Are there any art collectors here?

[ForeverAutumn]

We've discussed the obvious CD/DVD and equipment collections. We've even discuss the less obvious watch and gun collections. Do we have any art collectors in the house?

I have a couple of pieces that I have collected over the years, mostly limited editions, that I bought because I love. Which is good because I don't think that they've appreciated in value much. And I have a few original pieces also bought out of love, which is good because they are unknown artists and probably never will appreciate in value.

I'm in the process of getting quotes for another piece that I saw in Las Vegas that I just can't get out of my head. I've decided that I must have it even though it's going to break the bank.

Does anyone else here collect art? Either just for the love of it, or as an investment?

[GMichael]

I have lots of pictures of my daughter, hanging on our walls. Does that count?

[JohnMichael]

I collect art for the love of it. When I have to have a piece I can never imagine parting with it. One of my favorite things to do when I travel is to buy art as a souvenir. No coffee mugs or the like for me. I did buy a wine pitcher once with a name of a restaurant on the front and Quebec below the restaurant's name. The pictcher was made in Quebec by a local artist and hand painted.

My first two pieces of art were given to my by a college friend in Dayton, Ohio. One he had painted and one given to him by an artist friend. His was a watercolor of a beach scene and the other is an acrylic of flowers. The artist who painted the flowers never liked that painting and so she never signed it. She told Roger if he wanted her to sign it she would. I had met her and always intended to get it signed but life happens and it remains unsigned but still my favorite.

I have 4 poeces of art from Montreal and Quebec. My one painting from Montreal was by an artist who paints on tiles in oil and the uses a press to transfer the image to paper. It has the vibrancy of oils but no brush strokes. The other is a B&W high contrast photograph of trees. I have two engravings from an artist in Quebec City by the name of Alain Lacaze. One is an engraving of a city scene and the other is of three birds which looks almost Asian in influence.

I have several prints that are limited edition or artist proofs of their paintings. Loved them both but the originals had been sold. I will say that prints made either by the artist or overseen by the artist is much closer to the original than a lot of art prints. The prints are signed in pencil with the number of print from the limited edition.

Of course I also have my painting from Paris. Which I love to see and remember when I purchased it. My art I love for the beauty and the memories.

I should qualify my collection by saying I have never bought anything over $500. Several of the artists whose work I own have been displayed in many galleries and several countries. Since I am an apartment dweller and like to move things around I have never invested in a large statement piece.

I would check the artists reviews from shows and their reputation. The art may not increase in value but you do not want to find you overpaid for it. Is this from a gallery you trust? You might want to try an art department at a local college to see if the artist is known and respected. Check with a local gallery and see if they have any information. I do know there are companies that sell art that is meant to be an investment but we are not starting in my price range. Good luck!

[ForeverAutumn]

I would check the artists reviews from shows and their reputation. The art may not increase in value but you do not want to find you overpaid for it. Is this from a gallery you trust? You might want to try an art department at a local college to see if the artist is known and respected. Check with a local gallery and see if they have any information. I do know there are companies that sell art that is meant to be an investment but we are not starting in my price range. Good luck!

That's great John. I'm not surprised that you have collected those pieces. We also like to buy art when we travel. Two of my favourite pieces that we have are a pastel drawing of Lake Simcoe that we bought from an artist who lives in the town where we rent a cottage each summer. We paid $80 for it. And a watercolour of New Orleans that we bought from an artist in Jackson Square, that we paid $60 for. It cost me more to frame them than the art cost. LOL!

Here is the link to the piece that I am considering. It will be, by far, the most expensive piece that I've ever bought. But I absolutely love it. Your computer screen will not do the colours justice. It's hard to see but each dandilion seed has a little person hanging from it. Just blowing off into the wind of their destiny and an unknown future.

I have priced it at three galleries and they are all pretty much the same. I am waiting for one more quote before I either pull the trigger or back away.

Vladimir Kush - flown-with-the-wind (http://vladimirkush.com/flown-with-the-wind)

[JohnMichael]

I have priced it at three galleries and they are all pretty much the same. I am waiting for one more quote before I either pull the trigger or back away.

Vladimir Kush - flown-with-the-wind (http://vladimirkush.com/flown-with-the-wind)



If you have priced it at three galleries it is not an original but a reproduction. I would consider the price based on the fact that their are others of the same image. It is in the category "Prints on Canvas". He painted the original and then through some process copies are made by transferring the image to canvas. I am leary of spending too much on art of that type. Other types of art I am leary about are artists like Thomas Kinkade and the cottages he painted. Next they would framed copies and he would paint a small flourish on it so it could be called original.

Caveat emptor!

[ForeverAutumn]

No, it's not an original. I could not afford his originals. It's a limited edition of 100.

[Feanor]

We've got a few paintings and prints. A slight majority were inherited from dead relatives, most from my mother who passed away about a year and a half ago.

I've I had (1) a good deal more money, and (2) more space/walls to display it, I would actively collect art

[dean_martin]

My wife has a growing collection of folk art. I think what focused her interest (and mine too) was a trip to North Georgia a few years ago. Here are some of my favorites that we have from various "genres" (some may dispute that they're "art"):

Space art - ltd. ed. signed Chesley Bonestell print "Saturn as Seen from Titan".

Concert posters - signed Bob Masse print Grateful Dead 1967 "Daily Flash Love-In", Ryan Adams and the Cardinals ltd ed. rose-shaped spaceship over USS Alabama, Jeff Tweedy at Alabama Theater.

Photos - b&w front of CBGB's New York that I took in mid 90s, my wife's photo of walkway in Alamo San Antonio, TX.

Folk art - signed Jon Whiddon "Crow" and "Yellow Dog".

Movie posters - Italian "The Green Slime" and Belgian "Once upon a Time in the West".

My most recent interests were bull fighting and flamenco dancer themes, but I never pulled the trigger on anything. (I know it sounds cheesy and you're probably picturing something on velvet, but that's not it.) As you can see, except for some of my wife's folk art, these aren't really investment-grade pieces.

[ForeverAutumn]

In my opinion, art doesn't have to be investment-grade. It's always nice to have a piece of art that goes up in value, but there are no guarantees. I believe that art should be purchased because a piece speaks to you and because you get pleasure from staring at it.

I bought a limited edition James Christenson piece about 17 years ago because I loved it. There was a time when it was worth about four times what I paid for it. However, the piece has since been re-released a few times and each time the value of mine goes down. It's now worth about what I paid for it 17 years ago. Factor in time value of money and it's gone down in value. Luckily I didn't buy it as an investment.

Having said that, I think that I've decided against the limited edition print that I refered to above. I still love it, but I don't think it's worth what the artist is asking for it...at least not to me.

[JohnMichael]

The first is my favorite by Alain Lacaze. The next is a photo of the painting I purchased in Paris.

[JohnMichael]

The first is my oldest and most favorite. The second is the oil painting on tile and then pressed to paper. Colors are not completely accurate since photographed by room light.

[ForeverAutumn]

Those are all beautiful John. I especially like the piece that was first painted on tile.

[JohnMichael]

Funny story. I framed one of my photographs I took while in Quebec City. A friend was over and really liked the image. I asked her if she would like a copy. She looked puzzled and I told her it was one of my photographs. She said that she thought it was art. We are no longer friends.

[TommyUno]

My main hobby is of course drawing and I am happy to do it. It's great that there is time and energy to do what you want. It brings me joy and pleasure.

[RomanClo]

Not so long ago I learned to draw and I'm quite happy about this circumstance, it's really exactly what I've always wanted to do. Especially it's easy to do by buying everything you need here https://protsvetnoy.eu/ This is a great way to distract yourself and find new talents in yourself, I think. I am very pleased that I was able to devote myself to such an occupation, to be honest.

[meaganmanning]

I love painting very much, and now I am engaged in diamond painting. This is an exciting hobby that relaxes after a hard day. I buy paintings at https://colorelaxation.com/collections/diamonds-animals-dolphins. I already have a lot of beautiful works in the apartment, and I even give them to relatives.

[HardissonHard]

My dad collected CDs and records with music. As for me, I belong to a completely different generation, and I am no longer interested in discs. I just listen to music online or download it with mp3juices (https://mp3juices.ltd) to my phone. It's convenient, and besides, I don't have to worry about the quality of the music, it's always great.