It´s just a good idea

This is going to be short and to the point.

Buying art is a good idea.

If you look it at it from the point of view of sheer gratification, few things that you will buy for your house at a reasonable price will give you more enjoyment and for such a long time.

What are the chances that your sofa will increase in price over time? (Yes, I mean after use).

Not many? How about close to none?

What are the chances that a painting you bought for anywhere between $500 and $5000 will increase in price over time?

Well, you don´t have the best odds but it can and it does happen. Anywhere higher than $4,000 and your odds get better, and those you purchase at prices that go anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 have probably very good odds of maintaining and increasing prices.

So, if you have a keen eye and good luck, your purchased art work may double, triple, or multiply its original price many times over.

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Now, it is important that you keep it, remember where it is, and pass it over to the next generations. Otherwise what could happen to you is what happened to the unknown original owner of the painting “Preparation for Egypt” (which is thought was painted somewhere between 1605 and 1620). A German student in Berlin was looking for an old sofa for her appartment and decided to buy a pullout couch at a flea market. When she opened it, the painting was inside. It went on to be purchased by an anonymous bidder at auction in Hamburg for a price of $27,630, making the student about 100 times what she originally paid for the couch. So the lesson is to keep your art close, protected, in your will so you can pass it on to others, and definitely, do not hide it in a sofa (no matter how much you like the sofa).

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If you are a betting person, always spend a little more (with good and knowledgeable advice is always better) as price in art relates to how the market views the artist (obviously, a higher price acts as an initial validation of the art work). But this is not a must.

You can find great deals amongst emerging as well as established artists. In my case, I make the point of always of having paintings available below $5,000 (sometimes as low as $1,500 or even less for small pieces), as my interest is that my art get to as many hands as possible. I love having someone buying something for $1,000, and then seeing that person 6 months later with a smile on his or her face because not only they love their painting, but they know they have already made a profit on it as well.

They are my best marketing people. I love the fact that they like my art, and I love seeing them talk about how much they enjoy a particular painting. And I am not alone in this pricing strategy. A great number of artists share this attitude towards the market.

So, if you are looking for enjoyment, originality, a smart and lasting gift for yourself and for the people you love and esteem, as well as a chance at making a handsome profit just for having a keen eye, you cannot do much better than buying art.

And as long as we are talking about smart things to do, I recommend you listen to this album. It is just another good idea.

See you soon.

Ignacio

©2016 by Ignacio Alperin Bruvera