Collecting
art can be a most pleasurable pastime. It can be one of the most
rewarding, relaxing, and engaging experiences that one can undertake, either as a leisure time
pursuit or in a more committed, serious way. The rewards gained from collecting can lead to an increase in the number
of social acquaintances and friends of a similar mindset; development
of a skill set that broadens and enhances one’s appreciation of the fine arts; offer
an opportunity to visit local, national, and international art galleries and
museums, art festivals, and art fairs; and provide a form of entertainment.
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| Don Griffin, Round Midnight, 2015, mixed media collage on paper, 22"x 30". (Baltimore based artist) |
I have been approached on numerous occasions, either through personal conversations, emails, or on social media, with questions about collecting art. Because of those questions, I am now taking the time to express some of my thoughts on collecting African American art. Because these thoughts are being expressed in a blog post, they are somewhat skeletal in scope; however, they provide an outline that can be expanded in the future, perhaps into a longer article or series of articles. These personal tips, to varying degrees, should prove useful to the beginning, as well as the seasoned collector.
TIPS
Create a Budget
Contrary to popular belief, buying art is not a
luxury relegated to the super-rich. It is doable at many price points. To avoid frustration and anxiety, create a budget for buying art, and you will certainly find pieces to fit within that budget. I cannot overemphasize the importance of creating a budget. You do not want to become frustrated from what should be a pleasurable pursuit. How much can you comfortably spend on art collecting a year? As a strategy, create a fund for collecting, and set aside an amount each month that might get you to your yearly goal. A good start is to set up a budget before you buy your first piece. You may even want to consider limiting the number of art pieces that you purchase a year until you become comfortable and knowledgeable about the art market. Yes, as a collector, you are a part of the art market, which is a part of the larger art world, inhabited by those who buy and sell, including dealers, collectors, and auction houses.
If you are starting on a limited budget, printmaking and photography are a wonderful way to collect original art because they are available in multiples and are often less expensive. Regardless of the media, when buying art, you are safe as long as you choose artworks that reflect your personal taste and that you love. When selecting and purchasing something that you love, the beauty rarely if ever fades, and you get to engage with and enjoy the work on a daily basis. I like to look at collecting art as a pleasurable pursuit, done with balance and moderation. Following this guideline, it remains a relaxing, enjoyable, and educationally enriching pastime.
If you are starting on a limited budget, printmaking and photography are a wonderful way to collect original art because they are available in multiples and are often less expensive. Regardless of the media, when buying art, you are safe as long as you choose artworks that reflect your personal taste and that you love. When selecting and purchasing something that you love, the beauty rarely if ever fades, and you get to engage with and enjoy the work on a daily basis. I like to look at collecting art as a pleasurable pursuit, done with balance and moderation. Following this guideline, it remains a relaxing, enjoyable, and educationally enriching pastime.
Get
to Know Your Local Artists
Find
an artist whose work attracts and grabs your attention in some way, then get to
know this artist and his work. Engage the artist to understand what
he/she is
doing, how he/she does it, and why. As you look for possible artists to collect,
be
creative
in
where you look for their works, consider such places as art schools, college
and
university galleries, local galleries, alternative spaces such as public
libraries, restaurants, coffee houses, and the like. Seek out local artists
talks, attend art openings to talk with the artists, and visit artists’ studios.
There is usually an arts section in the local and community newspapers; become familiar with the papers and reading the arts section. Seek the name of
local artists through these communication sources. If there is an African
American newspaper in you city or region, learn where you may be able to buy or
read copies of these papers. If you do not have access to a paper copy of the
newspaper, often it may be accessed online. The local or regional African
American newspaper will often have reviews and schedules of current art
exhibitions on view in the locale it covers. Discovering new artists and getting to
know the depth and breadth of their work becomes a fascinating and rewarding
experience as you mold the scope of your collection.
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| Billy Colbert, Washington, D.C. based artist |
Find
Out What You Like
Finding out what you like may take time, but be patient in the process. What catches your eye?
What moves you? Are there pieces or mediums that attract you? You want to view
as much as you can to find out what you like. Before
making even the first purchase, visit a number
of galleries; look at the modern and contemporary art exhibitions at local museums; visit galleries and museums when traveling to other cities. One of your richest resources to draw on in the future will be the experience gained from learning about and seeing the work of as many local and contemporary
artists first hand. When visiting an artist’s
studio, ask the artist if you can take pictures of the works that you like so
you might view them at your convenience. Look at these images and study why you
like them. Get to know your local
galleries; visit their websites or social media pages to read about the artists
they represent; get on their mailing list to be invited to art exhibition
openings, artists talks, and other gallery programs. Visit and join your local
art museum(s), and if there are local nonprofit art centers, get to know them as
well. As you explore and discover the riches in museums, also look into becoming familiar with the Association of African American Museums (AAAM) and identify those member institutions that are focused on the visual arts. All of these previously mentioned venues usually present programs by curators or experienced
art collectors on some aspect of collecting. They also afford you an
opportunity to engage with other collectors.
As a collector, if your interest expands beyond local artists, the Internet affords you an opportunity to expand and broaden your scope of collecting by visiting galleries across the country. Be patient; keep looking, then look some more, and notice how you react to the work by a specific artist or even a specific piece. Eventually, you will trust your judgment and instinct.
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| Claudia Gibson-Hunter, Washington, D.C. based artist in her studio |
As a collector, if your interest expands beyond local artists, the Internet affords you an opportunity to expand and broaden your scope of collecting by visiting galleries across the country. Be patient; keep looking, then look some more, and notice how you react to the work by a specific artist or even a specific piece. Eventually, you will trust your judgment and instinct.
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| Claudia Gibson-Hunter, France Admonished, 2014, mixed collage, 30¾" x 29¼" |
Educate Yourself by Accessing Information about Art and Artists
Read contemporary art books and
exhibition catalogues that feature the work of African American artists. Your
local book store(s), public library, the local college/university library,
or a museum library will have or will be able to get books on African American
art/artists for you to read. You may want to seek out and look at books and magazines at these
institutions before making a purchase. As time passes, you will find yourself wanting to begin
to invest in a small selection of books and magazines that support your area of
collecting.
To identify African American artists, seek information from a number of online sources such as:
- African American Visual Artists Database (AAVAD)
- Black Art Project (BAP); Twitter: @BlackArtProject
- Black Artist News
- Black Art in America
- and others (Conduct a keyword search using African American art, Black art, or an artist by name, and etc. on Twitter and other social media platforms.)
These sources are an asset for identifying artists, as well as offering links to the latest articles and books relating to African American artists. Journal and magazine articles provide a wealth of information on art. In addition to the well-known, popular titles, such as ARTnews, Artforum, Art in America, Art Papers, especially become familiar with magazines with a focus on Black artists:
International Review of African American Art (IRAAA); IRAAA online journal
The Studio Museum in Harlem Magazine
Callaloo: Art and Culture in the African Diaspora (Callaloo Art)
Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art
Black Renaissance / Renaissance Noire
There are a number of African American culturally centered magazines that may feature the work of an artist in select issues. Become familiar with these titles.
The following are a few books that you might consider reading:
The Art of Buying Art by Alan Bamberger
The Art of Buying Art: An Insider’s Guide to Collecting Contemporary Art by Paige West
The Value of Art by Michael Findlay
Collecting African American Art: Works on Paper and Canvas by Halima Taha
As you become familiar with the literature, you will want to venture into reading art reviews and press releases.
Auction houses are another excellent source for
identifying artists, as well as making purchases. Become familiar with the
local auction house(s) in your community or region to see if they are having
any auctions that may include the works of Black artists. In addition, get on
the mailing list or follow Swann
John Kennebrew, Atlanta collector, viewing art at Swann Galleries
Galleries (New York). They have an average of two major African-American Fine Art auctions a year for which they
publish catalogues as well as provide online access to the auctions. Another
rich source is Invaluable, an online bidding platform that includes fine art auctions, which is the leading
provider of data services to auction houses in the US and across Europe. In
addition to this service, they have a partnership with premier galleries and
dealers, whereby, they process and offer fixed price items. Auction houses,
galleries and dealers use Invaluable
to deepen relationships with millions of clients around the world, connecting
people with the things they love. When visiting these auction sources online,
they provide you the capability to execute a keyword search by using African American
artists or African American art as a search term.
Connect with Other Collectors
I encourage the idea of social
networking with other collectors either on a casual basis or more formalized as
an organized group. Regardless of the arrangement, the benefits are endless
when creating a social camaraderie with another collector or other collectors.
Sharing your thoughts and your collection with others, and hearing what other
collectors are doing can only strengthen and enhance your experience as a
collector. Many friends groups at museums have a specialized group focused on
African American art. Seek out examples of such active groups across the
country. The Black Art Project has devoted a couple of posts entirely focused on such groups; you
may want to look at those groups as a starting point. SEE: Friends Groups; Friends Groups addendum
If not a group, you may simply want to interact with just a small number of individuals on a more personal level. As you visit art programs related to exhibitions, and those specifically geared towards the collector at museums and galleries, you will get to meet individuals with a common interest or who may be interested in works by similar artists.
If not a group, you may simply want to interact with just a small number of individuals on a more personal level. As you visit art programs related to exhibitions, and those specifically geared towards the collector at museums and galleries, you will get to meet individuals with a common interest or who may be interested in works by similar artists.
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| Terry Dixon, Will I See You Again, 2010, mixed media, 36"x 48". (Chicago based artist) |
Seek Advice
Buying art is not the first step
in the process of collecting. Be informed because you want to feel comfortable
as you venture into the art world. When you feel comfortable, then dive into making that first purchase.
Periodically reassess your taste and don’t be afraid to experiment. The
Internet can be your friend through your growth process; feel comfortable using
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, and other social media platforms. Continually
train the eye. Even after making the first purchase or those first few purchases, you will want to seek advice on the following: housing the art (frame, mat, glass, etc.), insurance, estate plans, documentation, etc. This section of the process of collecting, "seeking advice", should be seriously considered after the art has been purchased, and probably warrants a blog post dedicated to what needs to be done after securing your first few pieces of art.
Enjoy the journey of collecting art by African American artists.
