A Guide to Starting Your Art Collection
If you’re new to buying art - wondering how to start collecting, where to find affordable original art, or whether prints are a good entry point for you - you’re in the right place. I believe art should be accessible, not just in price, but in experience. If a piece resonates with you, there’s a way to live with it.
This guide walks you through how to begin collecting on any budget, choose art with confidence, and care for the artwork you bring home. No gatekeeping. No pressure. Just practical guidance from me to you.
- Mindy
There Are No Rules
If you've been researching questions like, "What is the 70/30 rule?" or "How do I arrange wall art correctly?," let me save you some time: there are no fixed rules when it comes to building your art collection. Guidelines can be helpful starting points, but they're not requirements.
If a work of art moves you, if you find yourself thinking about it, if something about the piece resonates with you - that’s the only metric that matters. Start with what feels meaningful (even if you can’t quite articulate why). Everything else follows.
Get curious. Any artist or gallery worth your time will welcome your questions. Ask about the materials, process, framing, shipping - anything that comes up for you. You don’t need to know art history or use the “right” words. “I keep coming back to this one” is a completely valid reason to bring a piece home.
You don’t need blank white walls or a big budget to get started - you just need a piece that holds your attention.
Here are the entry points I offer, each option a valid way to begin collecting. I’m using my own work as an example - not because you need to buy from me, but because it’s what I know best. Wherever you choose to start, the principles are the same.
There’s No Wrong Way to Start
One-of-a-kind watercolors and mixed media works, created with artist-quality pigments on acid-free paper. Buying original art for the first time can feel like a leap, but it's also the most direct connection to an artist's hand.
Fiber Art
Fine Art Prints
Wearable Art
One-of-a-kind pieces designed to be worn - jewelry and accessories that carry the same textures and stories as my wall work. Currently available at art markets and coming soon to my online shop.
Whatever your entry point, you're a collector. There's no threshold to cross, no minimum purchase that makes it count. Starting an art collection simply means choosing to live with what moves you.
Woven and stitched pieces that bring texture, warmth, and tactility to a space. Often featuring crystal beads, every fiber work is unique in material and form.
Museum-quality giclée reproductions of paintings and collages, printed with archival inks on acid-free paper. If you're weighing original art vs. prints, know this: prints are real art. They're an accessible way to bring home a piece you love in a size and price point that works for you.
Paper Goods
Small, affordable pieces for everyday use. Sometimes the smallest entry point is the most meaningful. Currently available at art markets and coming soon to my online shop.