3 Benefits of Buying Art Directly from an Artist
You may recall in history class that you read about Renaissance-era patrons of the arts, such as the Medici family. And while very few of us are Medici-level wealthy, most of us can be part of the art world and make a real impact with our spending money by buying art—particularly if we buy the art directly from the artists. Read on to learn about three benefits of buying art directly from artists.
You’ll Develop a Relationship with the Artist
Artists and collectors have a special relationship. Most artists want to nurture that relationship by keeping in touch long after the sale, sharing news of their art career and new work, inviting the collector to art openings and events, and keeping in touch. Artists may do this through email newsletters or more direct email, phone, or postal mail contact. However, if you buy an artist’s work through a gallery, odds are the artist will likely never be given your information. The gallery will be the one nurturing a relationship with you as one of their collectors.
2. You’ll Give the Artist a Bigger Financial Boost
Galleries generally take 50% of the sales price of an artwork. This commission covers their overhead and the marketing they have done in the process of selling the art (and galleries really do earn their commissions!). When you buy artwork directly from an artist, they don’t have to pay a commission to anyone. Granted, they still have credit card fees, packaging materials, cost of supplies, marketing costs, overhead and more—which is why you should not try to bargain the price down since they are not splitting a commission with a gallery. Trust me, they have put in hours and hours of work to make this sale happen!
One note of caution: Once an artist has a piece you’re interested in displayed in a gallery, you should purchase it through the gallery; do not ask the artist to sell it to you directly and cut out the gallery. This could jeopardize the artist’s relationship with the gallery as well as the artist’s professional reputation.
3. You May Have the Chance to Commission Artwork
As you research artists, buy from artists, and get to know artists that you like, you may discover the opportunity to do something really exciting: to commission a custom work of art from an artist who does work that you love. This doesn’t mean you have to be a designer! You can select one or two of your favorite pieces from the artist’s portfolio and request something similar or with specific colors to match your home decor. This lets you customize your artwork while letting the artist do the kind of work that they do best. A piece of art that you commissioned will have special meaning for you because it wouldn’t have come into existence without you—in this way, you were part of the creative process.
Collectors Make the Art World Go Around
Artists can sometimes get a lot of attention, but the fact is that collectors are the real tastemakers. Art collecting is a creative expression, and it lifts others up. Your art collection can send ripples of impact through the art careers of the artists you collect. And I think that’s pretty exciting!
Speaking of buying from artists, have you checked out my available artwork? Head on over to my online shop and see what strikes your fancy!
Caryl