4 Things to Consider Before Purchasing Artwork
“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Thomas Merton
Purchasing artwork is deeply personal. In my experience selling artwork for the last 15 years, I have noticed that buyers can experience a wide range of emotions when considering whether or not to purchase and what to purchase when it comes to original art.
I have personally observed vastly contrasting experiences: on one hand, I’ve seen people make large purchases, seemingly on a whim, with great ease and joy, while on the other end of the spectrum I have a memory of a woman that stood in front of one of my paintings at an art show for nearly an hour, deliberating, getting advice from friends, asking how I made it/the story behind it and exclaiming that it made her feel something deeply significant and personal, only to eventually walk away looking distressed and never claiming it for herself. The reason for that could have been many things, but I do feel like it’s helpful to acknowledge that purchasing artwork is a big deal and it can also be an emotional experience that is so daunting, some walk away and don’t ever do it even if they really want to.
But with some basic guidelines and questions to ask yourself on the front end, you might find the process to be smoother simply by gathering information both about your emotional needs/aims and also about the logistics. Having information always makes a decision-making process clearer and more enjoyable; and after all, purchasing art is voluntary, so it should be enjoyable!
So here are 4 things to consider before purchasing artwork:
Think about how you want to feel when you see this artwork.
Because art can pull a room together visually, we can tend to think of it in terms of decor, and there’s certainly justification for that. But there’s so much more that will take place when you look at that creation everyday, so considering what you want that to be upfront ensures that it serves you well. Chances are, over time you won’t think about how it matches the couch, but instead if you feel a connection to it. There’s no doubt that art sparks emotion and inspires states of being, so the question is, ‘what do you want it to spark in you?’ Artwork lives with you and serves as a catalyst of inspiration, so how do you want to be inspired?
Determine the space you want to fill with the above feeling.
Measure the exposed part of the chosen wall that’s not obscured by furniture or decor (measure width and height) and see how much of that space you want to fill with art. Also ask:
Do you want a landscape presentation (more wide than tall)?
Or a portrait presentation (more tall than wide)?
Maybe you want a square piece or possibly two or three paintings side by side?
You don’t have to just leave it up to sketchy imagination either—one way to see what it may look like is to get newspaper or craft wrapping paper and cut it to the size you are considering and then tape it to the wall with painter’s tape. This gives you the spacial idea of what a certain size painting will look like on the wall and what presentation is best.
Determine your budget.
How much are you able/willing to spend on artwork? Most of us tend to think of art as a luxury item, but for many people, they will own that piece of artwork much longer than their present couch, or maybe even their present home. It’s not uncommon for artwork to be owned for the lifetime and then given to relatives, so the important thing is that you are thinking in advance about what amount feels right to you for the ‘right’ reasons according to your values. If this is determined up front, then you are free to relax into the process of looking for your piece or commissioning one that aligns with what you’ve determined is best for you.
Determine what you want.
Find an artist whose work you love and commission a piece, or simply find THE piece you want and if it’s not in your budget or the right size for you, simply ask the artist if they have anything else like it that matches your needs. Some artists work with clients in this way, creating paintings of other sizes and price points loosely based on other paintings they have previously done while other artists simply create what they create and don’t do commissions at all. This is a creative choice on the artist’s part and throughout my career, I’ve been on both sides of this, so asking the artist if they do commissions is entirely appropriate.
If the word ‘commission’ sounds intimidating, I get it. My next blog post will be about what the commissioning process is, what it looks like, and what things you need to know before you start.
If you’d like me to write about a certain subject, just go to my contact page and write ‘art talk question’ in the subject. I’ll give it my best shot!
Let me know if I can help you find some artwork. I’m happy to help you through the process or answer questions you might have.
