Recently, a fellow blogger asked about my collection's worth. This has always been a tricky & sticky question for me - and once to my great embarrassment, a reporter guessed and printed its worth. His guess was wrong - it was wrong on so many levels per my intent.

But I wasn't in the least offended by Eric's question - mostly because he's one of my favorite bloggers and he's not trying to sensationalize. The following is part of his recent comment:

Some museum or gallery could create a fantastic exhibit from your collection. Art on a Shoestring. Actually, how much of a shoestring is it though? Ignore the question if it is impertinent but I'm curious what your art purchasing price range is?

I can't begin to estimate the monetary worth nor the emotional worth of my collection. It includes famous and newsworthy artists, but most the canvases and sculptures that enter my home are like the first one below. How could one possibly put a value on it?

I spend a lot of time researching. I'm patient. I let go, I hold tight. I wait. I pursue. I especially research those artists we all know as collectibles and I want to acquire - I'm patient. Sometimes it's as simple as an estate flooding the market and I snatch up a work at a good price. I wait. I'm patient.

I can also be impulsive - especially with emerging artists. It's so very easy to acquire established artists - the public and critics decide for the collector so that one doesn't even have to think because someone else has established the value. When this happens, I think it's like a writer losing his/her voice to an instructor's voice.

I find it far more satisfying and adventuresome to discover an emerging artist - someone wobbling onto the *art scene*. Someone whose language I know or want to learn. Many of the artists I *dared* to collect years ago have soared with success. It gives me great pleasure. The first artist below is modestly established. I just acquired this amazing work. Look at her canvas, its title. Look! Look... and you tell me what you think its worth?





I Dream a World



*****


Below are more photos from my collection. I've omitted the artists' names. One I purchased for 50 cents. One I bought for $100. One for $400. Several in the $25 range and they are now worth much much more.

In the comments, try to guess the most valuable to least per original cost. I will reveal the answers in a couple of days.

Back to Eric. Thanks for asking this question. These thoughts reel in the responsibility I still have to my children to provide a provenance. The task is daunting. My album on Facebook and my posts here barely scratch the vastness of my collection. It's my legacy to my children... and yes, maybe someday it may be considered museum worthy.




A



Key West




B



Red Truck





C



Ice Cream Stand





D



Bridge Club






E



Bird must Fly






F



Amos






G



Hotel California






H



Lady in Red Dress






I



One of Three





J



Log Cabin




K



Dancing Still Life