Albuquerque Journal/Saturday, June 22, 2006

Home Style, Section B front page

Art Smarts:

Experts suggest using both your head, your heart when making a purchase

By Eric Billingsley

Journal Staff Writer

For too long you’ve relied on that poster of “Monet’s Bridge at Giverny” and other pieces of mass-produced art to decorate your home. But now, you’re ready to forge a new and more sophisticated path: collecting original and limited-edition works of art.

And then it happens. Your excitedly purchase your first piece, only to realize shortly thereafter you just spent hundreds or thousands of dollars more than the average Joe would have paid in a gallery.

Buyer’s remorse? You bet.

Art experts say that while that scenario happens to even the best, it doesn’t have to be the norm for the newbie art collector. If you take time to educate yourself about different types of art and how to purchase it with a blend of emotion and intelligence, collecting can be a joy.

Know your taste

The first rule is to buy what you like.

“The most important thing before buying anything is to spend a lot of time knowing what you like,” says Caroline Seigel, an art appraiser for 20th Century West Art Appraisal in Santa Fe.

Are you attracted to paintings, photography, three-dimensional art, textiles or pottery, and what style?

She says this is the best part of the process for newcomers because it may involve going to shows, openings at galleries, talking to people at museums, and in some cases, forging relationships with artists.

Museum memberships are a great way of gaining access to talks by artists, curators and other experts, according to Don Michaelis, publisher of The Collector’s Guide to Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque. He says that from now until fall there are also numerous artist studio tours throughout the state.

“That’s another really interesting way to see and learn about art,” says Michaelis. “The works we (he and his wife, Pamela) value the most are the ones where we have a personal connection to the maker.”

Part of learning about what you like is also deciding how much you are willing to spend.

Shari Gauthier and her husband, Francis, have collected original folk and primitive art for nearly 50 years. Residents of Grand Island, Neb., they enjoy visiting galleries but typically buy at flea markets and antique shows.

“High prices put on an artwork discourage beginning art lovers from getting involved,” says Francis.

“We can find prices from $100 to $500, and the pieces are what we like,” Shari says.

If you enjoy the original work of an artist but can’t afford it, reproductions, such as giclees – a digital reproduction of a painting – may be the way to go. “Giclees are great for people who want a big impact for low bucks,” says Wolfgang Mabry, a fine art consultant for Ventana Fine Art in Santa Fe.

A print may cost hundreds of dollars less than an original. However, they can be valuable depending on the popularity of the artist and the number of like prints on the market.

Limited edition reproductions are typically the most valuable.

If you want original art but are on a budget, start by purchasing affordable originals at street fairs. Get to know an artist. And when you start to have the wherewithal, look at more expensive pieces, says Mabry.

Diana Pacheco, an art consultant with Canyon Road Fine Art in Santa Fe, says there are also benefits to collecting the work of a number of artists. “If you collect the work of just one artist, you may find that (over time) all of his work is not the same,” she says.

Do your homework

Art experts and consumers agree that the credibility of an art dealer is almost as important as the artwork itself.

“If any artwork is being sold as an investment strategy, the pitches are rarely true,” says Seigel. “Know who you’re buying from. A good dealer will not use high pressure sales tactics.”

She says buying from a traveling auction company, versus a dealer with a well-established store front, can be risky because it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment.

Name recognition and market demand affect the monetary value of a piece of art, versus a dealer’s enthusiasm. And in the case of living, breathing and working artists, somebody who may be sought after today could very easily drop off the map tomorrow.

Reading publications such as Southwest Art, the Santa Fean and others can help you fill in gaps in your knowledge, says Michaelis.

“If you’re feeling unsure, talk to other galleries about the artist (and/or art dealer) you’re looking at,” says Tom Ross, co-owner of Hahn Ross Gallery in Santa Fe, adding the Santa Fe Gallery Association is good resource. “Santa Fe is a small world,” he says, referring to the fact that others in the business know if dealers aren’t on the up-and-up.

Ross says a few other things to look for include the artist’s reputation, whether the piece is an original or reproduction, and whether the piece is signed and documented. In the cast of editions, make sure the piece is numbered and inquire about how many were in the run. Open-ended editions are typically much less valuable than limited editions.

“The best thing to do is find what type of art you like and talk with people about it,” says Susan Schill, a painting and rug collector of 20 years who recently visited Santa Fe from Maryland. “We (she and husband Charles) mostly buy directly from artists,” she says. “But it’s also good to get to know gallery owners.”

Ross says reselling art is difficult because you typically sell it through a gallery that gets a cut. “I kind of dissuade people from purchasing art as an investment,” says Ross. At the same time, if a piece does go up in value it’s a plus.

Cover your asset

Another way of protecting yourself is to get an appraisal before purchasing. That can be as simple as conducting research on the Internet or contacting an artist or gallery owner directly to find out how much similar works of art are selling for.

Seigel says artwork from a deceased artist, or a collection of pieces, may require a deeper appraisal that looks at auction records, comparables and the like. While dealers can estimate the retail value, a neutral third party might be best for more in-depth analysis. Those can be used to decide whether to purchase a piece and/or to insure it.

Seigel sums up well the process of collecting art wisely. “I would suggest buying art with both sides of the brain. But the most important thing is that you love it because you have to live with it.”