Any art collectors in here?

[bigolherschel]

I am starting to look into buying at least one painting for my office, hopefully an original large painting in the $1000 range; probably looking for older pieces instead of new ones direct from the artist. 
 

Does anyone collect art here and if so, how do you learn about art? I love learning about hobbies (golf, cigars, whiskey, etc) but am intimidated by the amount of material surrounding things like art. There are literally dozens of art books published per day for a century. 
 

How do you think buying art is best done, and are estate sales / auctions a good place to get a good deal? 

[bladehunter]

Only thing I know is buy what you like to look at.   The worth vs cost is much more about luck vs homework than anything.  You can get lucky buying what you like , or you can do homework , and still buy a dud.  
 

in other words if you look at some paintings or drawings and they speak to you.  That’s what you buy.  If none speak to you.  Then you’re not an art buyer.  My unqualified opinion.  
 

i myself am drawn to charcoals , I’m a texture person. I love the fades in color that charcoal shows ,  Usually with a pattern , often including nature.  Example.  I know of a charcoal on canvas about 6 ft wide that is nothing but a flock ( murder or group ) of ravens covering an orchard. Done from an elevated view.    I stop and stare for a while every single time i walk buy it.  And I don’t own it.  It hangs in my wife’s office.  One of her doctors is an artist and it’s done by a college friend of his.  If I recall he paid $500 or so for it.    He knows I’d like to buy it if he ever sells.  But I doubt he will as he says same as I do about it.    
 

there’s something about certain pictures that seem alive.  It can’t be recreated.  Here’s an example of charcoal on canvas that to me is alive.  

Edited January 3, 2022 by bladehunter

[bscinstnct]

Depending on what you like, $1000 could be a tough price point for an actual oil painting. 
 

Check out this site. I dialed the filter into 2000-5000 (some very nice work in this range) but you can change the filter. You’ll see that the quality and talent level corresponds with price. 

 

https://www.saatchiart.com/paintings/oil?price=2000-5000

Edited January 4, 2022 by bscinstnct

[Petethreeput]

Buy what you like.  The chances of a painting significantly appreciating are slim to none.  Note, I said significantly.

 

When I buy art, and I do have some originals, I always buy from the artist.  Galleries can take from 10-30% of the proceeds of the sale and I want the artist to survive because art makes the world go round.

 

One other thing, we think $1,000 sounds like a lot but if you factor in the time, the mistakes (I am editing this to mean, the time it took the artist to learn their craft), the place to do their work, and the materials, it really isn't too much if the art is good.  When I see it, I know it, and the value of any piece is solely my own.

 

[Edit] I got the laughing emoji, most of this is based on family anecdote.  We have a couple of artists in the family, well known and generally considered "expensive" and when they were starting out... paintings in the $1000 range for decently sized art, these were their preferences.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Petethreeput