Building a collection that reflects you

CGN’s Spring/Summer 2026 issue featured Collecting 101, and now we are pleased to continue sharing some tips and advice about starting and building an art collection that is one you want to take care of and nurture because it is a reflection of your own passions and tastes. 

We’re also sharing a few words of wisdom from collectors we have profiled over the years. 

Our most recent profile of collectors Macol and José Cerda in our fall issue features a collection built over many years and which is a very personal reflection of taste that has evolved through generations. 

– CGN

CGN has interviewed dozens of art collectors over the years. Some images from collections are pictured above: Top left: William Lieberman; top right: Christopher Craft; Lower right: Michelle Edwards; Lower left: Melissa Weber and Jay Dandy.

Collector Wisdom: 

“Don’t buy anything for six months. If you’re really into art, start by going to as many gallery and museum exhibitions as you can. See what curators are interested in...See what artists and dealers are excited about. You need to learn as much as possible and develop your own taste.”

– Zach Smith, CGN 2023

“It is always a thrill when a piece by an artist in our collection is borrowed for a major exhibition... Attending the openings is enormously gratifying 

and is a great way to meet other curators, collectors, and arts patrons from around the country.” 

– Michael Robertson and Christopher Slapak, CGN 2025

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Let Your Collection Evolve

Your first purchases don’t have to define your collection forever. As you visit more exhibitions and meet more artists, your tastes will naturally grow and change. 

Some collectors keep their early purchases as a reminder of where they started, while others may resell or pass certain works of art on to new owners in order to clarify a new focus or simply to make wall space.

2. Buy with Intention

Instead of asking, “Does this match what I already own?” ask, “Does this add something new?” Great collections are built through curiosity, not perfection. This isn’t to say impulse purchases are bad, since sometimes you just have to buy what you love and make it work. That’s the heart of a personal collection, but serious collectors tend to want to enrich a body of work by filling in gaps or deepening the range of art by a particular artist. 

3. There’s No Right Way to Collect

Some collectors focus on one artist. Others collect across mediums or themes. The best collections reflect the people who build them. Buying art comes with a lot of information. It’s OK to filter the noise and just look, listen and decide for yourself. 

4. Build Relationships

Collectors don’t just collect art—they become part of an arts community. Get to know galleries, attend openings, ask questions, and stay connected with artists whose work resonates with you. Touring galleries and exhibitions with fellow collectors is collegial, not competitive. A social life connected to art undoubtedly makes engagement with the art market more fun and more personal, as you get to know the artists working today while also making friends with other collectors as well as gallery owners and curators. 

Fall is an ideal time to attend benefits and art walks that put you in social settings around art while also supporting institutions that need resources and an engaged audience. CGN’s calendar offers a lineup of the season’s most fun events. 

5. Practice Self-Care for Your Collection

Keep records of your purchases, frame works properly, avoid direct sunlight, and don’t hesitate to ask galleries for advice about installation and conservation. Once you have purchased a work of art, treat it well so it can live a long life. Light, water and temperature can each wreak a lot of havoc on delicate works of art.