Well, here we are on a fantastic Thursday. This is a day where I don’t do my live streams and I’ll try to post on my blog here more often than once a week. Last time I talked about art sales and galleries and how they need to support the Artist and we need to revive the small gallery. I want to almost build on that idea because the more I learn about the history of contemporary art sales the more I hate it. It’s nothing new they’ve been doing it since the 90s you could probably buy an Andy Warhol for about $30,000 in the 90s now, it would be several million potentially. This was an engineered investment strategy, financiers came up with a fantastic plan that created a lucrative market, and inflated pricing. Galleries would even bid on their own products in auction to ensure their artists don’t go unsold, sometimes buying the pieces and stashing them away. As a Gallerist when you buy from your self you get a discount. If the artist goes unsold at auction, That would be bad for business. Artist estates are also turned over to specialized dealers who will try to make sure the art goes to a museum or institution that will make it more valuable. If you want to put an artwork up simply to accent your furniture you may not even be able to buy. It seems Galleries want to push the price of their art holdings up at every turn, by any means necessary, even. If it means using some slick wall street magic or other creative means to manipulate prices.

When the Bubble Pops. The collection will go to storage, And sit idle for many years. Until in the distant future if the public interest has moved towards an artist, the artwork will reemerge. Let’s imagine the public interest moves into another direction. Where the public chooses what they like and what is valuable. A natural organic growth in the art market is sustainable, and inclusive. When you buy from local artist or galleries you are helping to create a new kind of art culture. Considering that most normal people purchase art for the aesthetic and meaning of the work as opposed to whether it will be double in value next year. We can anticipate a paradigm shift in how art is bought and sold. Holding artwork for your enjoyment is the best way in my opinion. Every artist should be able to have a wall somewhere with their art on it, and every person who has a wall should have an original artwork they love and cherish. There is enough artwork out there to cover every wall in the world.

A good place to start your art collection and journey into self discovery. Look at your wall right now. If you have an inspiring hobby store sign hanging, Take it down. Get an original artwork, chill, and enjoy. Feel good you’re the only one with that work. It’s yours. We have known that corporation who tricks you into thinking ai generated donkeys in bootleg 80’s rainbow colors are a good idea. Well maybe they are but not if the donkey has six fingers!! I’m just kidding, but seriously… really though It’s hard to show a piece of yourself. The artwork you ultimately choose to replace the hobby store stuff, is not safe it’s revealing. Your wall will reflect your inner workings your desire your own aesthetic. Because the art you buy can be so telling, it often makes sense to just hang something generic. To not give off the wrong idea. Who cares! Don’t worry about that person who wants to judge you. We need to embrace ourselves in a way that’s healthy and remind ourselves that we have taste and desire and an eye for artwork we like. You and your true self will combine every time you gaze on your New Artwork. A feeling of gratitude for what you have accomplished and excitement for what’s to come Thanks for your attention.

~Artist, Mike Packer.