Shopping for art can be an overwhelming experience. There are a multitude of different styles, mediums and artists to choose from, for starters. The situation becomes even more complex if you want to buy a work that has the potential to appreciate in value over time.
The old dictum to "buy what you like" is certainly a good rule of thumb for the aspiring art connoisseur. However, following this art collector's tenet isn't sufficient by itself to ensure that you will purchase a piece with appreciation potential.
However, there is one simple trick that can help you to choose artworks with more universal appeal. You can look for art that is made with high end materials. I know this might seem like a very basic suggestion - especially if you are a seasoned art collector - but it can be surprisingly powerful.
Let me give you an example. When I was browsing on Etsy recently, I came across a magnificent contemporary brass and walnut sculpture for under $100. I immediately fell in love with this sculpture's unique combination of precise, almost Cubist, angularity and fluid, organic undulations.
But almost just as intriguing to me was the work's use of high end materials. This unique contemporary sculpture was handcrafted from a solid piece of Bastogne Walnut that was then placed atop a solid brass base, creating a visually compelling contrast.
Bastogne Walnut is a very interesting hardwood. It is a hybrid between the Persian (or English) Walnut - a species native to the Balkans and Central Asia - and Claro Walnut - a tree found in California and Oregon. Bastogne Walnut is also known as Paradox Walnut because it not only grows much faster than either the English or Claro Walnut, but is also denser, stronger and harder than both of them. This is a very unusual attribute for a hardwood, as there is usually a direct relationship between how slowly a tree grows and the density and strength of its wood.
In addition to having superior physical characteristics to its parent species, Bastogne Walnut is often found with spectacularly figured grain patterns - burl, crotch and curl Bastogne Walnut are all possible. These can be immensely beautiful pieces of wood when put in the hands of a capable woodworker.
So Bastogne Walnut undoubtedly sits among the pantheon of high end materials. Perhaps more importantly, the artist who created this contemporary brass and walnut sculpture noted the specific variety of walnut lumber he used for the piece. I am convinced that this wasn't by coincidence.
Competent artists do not choose the materials they use haphazardly. They are very particular about the mediums they work with, often becoming experts at manipulating these materials. And they consistently choose high end materials because they usually have exceptional physical characteristics or visual effects that can't be mimicked through less expensive alternatives.
The additional cost of these higher end materials is a secondary consideration for many artists. Instead, the aesthetics of the artwork come first, which is exactly what we want as art aficionados.
Art collectors would do well to learn from experienced artists. High end materials matter.
A competent artist will not hesitate to specifically enumerate the different mediums he has used in a work, even if it seems overly technical to the art buying neophyte. These high end materials can range from premium, 100% acid-free cotton paper to solid 18 karat yellow gold to anything in between.
As a corollary to this rule, I would be reluctant to purchase a work of art where the artist is vague or ambiguous about the materials used. A real artist will be proud of the mediums he works with, and will take every opportunity to sing their praises. On the other hand, a less experienced or amateur artist might be tempted to choose lower end materials for a work in order to save money on supplies.
Or worse yet, an inept artist might actually work with materials that he doesn't know the specifics of. I believe this is the worst possible outcome, because it is almost a certainty that such an artist will not know the distinct characteristics of the medium he is working with. This can only lead to a subpar work of art.
So how do we make sure we are buying artwork made from high end materials? I think the answer is fairly straightforward. If the artist can't list the specific types of materials used in a project, it is best to walk the other way.
For instance, the contemporary brass and Bastogne Walnut sculpture I referenced above would be far less intriguing it were nebulously described as a "contemporary metal and wood sculpture". A description that lacks material details is a dead giveaway that an artwork is lower quality.
I do think there is a single exception to this maxim of always choosing works made with high end materials. If an artwork is being sold in the informal secondary market (in other words, not straight from the artist or a knowledgeable art dealer) there is the possibility that the precise mediums used will have been lost or forgotten. I would exercise great caution in these situations, though. You would need to successfully analyze a variety of cues to confirm if the piece in question is worthwhile.
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