10 Things to Consider When Buying Canvas Artwork

Canvas artwork is a beautiful thing and is more accessible today than ever. It offers individuals a choice of what to have adorning their walls and can brighten up any room that you choose to hang it in. Readily available on the Internet, more people are aware of canvas artwork than ever and are prepared to invest in it as a viable alternative to purchasing stocks and shares and other such accepted investments today.

However, too many of those people do not think through their investment at all. They rush into buying something that they think may be profitable and often end up with something that will be worthless in the years to come. In terms of appreciating canvas art, this is possibly the worst thing that you could do so it is about time that everyone looking to purchase art found out exactly what they should consider prior to investing. That begins right here with the top 10 things to consider when buying canvas artwork:

Paint or Print? – Canvas paintings are worth more than canvas prints as a general rule, although there are of course exceptions to it, but the two are of course very different. Despite this fact, many people do not know the difference and just buy one or the other without realizing. If you are making an investment and can afford a larger outlay then canvas paintings are the way to go but there are canvas prints that appreciate well and are also worth investing in. Take your time to weigh up what works for you.

Canvas – No matter whether you buy a canvas painting or a canvas print, there is one common element between the artwork – the canvas. As such, you should know that you have to check the quality of the canvas regardless. The canvas should be made of cotton, GSM or another natural source if you are to maintain its condition over an extended period of time. Avoid polyester and other synthetic canvases like the plague.

Quality – The quality of the image itself should also be checked thoroughly. Is the paint beginning to chip off at all? Are there flaws in the print that should not be there? Is the overall condition of a high quality? Whether you are investing or simply want a piece to hang up, never skimp on the quality.

Exclusivity – This applies primarily to canvas prints because canvas paintings tend to be unique by their very nature. Canvas prints should either be unique or on a limited run if their value is to go up in the years to come so make sure that they are not mass produced before you invest.

Style – Does the style of a canvas art piece suit you? Is it modern or traditional? Which of those options do your prefer? These are valid questions because there is no point investing in art if you do not like its style, regardless of how large a return you are likely to get on your investment.

Affordability – This point is important when you buy any canvas art because you should be able to afford it outright. Always establish a budget and stick to it to make sure that you are not paying over and above what you can afford.

Placement – Think about where you plan to put canvas paintings and canvas prints prior to you buying them in the first place. Will they complement the decor that you have in the room that you plan to hang them? If not then do you plan to use it as a central feature for new decor?

Fashion– Although you should only invest in canvas art you like, you should think long and hard about whether it will go out of fashion because if it does then its value may deteriorate. If you do not mind then this is all well and good but consider the point anyway.

Long Term Value – Every investment is about long term value so do a little research as to how much similar paintings or prints appreciate doe an idea of the investment you are making.

So there you have it – the top 10 things to consider when buying canvas artwork. Of course, the list is only limited to the top 10 and there are other elements to consider but these provide you with an excellent starting point. From now on, you will be able to find the art that suits you, your budget and your future plans with little hassle! 

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Collecting Contemporary Art On A Budget

Check out the dates and times of local art college and university Degree Shows, which will be open to the public on selected dates. Look out for Fine Art degrees if you wish to view paintings rather than any other artform.

At each venue, view all the artworks displayed. If something particularly catches your eye go back to it at the end for a more critical appraisal. Think about where you will display it and from what distance you will be viewing it – does it still look as good? Remember that you should only buy a piece of art if you LOVE it. Don’t rush into buying a piece – take down the artist’s details and contact them later when you have had time to think it over. But also remember to trust your instincts.

As long as the main reason for buying a piece is that you love it then don’t worry what others think, have confidence in your own opinion and judgement. There has been a resurgence of interest in painting in the past few years and there is no denying that people generally want to own paintings rather than, say, sculpture or ceramics. Paintings generally fit more easily into our homes or offices. But the style of painting is really a matter of personal choice: whether the medium is oil, acrylic, mixed media or watercolour or the style abstract, semi-abstract, figurative etc. Choose what appeals to your visual and inner senses and that will be good art.

Art students are very keen to sell their work but also want to know that you are as passionate about a piece as they are. So spend some time talking to the artists about what exactly attracted you to a particular piece. They are more likely to sell to you for a good price if they know their art is going to a good home.

An artist will have put lots of time, energy and passion into their work so don’t make an insulting offer. Most artists will have been given guidance by their tutors on what their artworks are worth – use this as a guide but there is always room for negotiation. Whatever you pay will still be substantially less than from a gallery or fair and, if you have chosen well, the potential increase in value over time could be substantial if the artist becomes well known.

If you still don’t trust your own judgement to buy from an art student but can’t afford an original from a gallery then look out for Contemporary Limited Edition Art Prints. The Style Cube Online Contemporary Art Gallery specialises in Limited Edition Art from British Artists. These Limited Editions are much higher-quality than regular prints. Art publishers like Style Cube only produce Limited Editions of their most popular artists – these can increase in value because of their rarity combined with their popularity.

Tips & Warnings

Don’t buy the first artwork that catches your eye
Only buy something you LOVE
The more artworks you view the more discerning and selective you will become.
Persevere with your search because the thrill of finding that first perfect piece will be worth it.
Avoid animals and portraits if you are looking for an increase on your investment.

Collecting Australian Aboriginal Art

A passionate engagement

Marie Geissler on collecting Australian Aboriginal art

Aboriginal art is richly rewarding for the collector.

Described by renowned Australian art critic, Robert Hughes, as belonging to ‘the world’s last great art movement’, collectors of art from this extraordinary ancient but vibrant living culture have, in recent years, fuelled a boom in sales. Prices at auction have skyrocketed, and those who entered the market early have enjoyed great returns on their investments.

In 2006, Emily Kame Kngwarreye’s Earth’s Creation achieved a record of AUS $1,056,000 at auction; the first million dollar plus sale at a Lawson-Menzies auction. Last year, Clifford Possum’s epic Warlugulong was sold at Sotheby’s to the National Gallery of Australia for AUS $2.4 million.

Swept along by the wave of this success, and the expectations of rich rewards from investing in Aboriginal art, art aficionados have mined their savings for a piece of the action and purchased Aboriginal art for their superannuation and investment portfolios. This has been reflected in industry statistics which show that in 2007, secondary art market sales exceeded AUS $25 million; and over recent years well over 40 records have been broken for the top performing artists.

Today, however with the impact of the global financial meltdown being all pervasive, sales in all sectors – including Aboriginal art – have dropped. Within this context, however, it’s well to remember that art provides a very stable haven for funds; if purchased wisely art can be a source of excellent return.

Today’s climate therefore is a great time to start collecting. It offers collectors a rare opportunity to buy well at auction and also through galleries.

But how do you begin collecting Aboriginal art? Before taking the plunge, savour first the pleasure you are about to enjoy. I strongly advise that this be an adventure of the heart; that you buy because you’re passionately in love with the work you wish to purchase. This is because, in the end, your artwork will be a constant companion; you will more that likely see it every day.

It’s also well to remember that the promises of your collecting adventure will not just be aesthetic ones. As an owner of an Aboriginal painting, you step into a world said to be at least 40,000 years old; one that that draws from the most ancient if not the most fascinating living culture on the planet today.

Aboriginal art is informed by a sacred mythology, or tjukurpa, that draws from this. It is called the ‘Dreamtime’ or Dreaming – the incredible Creation Period of Aboriginal belief.

The Dreaming occurred in ancient times when powerful Ancestral Beings were said to have formed the land, the waterholes, the rivers; and at the same time created the people, the plants and animals. They came from under the Earth and took epic journeys across the country, making and creating as they went, before finally disappearing beneath the ground again.

These magical Beings are said to have taught the Aboriginal people their laws, and ceremonies which need to be enacted in the present in order for survival and well-being. For Aboriginal people, the Spirit Beings still live today and are very much part of their traditional culture. Their stories form the inspirational source for the mythological content of Aboriginal art. When artists draw on this, the act of painting brings the Dreaming into the present. It generates strength and ancestral energy into the ‘Now’.

The next step in the collection process consists of building your knowledge base about the Aboriginal art industry. Begin by trawling the key commercial gallery internet sites, including Agathon Gallery, Alcaston Gallery, Cooee Aboriginal Art, Michael Reid, Hogarth Galleries, Gabriella Roy, Gondwana, William Mora, Utopia and Gabriella Pizzi.

Useful publications include Margo Neale and Silvia Kleinert’s Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture; Wally Caruana’s Aboriginal Art; Susan McCulloch and Emily McCulloch-Childs’ Contemporary Aboriginal Art (which, helpfully, has just republished in a fully revised and expanded third edition); and any of Jennifer Isaacs’ beautifully illustrated publications.

Art auction house catalogues are a must, and it also pays to look in on State and National Gallery bookshops, especially for their exhibition catalogues on this subject.

Before making any art purchase, however, you should decide what you want from this exercise. You may wish to purchase one or two pieces just for the pleasure of owning and looking at the work. In this case feel free to shop around and spontaneously purchase at will. You can get great prints for around $300 (see the Aboriginal Art Print Network online) and paintings from $800 plus. Your reward will be a collection that makes you feel good; the motivation behind many of the truly great collections of the past.

Alternatively, if your aim is to buy with an eye for investment return and perhaps eventual resale through a dealer or art auction house, then you should take a more considered and strategic approach.

After research which includes reading, looking at art, and discussing your preferences with knowledgeable art advisors, an area of interest should be selected. For sheer pleasure, try looking at the optically dazzling and colourful community desert art online at Irrunytju, Utopia, Yuendumu, Balgo, Papunya Tula, Fitzroy Crossing and Lajamanu. There’s also coastal works from Yirrkala, Lockhart River and Tiwi Islands. These will certainly inspire you.

Your aim is to find an individual artist whose work appeals; or a specific community, painting style or theme around which you can build a collection. This will make your collection a meaningful entity. And remember: a collection linked to an interesting area often has much more value for resale than a selection of unrelated works.

Your next consideration is to decide how much you wish or can afford to spend each year. Ideally, for investment purposes, the purchase price needs to be around $10,000 plus. At this price, if you’ve done all your homework, and you’ve found a work that has a certificate of authenticity from a reputable art auction house, gallery, community art centre or dealer, you can expect it to be a purchase that will give you a sound return. To optimize this, your painting should be held for at least five to ten years.

Now we come to the really exciting stage: shopping around and making a purchase. Knowing which artists are hot in the market, the artists whose work is increasing in price and selling well at auction, is important. Auction prices are good indicators of what the market is prepared to pay for an artist’s work, so it’s worth drawing up a list of the artists who are in your price range, and familiarising yourself with their works, before you start.

For serious, cashed-up collectors, start at the top. Stars in the auction room, and now deceased, include Rover Thomas (sales in excess of AUS $13.8 million), Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Albert Namatjira and Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Johnny Warangkula Tjupurrula, Mick Namarari Tjapaltjarri, and Lin Onus.

Others who have sold between AUS $1-2 million are Ronnie Tjampitjinpa, Paddy Bedford, Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula, Kaapa Tjampitjinpa, Queenie Nakarra McKenzie, Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri, Uta Uta Jangala, Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi, and Maggie Watson Napangardi.

Of living artists, the dazzling talent of Tommy Watson tops the list. He is a stunning colourist who achieved a record sale price of AUS $240,000 for Waltitjata at Lawson-Menzies auction in 2007.

Other outstanding living artists whose work fetches good prices include Judy Watson, Dorothy Napangardi, George Tjungurrayi, Kathleen Petyarre, Ningura Naparrula, Makinti Napanangka, Lily Kelly Napangardi, Elizabeth Nyumi Nungurrayi, John Mawurndjul and Billy Whiskey Tjapaltjarri.

Emerging artists within the secondary market – those representing good value as their price tags are still affordable – include Regina Wilson, Tjayangka Woods, Jack Dale, Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty, Kudditji Kngwarreye, Paddy Simms, Anganampa Martin, Walangkura Napanangka, Wingu Tingima, Lorner Fencer and Eubena Nampitjin.

One you begin collecting, don’t be surprised if you find it taking over your life – just enjoy the ride!