TL;DR
Get pool and patio gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A Veranda report featuring LES Collection founder Lauren Sands and Tappan Collective founder Chelsea Neman Nassib offers practical guidance for people starting an art collection. They recommend exploring art in person and online, choosing work that feels meaningful, and treating collecting as a gradual process rather than a way to decorate empty walls.
A Veranda report featuring Lauren Sands of LES Collection and Chelsea Neman Nassib of Tappan Collective says new art buyers can start by exploring widely, following their own taste and buying work that matters to them. The gallery founders frame collecting as a gradual, personal process, rather than a financial investment strategy or a quick way to fill wall space.
Neman Nassib advises prospective collectors to visit galleries and other art venues, look carefully at a range of work, and notice what draws their attention. She compares developing an eye for art to finding preferences in fashion, home decor, wine or music: taste is individual and can become clearer through exposure. The report does not suggest that buyers need formal training before they begin.
Sands recommends following galleries whose programming appeals to you and following artists online, where they may share their own work and introduce other artists. She also points to vacations, art fairs, markets, auction houses and Instagram as places to discover work. Buyers who are interested in a particular artist can ask about a commission; Sands says custom work is not necessarily limited to wealthy clients.
The report also offers practical purchasing guidance. Neman Nassib says buyers should keep any written material supplied with a work, since it can help document its provenance. The founders say buying through a gallery can help buyers assess whether a work is original and whether its price is fair. LES Collection and Tappan Collective also offer services including consultation or curation, according to the report.
A More Accessible First Purchase
The advice addresses a common barrier for first-time buyers: uncertainty about what counts as a worthwhile purchase and whether art collecting is reserved for people with money or specialist knowledge. The founders’ view is that a collection can begin with a considered purchase at a buyer’s own budget, and that familiarity develops over time. That can help readers approach galleries and artists with more confidence without treating expert advice as a requirement.
There is also a distinction between personal value and financial return. Sands and Neman Nassib encourage choosing work that adds meaning to a person’s life and home. The report does not promise that pieces will appreciate in value, nor does it provide investment forecasts or a recommended spending level. For a buyer, that distinction matters: an artwork can be meaningful to own even when its future resale price is unknown.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Two Digital Galleries, One Approach
Sands founded LES Collection after working as a lawyer and says the pandemic prompted her career change. The platform aims to connect artists and consumers while offering education and exposure for artists. Her own introduction to collecting came at 13, when she chose a piece for her bedroom; she later spent time exploring the extensive archives at Artisan Works, a nonprofit gallery in upstate New York.
Neman Nassib co-founded Tappan Collective, which the report describes as a digital gallery and art education platform established in 2012. Its services include online art sales and personal curatorial services, as well as project management for corporate clients and developers. The two founders’ suggestions reflect their work helping people discover and buy art, rather than independent research comparing the platforms or assessing market returns.
“Follow galleries that have an aesthetic you love and follow the artists themselves.”
— Lauren Sands, LES Collection
Costs, Returns and Authentication
The report gives no standard starting budget, price range or method for estimating what an artwork may be worth later. Its encouragement to collect at different budget levels is advice from the gallery founders, not evidence that every buyer will find suitable work at a particular price. It also does not independently verify the pricing or authenticity of specific works offered by the platforms it discusses.
Keeping a work’s documentation can help preserve information about its history, but the source does not set out a complete authentication process or explain how to resolve disputes over provenance. Buyers considering a significant purchase may need to ask the seller what documentation is available and what services or assurances apply. The report also does not compare gallery purchases with buying directly from artists or through auction houses.
Explore Before You Buy
The report sets out no new event, deadline or forthcoming industry development. Its practical next step for readers is to spend time looking: visit galleries and fairs, follow artists whose work interests you, and record which styles and subjects continue to appeal. Before buying, ask about the work’s materials, price, originality and accompanying documentation; if you want a custom piece, ask the artist whether commissions are available and discuss the scope and cost.
For people who want additional help, LES Collection and Tappan Collective offer consultation or curatorial services described in the report. The article does not provide details on their fees or terms, so prospective clients would need to contact the platforms directly. Over time, new discoveries and purchases can shape a collection, but the founders’ central advice is to make choices deliberately and at a pace that suits the buyer.
Key Questions
Do I need art expertise before I start collecting?
No formal expertise is presented as a prerequisite. Neman Nassib recommends looking at a wide range of work and learning which artists and styles appeal to you over time.
How should a first-time collector choose a piece?
The gallery founders advise choosing work that feels meaningful to you, rather than buying something only to fill a space. They encourage buyers to take time to explore and develop their own taste.
Where can I discover art to buy?
Sands suggests galleries, art fairs, markets, auction houses, travel and Instagram. Following artists and galleries online can also help buyers find work and learn about artists.
What should I keep after buying an artwork?
Neman Nassib advises keeping literature supplied with the work because it may help preserve information about its provenance. Buyers can also ask the seller what documentation is available.
Are commissions only for wealthy collectors?
Sands says commissions are not necessarily limited to high-net-worth buyers and recommends asking an artist about custom work. The report does not give typical commission prices, so costs will need to be discussed with the artist.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
