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Tag: Art Collector
Dana Caldera’s ‘A Taste of the Seasons’ at Sweetgreen MKT Heights
I am delighted to share that my artwork is now part of Sweetgreen’s collection of emerging artists and on view permanently at the Sweetgreen MKT Heights location in Houston, Texas. Sweetgreen is known for it’s seasonal and locally sourced ingredients and super tasty salads. It’s also known for exceptional design and artwork.
This Architectural Digest article from 2018 explains why Sweetgreen continues to focus on design and artwork with the same care and attention to detail as it does the food. Sweetgreen’s founders want the design to be as refreshing as the salads. And as more Sweetgreen locations open up, they unveil more incredible collaborations with artists and architects.
”Because we have a very clean aesthetic, it’s a great canvas to showcase art,” Jammet says. A big part of Sweetgreen’s ethos is local sourcing, and this supply-chain strategy is echoed in its work with (often local) artists.
–Salad With a Side of Style: Why Sweetgreen is Investing in Local Design, by Hadley Keller, Architectural DigestFor this project, I created a 4 canvas series titled, A Taste of the Seasons, and featuring found paper collage elements sourced from my collected recipes and cookbooks. The artwork is made with mixed media, including pastel, graphite, acrylic, and the collage elements.
In April 2021, the Sweetgreen MKT Heights location opened in Houston (Sweetgreen’s third Houston location at the time), featuring artwork by Dana Caldera. The two previous Houston Sweetgreen locations include Sweetgreen Rice Village, featuring artwork by Lanecia Rouse Tinsley, and Sweetgreen Downtown, featuring artwork by Max Manning.
Sweetgreen works in partnership with Tappan Collective to bring commissions by emerging artists to each Sweetgreen location.
Things To Look For If You Buy Art At An Art Market
‘Tis the season for art markets, craft fairs, and flea markets. The artists and makers are here, ready to sell you beautiful, handmade artwork. But how do you know if it’s worth your money? Here are my tips to help you buy art at an art market with confidence.
Do you like it?
Liking the art is the first and most important thing. An art purchase is a personal choice, there is so much variability in fine art, and we all have our own tastes. What I like is different than what you like, and that is a beautiful thing.
So, we’ve established that you like the art. A lot. Here are some other things to look for.
Is it an original, a limited edition print, or a print?
There is nothing wrong with any of these options, but the difference will significantly affect the price of the artwork. An original will be the most expensive because it is one of a kind. The artist toiled over this artwork, and you are taking a tangible piece of that artist home with you. A limited-edition print is more valuable than a print because there is scarcity. The limited editions will be numbered, and you can see that you will own say 1 out of 50 of that print. Regular prints have no limits on reproduction.
Do you feel that the quality is high?
There is an intrinsic value to a work of art. Does the paper look or feel dense and luxurious? Does the paint appear well applied? Is the canvas frame heavy and robust? Is the artwork sealed?
Look for these markers of high-quality art-making. If the art is high priced, you should feel that the price aligns with the value of what you are buying.
Does the artist speak knowledgeably about their art?
There is also an added value to the artwork that depends on the artist and their experiences. Have they been creating art for years, do they show work elsewhere, or are they in prominent collections? Admittedly, these questions are harder to answer, but you can get a feel for the “validity” of the artist through a conversation with them.
Sure, it might be strange to ask them for their CV, but most artists probably have one handy, or at least on their website. For that matter, check their website. If you are about to spend hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars on a piece of art you just happened upon at an art market, the artist should not be offended if you want to do your homework.
Is the market curated?
The art market that I’m a part of, 1st Saturday Arts Market in the Heights, is a curated art market. This means that I had to apply and submit images of my artwork and website to become an approved artist vendor. Other big art festivals are most definitely curated. But not all are, so that’s one easy check.
Does the artist have a consistent voice?
Emerging artists seem to be everywhere, but when it comes to thinking of art as an investment, you want to buy from an artist that has consistency in their artwork. Might their art develop and change in the future, yes, but you can take comfort in selecting artwork from an artist that has gone through the work to establish a consistent style. These artists are typically further along on their career path and likely to continue to make art moving forward.
Does the pricing make sense?
Do the prices make sense to you? Are the small pieces cheaper than the large ones? Are there a lot marked at a steep discount? This may seem counter-intuitive, but you probably don’t want to see art marked at a significant discount because that means that there is a good chance you will buy a work of art in a series from that artist, and then three months later someone else will buy one for half price. By fluctuating their prices, the artist is changing the market value of the artwork that you purchased. Better to see that the artist holds prices steady or even increases them over time. That’s a good sign for your investment.
PS. I’m so glad you want to buy art at an art market. If you’re interested in collecting, here are some more tips on buying art in my post on Collecting Art 101. So, ready to go shopping this season? Here are the details for the art market I’ll be set up at this weekend.
Saturday, December 7
11 am – 6 pm
530 W. 19th St. Houston TX. 77008
What You Can Expect The First Time You Buy Art From A Gallery
Galleries are an essential player in today’s art world, and they serve many functions. A gallery supports the artists on their roster through showing, promoting, and selling their work, as well as behind-the-scenes support like financial management or book publishing. Galleries are knowledgable about art history, the art market, and current art trends. Buying through a gallery can give you peace of mind in the quality of your art investment.
Shopping at a gallery for the first time can feel intimidating, but it shouldn’t be. I recommend following the gallery you like online and getting to know their artist roster and point of view. Go to their art openings and events. Research the artists they represent and the price point of those artists. Galleries typically share prices on request, and there will be a price list posted for every art opening.
For this article, I’ve collaborated with local gallery owner and art historian, Cindy Lisica of Cindy Lisica Gallery (Houston), to help you know what you can expect the first time you buy art from a gallery.
How does a new collecter typically approach you for the first time?
If it’s a new person approaching the gallery, I wouldn’t necessarily know if they are a collector. So, anyone new is potentially a collector. People come to the gallery all sorts of ways, whether it be their first time in a gallery or just their first time in my gallery. Sometimes it is an opening or event that draws someone in, or perhaps a certain artist or show that they heard about. Or, they may just be “in the neighborhood.” I meet new collectors at art fairs and through social networks as well. In any case, I always make sure to welcome and encourage conversations, and I have converted art lovers into art buyers. Bringing art into the home is such a special and meaningful way to engage with the world and what you love.
I think sometimes the reason shopping at a galley is intimidating for first-time buyers is a lack of understanding of the value of the art. What do you recommend that a new collector do to be confident in the value of the artwork they are acquiring?
There are multiple answers to this. If they are concerned about the monetary value (beyond the aesthetic or “I just love it” connection), then there is nothing wrong with doing a little research on the gallery, its owner and the artists that show there. Reputable galleries and serious artists will serve as a guide to this through their activities, such as upcoming exhibitions, art fair participation, an active studio practice, museum shows, list of collections in which their work is found, and of course, their CV. Some artists have a history of gallery representation in multiple cities and therefore would have consistent prices and exhibitions between those venues, giving the collector the assurance that the work will continue to gain value into the future.
If a collector wants to look at work from an artist that is not currently displayed, how should they ask you about it?
Often I invite collectors into the “back room” and we also have inventory in art storage on site and off site. We have images and databases and can “pull” pieces from storage any time. I am always happy to show other work that is not currently on display. The gallery is constantly working to promote all of their artists, so the exhibition in the gallery space is just one facet of the whole business. We exhibit and represent artists working in various media as well (sculpture, painting, photography, new/mixed media, installation, etc.) so we welcome requests or inquiries accordingly and for specific needs.
What advice do you have for first-time art collectors looking to shop at galleries?
Look at a lot of art, and ask questions, but always pay attention to and trust yourself. It’s a bit cliché, but it’s true: buy what you love, and you can’t go wrong. Why talk yourself out of something that moves you? If you want it, have it. Treat yourself, if you can, and you will enjoy it more than that one time you saw it in a gallery. An artwork can be consistently “fresh” if it gives you that initial sweet reaction every time you see it. That is something that great art does – it speaks to you over and over, not just because it’s “new”. You have a relationship with it (and the artist/gallery that you’ve supported through its purchase). Someone created that unique piece, and now you get to live with it. Your collection is something that you can also enjoy sharing with guests, and you can be proud to have art in your home. Who wants to be surrounded by blank walls or empty space all the time, anyway?
You can find Cindy Lisica Gallery online here for current and upcoming exhibitions. The next opening reception at Cindy Lisica Gallery is for artist Diane Burko, opening on Friday, May 3. This summer at Cindy Lisica Gallery is great for new collectors, as they are teaming up with PrintMatters Houston with a group exhibition of (affordable) limited edition prints in an International exchange show from Medellin, Colombia and HTX. And they’ll have another summer popup called “Heat Wave” which highlights local artists.
Additional questions? Leave them below.
If you’d like some additional reading, here is a helpful article from Artsy that details some critical steps for buying from a gallery. I also have a post on buying original art you can read here.
