Q: What is the biggest mistake that new collectors can make when buying art?

A: Buying art for its investment potential or letting a vendor convince them that the purchase is an excellent investment. It’s very difficult to predict whether or not an artist or piece is a good investment in the long term and the chances are that the person trying to sell you the piece is not equipped to give you that sort of investment advice.

A reputable consultant, advisor or gallerist will never speculate on the investment potential of a work of art; that is unless you are retaining them to advise and report on the art market. If you want to invest in art, why not find an investment fund that pools money to make purchases of blue-chip art for investment and later sale? But that still won’t allow you to own and enjoy the art yourself.

Q: What exactly is an art consultant?

A: The title is relatively new, having been coined and come into wide use and career descriptions for only the last thirty years. It came about as a result of shrinking budgets for public funding and the advent of corporate curating and private patronage. Whether you are an individual collector, outfitting a company’s headquarters or managing a collection, you will want at least one Art Consultant with whom you have a good working relationship and level of trust.

Q: Then what is an art advisor?

A: This is an entirely different sort of professional who comes in during the planning stages to help decide on that one percent for art is to be spent; to qualify as an Art Advisor, the person cannot represent an interest in a museum, vend an inventory, represent an artist or be paid or in any way renumerated or rewarded by an artist or artist’s representative and is to be paid only the consulting fee agreed upon by the developer.

Q: And an Art Dealer?

A: A dealer is a vendor, usually an employee or shareholder of a gallery whose goal it is to sell, sell and sell to meet their bottom line. There’s nothing wrong with using dealers and galleries as long as you understand their MO and that it may not necessarily align with your own collecting goals.

Q: So, which do we need?

A: If you are building from the ground up, revising your company’ collecting policies, using art in a park or other public space, you will want to begin by consulting an Art Advisor, or Advisory Firm. The Advisor once retained will consult gallerists and consultants to determine the best possible Fine Art for your project and offer suggestions.

If your company is embarking on a renovation and already has Fine Art, a program, and an employee committee in place, then look for a consulting firm or Art Consultant. Also use a consultant for services such as collections management, conservation, or to find out how to integrate two collections because of a marriage or merger.

If you are confident that you know exactly what you want, how much you want to spend and are comfortable negotiating with a retail business, then visit a gallery and Dealer.

Q: If we hire a consultant will we only be shown art from their inventory or artists whom they represent?

A: Not necessarily. You can request a consultant to give you a broad range of choices in art, services and a scope and range of offerings that is only limited by your tastes, your mission, or your budget. You should expect an Art Consultant to keep you in the know about any and all new work available, regardless of location, ownership, or their stake in the sale.

Q: We had someone come in during the last renovation to spruce the place up with some art. Do we really need to do this again so soon?

A: If you are happy with your space and find your environment pleasing, then no. You don’t. But consider something as inexpensive as a dusting off and rotating of your collection helps the human eye to see it all as if for the first time. If your collection is beginning to look its age, then bringing in a consultant to help you to re-evaluate your needs is certainly going to be a lot more cost effective than just going out and buying some new art.

Q: So, what you’re trying to say is that there’s some subtle connection between the kind of art we place in our office and the kind of people who walk in the door?

A: Yes, absolutely, and there is nothing subtle about it. Not only do people stay longer in offices with art, but they are also more comfortable and installations of Fine Art in the workplace have shown to attract and retain talent. Imagine that in the current talent crunch, attracting the best people can be dictated by the art on your walls?

Q: What are some sound alternatives to galleries and dealers for building a collection?

A: Visiting artists in their studios can be an exciting excursion and educating experience for young collectors. If you are not working with a consultant who will arrange this for you, try finding art and artists you like through societies and associations that they are members of. Auctions can be a lot of fun once you are a little more seasoned, know what you are looking for and what you want to spend.

Q: Where do most would-be collectors get duped and separated from their money for less than desirable product? Where do you recommend against buying art?

A: Cruise ships!

Antonio Arch

Frequently Asked Questions on Collecting Art