Six More Reasons to Buy More Art

by Lorette C. Luzajic

You love art and have fifty-three Pinterest boards full of faves, a shelf of impressive books on modern abstract and old masters, and a membership to the Art Gallery of Ontario. So why aren’t you collecting art?

 

I want to empower you to buy art! On behalf of artists everywhere, I unabashedly promote the importance of purchasing. Here are six good reasons to start today.

 

Somebody has to. I’ve said this before but it bears repeating: people who love music buy music, people who love fashion buy clothes, people who love food dine out in new restaurants, and people who love wine keep a small collection or a whole basement of the stuff. People who love antiques or vintage watches or old comics are busy bidding on eBay. But most people who love art never buy any. Think about this for a minute.

 

You can be your own curator! Every collection is unique, and reflects the journey of its owner. Your collected artworks will showcase your changing tastes, and remind you of creative paths you have explored.

 

You learn as you go. What better way to learn about art then through active immersion as a consumer? Looking in museums and fairs and studying your textbooks seem unbeatable teachers until you begin buying, too. Think about it: when you needed a new vacuum cleaner, you became an expert in brand technology. When you needed a new car, you learned more about models, engines, and repairs than ever before. When you left the cooking class and began your culinary explorations at home, you and an arsenal of 100 spices became as one once you began buying them for your kitchen. Even when you don’t buy anything, knowing that you might means you will always be looking deeper and asking questions. Your support of living artists fuels the future.

 

 

Art is for everyone. Yes, art collecting is for the ultra-rich, and it’s also for educators and curators schooled on theory and history. It’s for dynamite decorators and rock stars and proud parents. And for you, whoever you are. When it speaks to you, listen.

 

You can say, “I support the arts” and mean it and be proud. Everyone “supports” the arts, if by “support” they mean love and looking. And those are both great things. But the minute you begin buying art you put your money where your heart is and vote for a creative future. It doesn’t matter if your collection is small or large, or if it grows slowly or rapidly. You are putting paint in our hands and a roof over our heads. You get something beautiful or challenging or thought provoking in return. It’s the ultimate win-win situation.

It’s affordable. True, maybe neither of us will be buying a room-sized Rothko or Monet anytime soon. So discover living favourites and support them. Next time you see a painting or sculpture that catches your fancy and fits your budget, just say yes.

 

Lorette C. Luzajic is a Toronto-based artist and writer at www.mixedupmedia.ca.

To inquire about purchasing these works of art, please contact Carrie Shibinsky at [email protected].

“The arts can open new worlds and experiences to the youth, enrich their vocabulary; develop critical thinking skills, equity and social justice… they can go on journeys they would never be able to afford.” Rexdale School Principal

 

It’s early April and the first day of a new DAREarts program. 30 children, 9 year olds, from 15 different schools gather and take their place in the DAREarts opening circle. Here there are no corners, no ends or fringes. Everyone is equal. Many of the children are nervous, shy and unsure; everything is new to them. They are at DAREarts on a school day, as they will be for one day each week for the next 12. “You are here,” the DAREarts teacher, calls out, “because you are special; you are a leader. Your schools have nominated you to be their representatives because they know that you have the potential to be an excellent leader, and we know that you have it in you to be that extra special leader, too.” The children, who face life challenges such as poverty, violence, hopelessness, bullying, social isolation or patterns of delinquency listen with interest. For many of the children, these encouraging words are in sharp contrast to the labels they are given at home, on the playground or on the street. Even at the age of 9, many have already started to define themselves by what they are called.
On the first day, the children all share the labels they have been given. Collectively, this is the picture it creates:

Over the next 12 weeks, the children undergo an incredible shift, guided by the “DARE” values of Discipline, Action, Responsibility, and Excellence, made possible by an incredible tool: the arts.

The arts. They instruct, educate, console, inspire, sooth, unite and delight. Time and time again, research proves that the arts have a profound impact on children’s lives in promoting confidence, increasing cognitive learning and even improving emotional well-being. But what about for children who are told and feel: “You are worthless”, “You are pathetic”, “You are bad”, “You are nothing”? THIS is where the arts make an especially important difference. The creative, experiential learning that is made possible through arts education and experiences show children what they can do. If they can prove to themselves that they can “do art”, keep a beat in a drum circle, learn to dance a hip-hop sequence, photograph a downtown building, sculpt a gargoyle out of clay, and perform a scene from Shakespeare, they see that they really can do more than they previously thought possible, today and in the future. This form of positive risk-taking motivates and encourages children to ignite change in themselves and those around them.
“I dare myself to do new things without fear.” Thomas, 13

The arts offer a unique way for individuals, especially children, to reimagine themselves and their futures. Stanford University Professor, Shirley Brice Heath, has shown that “[t]hrough the arts, one must engage in the present with the future; the artist must see beyond the moment or the usual to what can be next and must see the self as possible in the making. The arts both form knowledge in themselves and ensure understanding beyond the immediate.” With this, the arts can be used as a means for transforming anger and despair into optimism about the future.

When it comes to working with populations of at-risk children, the value of the arts is indisputable and is correlated with advantages that extend into the classroom. The Toronto District School Board reports that children who participate in arts activities outside of school are 1.2 times more likely to experience academic resiliency. What’s more, children who use creative problem solving skills, as taught in arts programming such as DAREarts, are 1.49 times more likely to have academic resiliency. The value, then, of arts programming is not limited to art-specific skills, but extends to many aspects of one’s sense of self, hope for the future and resolve for the present.

At closing circle on the last day of the DAREarts program, we ask the same children to complete this sentence: “I am _____.” Here’s what they have said:

So, can art change the future?

“I feel like I was here for a special reason, and one day I could be a leader.” Gr. 5 DAREarts student

Our youth certainly can.

Since 1996, DAREarts’ unique approach of using the arts to empower at-risk kids has unlocked the potential of over 200,000 youth. By engaging in hands-on arts workshops, they develop confidence, courage and leadership skills to ignite change in their lives with hope for their future. DAREarts’ work is made possible through partnerships with many leading Canadian artists and arts organizations across the country. We are grateful to Artbomb for supporting organizations, such as DAREarts, that empower at-risk youth through the arts and applaud Artbomb for its exceptional work in promoting Canada’s most talented artists.

Ryan MacKean is an emerging artist, working and living in Toronto, who is using the old master techniques similar to the artists who worked in Europe from the 14th to the 19th centuries. “I always inspired by the works of Rembrandt, Chardin and Turner, among others, always leaning toward representational artists. What impressed me was their ability to draw, create a sense of light, mood and space, and how this was captured in layers of paint. I recall looking at an eye by Rembrandt for hours, so captivated by the abstract design. That this could be achieved with paint was incredible, so off I went to learn…becoming very humbled in the process! As a teacher of mine once said, “learning to draw is a lifetime endeavor.”

“After graduating from OCAD I studied at a traditional studio in Toronto to focus on drawing, composition and historical painting methods. Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time looking at art, making copies, drawing and painting plaster casts, returning to a portrait or still life, problem solving and applying what I’ve learned to my own work. This really hasn’t changed much over the years, and my work today is still very informed by the artists of the past. I see my work evolving along these same lines, developing out of practice and experience, applied to still life, landscape or the portrait. There’s just so much to learn, which makes the process so rewarding. ”

A few thoughts on Still Life…

When I first started to paint, setting up objects to study was the obvious and natural choice. Models are easy to come by; it’s a great way to study the elements of painting such as value, form and colour; it’s an opportunity to learn about composition, arranging and harmonizing multiple objects in space; and it’s a means of understanding light and texture and how these qualities translate into a medium like oil paint. There is something very direct about still life and over the years I’ve returned to simple objects like fruit and tableware, finding in them infinite variety, possibility and challenge.

Oils have such a range of tactile, expressive possibilities—signals that capture ideas, such as liquid through glass, the skin of an apple, or a mysterious background. Each painting is an exploration of paint application as it relates to subject matter. Working with familiar objects, I’m trying to get beyond the mere depiction of “things” in search of more abstract qualities like texture, light, composition and mood. My aim is to avoid being overly literal while creating an underlying sense of harmony and order in my work.

I focus a lot of time on process and the layering of paint-even the smaller still life can take multiple painting sessions to complete. Typically I begin with a wash drawing in oil to establish a pattern of light and dark. I’ll then block in a layer of colour, but thinking more about value as it relates to form. Subsequent layers continue to build and develop the forms until I’ve reached a level of refinement that I’m happy with. Throughout this process I’m really preoccupied with the “construction” of the painting, not simply what lies on the surface. While there is work and effort in their making, I look back and remember how much I’ve simply enjoyed developing each piece – I hope this is captured at least to some extent in the paintings.

 

Landscape…

My latest work is a series of landscapes of the countryside surrounding Toronto. Looking for some variety to my current work and practice I decided to adopt a portable “studio” and paint landscapes outdoors. Working en plein air creates unique challenges that differ significantly from painting in the comfort of the studio: shifting light and colour; fleeting effects of atmosphere and key; the diversity of composition; contending with the elements; all require a need for focus, selection and confidence in order to capture a particular motif in a short window of time. What I appreciate with this approach is the freedom of expression and exploration. Larger paintings are often built up in several layers over a longer period of time. This can inhibit the need to experiment and take risks when there’s so much time and effort at stake. With the sketches, however, nothing is precious and spontaneity only adds to their expressive potential. Without pushing for any particular look or “style”, what I’m after is a sense of immediacy and familiarity—the experience of time, atmosphere and place.

These aspects became all the more relevant, realizing that many of the fields and forests where I was painting were being cleared for development. It’s a painful thing to see, trees vanishing and giant box warehouses taking their place—and yet I can’t help but consider with some understanding that every generation must regret the loss of ‘what was’ as we make room for ‘the new’. Plein air sketches were traditionally thought of as ‘souvenirs’, reminders of a distant time or place—now capturing a closer space yet lost or under threat of urban sprawl.

To see more of Ryan’s work please visit his website - http://www.ryanmckean.com.

“Artbomb is a daily online art auction featuring curated works of art from artists across Canada.”

 

 

What does it mean, to be a curator, to curate, to be curated?

The word comes from “cura”- to care, to take care of, to care for. A curate was originally a noun, not a verb, and referred to a person in the clergy who cared for the souls of the parish. In the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, the word “curate” meant “he who was dedicated to the cure of souls.”

The word “curator” has long had the distinction of referencing a person who works in a museum, specifically with art. But its background goes a long way to understanding why there is also some mystique to the term. Today it generally refers to careful choosing, to a selective eye and inner knowledge to direct that eye. It’s a choice that moves beyond eenie meenie minie mo, to imply a knowing, an instinct, a selection process that is in itself artful. It’s not about choosing something red because the sofa is- not that there’s anything wrong with that. To me, art IS “care of the soul” and so the historical nuance of the word gives a lens into the implied gravitas of curating.

The New York Times ran a somewhat cynical column in 2009, decrying current trends to adopt the word in a variety of creative fields. “The word ‘curate,’ lofty and once rarely spoken outside exhibition corridors or British parishes, has become a fashionable code word among the aesthetically minded, who seem to paste it onto any activity that involves culling and selecting… among designers, disc jockeys, club promoters, bloggers and thrift-store owners, curate is code for ‘I have a discerning eye and great taste.’”

I see it fitting into any of these uses, not as a proclamation of undue importance, but to separate choosing something on a whim from a particular gift of aesthetic that is informed by passion, education or knowledge, and a certain je ne sais quoi. “The eye” is inspired, if you will, by “the soul.” You wouldn’t say someone “curated a few cans up from the beer store,” for a backyard BBQ, but if they thoughtfully considered an event and its people, then chose a unique array of beverages, then you could say the wine list was curated. The choice is only part of it- the soul is the key.

Tending to the care of the soul of the audience and the artists at ArtBomb is what our curators do. Six tremendous women from across Canada work behind the scenes to decide what to present to your inbox every day. Carrie Shibinsky, Mieka West, Karine Guyon, Vanessa Lentz, Lori Bagneres, and Jessica Hoflick select art that speaks to the range of talents in the country.

I contacted Karine (Ottawa), Vanessa (East Coast), and Lori (West Coast) to gain some insight into how they work, how they are inspired, and what drives their important work.

Lorette: What drives your curating style? How do you choose what you choose? What do you look for, and what don’t you want to see?

Karine: I am driven by diversity, edginess and experimentation. I choose works with personality, character and uniqueness.

Vanessa: Uplifting pieces- no woe is me, or pieces that are too dark in spirit. Collectors deserve to be happy when they look at a piece of art. I look for pieces that have been created with a fire burning in the artist’s heart and translate as passion in the paint.

Lori: Being an artist myself, above all I am looking for professional artists here on the Westcoast that trying to genuinely listen to an inner voice…. This voice drives them to express themselves in a particular medium – be it in painting or in sculpture or in photography. I am drawn to artists that try to hone a unique style in their personal expression and keep striving everyday to produce their art.

 

Lorette: What are your compliments and complaints about the Canadian art world in general?

Lori: Canada has some amazing artists that depict our natural landscapes and wildlife very well…and there are many indigenous peoples artwork that is outstanding and many of these talented artists have representation in top galleries… especially here on the west coast. But not all Canadian artists fit into this category, and Canadian art is much more than just than wildlife and natural landscape…There are excellent artists that strive to express themselves differently and uniquely through their chosen medium that don’t necessarily have gallery representation, yet their artwork deserves attention. I believe our curators at Artbomb are able to offer nation wide exposure to artists who are looking to get their work out there, and get noticed!

Vanessa: I often hear stories of how isolated the East Coast is from the large art markets of Toronto and Montreal. Showing their work on a national level is of course something that makes ArtBomb such an enticing opportunity for artists in this region.

Karine: I would like the Canadian art world in general to be more open minded and accepting of creative diversity. Our art is as diverse as our cultural backgrounds and our palette as complex as our landscape.

 

Lorette: What have you learned working at Art Bomb?

Lori: I love art and the process of visiting artists’ studios and learning about their art and techniques and what drives each one personally to create and produce art and craft it on a daily basis.

Vanessa: Artists are shy. Although I am always on the lookout for new talent, I think if I had to send artists a message it would be ‘to be more pro-active when it comes to their careers’. They do not need to be aggressive, but simply put themselves out there.

Karine: I have learnt more about the business aspect of art because lets face it behind the art world as we call it, there is a business and I am proud to be part of it.

Lorette C. Luzajic

Lorette is a creative working in painting, collage, photography, poetry and other writing. She is the editor of The Ekphrastic Review: writing and art on art and writing. Visit her at www.mixedupmedia.ca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why This Painting Costs $1000

by Lorette C. Luzajic

I find it amazing and amusing to watch art collectors bid ridiculous sums like 100 million dollars to own a Van Gogh or Modigliani painting. It would be difficult to buy a museum or a mansion or an aircraft for such a price, but some old cardboard doodled on by someone long dead is literally worth someone’s fortune.

A Jean-Michel Basquiat painting is going up for auction next month and is expected to fetch 40 million dollars!

Most art doesn’t cost anything close to these amounts, but the price tag can still be a sacrifice. Even wealthy collectors don’t have unlimited thousand dollar bills to toss about for every artwork that strikes their fancy. Folks who are working with a limited budget for art, or who want to start a collection, often wonder how a mid-sized painting can cost so much.

Some artists are offended by the question. “Why does this painting cost $1000?” I see it as an opportunity to explain how much goes into an artwork behind the scenes.

Let’s consider a 30×40” piece I finished recently called The Reflecting Pool. Every artist prices their works differently. For myself, I find it simplest to price by size. Size is not always a fair indicator of time or value, but I’ve determined that for me, it’s the best system. Currently, all of my paintings of this size are $950.

The half and half rule

A thousand bucks is a beautiful chunk of income that can cover a city girl’s rent or a plane ticket overseas or someone’s car insurance, parking, AND repairs…but always remember the half and half rule.

Half of the ticket price goes to the artist and half to the dealer, gallery, or venue. Sometimes commission is only 30% and sometimes it’s as high as 60%, but half and half is most common. This dramatically reduces the total for this work to $425.

Many of you have grumbled about this on my behalf, upset at how artists are robbed of their due. Well-meaning family members and friends understandably want the full ticket proceeds to line my pockets. Artists, or course, notoriously bicker about this injustice until they are blue in the face.

Please understand that I do not share this outrage. I appreciate where it’s coming from, but the fact is, it is our dealers and venues who find people to look at our work.

No one would know to ring my actual or virtual doorbell and stop by to see what I’ve got if all of these galleries, museums, cafes, and agents were not working tirelessly to put our names out there.

Selling art is the most honourable part of this game, and the most difficult. There are millions of people making art and only a few interested in selling it for us. Real estate for wall space is incredibly expensive. Wine and cheese for opening receptions, time and materials spent on promotion, venue repairs, website and other operational costs plus some kind of wages all add up to astronomical. Yes, I do wish I could keep the 100%. But it wouldn’t have sold at all if those working on my behalf didn’t show it to anyone. We need to start praising our sellers for the risks they take for the sake of the passion of art that we share.

 

“How long did this painting take you to make?”

“Five hours,” I answered the last time I was asked this question. It was a small sized work priced to fly off the walls at $250, and happened to be one of the works that came together quickly. I could see the calculations going on in the woman’s head. Was I worth fifty dollars an hour?

Recalling the half and half rule would bring it down to $125, only $25 per hour, not bad, still twice the minimum wage!

For The Reflecting Pool, a very freestyle abstract piece, the outcome was a little bit different. This painting was underway for well over a year. It’s impossible to say how many hours were spent on it- sometimes I pull out an unfinished work and spend an afternoon on it, other times I dabble a bit on it every day until it works out, other times I work for weeks or months on something and it never comes together at all.

The amount of time it takes to make a painting always includes the amount of time it took to make numerous other paintings that didn’t make the cut. Even if this painting took just the day, it actually took 43 years.

All the experimenting, practice, and development over the years results in pieces that are discarded or given as gifts to Aunt Matilda, not just the ones that end up showing in a gallery. The process and progress reflected in new works was not realized in the five hours of any one particular piece, but in a lifetime of stops and starts.

Materials fees

Besides labour and inspiration of course, are material fees. The canvas I like best for this size work is from 30 to 60 dollars. An artist could paint on paper, found wood, foam core, or other cheaper items, and sometimes I do. We all have preferences for the kinds of substrates that work best for us, and this is mine. This work also used acrylic paints, spray paints, paint brushes, paint spatulas, gouache paints, inks, oil sticks, oil pastels, etc. etc. etc. Depending on the demands of an artist’s style, and their personal preference for how a product performs, paints and brushes both range from $2 to $50 each on average.

Unsold works

So far, we’re talking completely theoretically, because this work is unsold. And there are about 80 unsold works circulating venues or sitting in my studio. That’s several thousand dollars just in materials, never mind the time. This is necessary, because artists have works circulating at multiple venues, and must also be ready to exhibit more if a proposal is accepted or an invitation comes.

Hidden fees

Every business has fees that the consumer or audience doesn’t see. But these fees are not hidden from the artist! Our expenses list is much longer than time and materials. Entry fees, hanging fees, studio space fees, rent or mortgage, venue rental fees, cooperative fees, membership fees, education fees, transportation and shipping fees, transit or car fees, table fees, website fees, maintenance fees, education and course fees, fair or event fees.

If we show a painting in another city, it can cost $25 to $100 to ship. If it doesn’t sell, that doubles upon return. Showing a piece overseas could cost $2000 in shipping! Artists priced below $5000 aren’t usually showing yet internationally on a regular basis. When you see living artists with price tags of $20000, it reflects these enormous costs. To take 30 works plus one’s self to an overseas fair could cost fifty grand.

Local fairs are a real bargain. A table or booth at a local arts event can be $25, or, if you are lucky enough to be accepted at The Artist’s Project, it’s three grand for the weekend. That’s right, three grand.

Many shows, grants, and fairs also charge a submission fee- that means we pay money just to be considered. If we are accepted, we might pay a hanging fee towards the venue rental, in addition to the half and half rule, if the item sells. This sounds harsh, but the reality is, venues need to find ways to stay open and to be able to more forward with programs. Nothing is free. At most fairs, the artist keeps 100% of their sales, but as we saw above, the cost of inclusion is mind boggling.

Last, but not least, prices must go up throughout one’s career.

It’s inevitable that prices of an artist’s work must go up over the years, to keep pace with inflation and the economy, as well as to reflect their professional development. This is terrific, except for the caveat that the price cannot go back down.

I might very much want to be able to sell this piece to a friend or to a collector on a budget for a few hundred dollars- after all, any artwork that moves out of my studio gives me some cash flow for new materials and more space. It might be worth much more, but any amount of money helps. Some stock is “dead” – I no longer feel it reflects my best creativity, or I never did- or it does, but few artists are selling so many pieces that there aren’t many great works left behind. We might want to sell these ones off for a song and dance, but we can’t. Once a price is determined, we can’t go backwards.

Think about it. It’s not fair to our art dealers or collectors if we sell one for full price and someone else gets it for a third of the price.

Sometimes, we’ll have “yard sales” privately, some kind of clearance in order to make room, and we can use these promotions as special events to bring attention to our practice. But we must be very judicious about this. A diamond store can have a holiday sale, for example, but if the diamonds there were always on sale, they would no longer be worth the regular price. If the $1000 diamond necklace was always sold for $400, or the special sale price of $400 happened once a week instead of once a year, the value of the diamond would become $400 instead $1000. It’s no different with our paintings.

So there you have it, why this painting costs $950 dollars. Now you know that it’s a steal.

Lorette C. Luzajic

Contact Carrie Shibinsky if you would like to purchase The Reflecting Pool. [email protected]

Lorette C. Luzajic is a Toronto based writer and an artist working in collage, paint, and photography. She is a journalism graduate and an independent, lifelong student of art history. She is editor of The Ekphrastic Review: writing and art on art and writing, and also writes a Wine and Art column for Good Food Revolution. Her latest poetry book, Aspartame, is a collection inspired by various paintings. Visit her at www.mixedupmedia.ca.

 

 

 

 

Yes, You Can Buy More Art!

I received an interesting RSVP some years ago to an exhibition I was hosting. A woman sent a letter declining my invitation because, she wrote, she wasn’t in a financial position at the moment to buy any paintings. She wished me great success and was sorry she wouldn’t be able to make it.

 

I was puzzled by her sense of obligation and responded by saying I suspected most people attending wouldn’t buy anything. We want people to buy our art, of course, but shopping can be a long process. We go into a dozen shops before deciding on a pair of pants, and we research a number of car models we like before choosing one. Sometimes we browse all day at the mall and don’t take anything home. Going to an art exhibition is no different. I told her she wasn’t obligated to buy the work, or even to like it. I assured her that she was welcome to come by for a few glasses of wine and to leave empty handed.

 

This particular patron owns a wonderful, culturally diverse selection of works by local Toronto artists, including sculptures, photography, paintings, and two works by yours truly. In my mind, she was already an inspiration to the broader art audience. She did end up coming, but explained that she felt some responsibility to buying. In her mind, just looking all the time was a kind of robbery.

 

I do not share this unusual view, but having it brought to my attention, found myself appreciating where she was coming from. I still want folks to look at as much art as they are able to. Attending art shows and showing our creations to your peers is a tremendous support. But through this interaction with a collector, I came to see the obvious. That yes, you should buy some art.

 

After all, if the people who love art don’t buy it, who will?

 

Most people who love music buy music. Those who love fashion, and those who don’t, all buy clothes. Movie lovers attend film festivals or Tuesday night cinema specials and have Netflix subscriptions. Aficionados of food culture support chefs, wineries, new restaurants, and organic olive farmers by going out to eat.

 

But most people who love art never buy it.

 

Think about that for a minute.

Since you’re an art lover, you already know that artists make the world a more colourful, interesting place. We might add beauty, we might bring new perspectives to culture or politics, we might have a place in documenting the narrative of history for future record. Whatever we do, it matters to you.

 

It’s true we could all quit making art, we could quit experimenting and improving, and probably contribute to the world and to our own life in other ways. I could work at a factory to make socks or do pharmaceutical research or train to be a celebrity athlete. But since art matters to you, and it matters to me, we both want me to continue creating. And artists need supplies and studio space and experiences that fuel their inspiration in order to keep creating. And they also need socks and pills sometimes, and they might want to watch sports with friends once in awhile. They need food and transportation and shelter.

 

So buy some art!

 

I want to empower you to buy more art. Perhaps by honestly examining objections, we can overcome them.

 

I want to replace your objections with objectives.

 

Some art costs a small fortune, and I am always humbled and grateful when someone forks over my next month’s rent instead of going on vacation or buying a spring wardrobe. Thank you.

 

But what if you simply can’t afford the luxury of a much coveted statement piece?

 

Let’s start with the most common and most truthful objection: “I can’t afford it.”

 

Let’s turn this into an objective: “I want to buy some art I can afford.”

 

The solution is simple- forget about price tags that are over your head. There are countless arenas where you can access affordable artwork. I know of no place better than Art Bomb’s daily auctions. Right now, you can decide you’ll bid on the next few works you see that you love.

 

There are all kinds of solutions inside of this objection. You could buy art instead of buying other things. I’m not suggesting you tell the kids they won’t be taking lunches to school for the rest of the year, but shifting priorities is one way to ensure you can own some original artwork. You can buy from unheard of artists. We all need to start somewhere. If you can’t afford their larger pieces, you can buy smaller works by your favourite artists. My original artworks start at just 60$. Don’t think this kind of purchase won’t matter to us. Sixty bucks is a nice chunk of new supplies, or a bag of groceries, or the phone bill.

“I don’t have much room” was my personal objection. Related, I often hear, “I love it, but I really don’t know where I’ll put it.” Here’s the thing: you need to make the room. Find a place for it. Don’t deprive yourself of original art, and don’t deprive artists of sales from someone who loves art. It’s absolutely true that living in a Toronto apartment, I need all of my walls to store my own artwork and to be able to see it while it’s in progress. My solution was to begin collecting small works. I buy very small paintings and collages, many are as small as 2×2 inches, or postcard sized pieces. There are some 8×10”s and 16×20”s and they are enormous! By putting them all up in an eclectic, crammed jumble on one wall, my collection has become one of my collages and a source of endless inspiration. Your objective is the same: make some room. Any room.

 

The third most common objection is not knowing how. You love art, but don’t really know where to start. Start there: buy what you love!

 

If you are shopping for clothes, looking for a place to eat, or buying music, this objection doesn’t come up. Overcoming this objection is easy by creating the objective to get started. Participate. Subscribe to Art Bomb Daily. Start looking at the websites of artists you like with a potential purchase in mind. Pick out something from your niece who is in art college. Choose a $20 piece from the guy on the boardwalk. If you are interested in making a significant purchase, then go ahead and seek out an expert for information or advice, just as you would for plumbing or gardening or veterinary care or anything else you don’t know. Consult with the curators at Art Bomb.

 

Yes, collecting art can be an academic pursuit, and it can be like the stock market, all about investment return and risk. And if you decide to go into the passion in one or both of those directions, you’ll learn as you go. But art lovers should be buying art for other reasons: because it enriches your life as much as the sale enriches mine.

Lorette C. Luzajic

To inquire about purchasing featured artworks in this blog, contact Carrie Shibinsky at [email protected].

Lorette C. Luzajic is a writer and artist working in collage, paint, and photography. Visit her at www.mixedupmedia.ca. She is also the editor of The Ekphrastic Review: writing and art on art and writing.