Do you consider yourself an art collector? Take a little time to reflect on the works of art you own. Think about where you found them, what struck you about the art, and what made it so important that you brought it home.

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eople collect art they love. Whether it’s value, nostalgia, experience, intellectual fulfillment, or simply a curiosity for life, art fulfills a need. Art can also reflect other interests, such as travel, allowing you to share your experiences with friends and loved ones. Being a collector is not about having a lot of money to spend on art or having years of art education. It’s about finding a priority for the beauty and talent that art communicates.

Collecting art is part of that sense of exploration and discovery we find on our travels. It makes a momentary feeling permanent, available to be relived over and over again. Art mirrors both personal experience and our collective knowledge as a group. Works of art not only reflect beauty; they have something to teach.

There is so much to see and do in a new city. It is important to think carefully about what to bring

home. Authenticity is a central concept. A work of art from one’s travels becomes that much more significant when it speaks for the craftsmen and artists of that locale. Seek regional treasures whether original paintings, fine art prints, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, digital media, or photography. Find out the kind of art the city is known—Venetian masks worn during Carnival in Italy, hand-painted tiles in Morocco, Persian rugs, watercolors in Paris. These finds lead to a collection that is eclectic, authentic, and one-of-a-kind.

Most collections benefit when the art is drawn from a variety of regions. Annual art fairs are gaining in popularity and have become cultural destinations in themselves — from Art Basel in Switzerland to the European Fine Art Fair in the Netherlands. Go to local galleries to discover what the artists in that area hold most dear. Local art galleries can only

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OFF THE EASEL MAGAZINE – SUMMER 2014