Good Art Doesn’t Have To Match Your Sofa
It’s true, think about it… If you are going to buy a piece of art created by the old masters would you be worried whether it matched the sofa?
The same holds true for the art you buy for your home and office. Who knows, someday the artwork you acquire might be considered the work of an old master.
So when you’re out looking for art versus looking for décor, here are some tips and things to think about.
- Are you looking for a piece of work for a specific room?
Will the art be the main focus of the room? Do you want to be able to see it from another place in the house or office? For example, if you’re standing in the living room should you be able to see it from the dining room through the door openings? If it’s in an office should you be able to see it from the reception area all the way through to the conference room? So think about placement of your art – not just whether you like it or not. Specifically, making a painting, sculpture or a wall hanging the focus of a room means you should be able to design or rearrange the room around it.
- Do you need to find something of a specific size?
Size counts. You want to make sure the painting or art fits the room size. That means you don’t want a giant painting sitting on the wall in a small room or a small painting sitting on the wall in a large room. So size counts. If you find something that you like but it is not the right size or shape for the space. Maybe the gallery can have the artist recreate a new piece in the size that you need for you. Generally speaking the cost of a commissioned painting is not dramatically different from the cost of the original piece of work.
- Is its color important to you?
Some people gravitate to certain colors. Are you one of those people? Remember – good art does not have to match your sofa. It has to match you and what you like. Sure, it should look appropriate in the room. But don’t think of fine art as just decor – because it isn’t, it is Fine Art and it should be treated as such. So it’s important that you are totally comfortable with it.
- Does it need to look like something familiar to you such as a landscape or seascape?
Some people enjoy looking at a piece of art on the wall and reminiscing about the wonderful time they had on vacation or they need some calming reminder to bring them back to reality after a hard day at the office. Think about what you need from the piece of work you’re looking to purchase.
- Does it need to look like a Picasso or Rembrandt or some other well-known artist?
Some artists are known for their recreations of fine works of art. No they are not the same – they might be similar and they may look like the old masters work or the work of someone famous but remember they are not that. If that’s what you want – that’s what you want. But remember acquire something that makes you feel good to look at it, all the time, because it will be there in your home or office every day.
- Does it need to be an original work of art?
Sometimes the work of the artist who you are interested in acquiring a piece of work from is not priced within your budget. If this is the case maybe you need to consider a fine art reproduction. Some artists will make limited-edition prints of their work and embellish them or enhance them to make them specifically for you – and giving them a feeling and look of an original but for a fraction of the price.
Maybe this is something you should consider?
- Do you have a specific price point that you need to stay within?
There is art at every price point for everyone. Of course, more well-known and established fine artists command more for their work. Maybe you need to consider a smaller piece than you would like as a starting piece from that artist. Or maybe you want to acquire a larger piece from a lesser-known artist. But there is a painting or sculpture for everyone at every price point. You just may have to search for a long time to find it.
- Are you interested in the artist or just a piece of art – are you looking to become a collector of someone’s work?
If you are interested in a specific artist and you don’t see something on the gallery walls that strike your fancy, ask the gallery representative to show you other work created by this artist. Remember the gallery does not have room to hang every piece by an artist on their walls at the same time. Just asking that question, “Do you have other work by this artist” this can open a whole new world of art to you.
- And finally, does it have to meet someone else’s taste as well as your own?
If you have a partner that you are shopping with – please, please consider their likes and dislikes. This might mean you need to compromise and find something that you both like, which of course could take a little longer. But at the same remember, you will be looking at this acquisition for a very long time, so make sure everyone who is involved is happy and that what you acquire doesn’t become the focal point for bad moments.
And always remember… Good art doesn’t have to match your sofa.
2021 copyright, Paul Berenson
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