Where do you find Black art?

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Permalink Reply by Shaunn Casselle on February 4, 2012 at 4:22pm

I often buy works from the artists who exhibit in the shows I curate.  That is another way for me to show my support and to thank them for working with me.  I love supporting young, up and coming artists who are studying at universities..like Virginia Commonwealth University and other local schools...Often these young people go on to be quite prominent and you can get the art at a decent rate if you are on a limited budget like me(smile) and this is great for their self esteem and hopefully will keep them motivated...Artists are savvy at marketing their work these days..go to their websites or facebook pages as social networking is a great route...try artist fairs..they are out their all day having to pay a vendor's fee and you can meet them and negotiate prices without involving a middle man/woman.  There are great galleries everywhere...just google Black Art and you will get a host of them...Either way, good luck with your magazine...let me know where I can find more info on it.  Also,  many of the shows are advertising on this site and more credit to Black Art in America--because the talent alone on this site is amazing and all we need to do is strike up a conversation and begin the dialogue with the artists on purchasing some of their work!!  Good luck with your journey!  It sounds like fun!

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Oladipo on February 4, 2012 at 5:43pm

Thanks for sharing, and you're right about a whole lot of great talent among the BAIA crowd. Definitely hoping to work with and/or collect some of these artists in the future.

I'd love to be a curator, but I don't have that background or the $$ for a gallery, so that's why I'm starting the magazine. It's the shows I'd curate and the artists I'd rep and promote. My background is journalism and Pan-African studies. You can check www.anopengallery.com for a bit more detail. And yes, I can't think of many things more fun than finding and promoting great art.

By the way, I'm definitely interested in being a platform for young artists. That's a priority. I'd love to talk more with you off-list about that.

Permalink Reply by Edwin Boone on February 4, 2012 at 7:26pm

A list of Black and Multi Cultural galleries at the following link:
http://blackartinamerica.com/group/realisminblackart/page/black-gal...

Permalink Reply by Margaret Rose Vendryes on February 5, 2012 at 11:51am

I have attended American Art auctions at houses one tier down from Christie's and Sotheby's to find works by African Diaspora artists appear with little research attached to the listing.  As an art historian, I know of artists whom have little public presence but lots of talent.  Often, these objects were commissioned in tandem with other, more valued works from one collection.  But, that was when I had time to speculate and grow my still-modest collection.  Now, my focus is on making art and less on acquiring art.  I do miss it sometimes.

The best advice I can give you is to become knowledgeable about whose making what and how... very often, being able to recognize an artist's "hand" will allow you to snatch up work others don't see for what it is.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Oladipo on February 5, 2012 at 6:21pm

Great resource. Thanks you.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Oladipo on February 5, 2012 at 6:51pm

Margaret, what time periods did you tend to see at auctions?

Permalink Reply by Margaret Rose Vendryes on February 6, 2012 at 11:21am

I would say most of the 20th Century with the years of the Federal Arts programs during the New Deal era often dominating since there was a ground swell of African Americans making art in the years after the Negro Arts renaissance between the two world wars.  Take a look at Alain Locke's The Negro in the Arts (1940) which doesn't include everyone, but does given a feel for the period I'm pointing out.  Then there is also a lot of activity around  Black Arts movement of 1960-70s.

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

Permalink Reply by E. Joyce Moore on February 7, 2012 at 9:17pm

Jennifer, If you are in or near Atlanta Georgia, Halima Taha will be speaking at Spellman College on Feb. 18th.  Her topic is collecting African American art.   If you are in New York and are attending the Harlem Fine Art Show this weekend, look for her book (it's large and yellow) as I am sure someone will be selling it there and be sure to get a copy of the HFAS magazine while there.  I proactively advocate purchasing the work of living artists but completely understand that we need to acquire the works of the icons as well.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Oladipo on February 7, 2012 at 9:22pm

Thanks so much Joyce. I could do ATL. I appreciate the specifics, especially the name of an expert to follow.

Permalink Reply by Darryl Love on February 12, 2012 at 12:14pm

Ebay is a very good place to buy fine art.  You would be SURPRISED what people sell online. Recently, I bought an original lithograph by Jacob Lawrence for a couple of hundred of dollars.  When I emailed the pics to Swann Galleries, they estimated that it would sell at auction for $3,000 - $5,000.  I passed on a original Romare Bearden lithograph for $600.00 (MISTAKE).  I saw a Lois M. Jones original oil painting  sell for $1,000...which is insanely affordable for an artist of her stature.  I could go on and on, but you get my point: If you know what you are doing, you can build a serious art collection via Ebay.  BUT, you must be patient and you must be prepared to have the cash ready when the opportunity arises.  As a rule of thumb, my bids are usually 10 to 40 cents on the dollar in terms of current market value.  I don't always win, but sometimes I do.

Speaking of bids, Swann is having an auction this week.  That's a great opportunity to get a deal.  If I had the cash, I would definitely bid on that Cloyd Lee Boykin oil.  That painting is easily worth twice what they are asking...AND it is a stunningly beautiful portraiture.

Galleries have art, but most galleries charge at least fair market value.  You have to be very careful that you don't get taken advantage of.

Finally, you can buy the art directly from artists and art collectors.  But, if the artists have gallery representation, don't by-pass the gallery.  It undermines the artist and the market value of your artwork. 

If you don't mind collecting limited edition fine art prints, then you might want to check out the following:

Art Collectors Program at the Smithsonian (www.artcollectorsprogram.org),

The David C. Driskell Print Series (http://www.driskellcenter.umd.edu/store/prints.php)

M. Lee Stone Fine Prints (http://mleestonefineprints.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?African-American...)

In terms of one-of-a-kind originals, I would recommend the following as they have up-and-coming and mid-career artist in their inventory at reasonable prices:

Avisca Gallery in Atlanta (http://www.aviscafineart.com/) and

Jus' Looking Gallery (http://www.justlookin.com/)

BTW, I heard through the grapevine that Avisca has some world-class framing.

Permalink Reply by Shaunn Casselle on February 12, 2012 at 1:38pm

Wow, I just learned a lot from you, Darryl Love!!!!!!!  Awesome information!

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Oladipo on March 4, 2012 at 8:56pm

Thanks! That Smithsonian program looks interesting.  And I LOVE the works at Avisca.

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