Buying art can be a scary!

Here are some tips and advice to make your art acquisition more fruitful and less stressful.

You are thinking of purchasing a painting? You really like this painting but your are not sure if you are buying it for the right reasons. The most important mantra to remember is don't buy something unless you like it. This may sound silly, but you would be surprised how many people buy things because "it went with the divan", "my mother told me to", "it is a great investment ( meaning I will dump it when I reach Medicare )", or "I want to improve my image." If you purchase art for any of the reasons above - even if your guru friend at the museum told you to - you most likely will be miserable later on. So, if you want to use all of the reasons above to convince your friends you did the right thing, that's fine, just make sure you LIKE the art. Perhaps our interview with Mona below will help you.

FAQs

Q- I like the art but should I buy it?

Mona- If you really like the piece, stick to your convictions and don't worry what others will think.

Q- How do I know if it is good or not?

Mona- There are a couple of different factors that define "good".

• First is the physical quality of the item - is it on good canvas, done with good quality paints, is the metal ( sculpture ) cracked, is it in good condition etc. These all relate to the construction of the item. Ask the artist what they use for materials and do they guarantee their work against defects.

• Second is the intrinsic caliber of the piece. How does it stack up against other work as to composition and technique.

Q- Don't I need an expert to tell me all this?

Mona- You could consult an art dealer or museum curator about both those aspects of "good" but the artist should tell you honestly about the integrity of his work, and you can learn to evaluate the intrinsic qualities yourself.

Q- Okay, so I am comfortable that the piece is constructed well, but how do I learn the other aspects of the art?

Mona- The more art you look at the more trained your eye will be. Go to museums and look at what the artists of the past did. Look at lots of art. You will find that your tastes will be honed, your eye will quickly pick out the things you like and dislike about a piece, and you will be drawn to things that uniquely reflect your personal tastes and art education. Now you will be attracted to art that becomes your personal collection. It is sort of like sipping champagne - Cold Duck was fine in the beginning, but now you find you really like Dom Perignon Rose.

Q- How much money should I spend?

Mona- Define a budget. Perhaps you have a new house to furnish and there is a lot of empty space. You want to buy good art, but how do you eat the elephant. Separate your purchasing plans into the inexpensive make-the-place-look-nice group and the real art for the future collection. You can gradually replace the "decorator" items over time with quality pieces that fit your personal collection.

Q- How do I know if the artist is asking too much for his work?

Mona- You don't. If he is an honest artist, he has a window of pricing that he is using at that time. Artists always want to be paid well for their work, and they are not going to go backwards in their pricing. They will have different prices for size, complicity, etc., and sometimes whether they are happy with the work themselves. I personally have under-priced  a painting just because I didn't like it as much as I thought I would when I started it. Then a piece that I am particularly pleased with I will ask the max. Art is in the eye of the beholder and it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. A friend once said, " When an artist finishes a work it is his creation, but when he sells it, it becomes art."

Q- Shouldn't I try to get the best deal?

Mona- Buying art from an artist is not like buying a car. Some artists like to play the wheeling-dealing game but most do not. If you try to get the artist to knock off a chunk off the price he has quoted, you are really insulting the work. If it is something you like and want, does he cut off a piece of it so you can have a better price? -  no. I run into this with commissions sometimes and I always ask the client do they want me to put less effort into their painting since I won't be getting paid as much. One thing will work in your favor in general. If you buy a piece from an artist at his price, when you return for something else later on, you will probably be offered a discount as a thank you for having faith in them and their work. Everyone likes repeat buyers - and that is the only similarity with car buying and art buying.

Caring for your new acquisition.

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