TL;DR
Gallery founders Lauren Sands and Chelsea Neman Nassib say new collectors can begin at any budget by seeing a range of art, learning what they respond to and buying thoughtfully. Their advice, reported by Veranda, emphasizes personal meaning and patience over decorating quickly or treating art only as an investment.
Lauren Sands of LES Collection and Chelsea Neman Nassib of Tappan Collective say people can start collecting art without specialist knowledge or a large budget, provided they take time to discover what they genuinely like. Their guidance, published in a Veranda report, focuses on building a collection gradually for personal meaning rather than buying pieces simply to fill a wall or pursue investment returns.
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The two gallery founders recommend looking at art in person wherever possible and paying attention to the works that hold a viewer’s interest. Nassib advises beginners to trust their reactions and learn their preferences over time, comparing the process with developing a taste for music, fashion or wine. She says a collector’s taste can develop naturally through repeated exposure.
Sands encourages new collectors to explore galleries, art fairs, markets and auction houses, as well as artists’ social media accounts. She also suggests following galleries whose style appeals to the collector. A person need not know in advance where a work will go at home, she says; the process can include buying a piece because it resonates and finding a place for it later.
Both founders describe collecting as a long-term process, not a one-time decorating task. Sands says commissions may be more accessible than people assume and recommends asking artists about custom work. Nassib advises buyers to keep any literature supplied with a purchase, as it can help preserve information about a work’s provenance. Veranda also reports that LES Collection and Tappan Collective offer services such as art consultations or curatorial support.
A Lower-Pressure Way to Collect
The advice challenges the idea that art collecting is reserved for wealthy or highly educated buyers. Sands and Neman Nassib argue that personal interest, curiosity and time matter more at the outset than expertise. For readers considering a first purchase, that approach offers a practical way to begin without treating a collection as a test of status or taste.
Their emphasis on patience also separates collecting for personal enjoyment from buying art as a financial strategy. The source does not promise that a work will appreciate in value. Instead, it presents lasting connection to the work and the artist as the central reasons to collect, while noting that documentation and reputable sellers can help buyers understand what they are purchasing.
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Two Digital Galleries’ Advice
The report draws on interviews with founders of two digital art businesses. LES Collection, founded by Sands, is described as a platform intended to connect consumers and artists while offering education and support. Sands, a former lawyer, developed the business after a career change during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Veranda.
Tappan Collective was founded in 2012 by Neman Nassib and operates as a digital art gallery and education platform, the report says. The founders’ recommendations reflect their work helping people discover and purchase art. Veranda describes services offered by both businesses, but does not present independent price comparisons or evaluate the platforms’ claims about their role in the art market.
“Follow galleries that have an aesthetic you love and follow the artists themselves because they are constantly sharing other artists’ work and will help you continue to find other art that speaks to you.”
— Lauren Sands, founder of LES Collection
Prices and Investment Risks
The report offers general guidance but does not provide price ranges, buyer fees or a method for assessing investment risk. It does not establish that buying through a particular gallery guarantees a fair price or future resale value. Those outcomes can depend on the work, seller and market, and readers should not interpret the advice as a promise of financial return.
It is also unclear from the source how often commissions fall within a beginner’s budget or what terms artists typically set for custom work. Buyers considering a purchase may want to ask about the work’s originality, documentation, condition, price and any additional costs before committing.
Start With Looking and Questions
The next step for a prospective collector is to visit galleries, fairs and markets, follow artists whose work holds their attention and record what they respond to. Before buying, readers can ask the seller for available documentation and save any literature supplied with the work, as Nassib recommends.
Those seeking individual guidance can contact galleries or art consultants about available services, including consultations and commissions. The founders’ core advice is to take time: a collection can grow through repeated encounters with art, rather than through a deadline to furnish a room.
Key Questions
Do I need a large budget or art expertise to start collecting?
No, according to the gallery founders interviewed by Veranda. They say beginners can start at different budget levels and learn as they go. The report does not give specific price ranges, so buyers should check costs directly with sellers.
Where can I look for art?
Sands recommends exploring galleries, art fairs, markets, auction houses and social media. Following artists and galleries can also lead collectors to work by other artists.
Should I buy art as an investment?
The report’s main advice is to buy work that has personal meaning, not to assume it will increase in value. It provides no investment forecasts or guarantees about resale prices.
What records should I keep after buying a piece?
Neman Nassib advises keeping any literature supplied where the work was purchased to preserve provenance information. Buyers can also ask the seller what documentation is available.
Can I ask an artist to make a custom piece?
Yes. Sands says commissions are not necessarily limited to wealthy buyers and suggests asking an artist whose work you like about a custom piece. Prices and terms vary, and the report does not specify typical commission costs.
Source: rss
