How I Started Collecting Art as a Young Person: Part 1

     I've always had a keen interest in collecting things, anything really. When I was really young my top dresser drawer turned into a depository for coins, candy wrappers, small toys and anything else that I deemed "valuable". Underneath my pillow was also a hiding spot for other collectibles like a small analog alarm clock (I would sleep with it under my pillow). This pack rat-esque mentality has continued to today except instead of bits of paper or alarm clocks its paintings and sculptures from emerging artists.

    What does it take to start collecting art? How much money do you need to start an art collection? How do you find art that is "collectible"? Why collect art to begin with? These are questions that I hope to answer in this blog series. After reading this my goal is that you will have a better understanding of how accessible collecting art can be and how to make the first step. 

    Around my early to mid-teens I saw some YouTube videos on people who had found old paintings or drawings in their attic or garage that turned out to be early works of Picasso or other famous artists. I also read some articles about the Rockefeller's and works of art their family had purchased for very little that were now worth millions. These stories led me to think perhaps I could find the same luck. 

    I started hitting thrift stores looking for undervalued antiques and art. This was the beginning of art collecting for me. I ended up finding a lot of random lithograph prints and some paintings by unknown artists. There was a few interesting pieces, namely a $40 1988 serigraph by Anthony Quinn titled Mother and Child (later I found that it may be an unauthorized reproduction by the gallery that represented Quinn), a gelatin silver print by Photographer Harry C. Ellis titled Place Vendome, a Haywood & Wakefield end table for $10, and a Jennens & Bettridge paper maiche jewelry box with gold and mother of pearl inlay for $1.99 (very similar to this one). 

    While this way of collecting does not look exactly the same as acquiring art on the primary market from an artist that you have some type of connection with, it's a great place to begin. I collected art this way for a number of years before I acquired my first piece from the primary market. Through thrifting I learned a lot about researching art and valuing works through online sources and how to use my eye to spot quality genuine art compared to cheap fakes, amateur pieces, or tasteless reproductions. Thrifting is also a really affordable way to learn and make mistakes. Even if you don't buy anything, just by taking the time to look up a piece on Ebay everytime you go to the Goodwill, you begin to train your eyes. A well trained eye is in my opinion one of the most important aspects to a successful collection. 

    In part 2 of this series I will go over how I moved over to collecting in the primary market and other ways to train your eye.