Last week, Art On The Vine transformed Martha’s Vineyard in Edgartown, Massachusetts into a one-day art exhibition featuring over 20 contemporary artists of color, 100 available works, and educational panels discussing art, collecting, and investing. This was a must-attend event for the Summer if you ever thought about purchasing or investing in art, already consider yourself a seasoned collector, or have no idea where to start.
This inspiring and unique exhibition placed attendees in the same venue as notable artists, philanthropists, art collectors, and art appreciators alike including Debra Lee, CEO and Chairman of BET Networks; Dr. Adrienne Childs, independent scholar, art historian, and curator; Dorothy Kosinski, Director of The Phillips Collection; Ambassador and Mrs. Tony Bush, and Judith Batty, Board Chair of Arena Stage, and more.
Although this was Art On The Vine’s first annual event, it certainly won’t be its last since this event supported the launch of its Artists Residency Program. According to Jessica Stafford Davis, the founder of Art On The Vine and The Agora Culture, the residency program will provide one promising artist the special opportunity to return to Martha’s Vineyard for four-to-six weeks to connect with the local art community and showcase their work at Art On The Vine in 2017.
Although there were several takeaways from the inaugural event, here are five key points from the Art on the Vine educational panel led by Peggy Cooper Cafritz (collector and arts activist) and Bob & Faye Davidson (collectors and philanthropists) which can be applied to collecting art:
Stress the importance of collecting art to your kids. Even if that means going to high school art exhibits and buying something. If you are a young person who doesn’t have the money yet, you should do that. At least it is a start.
Another way to start collecting at a young age is by collecting photography. There’s some amazing photographic art that is affordable. Once you make a purchase, then you can begin following those artists.
Do your research. Before you start collecting, it’s very important to do some research to decide which artists you want to collect. Then prioritize those artists and have patience.
Become an art patron. It’s important to become an art patron because art preserves our culture. Artists are capturing the life we are living today. We have to support young artists so they can be successful going forward.
Don’t rush. Don’t feel rushed to go purchase a piece of art. It’s not like buying a car. You want to collect quality work. You have to be comfortable with what you’re purchasing because you have to live with it.
For more information on Art On The Vine or the artists from this year’s event, visit www.artonthemv.com. To learn more about the Artist In Residency program, visit here. Are you a collector or curious to learn more about, explore, and invest in art? Visit www.the agoraculture.com.