Helpful Tips for Collectors
Collecting art is a captivating and enriching pursuit that allows individuals to curate a personal gallery of visual stories. Whether it be paintings, sculptures, or photographs, each artwork holds a unique narrative that speaks to the viewer on various levels. Collecting art is a window into the artist's vision and a reflection of the collector's taste and appreciation. With each acquisition, a collection gains depth and becomes a chronicle of creative expression throughout time. The act of collecting art is not just about amassing pieces, but also about fostering a deep connection with the art world, supporting artists, and contributing to the preservation and promotion of culture. It is a journey of discovery, exploration, and immense joy as one builds a collection with its own distinct personality and story.
Find your personal taste.
Collecting art to your taste is incredibly important. While it may be tempting to jump on the latest trend in hopes of making it big, art market trends are fickle and changeable and can be nearly impossible to predict, making buyer’s regret a genuine possibility. It is better to gauge steady quality by going in depth in an area of interest. You will never regret buying what you like. What artists have caught your fancy? What art movements? Are there any other artists from that same time period or movement that you like as well? Comparison helps you educate yourself if you doubt your eye for quality. If you like a painting, look at others that are similar to it, and see which you like best. The work of higher quality will quickly outshine the other for even the more inexperienced art buyer.
Look for steady growth.
A steady uptrend in the value of a work of art is a better indicator of a sound investment than much-celebrated precipitous growth. As the saying goes, what goes up must come down. Steady growth is the hallmark of the valuation over the time of a work’s real artistic merit and historical importance.
Risk Management
Risk management applies to art as it does to other financial investments. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Expand your collection beyond one time period/art movement. Identify several that you like. The more diverse the assets, the lower the financial risk.
Perhaps you like portraits? You may want to acquire portraits by artists from different art movements, time periods, styles and geographical locations. Art from different parts of the world will always be supported by a local demographic, giving it a strong client base to uphold its value. Or say you like Impressionism. Did you know that there are a much wider variety of Impressionist artists than the staple Western Artists we’ve all come to know? Yet undiscovered works of the highest quality belong to artists who traveled to France from all over the world, studied, and returned to their home countries. They are just as much a part of creating and building the art movement as the French of American impressionists.
Have a Trusted Advisor
Having a trusted advisor that knows both you and your taste as well as the art market can be an invaluable relationship in the world of art collecting, helping you confidently navigate the labyrinth of choices, avoiding pitfalls, uncovering hidden gems and reinforcing your good judgement when in doubt.
An art advisor is deeply connected within the art community. They maintain strong relationships with artists, galleries, auction houses, and other collectors. These networks grant them access to exclusive events, exhibitions, and private collections that would be otherwise inaccessible to the average collector. Through their connections, art advisors can recommend artworks that align with a collector's vision. In this interconnected art world, an art advisor becomes not only a collector's ally but also a doorway to new possibilities.
At Rafael Gallery we develop longstanding relationships with art collectors and interior designers based on mutual trust and individualized support. Our knowledgeable staff is always ready to offer priceless advice to collectors and clients before and beyond a purchase and we hope you will allow us to develop a relationship with lasting benefits through your patronage.