The Art of Collecting

The Art of Collecting

Collecting art, in all its various guises, mediums, styles and artistic eras, is wonderfully addictive.

If you are embarking for the first time on this wonderful journey of collecting pieces of art for your home, then be warned, once you start, you may not be able to stop.

There is just such a brilliant buzz to be had, wandering through galleries, virtually or in reality, or combing through auction catalogues and stumbling upon something – a gorgeous little print, a delicate original sketch or an impressive oil painting or sculpture that really captures your heart; something that speaks to you for whatever reason that may be. Perhaps it reminds you of a place or a person or a time in your life.  Sometimes it is more because the piece would really suit or look amazing in a certain place in your home. But whatever the reason, the buzz is hard to describe. Especially when considering the long term added value of investing in a piece of original art.

The Costs?

Sometimes you pick up a new artist whose work is exciting and fresh, affordable but on the upward trajectory.
Sometimes it’s perhaps a little more than you intended to spend but you can afford it and it becomes an impulsive buy that makes you smile forevermore; more times you can’t quite afford it but you decide to pay it off over time (hey, it’s an investment right?) and other times you just have to let it go, forever to haunt your head as the piece that got away.
But as for the pieces that you do acquire, the beauty of original art is that, for the most part, it holds its value and in some cases, pieces will appreciate dramatically in value over the years.

Our love of art began because we grew up in families that appreciated art; the history of art and the relevance and importance of art in all our lives.  In Kilbaha, we were surrounded by drawings, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, engineering projects, building projects and a foundry. A deep-rooted appreciation for things that were unique and handmade and beautifully finished, was fostered within from before we realised it was even happening. But this was also balanced by a love of interiors and a passion for beautiful things.  We also had an appreciation for all sorts of eras and styles and interior design and adored the idea of old pieces of antique furniture adorning a particularly contemporary space as well as the idea of legacy art that had been handed down through generations, finding a very suitable home in amongst its contemporary counterparts.

There are no stead-fast rules to becoming an art collector other than to really love and appreciate and enjoy the art that you buy – but there are some top tips.

Love it!
As we said above, and indeed always say, you must buy something you love (you will be looking at it for a long time unless you sell it or pass it on or have locked it away purely as an investment)

Mix it up!
An art collection can be as varied and eclectic as you like – in fact, the more so, the better! From different artists, to different mediums to important old art mixed in with contemporary new pieces and from classic portraits to abstract designs. The fun really lies in making them all work together in your home or workplace collection and the subsequent story about you that they somehow form. Yes, your art talks about you; it tells a story about where your life took you, what your passions might be and even gives away snippets of your personality.

You can of course be the collector solely of one specific artist in which case you either really love this artist’s work or you see a long-term value in holding it and keeping the collection together – or both.

Mind it
Someone has poured their time and their energy into this piece of art; be it a bronze sculpture, a marble carving, a plaster cast, an oil painting or a mixed media artwork – by virtue of loving it and buying it, you have now become its temporary caretaker for future generations.
(Also, if it was an expensive purchase, consider including it on your house insurance)

Kilbaha Gallery – is a small but beautiful gallery on the Loop Head Peninsula in Co. Clare, that plays home to many professional contemporary Irish artists. Since the onset of lockdowns as a result of Covid 19, the gallery sells most of their artwork online to a broad and growing domestic and international customer base.
Browse and Shop the Gallery HERE 

Featured Image: ‘Back’ by Bairbre Duggan  – HERE