One Definition of a Collector

This quote was left in a comment on one of my recent posts and I thought it so poignant to this blog that I had to highlight it here...

There is a distinction to be drawn between true collectors and accumulators. Collectors are discriminating, accumulators act at random. Russel Lynes (1910-1991), Cultural Critic

Thank you for sharing Witold. Check out his artist recommendations.

Comments

[sean bonner]

I think that quote can open the doors to a lot of arguements because "discriminating" and "random" can mean different things to different people. I know collectors who focus very carefully on one specific kind of art, or one or two specific artists and consider collectors who buy from all kinds of artists to be random and undiscriminating. Using that quote I'd only be an accumulator in their eyes because I own photos, paintings, drawings, sculptures, from new and old artists. But from my perspective, I have the things I do because I'm discriminating - I find that more often that not blanket statements like that cause more confusion than they clear up. But what do I know. =)

[Adam]

Hey Paige,

Enjoyed poking around your site. I spend so little time thinking or appreciating art, that it tends to be like a great splash of cold water when I am exposed to it.

Thinking about that comment. I don't think that being an accumulator is necessarily a bad thing. Some people love little glass trinkets for their mantel, some Garbage Pail Kid cards, some Renoirs. And these mavens love collecting every bit of minutiae in the topic they love.

What is a bit crude is to accumulate a bunch of art that doesn't inspire you, just to impress dinner guests. That’s crap.

What's even cruder is the way I live... nearly void of art! Have to work on that soon enough.

[Very nice site. Will sure visit again.]

Very nice site. Will sure visit again.