A Peek Inside the World of Collecting Art, with Tracy Kinnally

What is that people look for when they invest time and money into collecting art? Are they looking for a particular style? Is it for their personal enjoyment or do they want it to serve as a conversation starter? Here to give us a great peek inside the world of collecting art is art advisor, Tracy Kinnally. In our conversation, Tracy explains how she got started as an art advisor, where the art market is headed, advice for artists and collectors, and much more. I know that artists like you will really appreciate our conversation especially the turn it takes toward the end.
How do you get started as an art advisor? Have you ever wondered how someone gets started as an art advisor? Did they dream of helping people find art from an early age? Tracy Kinnally studied at Christie’s in London and then went on to intern at the Chelsea gallery in New York and the Guggenheim in Venice. These days, Tracy is hard at work on her business helping people all over the world find the right art to feature in their home or workplace. You can connect with Tracy by going to her website; the link is located in the resources section.
What are art collectors looking for? As many people can attest to, collecting art can become a sort of obsession. What is it that these collectors are looking for? Do they get connected to a particular artist or a style? Tracy has found that each person is looking for something a little bit different and that is why she enjoys meeting people in their homes to get a sense of what would fit for that individual. She even finds that what a collector says they want and what they really want are two different things. I found Tracy’s perspective fascinating and helpful, and I know that you will too!
Advice for artists and collectors. If you are going to start collecting art, you should connect with someone like Tracy Kinnally, seriously. Art advisors can help you make the right decision and even expose you to options would have never otherwise considered. If you don’t want to connect with an art advisor, Tracy says that you should follow your gut. When you see something you like, go with it, don’t buy a painting that you are unsure about.
As for artists, Tracy says that they should make their work as easily accessible as possible. She encourages artists to build up a body of work and to have contact channels easy to find and responsive. The worst thing you can do is to ignore or never follow up with a collector who is interested in your artwork!
Where the art market is headed. Without a doubt, the art market is headed into an exciting period. Even right now, there are so many possibilities open to artists and those collecting art. Gone are the days where you could only sell your art in a gallery or at an art show, the internet has made it so much easier than it was in the past. Yes, there are challenges that come with this new direction for the art market, but there is no going back, you have to adapt. What is your take on this topic? Do you agree with Tracy’s take, let me know!
Outline of This Episode [5:20] I introduce my guest, Tracy Kinnally. [6:45] How did Tracy get into her work as an art advisor. [9:30] Tracy talks about her work with private art collectors. [17:00] How does Tracy create her catalogue of paintings and artists? [20:40] Tracy talks about curating a space and picking the right piece of art to feature. [32:00] Advice for collectors and artists. [35:20] Where is the art market headed? [38:00] Tracy and I talk about some of the artists that we are obsessed about right now. [45:00] Where did portrait paintings come from? Why do we collect them? [47:00] Painting the female image. [54:30] Closing thoughts. Other artists mentioned on this episode Toyin Ojih Odutola Genieve Figgis Jean Honore Frangonard Francois Boucher Cameron Rowland Venus of Willendorf Cave paintings of Lascaux Venus de Mlo Venus of Urbino Birth of Venus Matthew Brannon Katja Seib Caroline Walker Nick Farhi Kathryn Andrews Amber Lia Kloppel Ann Gale Catherine Kehoe Ken Kewley Resources Mentioned on this episode Tracy's website Tracy on Twitter Tracy on Instagram Connect With Antrese On Facebook On Pinterest On Instagram On Twitter