A new year always brings hope, and potential for the fulfillment of needs and wishes. Never in my lifetime has this hope felt more critical than it does today. Hard times got even harder-- quickly-- in the first days of 2021. To compensate, I need, more than ever, to bring my thoughts to art and hopefully help you rest your own mind in this refuge found in the contemplation of beauty.
This past year, I missed my connection to art viewers, collectors and friends who show their support at open studios or art exhibits, as well as the physical and spiritual presence of artist friends whom I show with and talk to about our works. These connections can reveal the deepest synchronicities and I am always left with an invigorating energy and enthusiasm. Zoom meetings, while effective, do not allow for connection at that level and my soul knows it.
In some of my conversations with viewers of my art, I am often asked about how to go about collecting art. In a nutshell, the best recommendations for an art aficionado and potential collector that I have found, or can think of, are to: train your eye by visiting museums, art galleries, and exhibits often to develop your visual intelligence; trust your instinct; get more information about the artist if you feel an attraction toward a given art piece; investigate the various media, sizes, styles, and prices of the artist for a wider range of purchase options; think about your art choice in the context of the place where you plan to place it; and above all, when you finally choose to, purchase a piece that you feel passionate about, that you feel a connection to-- that way you will enjoy for years to come.
From my personal experience as a collector, I enjoy a piece when I connect with the artist, and when I have a chance to hear about their process. However, there are those magical moments when a certain piece speaks to me, it strikes me in a way that the image or form lingers in my memory in a way that compels me to return to it, feeling curious about the beauty before me. Much like falling in love with a person, falling for a work of art is one of the most beautiful things we can experience, to be truly obsessed about it, feeling absolute pleasure when looking at it. Getting lost in it. Opening our heart to art that we connect to on a visceral level, that engages our eyes and makes us meditate and wonder, connects us to our soul in a new way that is an invaluable experience. I hope you have the chance to feel it and please let me know about it when you do, or if you have!
Image: “Kind of Blue”, acrylic and ink pen on canvas, 10 x 8 inches. I am always happy to talk to you about collecting my art and the options I offer. If you are interested in this or other paintings, or to ask me for commissions, or even rental, please contact me here.