A New Way of Collecting Art

It’s fascinating how the art world has changed since I started painting,  thirteen years ago.

Back then the only way to really get your work out there was via galleries, now there are so many alternative routes.

Saatchi Online is one example, launched in 2006 with the aim of providing exposure for artists without gallery representation, and as a means for them to sell their work (with Saatchi’s taking a commission on each sale). The online gallery has over 60,000 artists (including me) on its site representing a wide range of disciplines and media.

The explosion of social media has completely changed how art can be discovered. Artist’s work is now accessible to a much larger audience and I find that incredibly exciting!

I have seen this in the last year having launched myself into this new world! Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are wonderful platforms to showcase my work and connect with people who are interested in what I do.

I thought that was enough but recently I discovered Artstack. At first I thought it was the same as Pinterest but soon realised that there is so much more to this social platform for the visual arts

“When you go to a physical gallery, you’re guided by your friends’ recommendations and also by what the curators want to showcase. What’s so exciting about the social element of ArtStack is that both of these experiences are integrated in one place.” Ezra Konvitz, co-founder of the art-sharing social website ArtStack 

ArtStack is a ‘user friendly’ discovery tool to share art with people who love art. Find a piece of art that inspires you, ‘stack’ it to your personal art stack and share it.

I feel it’s the social element that is perhaps more valuable on Artstack than on Pinterest, perhaps because of the user makeup – it’s exclusively an artistic community.

Recommendations, comments and shares carry more weight because those using this network are the ones on the ground, talking about art, painting, curating, collecting and selling. Pinning a virtual gallery on Pinterest throws it open to the masses — a vast audience —this is fabulous but with ArtStack the community seems more focused and dedicated.

I particularly like the ‘collections’ feature giving you the option to organise your stacks into themed groups.

I have created a collection for the work I admire from the other British Contemporary Artists I am currently exhibiting with at the Loughran Gallery –  Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Marc Quinn and Harland Miller.

 

 

Are you using any social media platforms specifically for the art community?

I’d love to hear about them

Or come and find me on Artstack and Saatchi online

 

Jessica xxx