Starting an art collection can feel intimating no? All those different mediums, subject matters, price ranges not to mention snooty gallery owners. Minefield!

Bit it’s also a wonderful world in which to delve and discover. You don’t need to be a billionaire to start an art collection. Nor do you need to have oodles of knowledge  about art.  You don’t even need to book a flight to visit all the major art fairs – its only a click away. You can buy art like furniture online and just like furniture it can be returned if it doesn’t match your expectations. Not just that online sites are an easier way to spot emerging talent, so you don’t need to worry about being on the circuit there is no circuit!

First things first:

So where to start?

There are lots of different ways to begin, you can start as simply as buying what you love, or you can research and develop some background knowledge about art. For me I’m going with the first one!

Be confident

Art is subjective,  there is no right painting or wrong one  so banish all those I don’t “I know anything about art’  fears, go with your gut!

Buy to keep

The simplest thing to do is buy something because you love it, that way it will stay with you forever. I never buy to flip it, I buy because I love it, I buy to keep.

Don’t be afraid to experiment

A truly great collection is  one that excites you, takes you out of your comfort zone even, never remains static and constantly evolves. Lets say you have a penchant for seascapes in oils (not sure why but hey)! Rather than having every wall filled with seascapes you might want to add some pen and ink sketches, some kids art, a bit of graffiti, a photograph even.

Start now

Forget dilly-dallying and literally start now. Anna Johnson wrote in the Guardian’s culture blog in Australia  ‘the first commitment to a work of art will be the most daunting. As in love hesitation is loss’.

In other words start now, couldn’t have said it better myself!

Where to go

Here’s the fun bit  you don’t need to hope on a plane to visit Art Basel| Miami| Hong Kong , you don’t need to scour LA’s bursting gallery scene (as cool as that all sounds)  it’s literally only a click away.

My go to sources

Artfinder.com; 2846 artists from 60 countries

Artfully Walls – affordable prints from up and coming photographers, illustrators and painters

Artspace.com; a digital marketplace from artists and galleries around the world

Artsy.net; 140,000 plus artworks by 25,000 plus artists. It’s one of the largest collections of contemporary art available on-line

New Blood Art; specialises in original artworks by emerging artists

Paddle8.com; an online auction house with monthly themed auctions

Saatchi Art: A fab selection of drawings, paintings, photography and sculpture in all price ranges

Auction houses are a great resource. They’re are not all selling Hockney’s, Legers and Chagall’s. I’ve picked up some incredible pieces; a huge oil that looks super Bacon esq ( £80), a pen and ink drawing for £30, a faded out old portrait £50. Auction houses do a lot of their bread and butter business selling moderate pieces of work. Not many people realise that but they do! Added plus you can see it all online and even bid on-line!

Why collect at all it?

Well from experience I can tell you it makes all my spaces more complex, sophisticated, intriguing  and purposeful. It’s addictive, its hugely exciting and it’s a bug.  Once you’re bitten by the art bug there is no gong back!

By the way the beautiful art collection on the banner belongs to Andi Potamkin, photography Graham Atkins Hughes.

Happy Collecting!