Inspiration

The Value of Gifting Art

Posted on 21/11/2019

’Tis the season of cheer and joy and hygge…and unashamed materialism. It can be hard during the holiday season (read: impossible) to escape the barrage of gift guides which seem to infiltrate virtually every corner of the internet. There is certainly no shortage of lists praising the year’s newest gadgets, must-haves, and trendy talk pieces which will no doubt be so last year by the new year. It’s often beyond tempting to order something easy or thoughtless to fill stockings or ship off to in-laws. But this year, it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s put some mindfulness, some personality, some excitement back into the holiday season. 
 


 

Do you remember the last art piece you received? I do. Late last summer, my husband gifted me a striking (and massive) antique painting of a ship. We saw it while we were browsing one of our favorite antique markets, and I immediately told him “that is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen”. So he bought it for me and hung it on a wall in our apartment without a second thought. I look at it every single day, and every time I pass it, I remember that day and the love I have for my husband. To a lot of people, it might just be a slightly morose and very old painting of a ship. But to me, it is a piece of art that I cherish deeply, something I’ll hold onto forever. Art is such a personal thing; so able to evoke millions of emotions and memories and feelings with a single glance. Art is perhaps the most beautiful thing you can give, in far more ways than one. 

Here are four reasons we think you should consider investing in some art this holiday season. It’s a gift-giving strategy which might take a bit more thought than flipping through a catalogue, but we guarantee the reactions you’ll receive in exchange will be so worth the effort.

It’s Personal. Your family may have a tradition of sending each other numbered lists of their desired gifts, but it just doesn’t feel personal at all to simply click an “order” button online or run into a store and mindlessly grab something off the shelf that they asked for. Gifts should have a certain element of surprise and personality behind them - both for the benefit of the gift giver and the gift receiver. It can be so fun to think about your recipient’s personal style, home decor aesthetic, and passions and embark on a mission to find a unique art piece to perfectly complement their personality and adorn their blank walls. It feels so much more purposeful to spend your money on something that matters, something that tells your loved one that you know them, see them, and adore the unique parts of them. And beyond that, it feels so much more meaningful to unwrap something unexpected and individualized.


You’re Supporting Artists. There is something inherently attractive and exciting about the prospect of helping support actual, passionate, living and breathing people. When you make a purchase from independent artists (including when you purchase art prints from Kolla), you are telling artists that their voices are heard and that they matter. You are encouraging their dreams and affirming their vision. You are helping the stories that they seek to tell live on. You play an important role in making sure that art is valued and seen. That is not something to take lightly! Supporting big box stores is often inevitable, but whenever possible, we should take the extra time and effort to support people’s dreams over corporation’s wallets. 
 

It’s Timeless. Remember that gift that you just had to have five years ago? The one you couldn’t wait to open and use because it was totally going to change your life? The one that you still use and love to this day? Yeah, neither do I. Material items, especially the ones so heavily pushed on us throughout the holiday season, tend to be trendy, ephemeral, and totally replaceable. Gifts of technology will likely be outdated by the following holiday season, that book you gave your mother-in-law was a nice gesture, but probably will just sit on a shelf for a few years, clothes go out of style faster than you can take the tags off. But art is timeless without feeling outdated. It is lasting without feeling tired. It can be passed down and cherished by unending generations…and that is a gift worth giving. 


It’s Practical and Purposeful. It might feel strange to think of art as a practical gift. It isn’t an essential item and doesn’t necessarily have a verifiable, tangible use, after all. But art has a distinct purpose and practicality which simply cannot be denied. Here at Kolla, we are strong advocates of making your home a space you love to dwell within, a place in which you enjoy being. You spend so much time within your four walls, and it is such a worthwhile pursuit to make those walls beautiful and meaningful and uniquely you. Art has the power to transform houses to homes, walls to museum-worthy galleries, and rooms to sanctuaries. Investing in art means investing in yourself. It means transforming your space- your favorite little corners - into a place that reflects the things you love and the things you want to feel. Is that not the most purposeful gift imaginable? 

Gifting art is an art form in and of itself. Resist the temptation this year to put a bow on something easy and call it a day. Instead, spend the extra time to browse independent artists (including those featured on our site), source unique, quality art pieces for your loved ones, and make this holiday season one to be remembered for decades to come. 
 


Written by Niamh Wilkins

Niamh is a portrait and wedding photographer originating from Dublin, Ireland but currently based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Deeply rooted in nostalgia and introversion, she seeks to use photography to celebrate the quiet moments for what they are in the hopes that they will be felt and remembered for years to come. 

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