If you are discovering in yourself a deep love of paintings and a desire to collect them, there are at least three places you can visit in search of your "new beloved".
The first place is the artist's studio, where you can meet the artist and learn about his or her work directly. You can even get a glimpse of how the artist works, thus developing a deep emotional connection with the artist and the pieces that you buy.
Most artists have their studios at their own homes, although some work out of other places such as Ancol Art Market in Ancol, North Jakarta.
You can also visit the art galleries where artists often exhibit their works. Nadi Gallery, Cemara Gallery, Edwin Gallery and Salihara Gallery are just a few of the many galleries in Jakarta that regularly hold painting exhibitions. Art centers such as Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta also hold frequent exhibitions, so keep updated about coming events.
Most galleries take between 25 and 50 percent of the sale price from each piece they sell. But buying from galleries is much safer than buying from other collectors, if you do not know their reputation.
Your third option is to go to an art auction center such as Sidharta Auctioneer or Larasati in Jakarta. Sidharta, for example, has an auction program designed for new art collectors called Artfordable.
Sidharta's owner, Amir Sidharta, says starting bids for items in the program range from Rp 1 million to Rp 15 million.
"We just want art to be accessible to many people from many segments," Amir, also an art curator, says.
As a comparison with Sidharta's other auction programs, he reveals, starting bids for items in the Fine Art and Contemporary Art categories range from Rp 10 million to Rp 1.5 billion.
Art collector and gallery owner Biantoro Santoso says that the most important thing for collectors is to avoid buying fake or stolen pieces.
"Buyers should get as much information as they can before deciding to buy a painting," he says. "As a collector myself, I would first ask any friends who might know the reputation of the seller.
"But basically, go with what your heart feels," he adds. "If you don't feel right about the painting, just forget about it and don't buy it."
