Visiting national art galleries and their acclaimed masterpieces is one thing, but the real satisfaction of being an art lover lies in building a collection of your own, saysCaroline Wheater
Who hasn’t felt a twinge of envy upon seeing a beautifully furnished home with an equally well-curated ‘gallery wall’ of artworks that ripple seamlessly through rooms on a wave of warmth and soul? Creating an art collection is a form of psychology that reflects much about a household, says independent gallerist Katherine Kittoe of Kittoe Contemporary: ‘These artworks are not just decorative objects, but things that are going to bring joy to your life over many years. Pictures are the backdrop to family life, with meaning and interest gathering as your taste evolves.’
So, an art collection tells a personal story, but how to begin that narrative? ‘A wonderful thing for budding collectors to do is to go to as many exhibitions as possible to be amongst paintings, prints and drawings; to become engrossed in it and refine your taste,’ says Caroline Lay of Lay’s Auctioneers in Penzance. ‘View auctions, too, even if they are completely out of your budget, to familiarise yourself with what’s selling for what price.’ For Hugo Barclay, director of the twice-yearly Affordable Art Fair in London, fairs are the place to begin your adventure. ‘Developing your taste and understanding what art resonates with you requires seeing a variety of artworks, making art fairs the perfect starting point for this journey.’ He also recommends adopting a spirit of openness and curiosity, adding: ‘Inevitably, there will be artistic subject matters that take more than simply looking at the work to unpack the stories. Collecting is fun when you embark with the right mindset!’
Simply put, the more art you see and appreciate, the more your own taste will start to emerge – mediums you’re drawn to, colours you like, compositions that chime. It might be landscapes or beach scenes that float your boat, or portraits of people and animals, or cameos of domestic scenes.
And there are more routes than ever into buying art, with dealers, galleries and auction houses champing at the bit to help you make those decisions. ‘Fairs are a great way to get your eye in, tuning you in to what speaks to you and makes
