The art of Dickson Schneider
I think every room should have one original artwork in it. I think two is almost overdoing it. This art work doesn't match the furniture, it might be too big (or small) for its space. The art should be a thing you look at every day and stop to consider. Your friends might wonder about it, might not even like it. Your friends might wonder about you for having it in the house. It isn't decoration, it is something you live with, something you have a conversation with as your life unfolds.
This is what owning original art is.
I have been an artist my whole life, and, no, I’m not dead. I have sold a bunch of art but mostly made my living teaching. Every artist makes much more art than they ever could sell. What happens to people like me, artist’s who aren’t famous? When we die our work is mostly discarded because no one knows what to do with art made by a non-famous person. I would like to find a home for the art I made.
I want to try a different approach. I am going to sell my estate early, a few pieces a month, at very small cost. I made the art to make art, not to make money. I will price them under one thousand dollars. I can tell you this much, owning original art is an journey.
Gilded Naruto #10, gold leaf on collage on enameled panel, 16x16” 2017
The art of Dickson Schneider
How to collect art?
Collecting art is an adventure. It feels risky. You probably don’t own any original art, most people don’t. A large part of this project is to find a place for the art I have made over the years AND to encourage people who have never collected to begin to do so.
“Real art” can cost thousands of dollars, or tens of thousands.
I say “real art” (and put it in quotes) because “real art” is a very different subject than what most of us call art. Most of us are thinking that we need something to fit our tastes, to match an imagined aesthetic criteria that we believe we already have. But “real art” is about discovery.
The painting on the left, “Hearts and Minds,” from 2008 is a six foot tall painting from my fashion series. If this is in your living room it is a statement. It is beyond decor. It is actually a thing that interferes with the idea of a seamless uniform experience that designers aspire to. There is no couch or color scheme that this can be matched with. It is not calming. It is a statement about you and the choice you made to include this in your life. It is a challenge to your friends when they first come into it’s presence. You will talk about this painting.
(Sorry… “Hearts and Minds” is in a private collection.)
The art of Dickson Schneider
How to collect art - 2
All around the country there is an event, usually every year, where artists open their studios to visitors. Open Studios are a long tradition. Artists like to see the public. Most of the time they are shut off by themselves working away. A large percentage of artists never even have a show and most have shows only rarely.
If you encounter an artist you like, get their contact information and ask for a studio visit. They will say yes. If you like the work, buy something.
The same emotional conflicts described above apply. Should I really buy this? Is it the right piece for me?
Pricing will be confusing. It will seem like the ultimate extravagance to buy something. Even if you are well off, spending $200 (not to mention $2000) will seem like a lot even though you will spend $200 on your phone bill each month.
Artists might be willing to discount but there are factors. If the artist has a gallery representing them, you will have to pay the gallery price - you might even have to purchase it through the gallery. If they sell work to others for a set price range, you will have to pay within that range. If they have no sales history, they can sell it for whatever they want, but you have to remember that they pay rent just like the rest of us.
That said, I am trying to sell off my estate just to find a home for my work, so the prices for the pieces I’m offering are absurdly low.
And yes, contact me if you want a studio visit. that is my studio on the left.