What am I?

I have spent the better part of 2 weeks, actively trying to find a name that defines this blog and to capture the spirit of what I intend to cover. I have been around art all my life, yet have only recently considered purchasing art directly from artists. This journey of deciding what I like, what to purchase and how to live with it along with decisions of when to just appreciate a piece in it's unveiling or when to create my own work is what I seek to convey. How to describe that?

When looking for blog names or domain names that would succinctly identify the purpose, I ran into prevailing tones and connotations that just didn't fit.

The not-quite-right list includes:

• Collector: I do not go from art gallery to art gallery with checkbook in hand. I don't get my name on show opening lists and plan my attendance attire with just the right well heeled but arty look. In fact, it is only a bit of extra money that I came into this year that has allowed me to purchase a small selection of equally small works. I don't expect this to be an ongoing resource, so most likely next year I will revert to an admirer. Not to mention, I see a collector acquiring exceptional (or at least decent), pieces and not necessarily having a clear plan for the piece in mind -- Storage as a destination in lieu of the perfect place at the moment. I couldn't imagine placing my discretionary income spent on art in a closet or a storage bin somewhere for the eventuality of its emergence (though I guess technically that is what my 401K is doing). Then too, there is collecting for purely speculative reasons (I have more to say on this in a future blog).

• Connoisseur: No expert here. Doesn't fit. I like what I like - sometimes I can tell you why, and sometimes not, but never from a perspective of an educated or trained eye in the art world.

• Fan: Again, doesn't fit. A fan implies an undiscriminating love, which removes the aesthetic discerning of what I like and what I don't. To me a fan would mean someone who loves all art, or all art produced from one artist, etc. That doesn't leave room for the judgment -- part of the process that I greatly enjoy. I'm too fickle to be a fan.

• Appreciator: Who doesn't appreciate art to some extent? I think this might speak to degrees of art appreciation, but I think also it implies someone who may have a technical knowledge that affords them a second level experience with a piece of work -- an appreciation for the skill, effort, challenge etc. The technical knowledge I do not have. I don't know if I have the ability to "appreciate", I'm still in the "like" or "don't like" camp with little ability to appreciate other aspects outside of my initial reaction.

• Enthusiast: Well, only until recently have I actively sought out art venues, (and primarily on-line), so nah... can't say that I am. (Though I've been enthusiastic enough about what I have been going through to want to create this on-line diary to track my journey.) I also think growing up with an artist doesn't allow me to be an enthusiast in the full sense of the word -- To a great extent, art was just a state of being from my earliest memories; it was every where, often piling up like lint in corners of rooms.

• Spectator: ? Well, clearly this is a sport based audience description -- doesn't really work as I liken this to cheering on things that don't always make sense to me. I'm thinking of things that may involve forms of what I consider violent human contact -- and though an emotion this does draw from me, (usually along the lines of shock and horror - both for what I'm viewing and for the realization that I'm often alone in the arena with my reaction), it is not the usual one evoked when I am viewing art.

• Patron: Definitely not. Though I support all artists trying to make it - I have nothing other than kind words and good thoughts to spur them on. I do not have a body of influence (either in friends, money or social standing), to qualify as a patron. And given the love hate relationship that sometimes exist between artists and their patrons, I'm not so sure I even want to be in the position to be a patron.

• Dilettante: Well, possibly, but there is a frivolous connotation with this description -- I don't take my attachment to art as frivolous -- It may not always be 'all consuming', or 'fully informed', but when I'm engaged, it feels pretty serious and powerful to me. And right or wrong, I have this image of some Victorian period female corseted and ruffled to absurd levels looking for things to fill empty time.

• Consumer: Though at may levels this works for me as it is devoid of the pompous aspects to many of the preceding descriptors, it is also cold and hard and reflects nothing of the passion that I feel when viewing art, (well, at least art that I like.) I also like the implication that there isn't necessarily a monetary exchange in consumption; you can consume art by merely visiting a show. You soak it in, develop a memory and recall it later, it feeds you and leaves an impression -- but I'm not so sure that others would instantly know this without a more evolved narrative context -- so yet another rejected word.

• Student of Art/Art Education: Since I have no intent to learn the detailed aspects of art creation, (and really there are so many types of art and materials and techniques -- not my interest to pontificate or even necessarily fully understand all), rather my intent is to focus on my experience as an observer and my reaction. Squarely I'm in the audience, not in the performance. (Though maybe more fully an audience member screaming at the edge of a stage, hands held high to catch the occasional contact or the occasional crossover from observer to participator.)

• Acquirer: Not dissimilar to why I don't like "collector" -- not only am I limited in my ability to acquire, (and not just from a monetary standpoint but from the point of space - storage and display -- as I don't live in a museum), there is the other added implication of ownership that I feel never quite applies to a piece of art. I can't truly own a piece, the artist always supersedes ownership by the mere act of creation - not to mention that there is a level of ownership from all who see the object. I feel I can only purchase the right to control where it's displayed and even that has an end date -- but who wants to talk about their own mortality?!

So what am I? I have searched a bit and seem unable to find a word that describes who I am with this intersection of art...

I am someone who wants to support the efforts of artist (like I mentioned, I grew up with several). When I have the funds, I want to vote with my dollars and support the charity of the artist quest, (100% of the funds go straight to the source if you buy directly!).

I want to purchase things that appeal to me, mean something to me, and that I can afford. (To be clear: I will choose food over art!) It is also important that I am able to live with the pieces I acquire - so context and environment of display have a significant consideration for me as well.

When the English language seemed unable to provide me with a descriptor that I felt rang true... I turned to foreign lands to see if there existed terminology to describe someone who wasn't an active artist or a full fledged patron; rather a casual collector, sometime producer and willing participant.

Perhaps in ancient cultures or in the study of sociology -- might they have come up with something sensitive enough to categorize this individual? Or is it just a matter of: either you are a full fledge connoisseur of art or you aren't? No room for shades of gray in this portrait I suppose.