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It's what's Inside that Counts |
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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Friday, 17 March 2006 |
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The Eminem or Sports Illustrated posters that plastered your dorm room walls don’t usually have the same appeal once your more sophisticated tastes develop.
But who can actually afford to hang thousands of dollars worth of art in their home and still have a house to live in? Luckily, you can buy art on a budget. Your affordable works may be painted by the likes of Smith or Jones rather than Van Gogh or Rembrandt, but that won’t lessen the impact a smartly obtained collection can have.
 Tom Katsimplis, curator of interpretations at the Loveland Museum/Gallery, said he understands budget constraints. The 53-year-old artist has been collecting art since grade school, and some of his favorite pieces were purchased at garage sales and thrift shops.
“Don’t overlook antique shops or thrift stores,” he said. “Many treasures can be found there.”
Katsimplis said he has an oil painting on cardboard of a mother carrying a child on her back, done by a Hispanic artist.
“The crude, raw look is absolutely beautiful,” he said. “It is just dirty and stained enough to add a patina of age. The point is, I’m not going to clean it because it would change the whole feeling.”
He paid about $10 for the piece.
Another time he found an original water color from the 1900s. The painting was falling out of a decrepit frame. Because the frame was in such terrible condition, the lady at the thrift store sold it to him for a dime.
For him, the true investment is not what is on the price tag, but the emotional and psychological value he reaps from the artwork.
Gin Leuchter, a 53-year-old Greeley artist, said she just collects what she likes.
“Unless an artist has a following, you probably will not get money from it,” she said.
Leuchter works at the Madison and Main Gallery in Greeley. This gallery, like several others in northern Colorado, is a co-op. Co-ops tend to be less expensive than high-end galleries.
Going to the artist directly can save money, because most galleries take out a certain percentage. Leuchter said some artists will even sell a painting on trade, rather than cash.
“I know some artists who have made trade arrangements with graphic artists for brochures,” She said.
For those who really want to get into collecting, even for investment purposes, education is key.
Grace Norman, exhibitions coordinator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Fort Collins, said the best way to get started is to visit museums and galleries, ask questions and research artists.
Coffee shops, restaurants and bars are other resources to tap.
Margie’s Java Joint in Greeley is one of many in the area that will display artwork for artists at no cost. The exhibit changes monthly, so a variety of artists and art are featured.
“It’s a casual atmosphere, which is less intimidating,” said Dyana Wyeno, Margie’s art show coordinator.
Wyeno, 36, of Greeley said that along with the price tag, a novice collector should consider the meaning of a piece itself before buying. “When you first start collecting, you have to look for something you like and is meaningful.”
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