If you’ve been following this Monday blog series, you know how enthusiastic I am about turning art lovers into art buyers. You know I believe it’s important for everyone who cares about art to have a little collection of their own. I don’t just make art: I challenge and empower everyone to support living artists.
Yes, this is naked self interest, and yes, I do have shameless promotional aspirations. But I believe at a very deep level that it is important, and for those just joining us who missed my philosophical sales pitch, here’s why.
People who love music buy albums and attend concerts. People who care about the sartorial self buy clothes. People who believe in growing the arts of cuisine and wine go to restaurants and wineries. But most people who love art don’t buy art. They leave that to “collectors” for whatever reason. But there’s only so many times you can say “just looking” before artists must turn to other pursuits.
I want everyone who loves art to think of themselves as a collector. You don’t have to be a millionaire or have a degree in art theory. It’s great if you are that person, but others can participate in the art market, too. Art lovers of a certain means are already buying our work. We need the “most people” part to start their collections, too.
In past blogs, we’ve talked with ArtBomb curators and artists. Today, I talk with an avid collector who has purchased frequently from ArtBomb auctions. Meet Jill Goodridge!
Lorette: Tell me a little bit about the pieces you’ve selected from Art Bomb.
Jill: Our ArtBomb collection includes three larger pieces purchased from the site and four smaller (8×8”) pieces collected from attending ArtBomb art events at the Spoke Club and Steam Whistle Brewery. The first piece is an abstract by Courtney Stevenson that my husband picked. Another is a landscape by Rachel Francis that hangs in our living room. The smaller pieces are by various emerging Canadian artists and are scattered throughout our home.
Lorette: What is your impression of Art Bomb? What do you like about the service, and how does that contrast with other resources you have collected through?
Jill: ArtBomb came to us at a time when we had just bought a bigger house and had three small children. We had no time to shop for art and we didn’t see ourselves as art collectors. We weren’t particularly knowledgeable about purchasing art. On a rare holiday to Quebec City, we had the time to pop into some galleries. Even with the precious time to look at art together, we still found the process intimidating and the art was expensive.
When we returned from that trip we started paying closer attention to ArtBomb and starting flipping each other emails about the works we saw….”Hey do you like this one?” I love ArtBomb’s mantra, “Buy What You Love”. That helped take the self-doubt I had about buying art.
I also liked the price point of paintings and other artworks on ArtBomb. All three of our large pieces were under $1000, so that helped us get going. ArtBomb also gave us access to young Canadian artists. I liked the idea of supporting new artists that are trying to establish themselves, just like us.
Lorette: What are the benefits, in your opinion, of Art Bomb for artists and collectors?
The original pieces that we have added to our house have created the warmth and character in our home that we hoped for. The art has given our house a personality and we have continued to collect other items from the One of Kind Craft Show to accomplish this. We are currently plotting our next purchase from Art Bomb! There are so many pieces to choose from in the “Still Available” section that it’s hard to choose. Again, I come back to “Buy What You Love” -that just makes the process easier! I love that I have this mini-collection and that it continues to grow thanks to ArtBomb.
Lorette C. Luzajic www.mixedupmedia.ca
