Guest Post: Buying Art from the Heart by Angela Di Bello

I’ve always been interested in what motivates artists to create, and how they choose their subjects or themes. Although there is, naturally, a good deal of variation as to detail, there is a very strong uniting feature in the answers I have received over the years: Artists paint (/sculpt/draw/photograph) what they love, or what moves them deeply in some way. That is what motivates them, the ability to produce something that speaks to what is dearest to them and deepest inside them, and the need to make use of that ability.

I had never really considered things from the other end before – the question of what motivates people to buy art, or what makes them choose what they do. So often we hear of art purchases in terms of investment or ultimate financial gain, or as a sort of status-earning decision. It was our Gallery Director, Angela Di Bello, who pointed out to me that not only is this only a small piece of the story, but it is in some ways a relatively unimportant aspect of buying art. Below is her explanation of what is really important to bear in mind when deciding to buy a piece, and advice for normal people who would like to purchase art for themselves. It is a must-read for anyone considering buying art, and reminds artists as well of a useful lesson; the importance of trusting yourself and doing what you love.

Buying Art from the Heart, by Angela Di Bello

One of my favorite works of art is a signed lithograph by Lowell Nesbitt. It was given to me in the early eighties by an art dealer and close friend of the artist. The image is of a macro red poppy, and each time I look at it, I become completely immersed in the image. For me, the poppy brings back a time in my life when at the age of seven or so, I often walked to the edge of the orange/red poppy field on the property where I lived with my family. As a child in search of an aesthetic discipline that was to become my calling, walking amongst the gigantic poppies became one of my favorite pastimes. In remembrance, the poppies have grown larger, redder, taller and more omnipresent than they were in real life. However, this experience and others like it were, though I did not know it, to become ”my aesthetic guide”. The vision of the poppy field has lingered in my memory for decades, and with the help of the Nesbitt poppy, will continue to bring me joy for the rest of my life.

.. …and so, when I am approached by art buyers who ask me what they should buy, I am reminded of the Nesbitt poppy. I tell them to buy what they love, or more accurately, what they fall in love with.  Money in itself, or the ability to buy what ever one likes, does not always lead to a good purchase, or the start of a collection.  Buying a work of art by the “artist du jour” is like buying the latest fashion.  Here today… gone tomorrow.  And at the end of the day what you may be left with hanging on your wall, or stashed in your vault, is a work of art that you may very well end up loathing. Unless you are willing to compete for blue chip works of art offered up at Art Basel, for instance, and compete with art dealers in disguise who are standing shoulder to shoulder with collectors in disguise, bidding up to, and over, millions of dollars for works of art, then I suggest that you follow your passion and heart when it comes to buying art.

Here is the best part…..you won’t have to spend a small fortune or risk your children’s college education to buy that special work of art.  And so you ask me, how will I know if it’s a good purchase?

You won’t know it by walking into a white cube gallery with haughty personnel, and you won’t know it by the number or zeros on the price tag.  You will know it because the mere sight of that special work of art will leave you speechless.

Like the artist who is driven to create very specific works in the stylistic manner that is an extension of who they are, the buyer/collector too, must be driven by an obsession that overwhelms their very senses.   The act of obsession relies on the willingness to be seduced by a painting, a piece of sculpture or a photograph – and after all is said and done, isn’t experience what we are seeking?  When you purchase the object of your affection, chances are that you will experience a sense of joy and discovery each time you look at it.   This sense of continued discovery is a key factor in purchasing any good work of art because it is based on YOUR visceral and emotional response, and not that of an art dealer or critic.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of outstanding works of art by emerging artists in the $2000 – $7000 price range to be readily discovered; some works are priced higher because the artists are better established and have a history of selling at a higher price point, but most are quite reasonable in price.  Furthermore, mediums and stylistic diversity are available in abundance! So choose with your heart, with joy, without pressure and knowing that what you buy will remain a part of your life for the rest of your life.