An Aesthete’s Guide to Starting an Art Collection
If you are looking for aesthetic room decor. The only thing more difficult than beginning a collection is stopping. Once you’ve got your hands on just one, it’s an addiction that’s all too easy to feed and near impossible to stop.
Art has the unique ability to connect us with history and culture in a way that no other medium can. Its elemental nature transforms beautiful shapes, colors, and textures into a group of symbols that as a society we’ve been weaving together for centuries.
But how do you start a collection? How do you begin to create a history from the colors and shapes on a two-dimensional surface? These simple guidelines will get you started.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Affordable
When it comes to starting an aesthetic room decor art collection there are a few hard and fast rules that can’t be broken or bent in one way or another. One of the more rigid rules of the collection is not to collect anything that you can’t stand losing. Art collections are notorious for bearing significant losses when markets go south, so know your financial limitations and stick to them.
The less expensive an item is, the easier it will be to part with if necessary. There’s no need to have all of your eggs in one basket. A collection is a snapshot of your interests at that moment in time, not an end goal.
Keep It Personal
As collections grow they tend to drift away from their core focus. You may think you’re building an investment, but unless you plan on selling off pieces as the market dictates it’s best to stay focused on your initial intention. Selling a piece for a gain tends to be a double-edged sword because while it’s great not to lose money on the item you want to get rid of, your collection won’t benefit from it either.
Choose Less Popular Topic
Crowds are rarely the way to go when creating a wall art collection. You needn’t look any further than the many examples of the “Market Bubble” that has increased art prices into the stratosphere. The larger your collection gets, the more money you’re likely to lose when something popular comes up for sale.
There is often some truth to the phrase, “everything’s been done,” so it’s best not to collect anything that’s been done to death. Look for the more obscure titles and artists who may not be as popular, but whose work is of equal quality and investment potential.
Take It Slow
Once you start feeling overwhelmed by all the different directions Modern art paintings can take, it’s time to hit pause on your creative journey and take some time off. The best collections are built over the course of years and decades, not just a year or two. There’s no need to rush into anything before you’re ready to handle it.
Don’t let yourself get caught up in the art “hype” that pops up every year at Basel and Art Basel Miami. Just because an artist is popular doesn’t mean they’re good, nor does it matter if they’re even still alive. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was the finest art collection that you’ll ever put together.
Mixed Media is the Way to Go
It’s easy to get hung up on one particular medium or style during aesthetic room decor but when it comes to an art collection, you’re better off diversifying your interests. Look for artists who work in a variety of media and styles so that you can establish a diverse selection of items that range from paintings, drawings and sculptures, to lithographs and silkscreens.
Stick to What You Know Best – Until You Don’t
When you start out building a collection it is best not to spread yourself too thin by trying to own work from an artist in every medium. Instead, pare things down until you really know what you’re looking for before branching out into new areas.
As you become more knowledgeable about a particular medium or theme it becomes easier to expand your horizons and branch out from there. In the art world, as in life, change comes little by little, not all at once.
Keep Your Eyes Open
The best way to build an art collection is to keep your eyes open for opportunities to get new pieces at a bargain. Few things in life are more satisfying than getting something you’ve been looking for without paying full price, so always keep your eyes open for deals.
Remember Why You Started in the First Place
Whether it was a special aesthetic room decor or wall art painting that caught your eye or one of the countless stories you heard about collecting, there was a reason. Take some time to reminisce and then get back to having fun with whatever type of art collection you choose.
It’s not just an investment – It’s passion!
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