Collecting Art, Your Own Way

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a whole day going through my online shop, decluttering and reorganizing. Somehow I ended up randomly looking at the items that have sold since I opened the shop in 2011. Originals, prints, custom artworks, and even quite a few things I created out of a whim. It's always wonderful when someone reach out and purchase my work. Appreciation is simply the best possible reward for artists like myself. It is no wonder now we see all kinds of artists popping up, thriving throughout all corners of the world, each with their own band of followers who admire and collect their work.

So are you one of these people? If you happen to be a strong admirer of a particular artist, then you are bound to purchase at least one of their art pieces. Some people may have even started their own little collection. But the question is, how do you really become an art collector? Here's what I think...

Maurice Sapiro, Reflections in a Golden Pond, oil on canvas

First of all, Broaden Your Horizon. 

There is a whole world of boundless imagination and creativity out there. Artists from all kinds of art genres, different kinds of styles and accomplishments to suit your every taste. Fine art, contemporary, and decorative are the main categories to consider, each with a wide selection to choose from. Paintings, drawings, sculpture are the most popular forms that people collect, but don't get me started on the number of styles you can feast your eyes on. The list just goes on forever.

James Jean, Portrait (Girl), acrylic on wood panel

Martin Wittfooth, Lantern, oil on panel

Once you have a wider knowledge of art, it's time to Explore and Hunt.

Spend time visiting art galleries and auction houses to experience the real business of collecting art. Check out exhibitions and art venues to get the feel in person, but if you have little time to spare, surfing the internet is a definite option. There are plenty of sites that actually offer a wide variety of art, in both originals and reproductions.

Painting Exhibition Taiwan painter Huang Tsai Sung

Amy Sol's solo show, Numina

After you have found the art you love, Set Yourself a Reasonable Budget.

Now, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to own a mansion and sports cars parked in your garage to be an art collector. These days, art comes to suit various economical levels. Some are friendly enough for your pockets, some are not so friendly. It's really just a matter of drawing a clear line and staying within your budget. Although, mind you, many people have experienced that this budget can grow along with the depth of your passion. So take caution, once you are in love, there will always be a tendency to reach deeper into those pockets.

Yellena James, Mitra

Mister Finch, Mushroom sculptures

When you have bought your first piece or art, remember to Cherish and Enjoy.

What's the point of becoming an art collector if you don't enjoy your purchase, right? Place your art piece where everyone can admire it and prepare a space where a real collection can grow. This will allow you to add more art pieces in time, because it is a known fact that a collector will never likely to be satisfied with just one.

Ozabu, Chiyo, graphite and acrylic on paper

Elsa Mora, papercut artwork

Lastly, and a very important point is, Treat Your Collection as an Investment.

Never underestimate the value of art. If you have excellent taste and sharp instinct, use them to the maximum by purchasing the kind of art that is potentially valuable. Some people go to all the trouble doing extensive research on a piece of art, and some just know it in their guts when they see it. Either way, you should try to see your collection as something that might prove to be essential to your financial well being in the future.

Well, there you have it, just my point of view on art collecting and how to see it from different angles. I realize that people collect art for various reasons, but I know that the one thing in common is simply because we love it. If you feel like reading more about the topic, this article might help to enlighten you further.

That's it for now, have a smashing weekend, everyone!


Best wishes,

The Girl with No Face

If there is one thing I have learnt over the years about being an artist, is that we are forever changing and continuously evolving. In my own personal cases, my work tends to show changes when I become restless or unsure about something essential. This, I'm afraid, has happened quite a lot in the past. Not very practical, I know, but it is how it is. It is who I am.

Given the state of mind and emotional changes I went through over the past few months, I have noticed some drastic developments in my work. It was to be expected, of course. Like all sudden changes, I had my share of hard times dealing with them. And like many times before, learning to accept them is usually the easier way to go...

Those of you who have continued following my posts over at Instagram may have seen this change. Is it temporary or permanent? That question stays unanswered until today. All I know is that my work, myself both as a person and an artist is a working progress. I don't think any of us stays the same through time. Our world, the people in our lives and the personal experiences we encounter will continue to shape us as a person. Maybe this is one of the bumps in the road that have truly shaken me, enough to wake me up completely and really look around with open eyes.

I don't suppose I'll see the last of these changes. For better or worse, I know that the only way to do now is to embrace it. Because again, it is how it is. It is who I am.

Have you ever experienced anything like this before? If so, please share your stories here with us. I know we can only benefit from them.

Your friend,

Still Here

It's been almost a year since my last post. I have no bizarre excuse or extraordinary story to explain my absence. Just the urgent need to step back and rethink my purposes in life. Never an easy thing to do, but I knew it was the only way to keep going. When you find yourself constantly questioning the world and the people in it, you are bound to question your own thoughts and actions. It wasn't pretty, and I must admit I still struggle with the answers I found. But here I am, moving on.

The months went by very slowly on hard days, but I found that some days were quite easy to get through when I tried doing things that I enjoyed the most. Exploring new areas and stepping outside of my comfort zone...

 

So you see, I haven't all together broken down and disappeared into thin air. I'm thankful to many of you who have taken the time to send me messages, asking how I was. You truly are such wonderful friends.

Yes, I was troubled in a way. Something has put an abrupt halt to my pace and taken me to a place where I could view my life from afar. I am grateful for this intervention. Now I can see everything in better perspectives and carry on with a new light on life. So please, stick around, dear friends. Expect more great times here in my happy place. I'll do the best I can to bring them back to you. :)


Much love,

A Gift of Gold

Humanity is flawed. In so many ways and on so many levels. My mind continues to wonder about our true nature as humans and the purpose of our existence each time I watch the news, or when I read the latest updates on all the recent catastrophes that have colored our world red. What has happened to us? Do we even deserve to be called humans?

We have known wars since the very beginning of time. Some were born into it, others are still living it today. It's so ironic to see how one side of the world can stroll along the streets in glorious freedom while the other side hides under ruins, praying for the tiniest ray of sunlight. I don't think I can imagine living with such tremendous fear, not knowing if there would even be a tomorrow.

Sometimes I look around and feel thankful that my life is still blessed with love and peace surrounding me. That my children are safe under our roof, living the days as children should be. Their minds and hearts still pure, untainted by the hatred and cruelty we see so much in this world today. As mothers, it is our natural instinct to protect our children from harm. But what can we do about the dark shadow that overcasts their future?

I realize that the best thing I am able to do now is to shape my children into the true human beings they are meant to be.To teach them love, respect and compassion that I believe will help them build a better world for us one day. To make sure they understand that kindness and forgiveness can go miles away, even when you see nothing but anger all around you. Faith may seem scarce, but it is never gone completely.

I do agree that we all deserve the right to speak our mind, no matter how bewildering it may sound to others. But without respect or compassion, our voice will remain as merely, our own voice. One that only ourselves would understand. It is within our choice to act as the intelligent beings we claim to be, to create peace that our kind so desperately hunger for.

Yes, humanity is flawed. In ways that could wipe away hope altogether from our hearts. What kind of world are we leaving our children with, when all we do is see ourselves but not others? So close your eyes and listen. Faith is still there, even if you only hear it in a whisper. It is the one gift that we have for our children, to justify our purpose of existence, as one.

My hand to yours,





Artwork title: A Gift of Gold (an original acrylic painting).

Your Own Happy Ending

As a child, I was one big fairy tale buff. I read, dreamed and lived in magical stories from the minute I woke up till I closed my eyes at night. My fantasies were filled with beautiful princesses and dashing princes. Their love stories, and most of all, their happy endings. I think as a child, I expected nothing but happiness in the world, both in reality and my fantasies. It was how I thought life should be, evil slain and lovers united. That is, until I was introduced to the story of The Little Mermaid.

Through that story, I experienced my first taste of loneliness, despair, sorrow and heartbreak. I learned that not all fairy tale brings you joy, and not all has a happy ending. Strangely, it was one of the best fairy tale stories I have ever read and remains a favorite until now. To me, it was an eye opener, as if the harsh reality woke me up from a long slumber, like a bucket of cold water.

I think when I first watched the Disney's version of the story at the age of 13, I learned something even bigger. That humans crave happy endings and will do whatever they can to twist even the saddest tale into a world seen through rose tinted glasses. Which sadly, is far from reality. To a child like me back then, it somehow broaden the spectrum quite a bit, putting another option on the table. I saw life closer to how it really is. Varied, with so many pathways to choose from. The beginning may start the same, but it's up to us to write the ending.

Little did I know that the early wisdom I had learned was the one I would hold on to years later. I know sometimes it's easier to preach than to practice, but it's the one I keep reminding myself of whenever I'm down in a bottomless pit. It is true, that we are capable to write our own destiny, no matter how many obstacles we face. We are more than capable of getting up after we stumble, just the way we learned as a baby. It is one of our most vital instincts and it grows stronger with experience.

 

These days, I try to teach my children the same wisdom. I want them to understand that life can be sweet and bitter at the same time. That it's wonderful to be happy, but it's also okay to experience disappointment. "Failure" is just a word invented by humans who can't even be bothered to have another go. After all, haven't you heard? The universe lets your heart expand after you go through pain and heartache. It's the only way to let you come out to a better place.

It is without a doubt, one of the best movie quotes I have ever heard . :)

Take care,




PS: The piece of art you see above is titled The Lonely Mermaid and has found a loving home. If you're curious to see a movie closer to the original version of The Little Mermaid, this is the one I watched as a child:

Golden Wings

“You must give everything to make your life as beautiful as the dreams that dance in your imagination.” - Roman Payne

When I was little, I liked to pretend that I lived in a beautiful dream. One that would never end, even when the sun rises in the East. That dream would have everything and anything my heart desired, no matter how ridiculous or bizarre. I could be a queen, a fairy, a tree, or a golden butterfly dancing in the wind. My life would be perfectly lovely, and no evil monster would ever enter the picture. Well, these days as I've gotten older, I have learned to understand that nothing is perfect. At least not the way I dreamed it. And if you have lived the kind of life I have (I'll spare the details for the time being), you'll also learn to believe that dreams can play all sorts of tricks on you. I mean this, with no resentment whatsoever. ;)

People used to say to me that I should dream as high as the stars, and that if I worked hard, I would, in good time, have that dream in my hands. But what they didn't tell me, is that "working hard" is not always enough. There are people who set out into the world with barely nothing and find their dream in a blink of an eye. Some may take forever and still end up with disappointment. So what does it take, to finally live that dream? Will power? Faith? Hope? Or just mere Luck? I think it's one ultimate question with a different answer for everyone.

I'd like to think that the universe is there to provide us with an unlimited source of possibilities. That as long as you see no boundaries, then there is still hope of undiscovered paths to take. Maybe one will take me to that life I dreamed about. Maybe someday life will be kind and let the stars shine bright enough for me to see in the dark.

In the mean time, I will hold on to what I have and be grateful for the sunshine they bring me each day. I know someday soon the universe will lead me to where the golden butterflies roam.

Much Love,

If Only a Simple Hello Would Do

I used to think that when you have been lost once, it would be quite unlikely to find yourself lost again. It just seems ridiculous to fall into in the same dark hole that you had crawled out of in the past. But in my case, apparently, it is possible.

Many of you may have noticed that I've disappeared into thin air since early this year. A day after my birthday to be exact. So much have happened, but so little have made much impact to keep me going inside. If things happen for a reason, then I wonder why many things fail to happen when I desperately need them to. That they're not meant to be? Has the world turned a cold shoulder on me? Perhaps life is a lesson that I'm never meant to understand completely...

And yet I keep going, no matter how exhausted I am. It feels like my dreams have been drained away to the very last drops of their existence and I'm hanging onto what is left of them. I keep telling myself that I can do this, forcing the last shreds of positive thoughts I have saved away somewhere in my mind. But like all thoughts, sometimes they just fade away.

So here I am. Still trying. Still searching for a tiny ray of light that hopefully will guide me out of this darkness. Forgive me for being silent all this time. It's never easy to face your problems, let alone share it with the world. So let this be a step, hopefully towards something good.

Much love,

One Last Respect

My grandmother passed away just a week ago on Valentine's Day at the age of 87. Unlike gloomy situation we usually experience on a sad event like this, I witnessed such a relaxed and peaceful gathering of people, paying their last respects to a loved one. No one cried aloud or kept a longing sad face. Instead, we talked about fond memories and how we will keep her close to our hearts. I think, that is how I would want my final farewell to the world to be like.

I know it's never easy to talk about death. When we think about it, we are reminded of remorse and the fear of what comes after. No one knows what lies ahead and the unknown is always one territory that we tend to steer clear off. I myself, try to think of death as a gate to another realm that we are meant to enter one day. Inevitably, whether we like it or not. What we leave behind in the world with our loved ones will be our legacy. Our words and actions will be saved in memories, hopefully kind enough to never be forgotten.

My grandmother's passing has reminded me of my own presence in the world. The purpose of my existence and how far I've walked down the path. It is such an overwhelming feeling to see your life flashes before you and to know that time freezes for no one. One day that farewell will come. It is up to us to create the best possible memories within the precious period of time we have left.

So take a deep breath dear ones, the blank pages await us...


Much love,

A Closing Year

To me,

Life is a bountiful journey of lessons. 

It teaches you to be patient, 

to hope, to grieve, to endure 

and find faith even in the darkest of places.

It is a book of wisdom that shows all your faults and triumphs.

A fountain that quenches your thirst under the scorching sun.

Your life is a mirror, that reflects nothing but yourself.

Who you are, who you want to be and the person you have become.

The image you see is never frozen, it changes with every action and expression.

To me, my life has been a journal of sketches.

Full of marks and erased lines,

uncertain visions and cherished drawings.

It is my treasure, my legacy.

A blessed gift that will continue to be a teacher,

In sorrow and happiness.

**************

I hope the closing year has been a magnificent journey to you, dear friends. My love and best wishes to everyone for the coming chapter!

God bless,