Saturday, April 21 2007 @ 02:34 PM CDT
Contributed by: Marilyn
The inspiration for this article comes from a recent invitation to attend a “Garden Party”. We hadn't met the host but were informed that he was an avid collector of art and we'd enjoy seeing his collection at his home. Nothing could have prepared us for the magnitude of his “collection”. Obviously he and his family had amassed this body of art over a couple of generations, at least. Every wall from the ceiling to mid-wall was covered with art, magnificently and ornately framed, every square foot of every room in this rather large home, contained a painting. From the moment you entered the house, you were plunged into the art world. The furniture, the artifacts that adorned every niche, that sat on every table and counter were a testimony to the lives that these people had lived. The library had a carved rosewood ceiling commissioned from an artisan in the far east, the front door was carved especially for the host by a Chinese artist and many of the interior doors were similarly commissioned. This was a true “collectors collector” and an incredible experience to view a collection that spanned the four corners of the globe and included many priceless paintings and etchings from the 14th, 15th, and 20th century masters. It was rather like being in some of the castles and estates of Europe but condensed down into a small cottage. We were speechless.
This kind of grandeur is passe now in North America except for the few elite rich and famous. But this man was not an elitist nor famous in any sense of the word. He was passionate about art and amongst his collection were works of art from living, breathing artists, some of whom were present at the party.
Of course we were curious about his life and what had instilled in him such an awareness of art. He explained that his parents traveled and collected where ever they were and always included him in their art decisions whenever he was present. This gave him the appreciation, education and discernment he carried over into his own life. He continues to buy art and support artists where ever he sees potential, although where he will put the art is a mystery to me. People who complain of a lack of wall space for their art can take a page from this book. Obviously, Andrew is unique in the art field but not a one of a kind. Many collectors amass huge collections because art is not an addiction it's a passion.
This passion for art is more common in Europe, where hundreds of years of art history has a head start on America, but it isn't totally absent here. Interest in art can and should be fostered at a young age. Parents are the responsible parties here and if the parent lacks interest, chances are their children will grow up without it. However, all's not lost, somewhere within each of us is the spark that will ignite the flame if nurtured. Art appreciation can be learned and developed without education, classes or tedious, time consuming homework. All that is required is an open mind and heart.
When you venture into the art field much of what you believe has to be put aside for the moment. With our eyes we see only the physical manifestation of an object, scene, person or situation. True artists have a developed inner sense that “sees” a different dimension. This is the connective dimension we relate to feelings and intuition, the unseen but very real aspect we all share as human beings. Each artist has a different way of expressing that individually and as a viewer you relate or not depending on how you “connect” to how the artist portrays that. It's really that simple and can easily be conveyed to children who intuitively relate from innocence, if they're allowed to enjoy their feelings. The educational value art brings to children is not to be dismissed lightly. The freedom to discuss how they feel, without having to act out, is very helpful and can give parents great insight into their kids.
One way to involve children is to let them decide what art they want for their walls. It could be their own created art or art collected when vacationing with the family. Parents can instill a great deal of responsible behavior in their kids by giving them some money for art purchases as souvenirs while traveling. It doesn't have to be a lot of money, just enough to make them have to make decisions based on budget, taste and discernment. As a family, you can decide on a budget for a piece of art to take back home and everyone has a say in the purchase. Galleries are more than happy furnish backgrounds and biography's on their artists which may help in the decision making. Often they have insight into the painting which the artist has told them and that can help whittle down choices, because decision-making is one of the hardest parts of art purchasing. No time like the present, as they say, so if you're on vacation here with your family, chances are you'll have the time to get started on this journey of self-discovery.
Art makes you feel, art makes you think, art makes you question what you think and feel. Art is more like a mirror reflecting back to the viewer how the viewer sees. You don't need a degree in art to appreciate and discover the joy of collecting art for pleasure. Just remember, there are no mistakes, go with your intuition and you'll be fine and well on your way to a wonderful collection. Art bought for decoration alone is two dimensional, but art carefully chosen is a reflection of your life and will not be discarded when you change your décor.
There is a wonderful and burgeoning art community here and galleries are opening almost daily. We encourage you to explore and enjoy the art produced by Los Cabos' Mexican, American and Canadian artists, remembering that art knows no boundaries or borders, race or religion.
