On a practical level, for the average working
American, art is not an investment that you’re going to
pay for your kids college with, unless you’re very lucky
and you stumble across one of those Antiques Road Show
jaw droppers. The value of newly produced work seldom
advances with any kind of reliability. Unless you devote
your life to it and track the rising stars in New York, or
Los Angeles, it’s not likely you’ll be shouting Jack
Pot! any time soon. There is no way to state unequivocally
what a piece of art is worth. Even a well known piece’s
value is only set when it actually goes on the auction
block. On a monetary level, art work is worth what someone
is willing to pay for it, but there are far greater values
to art that can not be judged so materialistically.
The first real art purchase, I ever made, was in 1989. I
was living on a back street of Hollywood, trying to get a film
deal, and eating a lot of boiled noodles. I paid sixty five
dollars for Cool Cat. A painting by an artist that
lived in the apartment building across the street from mine.
Based on my income, to purchase price ratio, it is the most
expensive piece of art work I’ve ever bought. At that time,
after I paid rent and utilities, I might be left with two
hundred dollars a month for food, gas, and entertainment. But
it made me happy to have it and I have managed to hang on to Cool
Cat, while many things have been lost due to my nomadic,
artist, lifestyle. I have gotten years of pleasure from the
painting, it has garnered countless comments, and it remains
one of my most cherished possessions.
This return, on artistic investment, is the real value of
art. The pleasure it brings, from it’s presence in your
home. A chance to own something original that won’t be on
every wall, of every neighborhood, in America. In a world of
readily disposable, forgettable massed produced products,
built for quick obsolescence, art stands alone as an
investment in your life. Go to your closets and start adding
up how much you’ve spent on things that you care absolutely
nothing about and you’ll start to understand what a great
value art can bring to your life. Original art work is
something that becomes part of a family’s history and is
passed down through generations. Who knows your great
granddaughter might end up on Road Show 2060 with a jaw
dropper.
Ozarts has original paintings, by local artists, starting
at a hundred dollars and many in the two hundred to three
fifty range, for incredible work. We also have signed, number
prints for very reasonable prices, and signed first edition
children’s books, that are absolutely heirloom quality. If
you want to give a gift, this Christmas, that will stand
beyond the plastic and waste of commercialism, this is where
you want to be. Another thing to consider, when you support
local artists you put money back into our community and all
profits from Ozarts go to bring you events like the Circle the
Square events, Ozarts produced last summer, and towards
opening up educational and employment opportunities in Carroll
County.
That being said let me discuss Berryville Square as a
whole. Since the Square’s near death experience, brought on
by it’s division and Wal-Mart, it has fought back hard to
come alive again and before you go face The Wall for
your gifts, come down to the square and shop. Berryville is
the Soho of Carroll County. If you haven’t been down to
Berryville Square, recently, you haven’t been to the most
progressive, happening place in Carroll County. There are at
least ten new retail businesses in the square this year,
several have opened since August. The square is no longer
limited to what you see from 62, shops go down Madison Ave.
and around Hanby Lumber. We have clothing, antique stores,
vintage toy shops, gift shops, several second hand shops, fine
arts, crafts, and good food to eat while you’re shopping.
For a special treat, drive down to the square and take a
stroll after hours and enjoy the Christmas lights, window
shop, and experience a very special place, our own Berryville
Square.
OZARTS
New painter in the house. If you are a collector of
fine art, or would just like something stunning for your
walls, do yourself the favor of coming and seeing this new
work by Angela McAllister. She is on the cutting edge between
realism and fantasy. Her fantasy looks real and reality looks
like fantasy. Her ability will transfix you and her paintings
are great value.
Ozarts is still looking for: artists to replace our
mask exhibit, Independent Publishers, Bands, musicians,
potters. The art mystery is yet to be solved. Big new box of
movies this week, come check them out! Please feel free to
send me your questions by mail, or email.
Ozarts Center for the Arts
108 East Madison Avenue, Berryville. (Across
from the post office.)
Ozarts.org (870) 654-3231 Alexander@Ozarts.org
