Brian Petro is a professional artist and art dealer for Vastu in DC. His duties as art dealer include attending art events and looking online for artwork that compliments the Vastu collection and the environments for which the work is acquired. Brian reviews the artwork, contracts the artists and installs the shows. So he knows a lot about art collecting and offers some tips below the jump...
Here are Brian's tips for collecting art:
1. Visit museums and local shows and art openings to get a feel of the style that feels right for you. Allow your artwork to show your life experience and interests, however happy or morose they may be.
2. Visit artists’ studios to meet them in person and see the environment in which the art work was/is created. With a 20-30 minute visit you can find out much about their artwork. You can usually see many more pieces in a studio than in a gallery show.
3. Ask friends who are art collectors about artists they think are really dedicated to their career and conduct their business in a professional style.
4. Buy because the work means a lot to you, but also… think about the possible investment value of artwork. Robert Rauschenberg just passed away a few weeks ago and his pieces have skyrocketed. Sad, but true. When the artist passes away, prices go up.
5. Buy a few more pieces than you can display. Keep some pieces stored and every few months re-arrange your collection around the house. This is a great way to get a fresh look without additional renovation charges.
Brian is shown painting above the jump and two of his pieces are on this page. You can check out more of Brian Petro's artwork and philosophy on his website.
[Images from Brian Petro's website.]
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
These are good ideas. Also: Buy what you love. I figure at the prices I can pay (under $2,000) nothing is going to go up in price, it's all going down.
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