Artist, JEremy Novy, Silly Pink Bunny , San Francisco

No armchair travelers are we, as it’s a given that travel broadens our mind. Well so does art. Original art. Tango Diva has compiled the top five reasons to start your collection.

CURIOUSITY:
Ever wondered what’s behind the green, yellow, purple, and orange studio door? Attend gallery openings or studio tours, meet a live artist in their native habitat. Notice the tools of their trade, their environment, ask them questions. Whatever you do, don’t ask them about their record collection, or keep your cell phone glued to your ear. Remember, art doesn’t just happen in museums. For example, there are free open studio events all over the country all year round.

San Francisco’s ArtSpan gathers over 800 artists annually who open their studios to the public over five weekends. In Arizona, Flagstaff Arts produces a weekend long self-guided tour of over 80 homes and studios. Find yourself in Austin? The music scene is amazing, but so is the annual two weekend long East Austin Open Studio.

DON’T BE A SHEEPLE:
Don’t worry. Nothing has to match your decor, or make sense to anyone but you.
Forget that the neighbor owns an original Manet. You acquired a unique piece that makes you happy, and it’s all yours. Studying the world of art leads to creative thinking. Creative thinking leads to innovation. Surrounding yourself with original art makes you a more interesting person and skilled problem solver.

PERSONAL EXPRESSION:
Put that original artwork on the walls and share your personality. It’s less taxing than an all night post-breakup talk-a-thon, more cost efficient than buying the latest fashion statement, and less intimidating than writing a letter to the New York Times editor.
At the next gallery opening you will have something interesting to say. Use your newly acquired skills of observation as an antidote to shyness.

INVESTMENT:
Bring home original artwork that resonates with you. Invest in yourself. Eventually, you will get a sense of what you like and what you want more of. That goes for lots of life’s decisions. The passage of time allows you to follow a favorite artist’s career trajectory and the increased value of your purchase. Oh, and buying directly from an artist can save you considerable bucks.


SUPPORT THE ARTS
Like all cultural phenomena, the art scene thrives or dies on community support. Shun crowd-sourced curation, resist sameness!

So here’s an example of a vibrant art scene… San Francisco locals line up for indie artist Jeremy Fish. I know, sameness you say. But an artist needs meaningful support. Jeremy started out stenciling koi fish on sidewalks and now receives public funding to create large scale sculpture. As an artist, he has not abandoned his fan base. Above is a typical scene in the hood, lines around the block for an autographed original print.

THE TAKEAWAY:
Buy Original Art!

photographs in this article are available for sale starting at $49 for commercial stock usage.
any usage, non-profit including, requires adherence to creative commons license.
specifically, the following is to be posted adjacent to each and every photograph:
“©lynn friedman c.c.”, along with a link back to the original page you found it on.
support the arts!