Collecting Contemporary Art on a Budget
Check out the dates and times of local art college and university Degree Shows, which will be open to the public on selected dates. Look out for Fine Art degrees if you wish to view paintings rather than any other artform.
At each venue, view all the artworks displayed. If something particularly catches your eye go back to it at the end for a more critical appraisal. Think about where you will display it and from what distance you will be viewing it - does it still look as good? Remember that you should only buy a piece of art if you LOVE it. Don't rush into buying a piece - take down the artist's details and contact them later when you have had time to think it over. But also remember to trust your instincts.
As long as the main reason for buying a piece is that you love it then don't worry what others think, have confidence in your own opinion and judgement. There has been a resurgence of interest in painting in the past few years and there is no denying that people generally want to own paintings rather than, say, sculpture or ceramics. Paintings generally fit more easily into our homes or offices. But the style of painting is really a matter of personal choice: whether the medium is oil, acrylic, mixed media or watercolour or the style abstract, semi-abstract, figurative etc. Choose what appeals to your visual and inner senses and that will be good art.
Art students are very keen to sell their work but also want to know that you are as passionate about a piece as they are. So spend some time talking to the artists about what exactly attracted you to a particular piece. They are more likely to sell to you for a good price if they know their art is going to a good home.
An artist will have put lots of time, energy and passion into their work so don't make an insulting offer. Most artists will have been given guidance by their tutors on what their artworks are worth - use this as a guide but there is always room for negotiation. Whatever you pay will still be substantially less than from a gallery or fair and, if you have chosen well, the potential increase in value over time could be substantial if the artist becomes well known.
If you still don't trust your own judgement to buy from an art student but can't afford an original from a gallery then look out for Limited Edition Prints. Limited Editions are much higher-quality than regular prints and art publishers only produce Limited Editions of their most popular artworks - these can increase in value because of their rarity combined with their popularity.
Tips & Warnings