Why Investing in Art is Like Starting a Relationship
"Undermountain" by Kevin Wixted, oil on linen, 62" x 48", 2023.
I have a secret to admit. Even though I’m an artist, and truly value art above almost everything, until recently I had never invested in art in any significant way. By significant, I mean what I consider to be a relatively substantial amount of money relative to my monthly income. This is kind of shocking, isn’t it?! I’ve been selling my art to people for years, and I really do believe in its worth! I’ve bought paintings from exceptional students before, at a student-rate, I’ve traded work with other artists, and I've been given artwork that I love and cherish. But a few months ago I decided I'm finally in a financial position where spending money on art doesn't mean I have to limit my grocery budget.
Let me explain how this came to pass. Some of my readers know that I decided to build a small house, because I couldn’t find a home to live in that didn’t have mold and other environmental triggers. It took several years to look for land, purchase it, make plans with my builder, and finally have the plans executed. I was involved every step of the way, and it was very exciting, and also a little nerve-wracking. I banked on making the right decision for my health, and I don’t regret it.
I moved into my new, empty house in August 2024, and lived for 6 months with bare walls, while contemplating what to do with them. Finally I decided that the particular wall over the couch in the living room was the most important one, and needed the perfect piece of art to complete it. I considered making a painting that was the right size and colors myself. After all, I’m an artist—we can make what we want to have, or at least something pretty close. But then I started to look at some of the artwork that has inspired me most over the years; art that makes me giddy with happiness and awe, art that tickles me visually and leaves me marveling at how it was composed.
After contacting a few of my favorite artists, I inquired about prices and dimensions. Then I took blue painters tape and mapped out various sizes on my wall. And after narrowing it down to a few paintings by an artist named Kevin Wixted, I took photographs of my living room wall and made my own mock-up photos using his images of the paintings.
My digital mock-up of the other Wixted painting I loved!
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to try them both out on the wall before committing, because his wife, Ro Lohin (who is also a talented painter), brought them to me in her car. They both looked utterly fantastic, but one became the clear winner, and so… I wrote a check! So exciting!!
That was not, however, the end of it. I did not just end up with a beautiful painting on the wall… I also started a relationship-- with the painting itself-- and renewed my relationship with the artist, a former colleague and friend.
I’ve always loved Kevin’s work. It’s bold, and colorful, and rich, with stripes and broad areas of color, which I admire for their confident simplicity. The paint itself is impasto and matte and feels soothing on my eyes because it has no glare. Some of his work is very abstract, but this painting belongs to a series that has more organic elements (trees, in my painting’s case) mixed with striping that suggests shadows. It’s complex, but not fussy. It captivates my imagination and leaves me with more questions than answers, and for all of these reasons, I absolutely adore it! I cultivate this relationship daily as I live with this painting.
You can see the trees outside better in this shot!
What I wasn’t expecting was the sense that the artist is in the room with me every day, too. Not in an intrusive way, but in a manner that makes me feel his presence, ever so subtly. It’s incredible, a new iteration of our relationship. It’s like Kevin’s artistic vision has been woven into my space, and I am just a bystander watching the conversation in the morning sunlight and the evening dusk. And what also surprises me, is I never tire of this dialogue. The painting has become the altar to the trees just outside the windows on either side, manifesting my personal religion of the forest, and by extension, nature.
As an artist myself, I don’t know why this surprises me. I’ve always felt that when I make a painting for someone (a commission), they’re in the studio with me at all times, until the painting is complete and out of my hands. That individual is present even when I’m not actually painting, because I think about the commission a lot during the day when I’m doing other things. I often joke (to myself) that I’m channeling the person. I try to experience and celebrate their uniqueness, through carefully chosen imagery.
Anyway, what I’m saying is, I just wasn’t prepared for the multi-directional relationships— between the artist, the art, and me— to feel so totally obvious! This experience has made me feel very excited about collecting more artwork, and surrounding myself with art that truly inspires me.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”, by motivational speaker Jim Rohn. It's about the law of averages, the idea being that these five people influence you, even if you're unaware. I believe it’s important to inhabit your sacred circle with people who elevate you to be the best version of yourself you can. Rohn’s quote also applies to your environment: I believe you should surround yourself with art that that uplifts your spirit and speaks to your heart. Make your home a place that elevates you! It doesn’t matter if the art you choose is beautiful, or gritty and raw… it just needs to speak directly to your sensibilities. Art doesn’t just tell a story, it tells something about your story, what matters to you. That’s why it’s so fun to collect!
I feel so lucky to call myself an artist, and to wake up most days feeling inspired to create something. Art is such a magical thing: it's both an object and an offering, a means of communicating and connecting us, an experience that goes way beyond the physical object itself. And that's what I love about it! We humans are a species gifted with this creativity, and the world is a much more meaningful place because of it.
To see more of Kevin Wixted's work, go to his website or follow him on Instagram!
With love,❤️
Lise