Your Monday Muse #6

“Villa San Michele, Fiesole” by Catherine Harris (2005) … proof that I occasionally dabble in the creation of art, only to better appreciate what others do so well.

Art pairs well with wine; both are an acquired taste.

The fact that most people don’t like wine the first time they try it, yet some develop a taste for it and continue to evolve their preferences, creates an increasingly narrowed market for any given region, winery, varietal or year. The finite supply available to satisfy particular preferences creates demand, which increases the perceived value of certain wines. Sometimes that demand is the result of grapes being grown in the right place at the right time, sometimes it’s that they were picked at peak ripeness, or produced with perfect skill, or bottled in an attractive way, or marketed well, or simply offered in the right way by the right person who created a notable experience around its consumption. All this to say, some wine is in high demand because it is truly a masterpiece, while some simply got lucky.  Whatever the reason, high demand for a limited supply creates a sense of membership among those who have it and want it. 

The art market is similar. Sometimes demand is the result of an artist being in the right place at the right time, sometimes it’s that their work was discovered at peak ripeness (a.k.a. artistic maturity or cultural relevance), or their artwork is created with perfect skill, or finished in an attractive way, or marketed well, or simply offered in the right way by the right person who created a notable experience around its acquisition. Art acquisition creates a sense of membership among those who participate, which can make the art world feel exclusive (or even snooty). However, there is an artist, artwork, or market to satisfy any given preference.

Taste is subjective.

As an Art Consultant, it is my job to offer points of reference for how you naturally respond to art, to recognize your unique preferences and empower you to trust your taste enough to invest in what you love. The process is a journey, an education, an experience… and a cause for celebration, which pairs well with wine.