Creating a shared family value in collecting art

Salon style wall of contemporary art at Morton Fine Art, Washington, DC

 

As an art collector, you invest time, energy and money in a collection which fits both your aesthetic and interests. Oftentimes you develop strong relationships with galleries, auction houses and sometimes the artists themselves. How do you translate your passion for your collection into a shared family value?

A few questions to ask yourself:

What reflected in your art collection is most relevant to your family members?

Does your collection mirror family values or non literal family narratives or concepts?

What art on your walls most influences you?

What art on your walls most inspires your respective family members?

Do you have family discussions about art?

Do you visit art institutions and galleries with your family?

Have you shared the influences which have lead to you collect as you do?

 

Stein collection (detail), Paris

 

Here is a wonderful example of family legacy created by a shared passion for art collecting:

Did you know that the legendary American writer and art collector Gertrude Stein actively and profusely collected art with her brothers Leo and Michael and her sister-in-law Sarah?  In fact, the family was integral in the rise of modern art in western Europe and America including early acquisitions of Cezanne, Gauguin, Renoir, Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso – much of the art which now fill the world’s museums. In the early 1900’s Henry McBride (the critic for the New York Sun) commented that Stein “collected geniuses rather than masterpieces. She recognized them a long way off”.

Collectors, that’s some inspiration for today!

 

Morton Fine Art

52 O St NW #302

Washington, DC 20001

(202) 628-2787

www.mortonfineart.com

mortonfineart@gmail.com

 

 

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To set up with Art Money visit https://www.artmoney.com/us

Select your artwork acquisitions at Morton Fine Art http://www.mortonfineart.com

Tips for the Emerging Art Collector

When starting an art collection, purchasing art can be a very daunting task. Many find the idea of it intimidating and overwhelming. However, the truth is that it doesn’t have to be that difficult. There are all kinds of ways in which art collecting is open to everyone…one just needs to take that first step. Art isn’t always a $10 million painting and you don’t always have to find it in a gallery in New York City.  This post is going to share some tips on how to begin your journey down the fun path of collecting art.

Julia Fernandez Pol, Reef Series 8, 23.5″x 18.5″, bas-relief hand painted monoprint

Tip #1: Buy art you like/love/couldn’t live without.

This is the first thing any collector will tell you. There is nothing like a regretted purchase, especially when it comes to art. That is why it is strongly suggested that you buy works that really speak to you. When buying a work of art, you want to make sure that it is something that you will still want to look at after it’s been on your wall for some amount of time. Works that make you stop and notice something new in them every time you look are the best kinds of works. If you see a piece in a gallery and you can’t stop thinking about it or continuously go to see it, that’s probably the art collector inside telling you something. At Morton Fine Art, we have the option of taking art works out on approval so that you can hang them in your home/office for a short period of time to get a feeling of what it would be like living with the piece.

Charles Williams, Self Portrait with Goggles 4, 10″x8″, oil on mylar

Tip #2: Artwork doesn’t have to match your sofa. Or other pieces in your in collection.

This is a good follow up to the “Buy art you love” tip. It can be a touchy subject as on a few occasions, some people have come into the gallery looking for something to match a piece of furniture or a wall in their space. While it is really awesome when works of art match, it can stifle the creative freedom that makes art collecting fun. Buying your first piece of art doesn’t have to dictate the direction your collection will go. You can mix landscapes with figurative works, abstracts with realism. For example, works on paper are a great way to keep  In the end, it’s really about how they make you feel. Your art collection is a story about you and the experiences you’ve had in your life time.

Trance Dance, 2002, 26″x 19″, oil and pastel on handmade paper

Tip #3: More often than not, art IS in your budget.

A lot of potential collectors get scared off from buying art because they automatically assume the works are going to be out of their price range. Stories from auction houses about works that sell for millions don’t help alleviate this misconception. There are different ways galleries can help you figure out how to buy your first piece. When you are going to a gallery to buy art for the first time, don’t be afraid to ask questions. Also, keep in mind that certain factors will determine the price of a piece. Medium for example, can dictate the price of an artwork. From my own personal experience, I’ve built my collection (which include works by Vonn Sumner, Katherine Hattam, Nathaniel Donnett and Kesha Bruce) around buying works on paper because I find that they fit within my budget more so than works on canvas. That shouldn’t, however, prevent you from figuring out which mediums you like best.

Other ways can be through extended payments. For example, art works can be put on payment plans. Galleries will break up the cost of a piece into more easily payable payments over a 2-3 month period. This is helpful because it will help you budget and feel more secure in your art purchase. However, don’t always assume a gallery will offer you a plan. If you are really interested in a piece, ask the gallerist about their financial options.

If you are interested in starting your art collection or are looking to add something new to your already started collection, please contact the gallery. New collectors, ask about our New Collector Initiative!

Morton Fine Art’s gallerist AMY MORTON & artist LAUREL HAUSLER at WALA DC’s “Galleries 101: Law for Visual Artists II” panel discussion

Thanks to WALA DC for including Morton Fine Art and MFA artist Laurel Hausler on the panel, “Galleries 101: Law for Visual Artists ll”. February 10th 2016 @ Pepco Edison Place Gallery in Partnership with Art Impact USA.

Thanks to Charlene Hardy for the inclusion, and to art attorney Carl Bedell for leading this very informative panel discussion!

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Creating an appreciation for Arts – A Multi-Generational Approach

Creating an appreciation for Arts 

By Martina Dodd

We may not have all grown up around art or been born into a family of artists and creatives like Maya Asante Freelon and William Mackinnon, but that shouldn’t stop us from surrounding our family with paintings, photography and sculpture. Creating an appreciation for the arts at a young age not only improves observation and cognitive skills but can also enhance a child’s understanding of history and culture.  Trips to museums and visits to art galleries with your family can be a rewarding experience for you as well.  A child’s perspective of a piece of art can sometimes be even more inspiring than an art historians!  So let their imagination run free, especially with series drenched in memory, spiritual connects and self-discovery like Kesha Bruce’s “The Guardians” or Maya Freelon Asante’s “Handmade”.

Kesha Bruce, Soliis Journey Home, 48″x48″, mixed media on canvas

 

Maya Freelon Asante, Handmade, 36″x37″, tissue ink monoprint

 

Parents and educators can also use art as a fun and creative teaching platform.  Through Victor Ekpuk’s use of Nsibidi, an indigenous African system of writing, a child can be introduced to cultural traditions and new ways of communication.

Victor Ekpuk, Asian Uboikpa (Hip Sista) Series #11, 2015, acrylic on canvas, 60″x48″

Or they can learn about the brightly colored deep sea animals and florescent habitants which inspired some of Julia Fernandez Pol’s paintings.

Julia Fernandez Pol, Reef Series 8, 23.5″x18.5″, bas-relief hand painted monoprint

 

With the help of Andrei Petrov you can also teach a geography lesson based off of pieces like “Istanbul” and “Swiss Bliss” which loosely resemble European landscapes.

Andrei Petrov, Istanbul, 30″x48″, oil on canvas

 

Andrei Petrov, Swiss Bliss, 42″x42″, oil on canvas

 

 

By instilling an interest, understanding and love for art who knows what the next generation of artists and collectors will create or develop? And maybe during your next visit to Morton Fine Art they can help pick out your newest piece of art work!

Morton Fine Art, 1781 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009

(202) 628-2787, http://www.mortonfineart.com, mortonfineart@gmail.com

NATHANIEL DONNETT founder of “Not That But This” Houston-based art and culture webzine

Not That But This is a Houston-based webzine, created out of necessity, by artists and various creatives, that seeks to showcase and celebrate contemporary art and culture created by people of color throughout the African diaspora.

Not That But This strives to be an expressive, critical, and experimental platform for the investigation, interpretation and freeform exploration of the contemporary art world, as well as the everyday aspects of modern life.

This artist collaborative provides a crazy, rigorous, outlandish, and dope collection of thought provoking positions on the arts and our world. It has been said, “That if you want something done you should do it yourself” and “any real change implies the breakup of the world, as one has always known it.” This is that something and that is this change.

http://www.notthatbutthis.com/

Not That But This Art and Culture is made possible with the support from the Idea Fund, a re-granting program administered by DiverseWorks, Aurora Picture Show, and Project Row Houses and funded by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

Nathaniel Donnett – founder
Jamal Cyrus– contributing founder
Kenya Evans- contributing founder
Autumn Knight– contributing founder
Robert A. Pruitt– contributing founder
M’Kina Tapscott– contributing founder

Preserve your artwork by using archival mat board on prints, works on paper and other mediums

Preserve your artwork by using archival mat board on prints, works on paper and other mediums.   Archival framing begins by using acid-free materials, acid being one of the primary culprits contributing to the breakdown of paper as well as the fading of pigments. There are two types of acceptable archival papers: acid-free and 100% rag acid-free, with the latter, made from cotton or linen “rags,” being the highest quality. Using only acid-free materials takes potential problems into consideration, correcting for them before they occur. It is often just as easily done as conventional framing. How to recognize if your mat board needs to be changed out to archival materials?  Check for a rust-colored core of the mat board on your artwork. If present, this is a sure sign of acid which will, in time, erode both the artwork itself as well as the body of the mat.

 

 

Morton Fine Art & Paddle8 at HFAF

What we do

Paddle8 is an online destination that offers international collectors access to a selection of works from the world’s leading galleries, foundations, and art fairs. Complimented by editorial projects, Paddle8 members can navigate the market and enhance their own personal knowledge. For galleries, Paddle8 provides the opportunity to amplify outreach to potential clientele and offers a suite of tools and services designed to ease the sales process.

How we do it

Paddle8 leverages technology to allow members to view and acquire art with eased shipping, insurance, installation and payment utilizing the web to provide efficient access and context for a broader audience. Paddle8 members have the opportunity to access this artwork and information through various channels including educational content, individual gallery pages, art fairs, and benefit auctions. The interplay of these features and ability to acquire makes Paddle8 unique.

For more info on Paddle8 visit their website: www.paddle8.com

Video Footage of MFA & Artinista Art Advisory’s “The Art of Collecting : A Woman’s Perspective”

To view this informative video, please click on the following link:

MFA & Artinista Art Advisory present “The Art of Collecting: A Woman’s Perspective”

“She’s A Collector” Series Part 3: Interview with “Artinista”, Juanita Hardy

March 22, 2012 Posted by Chief Artinista

Artinista: Juanita Hardy, Co-Founder of the Millennium Arts Salon, Small Business Owner, Silver Spring, Maryland

AAA: How long have you been collecting?

Juanita: Since 1985.

AAA: What was the first fine art piece that you purchased?

Juanita: A Romare Bearden lithograph from his Odyssey Series.

AAA: How did you become interested in collecting fine art?

Juanita: A small piece I purchased from a street vendor in 1985. It [depicted] an African woman with a basket on her head, colored with paint and butterfly wings in hues of yellow. I had it beautifully framed in a gold frame and it felt good to hang it on my wall. The spirit of the piece warmed my heart and space. Then I decided to that I wanted to collect more art- have it around me, nurturing me.

AAA: What is the best thing you like about collecting art?

Juanita: The joy of hanging the work on my walls and experincing that feeling described in my answer to question #3. Talking/exchanging with the artists. Encouraging artists to continue painting by being a patron. Another joy is collecting/preserving history, which is what many of the artists, especially those who have made their transition, represent.

AAA: What is your advice to women who are interested in starting a fine art collection?

Juanita: Do some research – go to galleries, read books, catalogs, talk to others that are collecting. Develop a plan, [identify] artists whose work you want to purchase and what the price range may be. Then implement – purchase what you like.

Interested in starting a fine art collection and not sure how to start? We can help! Contact us today to schedule a consultation or for more information!