How to Start Collecting - Discovering Your Personal Taste | Art World 101

Part one of a four-part masterclass on building a meaningful art collection.

One of the questions I get asked more than anything is: how do I start collecting? And the most important thing I want you to know before we get into it is this - art collecting isn't just reserved for those with deep pockets. You don't need a trust fund to own beautiful, meaningful art.

In fact, one of the earliest pieces I bought was when I was earning around £20K a year and drowning in student loans. My husband calls collecting art an occupational hazard - and honestly, he's not wrong. But what I hope to do across this four-part series is compress 20 years of personal collecting and professional art advising into something genuinely useful for you.

So let's start at the very beginning.

Start With the Most Important Element: You

Building a collection starts with you. Sounds obvious, maybe even a little cheesy - but the art you collect is ultimately a reflection of your personal taste and your story. The collection you build over time becomes a kind of autobiography.

But what if you don't yet know what your taste is? That's completely fine. Finding what resonates is a journey, not a destination, and there's no rush to arrive anywhere.

Immerse Yourself First

Before you even think about buying, start by immersing yourself in art. Visit museums. Attend gallery openings. Spend time at art fairs. And most importantly - trust your instincts.

What are you drawn to? Maybe you'll feel an unexpected pull towards an abstract painting. Perhaps it's photography, with its stillness and ability to freeze a moment in time. Or maybe it's figurative art - something that feels close to life and captures the human experience. For me, it's always been figurative work and photography, art forms that reflect my own career and life's timeline.

There's no right answer here. The only wrong move is ignoring what genuinely moves you in favour of what you think you should like.

Keep a Visual Diary

This is something I always recommend, even if it sounds a little earnest: keep a visual diary. Snap photos of pieces you're drawn to. Make notes on what you see and how it makes you feel. Over time, this practice will help you identify patterns in your taste - recurring themes, styles, or mediums that keep pulling you back.

You'll start to notice things about yourself you hadn't consciously registered. That's where a real collection begins.

Don't Rush Into a Purchase

Your taste will evolve over time, and that's not just okay - it's the point. Art is a long-term relationship. There's no need to rush in.

When you are ready to buy, don't feel pressured to go for the most expensive work in the room. Start small. Works on paper, drawings, and prints are affordable and offer an excellent entry point into the art world. Some of the most compelling collections I've ever seen were built almost entirely from works on paper.

Collecting art is about passion, not price.

There Are Always Ways to Make It Work

My first purchase came when I was fresh out of school, earning barely enough to cover my basics. But the piece moved me - so I made it work. The gallery offered a payment plan, and I took it. That option exists more often than people realise.

There are genuine ways to own art without breaking the bank. You just need to know the nuances - and that's exactly what this series is here to help with.

This is part one of Art World 101: A Masterclass on Collecting. Part two coming soon.

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