Recently Mike and I watched a quirky little documentary called “Who the  #$&%  is Jackson Pollock?”. It follows a female truck driver from California who purchased a painting from a charity shop for $5 that could be a Jackson Pollock original worth millions.

Paul Biro, a forensic art expert used by several international museums, matched a fingerprint on the piece to other Pollock paintings and paint samples to his studio, but art dealers and Pollock experts refuse to acknowledge the unsigned, undocumented painting. Without expert authentication a high-priced sale is unlikely.

While your art purchases are likely to be more conventional, good documentation of your collection is important.

What is provenance?

“Provenance, from the French provenir, ‘to come from’, refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object.” Wikipedia

That could mean passing through generations of one family; changing owners several times via art auctions or dealer sales; famous collections it’s been in; and so on.

What documentation do you need to keep?

Even if your purchase is not in the Jackson Pollock league just yet, keeping good records is worth doing. Not every artist will return millions to your descendants but even a modest gain from a well-documented piece would justify your investment.

Create a small hardcopy file for your artwork and add as many of the following as you can:

• Your receipt of purchase
• Where you bought it
• Exhibition catalogue; price list; gallery brochure; artist brochure or business card
• Any details you have about the artist
  Where are they are in their career? Was this his first solo show or his 15th?
• Any details you’ve been given from the artist or dealer about the artwork
  What is the subject; where was it created; has the artist written a statement about the piece?
• Any reviews written about the artwork
• A photo of the artist
• If you buy a piece at auction keep any documentation that is supplied

What if you bought a painting years ago and have no records?

In the past young artists may have sold work to friends and family with no thought for documentation or future sales (now that artists are entitled to resale royalties it is probably less common).

You can still write down everything you remember about the purchase.

If the artist is still living, the age of the internet makes it easier to track them down. Contact him or her and ask for a signed statement or description of the artwork for documentation purposes.

Having said all that, Michael is probably guilty of providing little documentation for his early work too!

If you have a Knight original and would like some signed paperwork send us an email and Michael will happily provide some details.

References:
Bamberger, A. How to Collect Art like a Pro – Building a Collection, www.artbusiness.com, accessed 4 January 2012, <http://www.artbusiness.com/collectpro.html>.

Alternatives to buying original art at galleries. How to use the internet to find and follow artists creating work YOU really like.

Galleries are beautiful spaces to visit and offer a wide range of professional artwork. You may find several galleries you enjoy that show thought-provoking work from artists you admire. If that’s the case buying original artwork may be as easy as turning up to wine and cheese several times a year.

If you enjoy galleries but rarely see something you really love, the internet offers some alternatives.

One of the biggest changes to the art world in recent years has been the emergence of cheap, do-it-yourself websites which have enabled most artists to build an online presence. With a little bit of effort consumers no longer need to rely solely on galleries to source and introduce art.

You can find artists you admire and follow their career yourself.

You now have more than a one-page bio on a gallery wall to guide you. Online you can view work from different stages of an artist’s career; gain insight’s into his/her work from a blog; source reviews; keep abreast of upcoming exhibitions; open up a dialogue with the actual artist (rather than a salesperson); see new work as it emerges; or commission work yourself.

Many artists show their work regularly at some form of gallery.

Viewing art online doesn’t mean you can’t see the work up close. If you follow a local artist you may be able to view a piece at their studio. If you ask to join a mailing list you will be invited to any upcoming shows and can enjoy a gallery experience with work you already have an interest in.

How do you find artists online?

There are now plenty of creative directories which show a brief artist profile including several images, an artist statement and links to personal websites.

Some examples in Australia include: 
Arts Connect (includes creative professionals of all kinds) –  www.artsconnect.com.au
National Association for the Visual Arts - www.visualarts.net.au

You can also play with the search engines and see who comes up. If an artist gets a listing in the first few pages of search results they are either well established or they’re doing something right with their website and may be worth a look.

How will you know if the price is fair?

I can’t really help with that one. Most artists know what they can realistically sell work for and raising prices above that is unproductive. For some, the cost of labour or materials may be quite high so keeping work that hasn’t sold is a better long-term solution than selling it too cheaply. The longer an artist works on their career, the more opportunities arise for sales of earlier works.

What about art as an investment?

Unless you have money to burn buy what you love. I believe the biggest value art has in our society is its ability to stimulate thought, stir emotion and enrich people’s lives. Invest in yourself.

Let’s look at the basics

• Canvas and stretchers
• Mid range professional oil paints $10 to $60 each for 37ml depending on colours
• Brushes $3 to $30 each
• Primers, glazes, mediums, thinners
• Studio space

Labour/time

• Oil paints require more drying time between coats than most other mediums. One layer of paint might take a week or more to dry. That means a painting with multiple layers can take many months or years to produce.

Reputation building

• Entry fees and transport costs for prizes
• Registration for artist directories
• Website, marketing, blogging time

Sales costs

• Gallery hire and/or gallery commissions of 20-50%
• Exhibition advertising and display materials

and so on… much like any business.

So, let’s look at that $4000 price tag

Medium sized oil painting

• $500+ in materials
• Maybe 12 months to produce in a body of other work
• $1200 gallery commission (30%)

Plus you have to sell it to make a cent

We are lucky most artists don’t work for the money!

Many years ago Michael Knight was a graduate of one of Australia’s oldest fine art schools. Travelling in the footsteps of celebrated Australian artists such as William Dobell, John Passmore, John Olsen and Brett Whiteley he studied drawing and painting under the Julian Ashton principle that “technique is the vehicle of creative spirit”.

Rather than engaging in art theory the school teaches traditional skills, encouraging students to forge their own path based on sound practical knowledge.

So, what do arts graduates do next? We thought it would be fun to track down some other students from 1995/96 and see where their imagination has taken them.

Angus McDonald - Finalist in the 2011 Archibald Prize

Anton Pulvirenti

Sophie Dunlop

Sarah Larsen

Bernice Lowe - now a sculptor

Scott Marr

Miles Hall

Just a quick sample of the first few we found but very positive to see that determined creatives can and do create successful, long term businesses despite fluctuating economic conditions.

There are many reasons why someone would commission an artwork but the most common ones are that you admire an artist’s style and would like to specify a particular size, colour range or subject. Perhaps you would like to create a long-lasting memory of somewhere or someone important to you.

Whatever the reason, remember you have asked for an artist’s creativity so allow him or her the freedom to create something meaningful within the guidelines you have agreed on.

How to do it?

1. Familiarise yourself with an artist’s work.

Make sure you see several examples of the type of painting you are interested in and, if the artist’s style has varied over time, try to look at recent examples.

2. Have a chat with the artist.

This doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Most artists love to hear that someone likes their work and are happy to run through some initial thoughts regarding budget, time frame and subject matter. If you are comfortable on the phone give them a call, but if you find that difficult put some questions into an email and discuss the project that way.

3. Time frame is important.

Oil paintings can take a week or more to dry between workings and for artists that use many layers that can add up to a long time. If you can be flexible and allow the artist to suggest a rough timeline that’s perfect, but if you need the artwork for a specific date make sure you start the process several months in advance.

4. Reach an agreement.

Once you’re sure you have both communicated your ideas clearly and you have agreed on a budget, deposit amount (sometimes requested for large works), and delivery details, get some confirmation in writing and let the artist get on with it. Be prepared to trust his or her vision – it’s what you are paying for.

5. Receive your own unique artwork

What an exciting moment… but for some people this is the challenging part of commissions. What will I get and will I like it? Hopefully you’ll love it straight away. If not, live with it for a short time and see if your reactions change. Sometimes the idea in your mind doesn’t match perfectly with the finished piece but you’ll grow to love it even more.

If for any reason you continue to be unhappy with a commissioned work speak to your artist about it. No creative wants to supply something that will be unloved and unappreciated and he or she may be willing to make some alterations.

The web is a vast place to search for information and sometimes recommended links are a good place to start. This website, by US art consultant Alan Bamberger, offers a wide range of clear, reader friendly articles for both sides of the art market equation.

www.artbusiness.com/artists

www.artbusiness.com/collectors