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Updated: July 8, 2009, 10:34 am	Share    Print    Email

By some law of attraction, possibly genetic, we seek to acquire whatever objects catch our eye and take them home. We pick flowers. We collect seashells. We haunt flea markets for "finds". In short, we scavenge the world for anything and everything. The list of "collectibles" is endless and has no boundaries. Some of us collect art, but over all, art collectors remain a rare breed. Why?

Andy Warhol

According to a recent article in the New York Times, there's a newly coined term, "Art Buying Paralysis" that helps shed light on this question. Some forms of this modern malady include feelings of intimidation upon entering an art gallery, obsession with perceived investment value, even fears about making an unfashionable choice. "Art", after all, is a barometer of class and taste. If you select the "wrong thing," your apparent lack of polish and culture is graphically exposed.

Complicating matters, even interior designers can't agree. There's a difference of opinion about art collecting as it pertains to the art and execution of interior design. Many designers don't want to select art for clients because the criteria for selecting art, clashes with the logic and rationales used for creating an interior. Other designers see the addition of good art as the final crowning jewel for a beautiful home design.

And then, the prospective art buyer should be clear whether they are starting a collection for love of art, or for profit and status. According to renowned dealer and collector Eugene V. Thaw, there is no real art market as much as there is hype and spin. "There's just trophies and what they can be hyped up to," which is how a Rothko owned by David Rockefeller, originally appraised for $10 million about nine months before it sold at Sotheby's, went for $72.8 million at the time of sale. There was a tremendous amount of promotion for months prior to the auction causing the sale dollars to be spun into the heavens.

So, where do you stand? To find out, give yourself time to:

 • Learn what you like as well as the difference between "good art" and "bad art" from those in the know. Though it's more difficult to find people who don't have an opinion about art than those that do, pay the most attention to the opinions of key players in the art world such as art critics, museum curators, and prominent collectors. What they have, is well-developed taste (like it or not) and a lot of experience. Visit galleries, museums, and attend juried shows at art schools and colleges. Search out museum and gallery websites for art information. Make a commitment to look at as much art in books and magazines as you can to develop both your eye and your taste.

 • Read up on an artist once you have already seen the art in person and have discerned your own opinions about it. Check out art magazines and newspapers and look for reviews on past shows and extensive articles on individual artists. Galleries sometimes have available for sale, catalogs on the artists with whom they work. Speaking of galleries, learn to distinguish between those that are selling art that is considered "blue chip," "mid-career," or "emerging" because these categories signal an expected price range.

 • Paige West, contemporary art expert and founder of Mixed Greens Gallery, suggests you not only "learn the difference between 'decorative art' and that produced by career artists who are striving to make work that is part of a larger art world dialog", but also, take a pass on artists who work "after the style of" or any other famous artist. While said artist may be a good painter or draftsman, what you have is "copycat art," not something unique, or original. The work won't ever qualify as good, important art.

 • Art fairs in particular are the most efficient (though sometimes exhausting) way to see a lot of contemporary art all in one place. Auction houses can also offer a lot of great opportunities, even when you are on a budget. Studying the sales catalog is key to navigating the market.

Hans Hofmann

So, don't hesitate to jump in and get started on the legwork. Ask advice, listen to opinions, trust your gut, (especially if you have been collecting for a while), and buy something. Do this more than once and you will then, officially, be an art collector. Chances are you will more likely remember with regret the art you didn't buy, than the art you bought and later considered a mistake. If you learn what you like, buy what you love, you cannot fail to love what you have.

Speaking of art fairs, the early buzz on ArtHamptons, (the international fine art fair happening July 11 through July 13 at the Bridgehampton Historical Society Grounds) is that it will be the event of the Hamptons summer season. Although only the first year for this production, competition among some of the best known and well established dealers in the world to get booth space has been stiff. On display and for sale, will be $100+ millions of dollars of investment quality art. Whether you are an experienced art collector, or a gallery tourist, don't miss this show!

Rick Friedman, developer of ArtHamptons and the Hamptons Home and Garden Show, is himself, an avid collector of mid-20th century art. He suggests that if you want to be a serious art collector, consider the following:

 • Find your own collection "voice". Specialize in a period, era and/or style. Learn everything pertinent to the art and artists you favor. For Friedman, it's love with the post-war Abstract Expressionists. They speak to him, so to speak. Plus, a lot of those painters were living in the Hamptons, making that art, at that time. Because of this, as a resident, the work has an even deeper meaning and significance for him.

 • Develop a solid, long-term buying relationship with one or two dealers, who know who you are, and what you would be interested in. They can alert you when something they know you will like comes along, and sometimes offer better pricing.

 • Friedman also recommends use of the auction market, but with this caveat: Always do your homework before you buy. Use databases like ArtNet to find out how your "art of interest" is valued in terms of range of pricing during the time and period it was created. You want to be able to intelligently assess whether to stay within the guidelines given for price, or know when to go higher.

And finally, Friedman offers this pearl of art collecting wisdom, "When you buy blue chip art, you will never over-pay, although you may be buying a little early."

 • ArtHamptons will bring art from around the world to the Hamptons on Friday, July 11 and run through Sunday, July 13. For more information visit www.arthamptons.com.

Cindy Lee Bergersen is a home design consultant, having graduated magna cum laude with a degree in interior design from F.I.T., New York, and is also an allied member of ASID. She is a home design writer as well, and has contributed articles to several publications. Her business since 1996, Decoding Decor, offers a menu of design services to choose from, as well as access to trade resources and discounts. You can get your home design questions answered without a commitment to a larger home design project. Visit her blog/website www.DecodingDecor.com for more information, articles, case studies, and of course, design opinions.

Comments

Robin Maria Pedrero from Orlando Florida says:
While at Atlantis an executive shared with me his story at just out of college with no furniture and a great desire to have a piece of art he and his fiance had just fell in love with. Reason came in and they bought a couch and as you state "Chances are you will more likely remember with regret the art you didn’t buy", the executive in his late 40's still vividly recalls the work of art and regrets the unmemorable couch. Although I am a professional artist in terms of the world at large I am a "blue chip". I've said it. I am at odds with this description, but kinda liking the trendy 21st century jargon.

Patty Schwarz from Cold Spring Harbor says:
You are invited to my opening reception at the Cold Spring Harbor Library, 95 Harbor Road (25A), Cold Spring Harbor for "My Italian Memories" exhibition, August 9th from 2 to 4 p.m. Visit the Italian countryside in Watercolor. www.pattyschwarzstudio.com

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