How to Start Collecting Art: Finding A Focus (Or Not!)

Have you ever stood in front of an empty wall, frustrated that you still haven’t decorated, wondering why it feels so hard?

Yeah, us too.

Even if you’ve been trolling Architectural Digest’s Instagram feed or pinning your little heart out on Pinterest, it can feel really overwhelming to buy art.

There’s one nagging question that tends to pop up: “What am I even looking for?!”

This can even happen when you have a sense of what you like. Maybe you’re drawn to ceramics and photography. Or love abstraction and would die if you had to hang up a picture of a cat. But most people haven’t taken the time to define their ‘likes’ as a focus.

If you’re interested in starting to think more like a collector, we think you should consider spending some time choosing a focus (and before you protest—yes, a no-focus focus is just as valid!).

Finding a focus isn't as high-stakes as it might feel. You don't need to declare a manifesto or commit to a single aesthetic forever. A focus can be loose, flexible, and surprisingly easy to discover—you just need a way to start noticing what you're drawn to. And often, the focus becomes clear after you've already begun.

But before we continue, here’s…

The TL;DR summary:

If buying art feels weirdly hard, it’s not because you “don’t have taste”—it’s because you’re trying to make a hundred micro-decisions without any kind of filter. This post gives you a handful of low-pressure ways to find one (place, materials, mood, color, story)… and even makes the case that “no focus” is a totally valid focus, too. You’ll learn how to spot the thread in what you already love, how to avoid decision fatigue, and when to let your “thing” evolve, so collecting starts to feel exciting instead of intimidating.

How a Focus Can Help (If You Want One)

Having some kind of organizing principle makes decision-making easier. It gives you a filter when you're browsing, a shortcut when you're overwhelmed, and a story you can tell yourself (and others) about why your collection feels like you.

A focus also helps when you're talking with a gallery or artist. Instead of saying "I don't know, I just want something good," you can say "I'm drawn to work from the Pacific Northwest," or "I love anything with a lot of texture," or "I'm only buying pieces that make me feel calm." That gives the people helping you something to work with.

But here's what a focus is not: a box you're stuck in forever, a test of your taste, or a sign that you're a "serious" Collector with a capital C. It's just a starting point. And it can (and should!) shift as you learn what you like best.

Different Ways to Find a Focus

If you want an organizing principle but aren't sure where to start, here are a few approaches:

Focus on a Place

Some collectors choose work from a specific region, such as artists from their home state, pieces made in places they've traveled, or work that represents a part of the country they feel connected to. This is a concrete, easy-to-communicate focus that could lead to new discoveries.

At Visual Index, we represent artists from all 50 states, so this approach also becomes a way to explore the country through the eyes of its makers. You could try starting with your own state and expand outward, or just pick a region that feels meaningful...maybe some place you’ve never been!

A few examples:

• If you rent: Focus on artists from your current city or state; you’ll have mementos of your time there to take with you to your next destination.

• If you’re buying a gift: Choose artwork from the recipient's home state, somewhere meaningful to both of you.

• If you’re buying with your romantic partner: Pick a place you've traveled to together, or try rotating between home states.

Focus on a Medium

Wondering what a “medium” even is? It’s not something in the middle, and it’s not a lady in a headscarf attempting to contact your deceased guinea pig (RIP, Cinnamon).

In the art world, medium is pretty much a fancy word for “materials.” It’s the choice of materials an artist uses in any given work.

So if you were to focus on a medium, you’d be looking for ceramics, for example, or wood sculpture.

Choosing to focus on buying a particular medium can be a particularly rewarding path for new collectors because there is a lot to learn. For example, maybe you can’t tell the difference between an acrylic painting and an oil painting at this point; spend a year looking at paintings in person at museums and galleries, and you’ll be a pro. And some mediums are worlds unto themselves, like printmaking; collecting prints could include monoprints, linocuts, etchings, and woodblock, to name just a few.

This doesn't mean you can never buy a painting if you collect clay. It just means you have a home base, a territory you're getting to know.

A few examples:

• Minimalists: Choose one medium and let the work speak through subtle variation, like all ceramics, all prints, or all textiles.

• Maximalists: Use the medium as an anchor but let styles and colors vary wildly within that constraint.

Focus on a Feeling or Mood

This one's more intuitive, but it's just as valid. Maybe you only want work that feels quiet. Or energetic. Or a little unsettling. Maybe you're drawn to pieces that make you feel grounded, curious, or make you laugh.

This is harder to articulate at first, but once you start thinking through this lens, the pattern becomes clear, and you’ll start to see it everywhere. This focus can lead you to build a collection that's deeply rewarding, and you won’t care if it looks inconsistent to others because you know its depth.

A few examples:

• Renters with white walls: Focus on pieces that add warmth and personality to neutral spaces—work that feels alive and grounding.

• Couples with different tastes: Find the emotional overlap—maybe one person likes bold and one likes quiet, but you both love work that feels hopeful or curious.

Focus on Color

Are you someone who notices or responds strongly to color?  Consider using color as a filter in your collecting. Maybe you want to focus on a warm, earthy palette. Maybe you choose a single pop of color to build around, like bright blue. Or maybe you go black-and-white only as a constraint.

What’s fun about color-based collecting is that everything tends to look beautiful together, even if the styles and mediums are wildly different. It's also a way to make sure new pieces will work in your space without overthinking it, so this might be good if you’re hoping to skip all the hemming and hawing.

A few examples:

• Minimalists: Stick to a monochromatic or neutral palette for maximum cohesion.

• Maximalists: Pick 2–3 accent colors that can show up across wildly different pieces.

• Gift buyers: Ask the recipient about their favorite color or their home’s color palette for some clues.

Focus on the Artist's Story or Process

Some collectors care more about who made the work and how it was made than what it ends up looking like. Maybe you're drawn to hand-built ceramics because you love the slowness of the process. Maybe you want to support artists working in your community, or you're fascinated by people who've shifted careers to make art full-time (if that’s the case, maybe you should try making art yourself!)

Focusing on the story or process can be rewarding because you get to dig deep with gallerists and artists. It can feel more like investing in practices and people than decoration.

A few examples:

• Gift buyers: Choose work where the artist's story adds meaning that you’re excited to talk about, like pieces made by someone local, someone who shares a background with the recipient, or someone whose process feels significant.

• Couples: Focus on artists whose work resonates with both of your values—maybe sustainability, craftsmanship, or a particular cultural perspective.

No Focus at All (The "I Know It When I See It" Approach)

Not to be contradictory, but...there is this: a focus isn’t a requirement. You can just buy what you love, piece by piece, and trust that your taste will create coherence over time. This is the most intuitive approach, and it takes a level of gut-trusting not everyone’s ready for.

The risk here is decision fatigue. Without any filter, every piece could be a potential purchase, and that can be overwhelming. If you start to feel this happening, try finding a friend, shop owner, or gallerist you trust to help you narrow things down.

A few examples:

• Maximalists: This is your lane! You were made for this. Buy what you love, layer it, let it evolve. Eclecticism is the goal.

• Renters: Without the pressure of permanence, you can experiment freely and see what sticks.

How to Test Your Focus

If you think you have a focus but aren't sure, try this: look at the last five things you saved on Instagram, or the pieces you keep coming back to online, or the work you've stopped to look at in person. Is there a thread? A color, a vibe, a place?

If yes, roll with it! If not, decide if you’d like to choose one. You can then re-edit your inspo. We love doing this on Pinterest, but you can go old-school and do some collaging for a vision-board vibe. You do you! Make it fun.

Another test: imagine explaining your collection to a friend. What would you say? "I collect ceramics." "I only buy work that feels calm." "Everything's from the South." "I just buy what I like." All of those are valid answers.

When to Let Your Focus Shift

Your focus will probably change. That's normal. Maybe you started collecting ceramics and are now curious about fiber. Maybe you loved bright, bold work and now you're drawn to something quieter.

This does not have to be a forever thing!! Plus, you’ll be learning as you go. A focus isn’t meant to be a limitation; it’s meant to be a helpful guideline.

Ask yourself periodically what’s held your interest over time, and what might have been a passing obsession.

Finding pieces that aren’t fitting anymore? Try trading with a friend, or even just temporarily rotating them off the walls; you might be ready to bring them back later.

FAQ: Starting Your Art Collection

Do I need to decide on a focus before I buy my first piece?

No. Your first piece can be something you just love. A focus often becomes clear after you've lived with a few pieces and noticed what keeps catching your attention.

What if I choose the "wrong" focus?

There's no wrong focus! And you can always change it. Your collection is allowed to evolve as your taste develops (actually, it would be weird if it didn’t!)

Can I have more than one focus?

Totally! Some collectors might focus on ceramics and printmaking, or work from the West Coast and pieces with a specific color palette. If multiple filters help you choose, use them.

What if my partner and I have different tastes?

If you’re both into collecting, find the overlap. Maybe you both love work from a specific region, or pieces with a certain mood, or artists with interesting stories. You can also try to rotate who chooses the next piece.

If only one of you is passionate about collecting? The person who puts the time into cultivating this gets priority! #sorrynotsorry

Should I tell a gallerist or shop owner what my focus is?

If you have a focus in mind, yes, it helps them guide you. It might take some practice to get comfortable talking about artwork, but it’s worth it!

If you don’t yet, that’s fine too. Just be honest: “I’m still figuring out what I’m drawn to.”

How do I know if a piece “fits” in my collection?

If it feels right and you can envision it living in your space, it fits. Trust your gut over external rules about cohesion.

No, really—how do I know if a piece actually fits, size-wise?

No secret formulas here. You’ll just need to measure and/or guesstimate! A little planning goes a long way: take photos of walls you’d like to fill, and a gallerist or shop owner can help you with some ballpark size options.

Stay tuned for a future article here for more on the practical aspects of collecting.

Ready to Start?

The best way to figure out your focus is to start looking at work. Browse with intention. Notice what you stop on. Ask yourself why.

Browse the full collection at Visual Index and see what catches your attention, or reach out if you’d like help figuring out where to begin.

Next in this series: How to work with(in) your budget — because collecting art is about building a practice that feels sustainable and good, no matter the monetary value.