“Why should people care about visual art?” I will never forget the first time I was asked the question in 2010. I was running a local organization called Art Life. The goal was for Art Life to one day have a facility that housed both a gallery and affordable studio space for local artists. In order to do that, we needed to raise money. We had shows all over Murfreesboro, from bars to backyards. Occasionally someone would sell a print or two, we took donations, and we usually raised just enough money to fund the next fundraising shindig. But after many shows and a failed Kickstarter campaign, we never came close to raising the funds we needed to open a space we felt could truly make a difference in our local art community.

“Relatively Sexy Beast” 20 x 20 acrylic & ink
by Dawna Kinne Magliacano.
(Top) “The Oneironaut” by Tyler Bates.

That same year many questions and remarks were littered across my work in other nonprofit arts organizations. I was asked, “Why should art teachers be paid anything? How is it any different from coaching your kid’s baseball or soccer team?” I was also told Murfreesboro’s very first Farmer’s Market on the square was not going to allow artists to set up booths to sell their work; the mayor was worried it would make it seem too much like a “flea market.” I wish I could say I persevered and fought the good fight, but quite frankly I fizzled out. I was not equipped at the time to convince our city why visual art, the passion of my life, should matter to them.

The cold hard facts about the viability of a thriving art scene in Murfreesboro came to light. “Why should people care about visual art?” The answer has been so ingrained into me for as long as I can remember that any response I can offer is much like visual art itself: powerful and convincing, but without words. The good news is lots of cool things have happened in Murfreesboro since then. Murfreesboro is finally shaping up to be something more than just a college town people pass through. It is finally offering a great deal of culture for those of us residing here permanently. I say that in comparison to how it was just four years ago, but we’re not done yet. We still have a long way to go to be everything we could be. I still don’t have all the answers on how exactly to make Murfreesboro’s culture as rich as it is 30 minutes down the highway in Nashville. Yet over the years I have developed more practical strategies for engaging the general public in the art community. Hopefully through building an interest, those who don’t understand can one day grow to love and respect art in the same way that I and many others do.

Before change in our local art community can truly happen, people have to be more engaged. Not just the artists and their friends, but everyone needs to be more active in the arts, and everyone needs to be investing in it. Years ago I had a dream that it could one day be trendy to own an art collection. And I don’t mean in our larger, more artistically inclined cities, I mean right here. In Murfreesboro. In mid-sized towns all across America. What if everyone started collecting art? If everyone understood the importance of having their own personal art collection, it would have an immense impact on our local art community. We have over 100,000 residents in Murfreesboro, and I am positive every single one of us has spent money on music or movies in the past month. If every single one of those people also bought a print for under $20 from a local artist that would be a $1.5 million investment in our local art community, invested not in cross-country producers and overseas manufacturers, but in our own neighborhoods! Realistically, we don’t even need half that amount of money to be able to make a real difference in the lives of our local artists and in the expanse of our own culture.

So, why should you collect art? How do you get started? I hope to answer these questions. Consider this your own personal art collecting guide specific to Murfreesboro.

“Georgia on My Mind” 8 x 10 mixed media by Jeff Bertrand

Why Should You Collect Art?
– You have a responsibility to back up the statement “I love art.” I hear it constantly, people go on and on about how much they love art, how they wish they could paint or draw, etc. It’s not that we don’t appreciate the admiration others have for what we do; it’s just that little is done by most people to back that statement up. You can talk all day long about how much you love art, but until you are actually actively attending local art functions and buying from artists, I don’t believe you. That is a personal challenge from yours truly.
– It is imperative to invest in our local art community for the survival of art as a whole. There are tons of other cities across our country that are keeping the “starving artist” stereotype alive. But if we can figure out a way to turn it around, they can too. That would be an amazing feat for America. But on a smaller scale, if you would like for visual art to be something that is available to the next generations, you personally have to take action to ensure that it happens. A great thing about buying art and having it around your home is that your children grow up to do the same. If art becomes a demand in our city, organizations on all levels will recognize that it is something to invest in. Our art education programs, both in and outside of the public school system, will flourish. Businesses will respond to the demand and be sure to make art available to their customers. Not only can they produce more work, but they can also spend more time mentally dedicating themselves to developing better techniques and concepts to engage the audience and enrich the collective experience. So not only can you personally put art in higher demand locally, giving artists work, but you can possibly make their work even better.
– Every time you spend money on art you are reviving that artist’s belief that there is a place in this world for what they do. I know artists who haven’t picked up a brush or pen in years, and they are extremely talented people. But we all have bills to pay, and not everyone is so keen on the level of masochism it takes to be an artist these days. We spend hours upon hours slaving away at something, and if we are lucky to even find a public spot to hang it once we’re through we get a pat on the back from someone saying, “I love art.” That’s it. And then you start all over again. Actually selling a piece just doesn’t happen often enough to make it worth it for most people. And I’m not saying any of us do it for the money, because we are certainly in the wrong part of the country if that’s our game, but creating art isn’t exactly a five-minute job. It is time consuming, materials are expensive, and the plain and simple fact is if you want us to continue doing what we do, you have to pay us. When you purchase a piece of art that speaks to you, you are paying not just for the time the artist spent creating that particular piece, but for the significant time they’ve spent honing their skills—sometimes, the majority of their lives—to speak to you through that piece you loved enough to purchase.

“She” 24 x 30 acrylic by Mai Harris

Where to Start – Art Appreciation 101
– Learn what you like. Just as there are different genres of music, there are different genres of art, and every person can find a genre that speaks to them. Google “art” and take a journey down the Internet rabbit hole. Look up as many artists as you can, living or dead, local or not. What you’re trying to connect with is that physical reaction you have to art. Visit an art museum (you will have to travel to Nashville for this, another growth opportunity growth for us) and take the same approach; think about what you like and what you don’t like. Also take advantage of what a painting in front of you can offer that a digital or printed image usually cannot. Get as close to a painting as the museum guards will allow, and really visually dive into each individual brush stroke and the subtleties of color changes. Fall in love with it. A painting up close is not the same as a painting at a normal viewing distance. Another reason to collect is that when you own art, you can get as close to it as you want. You can even touch it. Not so with a gallery or museum.
– Once you have developed a sense of what your personal taste in art is, it’s time to find that locally. This can be more challenging, but that’s what makes local art collecting such an engaging and interesting hobby. We have a plethora of artists, but there is not one spot you can go to and connect with all of them at once. However, you can do some digging and open up a whole new world. First of all, there are Two-Tone Art Gallery and Lime Tiger here in town. Those are excellent places to start viewing local art. Liquid Smoke also exhibits a small collection of work that is still rotated out occasionally. Local restaurant 3 Brothers has a permanent collection of local art on display, and they also occasionally have one-night art shows that accompany their music shows. You can also visit local coffee shops. JoZoara’s, for example, showcases art. As you visit these places, write down the names of artists you like and find them on Facebook. Or try reaching out and e-mailing them if they’re not doing the whole social network thing. You want to find out what other local artists they know, and you can also find out about upcoming art exhibits they may be in. If you travel outside of the ‘Boro, you will find that Nashville is covered with art. Lots more businesses means lots more of them are showing artwork. There are also a lot more art galleries. The first Saturday of each month hosts an art crawl where all of the galleries open their doors, usually revealing their new exhibit for the month.

“All That Matters in the End” 24 x 24 acrylic by Mai Harris

How to Start Building Your Own Art Collection
– I recognize we’re all broke. I get that. Most of us in these parts have never really fully recovered from the recession, I know I sure haven’t. I understand lots of people would buy a lot more art if they had a lot more money. Please consider this, how much money do you spend on movies, going to the theater, or Netflix? How much do you spend on concert tickets? CDs? Records? Most people are spending some money on other forms of art. Consider spreading the love and localizing your entertainment funds a little. I know many people are using Netflix and Spotify subscriptions to get their movies and music fixes, but it does need to be taken into account that musicians and actors still make money from Spotify and Netflix. When you flip through images on an artist’s website, we don’t make a penny. And a lot of us pay money to put up those websites to share with you.
– So, on very limited funds, how do you build an art collection? For one thing, most artists sell prints. Prints are such an awesome way for anyone on any budget to build an art collection. What happens if you contact an artist who doesn’t have any prints of their work? Strongly suggest that they do. Most artists don’t spend money on having prints made because they have not had a strong demand for them. Every time you ask, they realize the demand is there and are more likely to make prints available. I sell my prints for $15 apiece. I have bought prints from several other artists at the same cost.
– Artists are also happy to take commissions, which are great when you like the artist’s style, but they don’t quite have the thing you are dreaming of owning (their take on Elvis, perhaps?). The great thing about commissions is you can get an estimate on how much they cost before you commit. You can go to artists and say, “I have this much money, what can you make for me?” Now don’t be cheap on your offer, this is their job. Explain that you would love to offer more if you could, but you are on a budget. Most artists are understanding, and are flattered enough by your support that they are happy to negotiate. Don’t be offended if they can’t accept your offer, just ask what they would need to make from the piece in question and consider buying it later. All of this applies to finished original work as well.
– Consider times you have to spend money even when you don’t want to, such as buying gifts for family and friends, birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, Christmas, etc. Every time you need to make one of those purchases, consider art. Instead of going to WalMart and spending $20 to $50 just so you have something to wrap up and give them, visit some of these local shops like Lime Tiger or even Earthsoul in Smyrna, and buy something unique and ten times more special for the same price. Or, if you have a little more money to spend, contact an artist about completing a commissioned piece for you. Moms love those fancy framed pictures of you and your families, but try getting a family portrait painted instead. Or say your friend loves Tom Waits (’cause who doesn’t?), contact an artist about making a portrait or conceptual piece inspired by his music.
– Studio tours, larger organized groups or one-on-one scheduled, are a good way to possibly catch a great deal on art—especially if you can make it into some of the studio spaces at local colleges. In an artist’s studio, you are likely to find a stack of old paintings they don’t even like anymore and are more than happy to sell off cheap. I walked into a college classmate’s studio once and said I had $20, and was there anything they wanted to unload for that price? This leads me to another very important thing to remember when collecting art . . .
– It’s an investment. That situation I just mentioned: I got a painting for $20 that day. I knew that a lot of people liked that particular artist and his work, and a lot of people expected him to have a very lucrative career. That means that $20 painting I bought that I don’t even have hanging may be worth a lot of money one day. And I bluntly told the artist, not that I didn’t like his stuff, but that if his name was ever well-known I planned on reselling the painting, and would that be okay? When shopping for artwork, don’t just think in terms of what would look good hanging above your couch. If you see an artist who you think has potential to become an influence one day, even if it’s not your style, buy what you can. Remember, Van Gogh hardly ever sold work his entire life. In fact, he frequently sold things off cheap to make rent, just like artists today. Some very lucky people bought that work from Van Gogh, sometimes just to do him a favor, and someone down the road made a good chunk of change off of that favor. A numbered and signed print can be worth just as much money as an original work of art when you’re talking about an artist who has made it really big. If an artist is not in the habit of signing/numbering their prints, no problem. Just ask them to sign yours and to consider numbering them in the future.
– If you can afford work at the full price, you should always always pay it because you know it is worth every penny and more. Contemporary paintings in L.A. and New York are selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Prints are selling for hundreds. Take that extremely ridiculous markdown into account with all of your art transactions. It will make you see that $500 painting as a pretty good deal, and a piece for anything under $100 is practically robbery. Artists will be understanding of your limited funds if you show your respect for their willingness to offer up their work at such stupidly low prices. It all comes down to this: buy art. Buy local art.

I hope I have given you a few ideas for getting an art collection going, no matter what your budget is. I hope as you are contemplating purchases of clothing or a new cellphone or concert tickets, you will now take a second look at your plans and consider working buying some art into that equation as well. The biggest thing of all to remember is that if you believe art is important, your actions should show just how important it is to you. Buy into it. Invest in it. Invest in new conversation starting perspectives that a unique art collection in your own home provides your friends and guests. The survival of a lot of great artists continuing to do the work that they do depends entirely on those around them who buy the work. We have to stop treating art as a frivolous luxury and respect how long art has withstood the test of time and survived as an indispensable cornerstone of our culture and history in its entirety. It’s the same as any change that needs to take place, one person buying a painting isn’t going to change our whole art community, but if 50, 100, 1,000 of us go out this week and make an art purchase, no matter how small, our art community and culture will be improved drastically come next week. I challenge you, Murfreesboro. Show me how much you love art.

Just a few of the local places where you can view and purchase work from local artists:
The Art Barn
8190 Hwy. 99
Rockvale
(615) 722-1026
artfulmusing.com

Center for the Arts
110 W. College St.
Murfreesboro
(615) 904-2787
boroarts.org

City Hall Rotunda
111 W. Vine St.
Murfreesboro, TN
murfreesborotn.gov

Earthsoul Gallery
307 Hazelwood Dr.
Smyrna
(615) 462-6051
earthsoul.co

Lime Tiger Studio
619 N. Maple St.
Murfreesboro
(561) 685-3808
facebook.com/limetigerstudio

Todd Art Gallery
MTSU 1301 E. Main St.
Murfreesboro
(615) 898-5653
mtsu.edu/art

Two Tone Art Gallery
113 W. Lytle St.
Murfreesboro
(615) 971-9270
twotoneartgallery.com