Dana Brown

I’m Surrounded

At home and at the studio — Mark and I are surrounded by art and fine craft. We’ve been collecting pieces we love for many years now.  Some of it was purchased from students and other pieces from established artists — that’s of minor consequence to us. 

I’ll talk more about this later, but I think collecting art has been a big part of my art education.  Making decisions as a purchaser informs me as an artist.  The snooty artist who says “art doesn’t have to match your sofa” might need to walk through a gallery wearing a different hat.  The truth is…..people have to consider WHERE they are going to put the art they purchase.  Sometimes size, shape, and color matters to a degree.  They have to be comfortable with the subject of the art and feel their guests, family, coworkers will be too.  They might be intrigued by a cutting edge piece but is it something they want to live with every single day - or will they regret an impulsive purchase when they get home?   

I may sit at an art fair all weekend completely mystified by the people who wander through, popping their head in every fourth or fifth booth and only occasionally walking in to really LOOK at an artist’s work.  And oddly, they may pass up booth after booth of amazing paintings only to stop at the cheerful, inexpensive pottery.  

Well, one hour of art fair or gallery shopping on a free day will clear that mystery right up.  I find myself behaving just as bizarrely.  We all need pieces that make us smile and sometimes my senses are overloaded - I’ll pass something amazing by because I can’t absorb it.  Or I might appreciate an artist’s skill but not connect with their pieces — that doesn’t devalue it in my eyes at all but I might appear to not be interested.  I’ve learned to relax and understand how people “shop”.  If I can’t relax, I quit watching the flow of people!  

Every piece of art we bring home won’t be laden with inner meaning and certainly won’t appreciate in value over the years.  Every piece certainly WILL bring joy and warmth to our lives — to be surrounded by someone else’s life work is a privilege.  Each piece is covered for eternity in fingerprints, smudged pencil, and the whispers of loving decisions made in the quiet of an artist’s studio.

Yes, surrounding myself with art as a collector is as much a part of who I am as an artist.  I’m honored by every creative expression we share our home with.