I Like It, But Should I Buy It?

I’m Not That Kind 36” x 36”

July 19, 2020

How do you know if you should buy a piece of art? Spending money on art doesn’t result in visible improvements like fixing a drippy faucet or painting a house but having art in your home does something else. Looking at art can ease stress, improve cognitive function and even boost your immunity. Living with art improves all our lives but how do you know what art to buy?

I hear people say that they don’t know enough about art to know if a piece they’re looking at is really good. Or is it worth the money? So here’s my rule of thumb. If it makes me gasp (literally) or smile, or if I feel drawn back to look at it again and again then I love it and would love having it hang in my home. The question isn’t whether some art critic will approve of your decision, the question is do you like it? Love it? Really, really, love it? Then yes, buy it. But is it worth the money? When I buy anything expensive I ask myself how much is this thing worth to me? If I feel kind of meh about it then I don’t want to spend a lot, but if I really love it, wake up the next day thinking about it, then I’ll spend more to have it.

For the sake of transparency, my art is for sale. Most of the work on my website is for sale. But this post isn’t about buying my art. You can find a lot of inexpensive art on #artistssupportpledge on twitter or on Instagram. Work is available in the artist’s support pledge for less than $200, a good way to get your feet wet as an art patron. So try it and bring some beauty into your home!