March 13, 2005
New York Times
They Know It When They See It, and Often They Buy It
By JIM RENDON
ARC LEVINE opened a closet in the living room of his Manhattan apartment to reveal two unframed drawings. Then he laughed about a recently purchased photograph - still in bubble packaging - that he had lent to the neighbors. He has no wall space left for these works; his apartment is already covered floor to ceiling with photographs, prints and paintings.
Mr. Levine, 38, who owns Model Bartenders Inc., an event staffing company, has collected more than 40 works of art, from a $15,000 sculpture by Robert Graham that he won with a $100 raffle ticket to dozens of smaller prints and photographs for which he paid only a few hundred dollars each, often at charity art auctions. "I love art, and I collect on an emotional level," Mr. Levine said. "It's something that I can put on my wall and enjoy. And what better way to collect art than to support charities."
In building his collection, he generally spends less than $1,000 on each piece. At charity auctions, he can both support an organization and often walk away with a work of art for half the price he might have paid in a gallery. Other buyers on moderate budgets have found that they can acquire inexpensive original pieces from emerging artists, and even barter or trade for works. Some have found that by buying photographs, prints or other limited-edition works, they can afford more than they thought. Even auction houses like Christie's offer some items for as little as $100.
Large exhibitions can offer low-pressure opportunities to explore what's available. The Armory Show, a large annual exhibition of contemporary art in New York, opened on Friday and runs through tomorrow. Two other shows are being held this weekend: the -scope Art Fair, which also runs through tomorrow; and the Frère Independent DIVA, which closes today. Both help introduce emerging artists to larger audiences, as do other organizations, like the AAF Contemporary Art Fair, which has regular events in New York, San Francisco, London and Bristol, England.
More young adults are showing an interest in contemporary art because they want works that represent their own culture, said Michael Sellinger, an art consultant and adviser to the -scope Art Fair. "Impressionist art costs $10 million or more," he said. "People want to have things on their wall that reflect their tastes, not their parents' taste."
But shopping for art is unlike shopping for other things. Generally there are no pushy salesmen. Price tags don't hang from the paintings. There are no product reviews online. It can be a bit of a mystery.
"Walking into a Chelsea gallery, a white cube space with a high countertop where you can only see eyes peering over the counter at you, where every footstep is magnified, can be daunting to even the most seasoned collector," said Helen Allen, the United States director of the AAF Contemporary Art Fair.
To help potential buyers gain confidence, many art fairs include educational programs about the art-buying process. Arts organizations also have programs for new collectors. For example, Gen Art, a nonprofit group based in New York, offers programs in New York and Miami in which experts accompany members to galleries, museums and art events.
The Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art, based at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, is a similar program that also includes studio visits.
"We're helping people recognize that this stuff is made by real people," said Janet Bishop, the museum's curator of painting and sculpture.
The desire to connect with artists inspired Craig and Laurel Anderson to begin buying art. Shortly after the couple moved to Seattle in 1990, they went to a street fair and bought their first work for $75. They recently moved themselves and their collection, which has since grown to more than 500 works, to San Francisco. Most of the pieces cost $100 to $400 each, Mr. Anderson said.
For the Andersons, collecting art is as much a way of life as an act of commerce. They bought many works directly from the artists and developed friendships with a number of those artists. They educated themselves about the Seattle art scene by attending the city's First Thursday Gallery Walks, from 6 to 8 p.m. once a month. At these events, downtown art galleries offer new shows and artists, and buyers gather to view the works and to socialize. The couple also had potluck dinners, inviting dozens of artists to their home.
"My wife and I feel that it is very important to give back to the community," said Mr. Anderson, 39, a sales clerk at Home Depot. "We see artists give back all the time. Plus, we love the creative process and love hanging out with artists."
The Andersons buy works they enjoy, with little thought of making a profit, said Mrs. Anderson, 42, a quality control director at a blood bank. "We don't pick works because they are pretty, but because they make you think or they make you look at something differently," she said.
It is important for potential buyers to educate themselves about the art world, so they can better find works that move them, Ms. Bishop said. "When you are getting started, and over time, the things that are going to be the most satisfying to live with are the things that you really like."
Alexandra Schley Landegger, 32, of Manhattan, had that experience at the AAF Contemporary Art Fair last year. She saw a painting and just had to have it. It showed two children playing leapfrog; they reminded her of her own children. She went home, grabbed a jar full of cash she had been saving to buy a car and handed the artist $4,500.
She has given up on the car, but she is saving to buy another painting at this year's show in October.
But some experts say art purchases should be based on more than an impulsive emotional connection.
"The idea is to buy things that hold their value," said Susan Ginsburg, an art consultant and historian who teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. "If you are going to spend $1,000, do you want to recoup that $1,000 or do you want to throw it away?"
Ms. Ginsburg suggests that people educate themselves by visiting galleries and museums, researching artists online and going to auction houses to look at art. Most auctions have some items like prints or sketches that can be had for a few hundred dollars, and most major auction houses post items and estimated prices on Web sites.
But, Mr. Sellinger said, the key is to just get started. "You can't be afraid to make your first purchase," he said. "Everyone has a closet full of things they wouldn't purchase a second time."