A Gypsy at Heart

Starry, starry night, paint your palette blue and gray.... From Don McLean to Vincent van Gogh. A tribute by one great artist to another. Every artist hides a piece of his soul in his artwork for me and you to discover. With some artworks you will never feel the connection but with others you will hear the incredible voice of magic, immediately.

Someone once said: Everything you own, owns you.

Investing in art is not the same as investing in shares. An artwork will own you as much as you own it.

It is not a decision to be made in haste. Do some homework as with any other investment. Get to know the different styles, understand what line, form, shape and color really mean in the world of art. You will not only look at art in a different way but you will definitely impress all the art puritans.

Once you have found a style that you can relate too, start looking for up and coming artists that represent that style. Visit their exhibitions. They will be too happy to send you, the potential buyer, an invitation to the openings of their exhibitions. Visit art galleries and art museums.

Investing in art should never be a cold and calculated decision. This is one choice you need to make with your heart first and then your mind. You don't want to spend a fortune on a piece that might turn into a nightmare later. As we get older our tastes and interests change. That piece of Pop Art that looks great in a student's nest might never fit anywhere else again.

The more knowledgeable you get about art and about yourself, the more you will know what to buy. Therefore, start small. Buy what you really like at reasonable prices. You might end up with an artwork that would be worth millions one day or just a nice piece of art. As with all other things there are no guarantees. If you want to invest in art purely for the sake of making money it might not be the right investment for you. An investment in art is not only about the selling price but also about the value the work will bring to your life. It lives with you on a different level than your lounge suite or fridge.

Before you buy consider all the option. How much are you prepare to spend? Don't buy art that you can't afford. You are going to end up hating the artwork and yourself. You will always find something that you like and can afford if you are prepared to do some research first. Never buy something you don't like just because it might become very valuable one day. Rather buy shares then, you don't have to look at them all the time and you might also make some money. If you want to buy from a famous artist and can afford it, by all means but know it is going to cost you.

Art is like good red wine. The older it gets, the more valuable it becomes. As with any other product, supply and demand has an influence. Once an artist stops working or passes away there is a sudden demand for their work and the prices can double overnight. I'm not suggesting you should go on a scout for all the older artists but it is a fact that the less artworks are available the more valuable it becomes.

Buying art should be exciting and uplifting, never dull and dreary. The value of the artwork is more often in the beauty of the unspoken word than in the monetary value.