02/08/10 - In the spirit of Valentine’s Day and the current exhibit at the Rogue Buddha Gallery, ‘Til Death Do Us Part, I’d like to seize this opportunity to talk about love. More specifically, I’d like to talk about the love of collecting art. 

Last week Deena Ebbert eloquently portrayed her passion for art as an ‘appetite for art,’ an apt metaphor as it speaks of the spiritual and emotional necessity art has in our lives; not unlike food and water providing physical sustenance to our bodies.

Although it’s impossible to say why any one person loves art, or more so collects art, my experience has led me to believe that it all starts with a spark, an intangible gut feeling. 

In reference to my modest collection, I can recall the first moment I saw each piece and the particular sensation/gravitational pull which led me to buy each one. Picture a pair of strangers throwing subtle glances across a crowded room. Finally their eyes lock, and without a word, they connect. Love at first sight. I know this comparison to love at first art might seem a bit dramatic, but that moment is dramatic, and it’s a feeling that resonates well into the future.

I’ll never forget my first major art purchase. It was at Kellie Rae Theiss Gallery in downtown Minneapolis.  I was new to owning a gallery and had only acquired a few modestly priced pieces (modest was the predominant price point for the Rogue Buddha at the time).  I went to an exhibit at Kellie’s gallery and spotted a piece that captivated me.  I traversed the gallery several times but kept returning to this particular painting. Within a few minutes I came to realize what my soul had known the second I laid eyes on it. I had to have this painting. It was as if this painting was a part of me that had been missing, a soul mate if you will. 

The price tag made my palms sweat. I had never purchased anything this expensive before and I certainly wasn’t in a financial position to do so.  I spoke with Kellie about the work. Due to her generosity, a payment plan was established (many galleries are willing to do this if you ask). I believe it took me over a year to complete the payments. Because of that experience I had the opportunity to become good friends with Kellie and one of her curators, Kevin Quandt, who later became an important part of the Rogue Buddha. The effects of that purchase are still being felt to this day.

Over time I’ve realized that these purchases have transformed into something greater than individual works of art - they have developed into a collection. A collection of art can be utilized as a means of contemplation and a tool for self-reflection. In a sense, these pieces form a mirror to my soul, and isn’t that what a soul mate is?

As I’ve grown, my tastes have grown- and so has my collection, albeit at a snail’s pace. Over the years, I have managed to stretch my preconceptions of what I like and what represents me in others’ work. In doing so, I’ve made purchases that challenge me, forcing me outside of my own box. Again, isn’t that what soul mates are for?

My only advice for a first time art buyer is this: do not over-intellectualize the process.  Just go with your gut and know that there are no mistakes when deciding if you like a piece or not. In my personal experience, I picture each purchase as another piece to an ever-evolving puzzle. And just as a crush develops naturally, so does one’s appreciation of art. Hopefully you’ll be able to experience the sensation of love at first sight over and over again as you’re reconnected with new soul mates.

Here’s to everyone and their soul mates, found or yet to be discovered… cheers!