Buying art for your home is easier than you think
John Hovig knows how it feels. That awkward moment when you walk into an art gallery or studio and freeze.
What do you call this kind of art? How much does it cost? Where would I put it? How do I ask without being embarrassed?
Now a full-time artist with a studio at The Silos at Sawyer Yards in the Washington Avenue Arts District, Hovig once worked in computer science. He was always drawn to the arts and even considered architecture as a career.
But when he decided to learn more about the art world as an adult, he felt like an outsider.
“I would go to galleries in Midtown, downtown, all over, and I was asking questions as an art buyer. I had no idea what was going on or how things were priced. It seemed like a big disaster to me,” he said. “Little by little, seeing art that I hated, or bothered me, and a year later understanding it …. It just takes time.”
Be confident
First, Hovig and his colleagues at Sawyer Yards, which hosts regular open-studio events, urge potential buyers to relax.
“Artists are always happy to answer questions of any kind because they want to talk about their babies,” said Valentina Atkinson, who uses watercolor in her abstract paintings. “No one should feel intimidated about approaching an artist. They’re going to make an artist happy to talk about it.”
So if you’re in a gallery and the artist approaches you, don’t see it as the start of a high-pressure sale — they’re really just trying to make you comfortable.
They want you to know who they are, what inspires their art and then hope you can make a connection.
Known for her playful and vivid portrayals of animals, another Sawyer Yards tenant, April Murphy, is dabbling in projects where visitors become part of her art. Right now, she has a partially painted image of dogs and cats and a few other critters sitting in a movie theater. In front of the large canvas are a pair of theater seats, where guests sit to get their picture taken.
“Don’t be afraid of an artist engaging you in conversation. They’re trying to draw you in to see and understand their art,” Hovig said. “Once I engage (visitors) … I start seeing the wheels turning.”
Making a purchase
Then comes the big step of deciding what you want. If you fear ridicule from a friend or that unpleasant cousin, get past it.
The message from Hovig, Atkinson, Murphy and Rennie MacKay Quinn, who has a space at Sawyer Yards’ Summer Street Studios, was loud and clear: Trust your instincts. Your taste is your own, and no one should tell you if it’s right or wrong.
“You have to understand your own taste, what you like and don’t like,” says Hovig. “If you walk into a studio and you’re not sure if you like it, keep on going.”
Quinn was even more direct: “If you (look at art) and don’t feel anything, buy something else. Don’t buy art because someone else tells you to.”
Another consideration: Depending on which room it’s in, you’re likely to see this piece of art every day. “I tell people to think about it, because you are going to live with the piece for life. It’s going to be your roommate,” Atkinson said.
Negotiate
As more people become interested in collecting original art, there’s the matter of price.
Some artists, like many at Sawyer Yards, post their prices on or alongside their work. That way you don’t have to ask when you’re not sure if something costs $500 or $5,000.
If a piece isn’t in your budget, he or she might be able make something similar at a price that works for you.
Hovig remembered a client who liked a piece that was 24-by-36 inches, priced at $1,080. But his budget was $750, so Hovig agreed to create a similar line drawing in a smaller size, 20-by-30 inches.
He encourages this with a big sign that reads: “Feel free to ask about custom sizing.”
If you like to haggle on prices, prepare yourself. Some artists will negotiate a little on price or give a discount if you buy several pieces.
Advice from artists
Murphy has heard customers admire her work, then say, “But where would we put it?”
She and the others agreed on this: Art has a way of finding its place. So, if you love it, take it home and see what happens.
To avoid the art equivalent of going nose-blind, take it in a little at a time. There are galleries and studios all over the city. Art festivals often have dozens of vendors and Sawyer Yards includes some 300 artists.
Visit a few artists, galleries or studios at a time and you’ll avoid feeling overwhelmed.
One opportunity coming soon is the Sawyer Yards Art Stroll and Sale this Friday. Sawyer Yards also hosts events on the second Saturday of each month, when many of its resident artists open their studios to the public.
Also, don’t worry too much about the horizontal vs. vertical question. Some art, obviously, has to be hung a certain way. More abstract art comes with fewer demands.
Quinn herself changes up her own art, pointing out a purple 20-by-20 piece in a corner of her studio. It’s called “The Depths” and originally hung it with its darker side up. The more she looked at it, she saw something different and flipped it so that the lighter side was up and the darker end was down.
If you need a horizontal but the piece is vertical, talk to the artist. If they are agreeable, they’ll rewire it for you in the new format.
Comfort zone
Think of your self education and search for art you love as a new hobby in which you’ll make new friends.
If it means going outside your comfort zone, so be it.
Atkinson has been there herself.
There’s a painting of hers in the entrance of Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards, with beautiful colors peeking out from a coat of gold.
A customer liked it, but wanted it in silver. Atkinson was hesitant, mostly because she thought the coat of silver wouldn’t have the same artistic effect.
She made the piece. Both she and her client liked it and, in the end, Atkinson told him that he was its co-creator.