Are you a keen podcast listener? I'm totally addicted. I always have a podcast playing as I paint or type or run or drive. Recently I was listening to one particular podcast by two inspirational artists and they were chatting about the pros and the cons of giving art as a gift. On another podcast *I told you I listen to a zillion of them* the presenters suggested scanning artworks, adding snowflakes digitally and Christmas-ifying art to make it more sale-able. I have to admit that I'm not willing to go that far! I'm a bit of a purist. But being a purist doesn't go so far as to assuming others have the same taste or style as me... so let's keep it real here. Here are my top reasons to buy art as a Christmas gift this year:
Reason 01
It's not boring. It's not predictable. It's not ho-hum. The gift of art makes for conversation, connection, community. You can chat about how you came across the artwork, what the artwork means to you, why you thought it would be appreciated by the recipient or where in their home it would look lovely. With 2020 being the crazy year that it has been, this is the year to branch out and think outside of the square. I know I'll be thinking extra creatively this year about Christmas gifts - my family and friends deserve more love than ever.
Reason 02
Most artists will let you exchange the artwork for another if the recipient prefers another piece from the artist's gallery. Artists are typically very genuine humans who love to share their passion. It means a lot to them to have happy customers and for their pieces to be appreciated and loved. When you give art to a loved one, you can include a note in the gift card saying to get in touch with the artist directly if they want to swap the artwork.
Reason 03
Many artists like to offer two types of gift certificates. The first is a straight forward "artwork to the value of $XXX" but the other is more like an open invitation to choose an artwork that takes their fancy. These certificates usually say something like "an artwork of your choice" without a monetary value. This leaves it up to the recipient to choose a piece that they love, but allows the gift giver to put thought into choosing a gift with a difference... but not make the trickier decision of choosing a specific artwork.
So, tell me in the comments: who do you know who would love a little bit of art this Christmas?
Ros
x
P.S. My FREE self-paced online watercolour lesson is still available if you want to paint with me. Head HERE to have it sent to your inbox.