My Collection
At 17 years old, I’m lucky to have been exposed to a variety of artistic styles. Among the band posters, mirrors, and photos that adorn my bedroom walls, a small but growing collection of paintings live there as well. A tiny painting by Elyce Elder sits above my lightswitch, a Josh Rush rests just over where I hang my ukulele on the wall. Many years attending art openings and time spent in studios has trained me to request the work of particular artists for my birthday and Christmas. I’m also fortunate enough to have personal relationships with some of these artists whose work I own (HCA studio artist Elizabeth Guipe Hall is the mother of one of my closest friends).
The best part of acquiring the art is being surrounded by work that is not only visually appealing but also reminds me of the people and places they represent. One aspect of this is having works from the same artist that are very different from each other. Styles change over time. For example, I have a classic abstract Quincy Owens painting, one of his ever-popular coasters, and a small, simple geometric piece embellished with glitter and gold leaf. The latter two I would never have known were his a few years ago. It’s this variety that makes my ongoing patronage of particular artists interesting.
Thanks to my early exposure to so much talent, my walls will never have to be blank, even when I buy my very first home. I’ll meet new artists, adopt new tastes, appreciate new work. But I will always have a special appreciation for a few core pieces that began the legacy and sparked my desire to be surrounded by beautiful, meaningful, original works of art.