Small Business Saturday - Purchasing Art is an Investment in the Artist and the Future.

It's that time of year again! The time of year, when we are in search of something perfect for our loved ones or ourselves. Supporting local artists/ artisa

ns and small businesses not only supports the local economy, but gives artists and business owners opportunities to thrive and continue creating beautiful works of art.

Art is an investment in the artist and you. When you buy a work of art that you love, you will have it for many years to come and may even be there to inspire loved ones. It's true, there is the financial part of having the work appreciate over time. But, really are you buying that art piece to have it just sit and acquire a number over time? The answer, really, is "no." Just like people, art is not another number or object hang on the wall or stand in the corner to be ignored. You were drawn to that piece when you saw it in the gallery. You fell in love with it's story, shapes, colors, and it first inspired you to walk across the room to see it, and come back again to get a closer look. At the opening, you searched through the crowd to get a chance to speak with the artist, to find out more what creating this piece meant to the artist. To get a chance to connect with the artist only made you fall in love even more. You and the artist became lifelong friends and the artist and the art found a new home. That art piece and artist you invested in will improve your life ten-fold. You will be surrounded by beauty and original creativity. That I can promise.

The investment you are making is in what the artist created even before the art supplies were even used. You are investing in an original idea, an experience, and a unique viewpoint. You are investing in a skill acquired overtime (self-taught and schooled). It's true that when you buy art the artist does recoup a bit of the cost in creating the artwork (like eggs, art supplies are expensive now). However, to the artist, it is much more than buying more art supplies. We are not creating works as a slapped together, mass-produced product. True art is not created by Artificial Intelligence or a factory, but created by human hands and human ingenuity. Each piece is unique...it's own world to explore. Each work of art has its own story to tell and inspiration behind it. Yes, each piece has its own time span for its creation, some take more time than others. Yes, some pieces are more expensive than others. But, there's more to art collecting than the cost, time to create, and status. The investment in that art and artist is not quantifiable. It's priceless and timeless.

As you make your plans this holiday season to get out and search for something meaningful to give your loved ones. Stop by a gallery, an artist's studio, or artist website. Most of them will be open through the holiday season and will be willing to ship directly to you.

This investment not only relates to works of art but also, theatre tickets, concert tickets, and books written by independent artists. You will never know unless you receive that book in your hands or that portrait or that concert ticket what it feels to invest in something really important, lifelong, and worthwhile until you do. What it will mean to you over the years, outways any cost and time commitment.

Be a hero. Invest in art, artists, and local businesses. You won't regret it.

Yours Truly,

Sarah