While some choose a minimalist look for their homes, many others believe that art on the walls livens up a home and warms up a room. But if you’re new to the art world, you may wonder how and where to source art for your home.
Getting Started
In addition to a series of regular arts festivals in the city, the greater Pittsburgh region also boasts a number of galleries in the area that would be a good starting point. Visiting museums is another way to get a sense of what interests you.
“The more art you see, the more you can be educated and aware of what you like and what you don’t like, what you respond to. That will start to guide your eye and your collection,” said Jeffrey Jarzynka, owner of ZYNKA Gallery in Sharpsburg.
Joy Borelli-Edwards, owner of be Galleries in Lawrenceville, said that many museums have their collections online, so that is another option, especially as many museums hold contemporary exhibits. She suggested that when you view art, you should assemble a “flashcard of images” in your mind of what appeals to you. “It is important to obtain a visual knowledge and increase your visual vocabulary, and you will find out where your tastes are.”
Brian Lang, founder of Brian J. Lang Fine Art Advising, said, “Start by considering what you’re passionate about and how the art you acquire will reflect who you are and what is important to you—what will bring you joy over a long period of time. From there, you can begin to discover artists whose work speaks to you.”
Lang also encourages his clients to read as much as they can about artists that interest them. “Reading is critical when it comes to understanding an artist and their work. Another way to educate yourself about artists is to meet them where they work—in their studios. Artists are often very open to inviting people into their studios to talk about their work and their process,” said Lang.
Why Purchase Art
While one can choose to purchase art as a financial investment or for the simple pleasure of owning a unique piece, Patrick Fisher, CEO of The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, advised, “I focus on what brings me joy. Art in your home becomes something you live with and engage with every single day. It is a reflection of your aesthetics. Thinking about what stimulates you and what emotions it evokes is really important to take into consideration.”
Jarzynka agreed. “I want people to buy artwork they love, whether it has potential investment value and growth or it enriches their lives by being part of their home and enhancing their environment.”
It’s important to support artists, particularly those based in your community. “When someone buys a piece of original art, it comes from the artist’s own hand and studio; it helps sustain them and enables them to create more work,” he added.
Budget
Budget is very important when sourcing art, and it can be intimidating. But rest assured, you do not need to break the bank to get started. “In our current exhibition, the least expensive work is $300, and the most expensive is $10,000,” said Jarzynka. There are price points for every level of collector.
When Borelli-Edwards was in college in her early 20s, she visited flea markets in search of something that moved her. “After I began working, I started to visit galleries and would select a piece or two a year and use my art budget to fund my burgeoning collection.” And that is primarily the advice she’d give to others. “I would rather a person buy one really good piece and then build that collection. If you don’t have an enormous budget, start with a good piece and save up rather than buy something that is just decorative. Buy something that really sticks with you, moves you, and save up for it; make an art budget,” she advised, adding, “When you have little means, you can still have beautiful things.”
Where and How to Source Art
If you need some guidance, there are art advisors who can help the process along. “An advisor will take a holistic approach to the client’s needs from start to finish, provide access to galleries and artists, help identify key works of art for acquisition, assist with collection stewardship, follow artists’ careers and markets, and advise the client accordingly,” said Lang.
Gallerists can help too. At be Galleries in Lawrenceville, Borelli-Edwards features the work of both emerging and established local artists. She encourages people to come to her gallery and ask the gallerist to take them on a tour, which will give the buyer a better overview of the art than viewing it online. “I say, take a look, see what you like, see what moves you, what kind of style you like, what interests you, and hopefully, you can find an artist that speaks to you,” she said. If nothing at the gallery jumps out at a buyer, she also said that she can source art from other artists she has worked with in the past.
ZYNKA Gallery represents about 50 local and regional artists and hosts new exhibitions every six to seven weeks. “Our gallery is really a showcase for these artists, getting them shown and marketed properly and connecting them to their buyers,” said Jarzynka.
He added that he works with people to try to help them find the right pieces for their homes. “The conversation will often start at the gallery and move to their home. I like to see the space, where the clients live, what their style is like, their furnishings, and how artwork might be connected to or reflect that. It is more than just buying a piece of art—we want them to buy a piece they love that connects with their home environment,” he said.
Seeing a piece of art in a gallery will be different, so as part of this consultation, he will take photos of a wall and create digital mockups of potential pieces based on their likes, styles, and budgets. “We will hone the process until you land on what makes sense,” said Jarzynka.
Regardless, working with a knowledgeable insider in the art world can make the process less intimidating; plus, once they know your taste and style, they can help curate pieces for you in the future based on that previous relationship.
“There is so much to be learned from speaking with gallerists who represent artists and know them well. And, of course, museums offer amazing experiences to encounter art in a more formal setting and take in the educational information they specialize in providing,” said Lang.
“Collecting art is a personal journey, one that has the potential to deliver great satisfaction. A collection can be built around different motivations. Is your motivation to diversify your portfolio of investments? If so, there’s a whole world of things to consider. But if the motivator is to have your physical space reflect who you are as a person—your tastes and interests—then you can apply a more relaxed set of criteria to your decision-making,” said Fisher.