5.03.2009

Buying Like a Collector

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the California Ceramics Festival in the charming college town of Davis.  While I found the scads of work both stimulating and inspirational, I couldn't help but wonder what all the art collectors were like.  I'd watch a slough of people enter a room, grab a price list off the wall, and immediately begin to check off what they want.  I, on the other hand spent the weekend par-oozing the small town shops, in search of my own treasures.


How to Buy Like a Collector:

1. Name of Work: It is sad but true that brand names go a long way.  Think, if you want to resell some day, brand names may be the way to go.

2. Artist's ethics: I'm generally anti-chinese made, USA all the way!

3. Price: Is it worth the moo-la?

4. Practicality:  Here is where my thoughts differ from the art collector's, but if an item is amazing and not practical, I might get it anyway.

5. Love: Do you love it? Will you die if someone else owns it?

Today I followed the role of the art collector.  I cataloged items I liked in each clothing shop in town, compared prices, weighed my options, and chose what I couldn't live without.  I happened into Nina and Tom a great family-based homegrown clothing store, and purchased an exquisite  recycled wool purse by Queen Bee, as priceless as the finest china! 

2 comments:

Janet said...

I stumbled upon your blog and usually I don't read too much. I just skim through. But...I couldn't stop reading yours. Your writing is so entertaining. I laughed out loud at the gym post. Keep up the writing. Are you a writer? If not you should be.
Janet Serene-Ledesma

Unknown said...

Why thank you Janet, you are too kind.