What Is Your Art Worth, And Where In The World Is It?
The true value of art is that it lasts. In a world of high priced gadgets that breakdown, wear out, or become obsolete …art endures. Art has a history and a collector becomes part of a paintings’ provenance. Not only does a buyer own and enjoy a one-of-a-kind original work of art for the rest of their lives, but it can be passed along to their heirs and successors. What else can you purchase something for a modest investment that may last for hundreds of years?
One of my favorite things is to hear from a collector, that I’ve never met, who seeks me out to tell me that they purchased one of my early works on the secondary market (Ebay, Estate sales, etc.), and to express how much it means to them. I’m always fascinated to hear where and how they found my painting. With the internet and a Google search at everyone’s fingertips, this is happening more frequently. The paintings take on a life of their own and some of them are well traveled. You never know when one of your early efforts will come back to haunt you! Often they resurface across the country from where they were created and sold and some of them pop up more than once. I even offer to send them a Certificate of Authenticity if I can verify that I actually painted the piece. Unfortunately, my record keeping skills and memory are less than perfect but I can usually recognize my signature.
Years ago I came across an early watercolor of mine on display in an antique mall. Now that’s enough to make you feel old! The painting was incorrectly listed as a vintage print by Shropshire. It was actually an original that I had painted as a teenager but I didn’t tell the proprietors, I thought, let the some future incarnation of “Antiques Road show” figure it out.
And just for the record, no …artists do not want to buy back their early works, at least I don't. I’m not sure how that myth got started, but I’m not trying to fill my personal museum with early Shropshires. I have plenty of newer paintings to send on their way. Even if you love your children, you probably don’t want a forty year old moving back in. …’nuf said!
