The Art of Collecting- Building a Meaningful Collection

On this episode of Boulevard Beat, Meghan is joined by host Liz Lidgett of Liz Lidgett Gallery for a conversation all about collecting art. Together, they break down the myths and intimidation often surrounding art collecting and make the case that anyone can start building a meaningful collection.

From where to begin and how to trust your instincts, to investing wisely and finding pieces that tell your story, Meghan and Liz share practical advice and personal experiences that make the art world approachable and exciting. They also discuss the role of galleries, how to balance budget with passion, and why art is not just about décor but about connection, joy, and legacy.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just curious about buying your first piece, this episode offers inspiration and guidance on how to make art a part of your life in a lasting, personal way.    

Street Style Takeaways:
·  Start with what you love — Art collecting doesn’t need to be intimidating or expensive. The most meaningful collections begin with pieces that spark joy and connection.

·  Trust your instincts — Liz emphasized that your personal taste matters more than trends or what others think.

·  Every budget has room for art — Collecting isn’t reserved for the wealthy. Prints, small works, and emerging artists are all great entry points.

·  Work with trusted galleries — A good gallery helps guide you, introduces you to artists, and ensures your purchases are authentic and lasting.

·  Art tells your story — Beyond investment, a collection becomes part of your personal narrative and the legacy you share in your home.

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Episode Website ⁠https://www.blvdbeat.com/about⁠ 

Save 15% site wide at ⁠www.houseofblum.com⁠ with promo code beat15!
Or you can use this link- ⁠https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15⁠!

Connect with the Hosts ⁠https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/⁠ 
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Episode Website ⁠https://www.blvdbeat.com/about⁠ 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Boulevard Beat, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor CHRISA.
Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses on
the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with taste makers,
and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style you
constrol one street at a time, boulevard Beat proves the

(00:30):
one you should take. Today, we're diving into a topic
that's a favorite of mine, and that's collecting art. Whether
you're new to the art world or looking to refine
your existing collection, this episode will help you see art.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Not just as decor, but as a deeply personal form
of expression. Well, welcome, Liz. I'm excited to have you
back and talk about all things art.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Thanks. I'm so happy to be here.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Obviously, there's so much more to art than just being
a piece of art. It's emotional, it's meaningful, it's accessible.
So what makes collecting art different than just buying art?

Speaker 3 (01:04):
Oh? I love that question. Okay, So I think the
meaning to you is really what it's all about. Right,
there's this derogatory term that I think I talked about
in the past that is called otc art or over
the couch er, so that really is like my couch
is gray. I want my art to be gray and

(01:24):
really all about like the matching, but none of the meaning.
And so the meaning can happen in so many different ways.
I think collecting really is a more hands on approach
because you're getting to know who the artist is, maybe
what was their approach to creating the piece, what were
they thinking about. You don't have to know all of

(01:44):
that to have a connection. You may have just walked
by a piece and been like, that reminds me of
a time when X happened, or that reminds me of
a vacation spot I love, or it doesn't really matter
what the connection is or how you receive it. But
I do think that there's another level than just when
you're buying art.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
I think that's a really good example. And I specifically remember,
I don't know if you remember, I bought that piece
the Seven Wishes, Yeah, and it has I just love
the color at first, but just because it kind of
spoke to me, and that's what art obviously should do.
But then when I read the back and it explained
what all the Greek words meant. And I try to
remember if it was like hope, love, it was just

(02:25):
but yeah, just yet, Yes, it had the meaning subtly
and I didn't even know it.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah. The artist that Megan is talking about is Theodora Miller,
and she is a Greek artist. And one of the
really interesting things about Theodora, if I can do a
quick moment for her, is that she had a catastrophic
brain event about a decade ago, and part of her
therapy was getting into art. And so Theodora is an American,

(02:50):
but she's Greek and she writes in Greek and it's
so beautiful the way that she does it. But she
has these seven wishes that she hopes for every home,
and so it's like peace, love, luck, joy, and it's
just such a beautiful thing that she meditates on while
she's creating this piece. And so it's like really this
like wish and meditation that then is going into your

(03:13):
own home. And I think that's a great thing because
if you don't read Greek, you don't necessarily know that immediately.
But that's like the next level, right, It's like connecting
knowing more about it, having a discussion with someone later.
I mean, it all goes into it.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
It does has so much more soul for Yeah, well,
why do you think people are intimidated by the idea
of starting a collection?

Speaker 3 (03:34):
You know, I've thought about this so much, and for
so many people, there is this fear of looking stupid.
I have it with things, right, Like it happens all
the time, right. But I think art in particular is
this thing where when people are talking to me, for example,
even though I am like an art for everyone evangelist

(03:56):
and I am really hoping that, like anybody feels like
they can enter into the art world, even when they're
talking to me, people feel like they have to do
this caveat of like, oh, but I don't know much
about art, right, And they probably do that to you too, like,
oh I don't it's about design, right. But everyone, even
if they don't quote unquote know a lot about art

(04:17):
or design, can have opinions about it and know what
they like and dislike, and they probably know a lot
more than they are letting on or even understanding about themselves.
You probably see that in design all of the time.
So I think art in particular, they have this idea
of like kind of a snooty gallerista in New York
and like the prices aren't posted on the wall and

(04:38):
you have to like ask, but then if you have
to ask, then you probably can afford it. And all
of these things, and there has been this level of
the art world, but absolutely exists where works are a
million plus and that's what hits the news, that's what's
in the media, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.
And there's this whole wonderful art world under the ocean

(05:02):
and people that are making things that are at street
fairs or arts festivals or in their gallery spaces and
they're selling online or through Instagram, and like that's my home.
The people that are everyday people making artwork and they're
they're working as artists, but they're maybe not in blue
chip galleries, yet they're still affordable to so many people.

(05:25):
And like that's what I really want to focus on
and kind of like give attention to, because I want
people to know that they are absolutely welcome there.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
That's wonderful, and it's it's neat too, because you do
you think you only can have a collection if they're
these like really exotic pieces of artwork or like you said,
a million dollar collection where I can have a collection
with just my children's art and things I've done and
things I've thrifted, so it can be very affordable.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yes. Absolutely, that's a good place to start too.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
You know, just I think some practical guidance for beginners.
What advice do you have for someone who wants to
start collecting, doesn't know where to begin.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
If you're really interested and we like just talked about
that difference between buying and collecting, and if you really
are like, Okay, I'm interested in art, I want to
start a collection that's meaningful to me. I think the
very first thing you have to do is so simple.
You have to decide what you like and that the
best way you can do that is go and look
at a lot of art. And that is going to museums.

(06:25):
It is going to galleries and not buying a damn thing.
It is just going and absorbing the art and really
paying attention to like what you like, what you dislike,
what you're reacting to. I've said this, but I just
love this. We my husband and I have played this
game where we go to a museum and we say

(06:45):
our budgets are unlimited. What would you buy? And it
really gives you this like quick instance of I have
to voice why I like this. That is like kind
of a next level and collecting of saying like how
this makes me feel or what I'm attracted to. But
it also really helps you think about, like if I
had to live every single day with something, what would

(07:07):
I want? So the number one thing is find out
what you like. The second thing I think is what's
your budget? And you have to be practical about it.
There are a lot of hidden costs in buying a
piece of artwork, whether it's shipping or framing or ensuring it.
So really think about like what your full budget is

(07:27):
and then thinking about what those hidden costs are too.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Hey we've all done that where we've boughten an expensive
piece of art we love and spent three times the
cost and framing.

Speaker 3 (07:35):
Oh heck, yeah, I mean even going to Michael's and
getting something framed is expensive. It is, yeah, right, So
you know that there are all of these kind of
like hidden costs that can creep up on you, and
so really thinking about what the whole thing is there. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (07:50):
Well, and I really like that advice too. I mean
it's actually very similar to developing your personal style and
your home too. It's just studying and learning what you
like versus just buying to buy or things to be
matchy matchy and thanks.

Speaker 3 (08:02):
Yeah. I was with a client yesterday and she said,
have you seen the book Dope mean Decore, which I think,
have you seen that book?

Speaker 2 (08:09):
I haven't known.

Speaker 3 (08:10):
It's an interior design book, but it's really just like
all about working with really fun color. And she said,
you know, I was guilty of having so much millennial
gray and then I read this book and she's like,
I can't wait. She's like, I just painted my kitchen aqua. Yeah,
like go girl, because it made her so, so so happy.

(08:30):
So I think that's like that's the difference, is she
she wasn't aware of how much color would mean to
her and make her so happy, and told she read
a book about it. So it's like really just like
exposing yourself to a lot and seeing what you you know,
react to well.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
And that brings us to a good point too. Is
it important to follow trends versus buying what you love?

Speaker 3 (08:49):
You know, trends do happen, of course in the art world,
like they do the docor world. I would go with
what you love, because that's you're gonna love it forever.
Then the pieces that you react to most likely are
the pieces that you're going to want to around and
see every single day. So I don't really think much
about trends.

Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, and I could see that in my personal collection too.
It's just I've had them for a long time and
they still make it happy exactly. And kind of back
to just starting your art collection too. Are there types
of art that are more approachable for first time collectors,
like an abstract or landscape or different media that is
more approachable for people?

Speaker 3 (09:25):
You know, something that I've experienced is that people really
find some ease in photography.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yeah, and you know, really like this is what it
is and it looks like what it is.

Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
My dad and I have this joke that my gallery
has all types of artwork and all types of subject matter,
but there's a lot of abstract and when we have
a show, he'll come in and be like, oh, you've
got stuff that looks like something. So I'm even getting
it from my parents. Yeah, but you know, anyway, it's

(09:58):
I think that there is is kind of like an
ease there even some of that like abstraction that goes
a little bit towards florals or landscape. Landscape is another.
It's something that looks like something, but it also kind
of gives you this like nostalgic feeling. And so you know,
those are some really nice entry points. I think as

(10:18):
you start to get to know the art world more,
you may find that you branch beyond that, or that
that's just exactly where you want to be. You might
have a theme to your collection, which is great.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
Well, and I think it's kind of like you said
before too, as we develop our style, our style changes
and evolves, and I'm sure in your home and in art,
you'd be like I would have never bought this five
years ago, and I absolutely love it. It's the edge
of my house needs now.

Speaker 3 (10:43):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (10:44):
Well. And as you kind of talked about getting your
personal style and getting your instincts and having art be
an extension of your story, I think storytelling is a
big part of art. Can you talk about the importance
of storytelling in a collection.

Speaker 3 (10:58):
Sure, not every client has a story that they want
to tell through the collection as a whole, but from
time to time we do. I like to talk about
a client for example, that when she and her husband
got married, she wanted to buy artworks that came in pairs.
And then they had their first child and she wanted
things in threes, and then you know, it was like

(11:20):
a way to be able to do that. We had
another client that has three children that always wanted artwork
that had like three panels or something like that, so
that someday she was going to be able to divide
this collection into three. I think ultimately, if you are
true to buying artwork that you and your partner, for example, love,

(11:43):
then that artwork collection as a whole will tell the
story of you. And I don't think too much about it.
I do really love to you know now that I
own a gallery and I usually only buy artwork from
the artists that we represent. Right, every single one of
these pieces has a story to me because I know

(12:06):
that person personally. But beyond that, you know, I think
it's something to think about, but I don't think it's
something that you have to be hung up on.

Speaker 2 (12:14):
I'd love to go into more tips of the trade,
kind of your inside view of having a gallery and
just the secrets that you've seen in your professional experience
of collecting So what are some common mistakes people make
when collecting? Are there any red flags when people are
buying art?

Speaker 3 (12:32):
Gosh, you know, I think one thing that I see
frequently is that people often feel like they are being
scammed by a gallery. They kind of come in with
this chip on their shoulder that you know, maybe one
person is getting another price than the other person for
longtime clients. For interior designers, there are times that we

(12:58):
are able to do a ten percent discount, a trade
discount or something along those lines, right, But for the
most part, the artwork is the price that it is,
and we are a store like any other because we
have objects for a certain price. But galleries in particular,
and especially with artists. Artists are often approached to say like,

(13:19):
I think I should get a discount on this, and
it's like their hours and their work mean the same
as an interior designers or anyone else's. It's almost like
their creativity and their work is discounted for some reason.
And so I think that that is a big mistake
because it's not really respecting the artwork or the artist
or anything like that. Also, it kind of I always

(13:43):
feel kind of like I promise I'm not scamming you like,
this is really what it is and this is the value,
you know.

Speaker 2 (13:50):
So that's one thing that we end up having a
big conversation about. Well, and I think you'd never go
to your doctor and ask for a discount. It's right,
and I think it's in our world too. It's just
there's not a transparency of this is why every designer works.
They're all different too, so it does become unknown. And
so it's a point in our business too, for sure, totally.

Speaker 3 (14:09):
But not every doctor is the same, not every lawyer
is the same. So I think that it just shows
that there are certain things that people value in society.
And I do think that, let's just say, like so
many people understand and value creativity and artists, but there
is still a certain way of thinking sometimes that it's

(14:32):
not as valuable, which is I think wrong.

Speaker 2 (14:34):
Well, obviously you have an online presence as well with
your business. What are your thoughts on buying art online
versus in person?

Speaker 3 (14:42):
Oh gosh, since the pandemic, I think that it's kind
of the way of the world. The galleries that are
being left behind are the ones that are not putting
prices available online, that are not even making their website shoppable.
I think that's a bit big mistake. When the world

(15:02):
shut down. I have to give all the kudos to
Tina Arlik who works with me. I mean, she worked
hard to make sure that our website was shoppable and
it really made a big difference for our company and
being able to thrive really And so you know, for
the people that are not embracing that and still feel
like there needs to be some secrecy around the price

(15:23):
or anything along that, it's continuing on that kind of
cloak and dagger. The price may be something for me,
but something else for someone else, and I think that's
a big mistake.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
So buying online as a go, it's not just e
commerce anymore.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
As I kind of put that on a tangent, No,
you're good, Yeah, it is an absolute go. I think
that you know one thing that I would recommend if
you don't feel totally comfortable or totally know a specific
gallery you haven't worked with them in the past, ask
for a video. I think that video, even through email,
through a text message even gives a greater sense of

(15:59):
a painting. It's texture, all of that than just a
flat photo. So that's kind of like my tip where
when you feel like, I think I like this piece,
but I don't know what it's going to be, Like
a video will help show scale and all of that.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
Yeah, I could see that being really helpful because you know,
sometimes you do get stuff home and you're like, this
isn't what I thought I was buying. So you want
to avoid that as much as possible.

Speaker 3 (16:20):
Nortally, like even have somebody hold up a piece, like
you may see the dimensions, but the dimensions may not compute.
So yeah, like somebody a person hold the piece like, oh,
that's what a twelve x twelve looks like. Right, So,
I mean there's all kinds of things you can ask for.

Speaker 2 (16:35):
Do you feel like the color shows as well online
as it does in real life?

Speaker 3 (16:39):
See that's the hard thing, right because you know your
computer screen may be different than my computer screen. Yeah,
the brightness level, all of those things play into it.
The paint color that's behind the artwork. I think there's
so many different things. I've had clients send me samples
or bring samples in. If you know, there's a wallpaper

(17:00):
or some sort of fabric that the terior designer is
working on and we hold it up next to the
piece to kind of get a greater sense of it. Again,
there are a few things that you can do that's
kind of hard, but most of the time.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
Yes, yeah. Now, how do you feel about collecting prints
versus original artwork?

Speaker 3 (17:17):
I think it's all about what your budget is. I
think prints are a great way to start. We focus
primarily on original artwork. We do twice a year a
sale for artwork under five hundred. That is really really
important to me. I feel like it's very mission driven
for our gallery and our artists really works smaller for

(17:39):
us because of it. So that's kind of an unusual
price point for an original work, but you can find
all kinds of that. What I would say about buying
prints is that I would not buy a print if
the addition is over one hundred, So you want to
look for additions that have lower numbers. It doesn't really

(18:01):
matter where your print is within it, Like if your
print is one or if it's fifty four of one hundred.
You know, that doesn't really matter. But you want to
make sure that the art world, the world is not
like flooded with a thousand of these prints.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
Is there real Usually artists kind of have when they
do a print collection, that they keep it to that
or do they do as many as they want?

Speaker 3 (18:20):
Really depends on the artist.

Speaker 2 (18:22):
You know.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
I've got artists that, for asmi que often caps her
additions even if I'm photographs at ten. So you know,
it really just kind of depends on that. But if
you look at like a Thomas Kinkaid or somebody that
like sells on a cruise ship, I'm not really trying
to make fun of that, but you know what I mean,
you could be buying one of twenty five hundred. And

(18:46):
then we have a lot of people because I have
done some quite a few appraisals for people, and then
they want to know what the value is. And the
value almost is nothing, right. The value is that you
love it. Yeah, but it doesn't that because there are
so many out there that it's just it's impossible to

(19:06):
put a value on it.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
Yeah, the values your mental peace, enjoy.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
Well, let's transition and talk about how integrating collections into
interiors works and how that's such a vital role. I
feel like we might feel a little different on this one,
But do you believe art should inspire the room or
vice versa?

Speaker 3 (19:27):
Oh gosh, look, I'm art first, right, So I think
that you could start with art all the time, right,
because it's a piece that you love. Ultimately, I think
the most successful rooms are rooms that are designed by
interior designers that understand that art is also important. Yeah,

(19:49):
so you know whether the art piece was first or
second and whatever. I think that you can tell when
a room was created and they were like, oh, shoot,
there's a big wall there now, and that's like the
very last thing. Does that make sense?

Speaker 2 (20:05):
Oh definitely, yeah.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (20:06):
I mean we're definitely as we are laying out of room,
Like I'm thinking about one of our new constructions right
now in a living room, and they have some great
pieces of art. So as we're incorporating the rugs and
furniture and things, we're definitely making sure that that art
has a place to be highlighted. Yes, how do you
feel that homeowners can design around their art collections?

Speaker 3 (20:29):
You know, I think one of the things that is
important is really making sure that if you value art,
making sure that there's space for it. You know, if
you're putting in a ton of mill work, if you
are putting in paneling and all of these things, A
thousand windows, those are all beautiful things to have in

(20:51):
a home. But that's going to really cut down on
the artwork. And so I have talked to many home
owners after they're done building the house and they're like,
oh my god, we don't have any place to put
any art.

Speaker 2 (21:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:06):
So I think that really it's it's being thoughtful about that.
I would round up every single contractor in the world
and give a class on how the light switches need
to be closer to the edge of the wall to
a space when I see when I walk up and
there's a light switch in the middle of the freaking wall,
and like to kidding me, yes, yes, so it's like, yes,

(21:28):
it's the thermostat, it's a light switch. So really being
thoughtful about that, that's also like a good interior designer
is going to catch that. Yeah. But sometimes you know,
you have a contractor come in and it's like, well,
this would be easy, this would be a placement, I
don't care, yeah, and it happens and so and then
I also see a lot of interior designers are like, well,
now we're gonna have to move it. Yeah, you know

(21:50):
you probably have seen that so much. So anyway, I
think that really making sure that if you care about
it the way that you would care about your fitness,
and like plan for gym, you need to plan for
the walls in your home.

Speaker 2 (22:03):
And I know too sometimes when you get like I've
had this in my own house too, sometimes where you're like,
I don't really even have any more spaces to put it,
so then you have to like edit things or use
things seasonally and then just change it totally because you
do at some point run out of space.

Speaker 3 (22:18):
You do. And I think, but the other thing that
I hope that people are open to is being a
little more creative about like putting artwork on the mill work,
putting artwork on your bookcases, not just like sitting them
on the shelves, but like literally putting a space on
a shelf and getting nail in right in front of
a window above a doorway. I mean, I'm not saying

(22:41):
make your house cluttered, but I do think that you
can be really creative with where you put your artwork
and it like really helps the piece stand out and
then almost the architecture of the home as well.

Speaker 2 (22:53):
I have that right now in my sunroom because it's
all windows, and I hung a piece over the window
trim of two of them, and this just like brings
a new look to the space, which is great. What
would you say the role of scale, framing and placement,
play and enhancing art in a room.

Speaker 3 (23:09):
There are rules, right, so you know, depending on the
piece of the artwork, if it's really above I would
say eighteen by eighteen, you want to have at least
two and a half inches of matt with your frame.
There are these rules, right, But then when you get
really good and you're advanced and you're working with a
great interior designer, that's when you get to play with

(23:29):
scale that doesn't necessarily follow the rules quite right. It's
like learning the rules so you can break them right.
And so I love it when there is like a
huge bed and the right small piece above it. I
love when you walk in and there's just this giant

(23:50):
artwork that takes almost up the entire wall. I think
that playing with scale and proportion is something that is
a little bit like master's level designing. You have to
understand a lot of the things that are at play there.
But yeah, learn the rules to break them right.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
No.

Speaker 3 (24:10):
I love that advice.

Speaker 2 (24:11):
And I think scale is what is so makes things
so much more interesting too, is when you break them,
like you mentioned totally as well. So I'd love to
get into a little more of your favorite fines lessons learned.
Let's get into a little more of the collection of
your personality and storytelling. What's one of your most treasured
pieces and what's the story behind it.

Speaker 3 (24:33):
One of my most treasured pieces is an artist that
we represented at the gallery. It is a work by
Kit Porter, and Kit passed away from breast cancer last year.
And you know, I signed Kit a week after she
found out she had breast cancer, and so we went

(24:54):
through this kind of incredible journey of you know, her
creating pieces while sick, while getting better and unfortunately just
having a lapse that she fought so hard and she
was such a light and such joy and truly everybody
that knewer loved her. And so I really feel like

(25:17):
Kit lives on through her work. And you see it
on my wall right when you walk in my front door,
and it really just like kind of makes me feel
like I'm still fighting the good fight because I know
Kit would want more art in the world, So it
makes me think of her, and I love the piece

(25:38):
and it's just one of those pieces that you know
when you've lost somebody that you adore. There's multiple emotions.
You're happy because you knew that, you're sad they're gone.
It makes me think all of those things. But I
just feel so lucky to have a piece of her
in my home.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Oh that's wonderful and so interesting to hear and special
memories for you. Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 3 (25:58):
Yeah, it's such a special piece. Okay, but tell me
about a piece that you love in your collection.

Speaker 2 (26:03):
I would say one of my pieces. When I was
kind of getting these questions together, it made me actually
stop and think about it, and I think one that
I have that I really love is and probably part
of it's because of the memory of it. But when
I studied abroad in Rome, I bought a water color
of Piazza Navona, which is actually where I lived. I
got to live on the piazza. Yes, it was incredible.

(26:25):
So it's got the four rivers fountain and then just
the piazza boulevard on both sides. And it's actually really
well done and it's probably only like twelve by eight inches,
so it's small. And I made it home without any
wrinkles or.

Speaker 3 (26:42):
Which is anything I.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
Know, And I framed it and it's kind of like
your story but different. It's just the memory. It just
takes you back to what the little small life I
lived when I lived in Italy, and just the beauty
of the architecture and the water colors are all saturated
with the colors and just one that like speaks to me.
So it's wonderful.

Speaker 3 (27:01):
Collecting art while traveling is such a perfect way to
tie memories with your piece, like have that mean something more?
I know so many people that do that. And also
sometimes you'll find something on the street and it's so
beautiful and it doesn't have a frame yet or anything
like that. It just goes to show that, like the

(27:23):
most expensive pieces are not always like the ones that
are most valuable to you.

Speaker 2 (27:27):
Right, definitely, do you have kind of an unforgettable memory
of collecting a piece?

Speaker 3 (27:32):
You know, certainly some with travels, for sure, some of
the things that you know, being able to commission with
artists has always been really special for me, working for example,
with artist Hillary Howorth for a piece in our dining room.
I connect, like I said, I connect the people with
them so much, so I think, you know, each one

(27:55):
holds a memory of you know, getting to know that
person and enjoying them and getting to spend time with them.
So yeah, I mean it just like my collection means
so much to me. It's full of stuff.

Speaker 2 (28:08):
And even just the moments where you make the collection
that you held that class last year that I did,
and I absolutely adore those pieces one of those pieces too,
and that the memory of like doing it was part
of the journey too.

Speaker 3 (28:21):
Oh, it's so cool. Yeah, Michelle Armis is incredible. Yeah,
We've been trying to do more just events and activities
and things where people get to know We did a
trip to France with a few people to go paint
with Jesse Ralay, who's in Straus for France. She's an
American artist that married a friendship Pastry Chef. Wonderful, I know,

(28:43):
like a movie. It's just and she lives this beautiful
life in Strasburg. And so anyway, it's like, you know,
just thinking about those things but also getting people to
know artists more. This is a bit of an aside,
but when I was an intern getting my master's degree
in Los Angeles, I worked for an organization called USA Artists,
and they give fifty to fifty thousand dollars grants to

(29:05):
artists every year. So it's like cost of living wow brands,
which is amazing because so often you're not really thinking
about like an artist's insurance and things like that. But
those are the things that they have to be able
to pay to be able to create. Right. But this
all came from a survey probably two decades ago, but
it probably holds true now, is that people said that

(29:28):
they valued art in their lives, but they didn't value
artists in their community I know, which is so fascinating
to me. Art comes from artists, right, And sometimes you
see the piece, but you don't think about the person
behind it. And so like having those classes with Michelle
or going to visit Jesse or whatever, it's like, I
really want people to know the artists themselves too.

Speaker 2 (29:50):
Tell me, have you ever bought a piece that you
only kind of liked and then over the years it
grew on you and you just absolutely love it now?
Or have you always only bought things that you just
were like, love this so much?

Speaker 3 (30:01):
Here's what I'll say. I always buy what I'm obsessed with, right,
and I have to feel that like passion, obsession feeling. Now,
there are things that I've been given that I kind
of was like hmm, oh about that, but you know,
and then it does, and like, I think there are
these kind of I call them onion pieces that they have,

(30:22):
like they reveal themselves in layers over time. Certainly that
happens in the gallery sometimes too, where things like I
walk by it again and I go, oh my god,
I didn't notice that there. I think that there are
pieces that you actually have to truly spend time with
to really have themselves reveal themselves to you. It's hard

(30:44):
because you know, people only walk by artwork at a
museum for like four seconds at a time, and that's
how it usually is at a gallery too, or even
like when you're scrolling through a website and you're shopping.
So I'm always impressed by the people that really sit
and stare for twenty seconds even thirty seconds and like
spend time with each piece, because I think those are
the people that are really getting to know each art work.

Speaker 2 (31:08):
I can totally see that because like sometimes you're just
going through and like it doesn't grab you immediately, but
sometimes when you do stare at something longer, you see more,
you see more of the I love like good photography
that's like that when you really like see in and
then you're like, oh my gosh, look what's on that bookcase,
and like it was just like very well thought through.

Speaker 3 (31:26):
Have you ever had to design with a piece of
artwork from a client and you're like hmm, and then
you actually started to like it more as you designed
around it.

Speaker 2 (31:34):
One hundred percent yes, that it's like they absolutely love it,
and you're kind of like, this is not quite working perfectly,
but you do it and then and then it's similar.
It's like you photograph that room and it's your it's
what pulls it all together, or it's what made the room,
or you're like, yeah, yeah, definitely. I think I think
that's definitely how art can grow on you, for sure.
So I thought we get a little bit more about

(31:57):
some things that you're loving right now. What's your favorite
medium right now in the art world.

Speaker 3 (32:02):
You know, I have noticed that just from the artwork
that's been coming in, I've been really into mixed media.
We have a couple of artists that do some string wrapping.
We're getting a little bit more into sculpture. I'm really
interested in artwork that's got some texture, artwork that's like
you see it from far away, maybe you think it's
made from something else and then you get up close

(32:24):
and you're like, oh, I actually had to again spend
some time with this piece of like actually know what
was going on. So yeah, mixed media for sure.

Speaker 2 (32:31):
Yeah. I love a piece that has texture to it.
It just the depth that gives. And Yeah, what is
one art world myth you'd love to.

Speaker 3 (32:38):
Debunk that all art is expensive? Yeah. I think that's
the number one, because that's what keeps people away. They're like, oh,
that's too rich for my blood, and it's like no,
I mean honestly. The des Moin Arts Festival was recently,
and you know, I think that's a great time for
people to walk around and see a whole lot of mediums,
a whole lot of different price points. And if people

(33:00):
are really paying attention, they'll see that the art world,
like everything else, comes in all shapes and sizes, and
that there probably is a place, a point of entry
for you to come in and you.

Speaker 2 (33:11):
Bring up a good point when you are trying to
develop your style. That's a great way just walk around
a big festival and see a lot of things. Yeah,
you're getting your eyes on lots of stuff. Yeah, what's
a piece of advice you'd give your younger self when
starting out collecting.

Speaker 3 (33:26):
Oh gosh, I wish I had bought a hunt slan
earlier on me too. You know, I think that maybe
even earlier on, I thought a little bit more about
will this piece does it go exactly? Like do I

(33:47):
have the exact spot for it? And I think that,
you know, you can play with things and I move
things around now, and it's like I just I think
a little bit more outside of the box now about
like what my wall space is and where it can go.
And I think, if you really do love it and
it's in your budget and all of those practical things,
you can find the spot for it.

Speaker 2 (34:07):
Yeah, you always do, don't you.

Speaker 3 (34:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (34:09):
Yeah, Well, Liz, thank you so much for being here
and sharing your knowledge and love for art. You've always
truly made the world of collecting feel more approachable and exciting,
So thank you.

Speaker 3 (34:19):
I appreciate that. Megan, thank you.

Speaker 2 (34:21):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode. And of course, follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at CHRISA. Rothsund,
and at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard