’t forget to get the details on the show so that you can attend the opening reception and Instagram the heck out of the “Courtesy of your name here” acknowledgment plaque on a museum wall.
An Artist’s Letter to Her Child
My Dearest,
From the beginning, you were meant to be mine. As you grew, my heart started opening to you. Slowly, some days, and steadily you made a home in my soul as your body grew in my body. And now, as I wait to see your face, I think of the things I want for you.
I want you to explore. Be curious, run free, immerse yourself in this vast world.
I want you to get messy. Touch the earth, be barefoot, make mistakes.
I want you to be fearless. Follow through on your ideas, create something new, add to the world.
I want you to love. Find passion for a dream, find beauty in others, feel love.
We will meet soon.
Love always, Mom
How To Commission Artwork From An Artist
You’ve been following this artist on Instagram for some time now, and you love their work. You’ve stalked their website, and there doesn’t seem to be a shop option. Besides, you want something that will be a perfect fit for your home.
Sound familiar?
What you need is to be able to tell the artist the exact size and colors that will work in your space. What you need is a commission.
A commission is when a collector (that’s you!) arranges to purchase a work of art that has not been created yet. Often, the collector has input on the size, colors, and style of the work that the artist will make for them. Most artists will work on commission, but not all artists talk about it.
So what should you do?
First, take a look at the artist’s website.
Some artists will have clear directions for ordering commissions, and you simply have to follow them. Most artists, myself included, will have a contact form with a note about making contact if you are interested in purchasing work on commission.
Second, contact the artist per their instructions.
Indicate that you want to commission artwork. You should know what size and style you are looking for and about how much you want to spend. Artists don’t always publish prices so don’t be afraid to ask. The artist will respond and explain how they personally handle commissions, their rates, and the timeline you can expect. You will see a lot of variability between artists and their processes for handling commissions. For example, the artist may ask for payment up front, payment on delivery, or a down payment.
Third, be sensible and specific.
Be clear about what you want. Point the artist to other pieces of theirs that you like. If you have an aversion to the color pink, by all means, tell them! Also be respectful. If you see that the artist works mainly in watercolor landscapes, don’t request an acrylic portrait. Never ask an artist to copy a piece of art made by another artist.
Commissions should be beneficial to both you and the artist and leave you feeling happy about your new acquisition. If I left anything out, leave a question below, and I’ll do my best to answer it.
Happy commissioning!
Five Senses October
Years ago, when I had a blog on Blogger and read blogs every morning with my coffee, I came across this blog series. I love the simplicity of an update like this and how it provides a powerful, descriptive glimpse into one’s life in this moment. Now that I’m blogging again, I can’t help but bring it back.
S E E I N G the neighborhood sidewalks and restaurant patios fill with life as the weather cools.
T A S T I N G homemade German chocolate birthday cake.
H E A R I N G the soundtrack of football games.
S M E L L I N G newly washed baby clothes and blankets.
T O U C H I N G precious and powerful baby kicks as we near our due date in mid-October.
5 Things I Learned From Hosting My First Open Studio Sale
Partner with other artists and makers.
I reached out to several of my local maker friends to ask if they would like to pop up at my studio sale. To my surprise, many of them said yes. I contacted artists that work in diverse media so that customers would get the chance to shop many different kinds of items. For example, I had jewelry, ceramic sculpture, functional ceramics, and visual art present at this sale.
Ceramic artist Amanda Barry set up for the open studio sale. Promote it as curated and intimate.
Think of the competition. Markets pop up throughout the city almost every weekend. Stand out by sharing that you partnered with local artists that you respect. Your guests will rest easy knowing that they are buying pieces that you agree are high quality.Make sure the community knows it’s a sale.
Many of the large collective art studio buildings have open studio days regularly. Make it clear that your event is a sale set up for your guests to shop. You want guests to come prepared to purchase something or at least price shop for a future purchase.Make the experience unique.
Unlike the large art markets, I was opening up my personal space. I included special touches like refreshments, seating, and a sign-in book. I chose to reach out to a local brewery and had some beer donated for our guests as well as some water and lemonade. Since I held my sale in the summer, I also had fans and bug spray set around to make the environment outside more tolerable. Don’t forget the basics like trash cans, info on parking, and a solution for a restroom.
Jewelry set up by artist Adriane Wiltse at the open studio sale. Be patient and have some low priced items for impulse buyers.
I was grateful that all the artists that partnered with me made sales at the event, especially since this was the first one I ever planned. In reality, the artist that made the fewest sales was me. I believe that this is due to two main reasons. First, visual art is often more expensive than the other art that was at the sale. Second, visual art is rarely an impulse buy.All the items I sold were $80 or under and three of those purchases came after the sale from follow up requests. I did, however, have two larger pre-sales from friends that have followed my work for years. Since I don’t have an online shop, the studio sale acted as a catalyst to urge these friends to finally make their purchase.There you have it.
Overall, the open studio sale was a success. I will look to host one again in the spring and build upon these lessons. Do you have any experience selling directly from your studio? How did it go for you?Artists featured Adriane Wiltse and Amanda Barry. Photos by Kentra Gilbert.
MFA Thesis Statement
My art is an investigation of humanity and relationships. I use mixed media to explore the human condition, especially as it relates to our interaction with others. I overlap the figures, varying the media and the size, so that one is left questioning how the people in my work are meant to interact with each other. Through the application of a large variation of media, including but not limited to: collage, photography, oil paint, acrylic paint, gesso, gouache, pastel, charcoal, graphite and ink, I approach the serious questions I have about the human experience through playful exploration.
The process of creating the artwork proceeds from a balance of discovery and destruction. The artwork begins with intuitive color washes that come to be human form as the artwork develops. By the time a work is finished, the original figure has likely been destroyed, making room for other figures that are unveiled in their place. Each of the layers leaves an impression as I add and subtract media, building the piece to its fruition. Hints of underlaying figures are as integral to the message as the bold figures that stand out in the foreground.
The artwork, Marie (2016), shows a complex layering of figures such that the bold profile of the young woman is interrupted by the underlaying silhouettes that show from beneath her. There is the suggestion of at least two other forms that can be identified by the remnants of hands, one drawn in the top left and one collaged into the bottom center. The hands lead to wrists that seem to disappear behind Marie and lead us to wonder about the story she is telling us about her human experience.
The thematic elements of my work play out in 3 different types of work: mixed media paintings on panel or paper, photo based paintings, and shadow boxes. Each of the series uses overlapping figures to investigate human interaction and the impressions we make upon each other. Whether figures are drawn directly on a photograph as in Father, Soldier, Son (2016) or figures are formed in wire and suspended over a photograph as in Memory Boxes (2016), the tension created when multiple human forms are combined and obscured is present in all of the artwork. Ultimately each piece contains moments of clarity, suspension, and mystery, mirroring the precarious balance of confidence and insecurity within us.
My artwork is characterized by ethereal, transparent layers of color combined with bold line-work. The mark of the artist is evident through brush strokes, drips and scratches. Often, parts of the work are left underdeveloped but for a few marks from the original layers of the piece. The work is expressive, emotional, and vulnerable. The movement communicates a sense of energy and possibility. They are almost playful. One gets a sense that they could join me in my search for understanding of our social relationships.
GENOCIDE: Man’s Inhumanity to Humankind
“GENOCIDE: Man’s Inhumanity to Humankind” Press Release
September 30, 2016 through December 31, 2016
Mincberg GalleryHolocaust Museum Houston’s first contemporary juried exhibit, “GENOCIDE: Man’s Inhumanity to Humankind,” includes 65 selections representing 2D and 3D media. Works featured are from the more than 600 submissions by Texas area artists, with the exception of film and video. 
“Justice for Genocide”
by Leslie M. GuzmánThis contemporary art exhibition explores the suffering humans are capable of bestowing on one another.
“GENOCIDE” is the brainchild of Holocaust Museum Houston’s changing exhibitions committee, including Gus Kopriva, owner of the Redbud Gallery in Houston, and Clint Willour, curator for the Galveston Arts Center. Willour also was the juror of the exhibition. He has served as juror for numerous commercial and non-profit organizations.
The topic of genocide is part of HMH’s mission to teach the dangers against hatred, prejudice and apathy. Through the eyes of each artists’ work, these lessons are reflected vividly, hauntingly and provocatively with the understanding of the brutality and senselessness of such acts.
Inviting artists with ties to Texas inspires collaboration with the museum and further promotes the programs and activities of HMH. Privately donated cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place and a catalogue will be produced.
HMH members are invited to a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, October 13, 2016, with opening remarks by Gus Kopriva and Clint Willour at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, but advance registration is required for this reception. Visit http://www.hmh.org/RegisterEvent.aspx to RSVP online. To renew a membership or to join and attend, visit www.hmh.org, e-mail membership@hmh.org or call 713-527-1616.
Holocaust Museum Houston is dedicated to educating people about the Holocaust, remembering the 6 million Jews and other innocent victims and honoring the survivors’ legacy. Using the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides, the Museum teaches the dangers of hatred, prejudice and apathy.
Holocaust Museum Houston’s Morgan Family Center is located in Houston’s Museum District at 5401 Caroline St., Houston, TX 77004. For more information about the Museum, call 713-942-8000 or visitwww.hmh.org.
Reflections on an Artist’s Studio
Part I: The studio as a path to legitimacy.
My first studio was in high school, as an advanced placement art student I was given an easel and storage drawers that were for my individual use. I chose a space near a corner where two walls quickly filled with my sketches and paintings. I was eager to make my mark on the space.
After high school, my art practice waned and I did not keep a studio. I struggled to identify as an artist. I kept creating here and there, mostly on the side of my bedroom with the window open and fans on high.
In 2010 I made the conscious decision to pursue art with a focused practice. I made changes to my goals, my schedule and my finances and I rented an art studio. With one action, I shifted my identity from amateur to artist.
When my husband and I bought our home in 2013 my priority was a home with dedicated studio space. The detached garage is now my favorite part of the house. I am also fond of the kitchen.
Part II: The studio as a reflection of the artist.
The artist’s studio has always held a mystique and fascination for me. Even my first childhood observations of group studio rooms during after-school art lessons left me daydreaming of the individuals who worked in that space. There is no place more representative of the inhabitant and their inner being than a working artist’s studio.
During the time I rented a studio I loved the open studio days because of the opportunity to visit other artists’ studios. They were quirky, messy and still full of mystery. Each object a question to be asked. Each question a pathway toward understanding the artist.
Although I had dreamed of my own studio, the reality of my long-time dream left me insecure. My studio was clean. My studio was neat. Cluttering my studio just for show felt disingenuous. Was I mysterious? Was I an artist?
Slowly I adjusted to the idea of my studio as a place to work. In my studio I am productive and curious and brave. I work better in an environment with less clutter.
When friends visit the house they want to see my garage studio. I show them, nervously, and am met with pleasant questions about most of the things within. I am mysterious to them.
The artist’s studio is a retreat into the artist’s mind. Whether the space is filled with inspiration, tidiness, chaos, relaxation, seriousness or play; the space is possessed solely by the artist. There will never be another like it.
