Besides the difficulties involved in making art, there are a number of great difficulties in selling it, no less so in a down market with economies constantly on the verge of collapse. One gallerist with whom I am familiar has spent a large part of her spring redesigning the landscape around her gallery, not only to beautify the surrounding area, but also because it provides a good reason to invite her clientele later in the summer to see a new space, drink a glass of wine and discuss the works and new works of her favorite artists. She learned to make the most of a fiscal pinch in order to be invigorated for later.
Who should buy art when pennies are being pinched? Anyone! The fact is if everyone is being careful now is a great time to spend some time that might have been spent in bars with friends or airports for vacations learning about an artist, style or period of art that interests you. You will have the advantage then of going to galleries with better questions that will allow you to better understand what you do like, and how to explain your preferences to a gallerist who is after all only trying to show you pieces that you would like to spend your life knowing. There are some pieces that I would gladly hang in my home forever and by worshipping those pieces in museums I have tried to learn what I am looking for in galleries.
Galleries are similarly trying to re-focus their intentions to help collectors and appreciators admire and understand the value in the works hung. In my experience, large one-time expenses like buying a painting do not break the bank. Rather it is the general daily over-consumption and expenditures that spill from the hand like so much lost time that cause one later to see a dwindling account (okay, that and bad stock market decisions). Don't buy a picture you don't love but do buy one because it does that something which you can't ignore or forget–that will stick with you for life.
And let a gallerist help you understand what you appreciate at the next wine reception for a new re-design, website enhancement or show. Spend the time in the meantime learning what questions you want to ask because it is actually wonderful for them to talk about the works and help you learn the language to describe your own loves.
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