While reading articles about how the Internet has democratized the art market, I ran across a blog post about art-collecting on a website called Junkyard Arts. The post was written by the editor-in-chief of the website Lauren Pazzaneze, who has a Masters in Arts Administration, a BFA in Media and Performance, and years of Art History under her belt.
What I love about Junkyard Arts is that it is striving to advance art education and art appreciation by breaking down some of the convoluted “art-speak” that so many of us find so annoying.
Junkyard Arts defines their mission as bringing “the ever-exclusive world of the arts to the masses through criticism of current art culture, emergent artist interviews, museum and gallery exhibit reviews, and opinion pieces about affordable fine art.
When I contacted Lauren for a magazine piece I was writing about art collecting, she was gracious enough to answer my questions at length. Of course I was unable to include all of her insights in the 1,000-word article I submitted, so I am sharing some of her responses below.
As a collector of art, would you agree that owning original art that you love can bring you joy?
LP: Yes, I absolutely believe that owning art brings joy into our lives! Art is a means of communication and expression and can often say things visually that we are unable to articulate ourselves. And you know, sometimes art is there just as something nice to look at.
No matter why we own a piece of original art, it's the personal connection that draws us to it. Art will continue to bring joy into the owner's life because it touches on something purely internal.
Often times we cannot explain why we love a work of art. The best part of starting your own collection is: You don't need a reason and you don't need to explain it to anyone else.
What type of works do you collect?
LP: I collect a wide variety of art (it's an ongoing issue finding room for it all!). I tend not to purchase reproductions unless they are editioned and signed, or the work is something very small from a local artist at a craft fair or something of the like (usually under $50).
My collection ranges from limited edition screen prints signed by the artist, to antique posters, to framing letterpress cards and swatches of fabric.
I have a personal distaste for framing posters of famous artworks. This may seem snobby, but generally, we are all aware that you are not housing a real Van Gogh and it's OK to not be able to afford that. Most of us can't.
Framing a print of an oil painting takes the textural elements from oils and eliminates them. It removes the smell, the scale and really, the excitement out of seeing a real masterpiece in a museum. While we all may love a particular painting or photograph, I do not advise framing a poster of it. Pay homage by seeing it in person and remembering the experience forever.
How long have you been buying art?
LP: I have been buying art since my college years when I would grab works from fellow artists for trade or a pittance, really.
I seriously began collecting once I had a stable job and could afford to invest in pieces and when I could expand my resources through online sellers and traveling to antique shops. And while I started seriously collecting 10 years ago or so, my love of owning art and being surrounded by it has always been part of who I am.
Where do you buy most of your work?
LP: Most recently I have been antiquing.. Fairs and antique shops are great places to go when you don't know what you are looking for. I love the basement of the Witch City Consignment and Thrift Shop in Salem, Massachusetts. While it is hit or miss, you can often find fantastic pieces for pennies.
I bought two gorgeous French circus prints, framed, around 18 x 24 inches, for $22 total. It was an unbelievable deal. The frames are a bit beat up but the prints are in great condition. I still have to get them appraised and I am sure monetarily they won't be worth a whole lot since they are reproductions. But I am so in love with them it doesn't really matter. They hang alone on a large wall in my dining room and continue to be a conversation piece.
Do you usually know the artists behind the works you collect?
LP: I definitely advocate getting to know the artists you buy from. I think it adds so much more to the work and the story is something you can continue to share through the years. Often times a work can be so subjective you aren't even interested in it until you know the story behind it, and through the story you create a connection with the piece and the artist.
I have a few artists that I know well enough that I continue to collect not only because I love their work, but because I want to continue to support their careers.
Have you bought any art through an online gallery?
LP: I have not bought through traditional online galleries but this could be due to my personal taste. I generally lean towards screen prints from artists like John Dyer Baizley or Aaron Horkey which are beautifully intricate with powerful imagery, but the subtext or even subject matter does not hold mainstream appeal.
I believe that Etsy offers the best of both worlds in a few ways. You have independent artists offering a variety of work online and you often can interact directly with the artists through messages. It offers affordability and ease.
I love OMGPosters.com. They do a great job of consolidating a huge variety of artists and informing collectors of sales and special events. Another bonus: Most of these works are highly affordable and offer great investment opportunities for amateur collectors. And while the works are affordable, they can often be extremely hard to get your hands on: Limited editions sell fast , so being in the know and following your favorite artists through their social outlets is important as well.
While buying art online is appealing, I find that buying in person offers many more positives: meeting the artist in person and getting to really see the quality of the work up close are two that come right to mind.
Would you agree that many people are intimidated by the art-buying process?
LP: I absolutely think many people do not collect art because they are intimidated by the process and can feel alienated from the art world. This is why I created my website and why I strive to offer access to the art world through education, communication and humor.
For so long the art world has been exclusionary - you only get access when you know a guy who knows a guy. And art historically has been a source of bragging rights for the elite. Many people may not even enjoy the works they own, but only house them for the tax write-offs and investment opportunities.
Another issue is the art market deciding what is valuable and what is not. Often times what the art world sees as worthy of esteem leaves the rest of us shaking our heads in confusion.
The intentionally uncultivated communication between the art community and society has led to the average person thinking art is just not for them. Some have even railed against the art world, leading to the de-funding of cultural institutions and programs in our country.
I believe this is all a result of lack of understanding and communication that continues to be unresolved on both sides. It is a shame.
Luckily we are seeing a resurgence in the craft movement, of community art walks and city-wide art fairs that are helping bridge the gap. Public art, free museum days and a larger cooperation between art universities and their communities have done wonders for educating the mainstream in a fun and engaging way.
Even if you collect art for the fun of it, would you agree that it's a good idea to document the "story" behind each piece you buy?
LP: I always love knowing the story behind a work. I think it adds to the longevity of the buyer’s connection to a piece and is something great to pass down through the generations. Certainly it's not necessary and some works speak for themselves (or don't speak at all and are just great to look at). But when there is a story to be told, I'm there to listen.
In addition to the tips you presented in your blog post "How to Build an Art Collection," do you have any other advice for novice collectors?
LP: Just have fun with it. Some of the work I love the most can be totally unpalatable to friends and family. Some of the work I love is boring to some, but totally enthralling to me. You must buy for yourself. As I say in the piece, you are the one that has to look at this work hanging on your wall day in and day out, no one else. So it better be something you love!
And never worry about having 'too much' art. I have stacks and stack of framed works, and tubes of prints I have yet to frame. I constantly move work around my house because it gives the room a new life, and the piece a new meaning!
Sometimes having a stash of work available to you offers a host of new design opportunities without having to buy a single thing. Art can chronicle important moments or places we have been in our lives, and we can give new life to a work by allowing it to breathe in new spaces.
Finally, buying a work of art that you love is never a bad investment.
LINKS
Junkyard Arts
How to Build an Art Collection
