Lessons from Herb and Dorothy
Herb & Dorothy Vogel amassed over 4,000 pieces of what’s been called one of the most important contemporary art collections in history. What makes the story amazing is they accomplished this feat on just a postal clerk’s salary. How? They had a plan and followed it for over 40 years. Their plan was simple: potential works needed to be affordable, fit into their apartment, and be transportable via bus or subway. Although this limited them to 2D works almost exclusively, it helped them collect more efficiently: no need to even consider a sculpture too large for their one-bedroom apartment, for example. They budgeted Herb’s postal clerk salary for art acquisition and Dorothy’s librarian salary for living expenses. And by becoming lifelong friends and supporters of many of the artists, they were able to acquire additional pieces through barter and gift, stretching their limited art buying dollars even further. [Wall Street Journal, Aug 18, 2009]
But what if your business is art making rather than art collecting? Planning is just as important. Spend time thinking about what a “successful arts career” means to you. Are there personal qualities that would contribute to your success, like focus or self-promotion, and how can you manifest them? What steps will you take, and when, to reach the “big dream” goals you’ve envisioned for yourself? Who can help you along the way?
Art collectors are your target audience, so broaden your view of an arts patron. The retired couple asking you sincere questions at a gallery opening probably isn’t as interesting as the “big fish” scenester with an entourage that just walked in the door. But that couple could have amassed an incredible collection of art and just might be considering adding your work. Help make the decision easy for them by being an artist collectors want to do business with.
