Friday, April 20, 2012

Why Art As A Personal Investment?

Art is well known to be one of the best personal investments available. Frequently the media inform the public of record prices received for masterpieces. In general the market seems to survive economic downturns well because people with money are usually the ones who are the last to be affected by unemployment or costs of living. However, an investment in art has certain characteristics that should be understood.

In the first place, paintings need to be protected. The story of Van Gogh's valuable work that was found serving as the floor of a chicken coop is rare, but illustrative. As a floor for chickens it was worth little but when restored, displayed and made public it became priceless. The pecuniary worth a work depends on reputation, preservation, display and appreciation.

Appreciation is an important consideration when it comes to this market. When the Nazi party rampaged across Europe the party bosses made sure that they were the first to get into museums and loot pictures for their own collections. They had special galleries and museums built to house them and appeared to be genuinely appreciative. However, when the War was over their appreciation was dismissed as nothing more than greed and aggrandizement.

Collectors usually make their own assessments of what they are prepared to pay for works which are often sold at auction or from galleries where dealers fix asking prices. Some critics have been caught with red faces when giving serious valuations of daubing done by young children or elephants. Such facts illustrate the large role played by subjectivity in the process of buying and selling original works.

In fact, many collectors are excluded by the high prices of original works and the subjectivity that plays such a large role in deciding their prices. They prefer to buy prints of works with established reputations. Signed, limited editions of famous paintings can be within an investment range. They can yield a great deal of personal satisfaction and at the same time the knowledge that there is something of growing pecuniary value that is part of one's daily routines.

Those who prefer to collect originals will be reliant on their own discretion in deciding on the worth of a picture. The work of a little known artist who becomes famous could be an astonishingly good investment. However, an excellent picture that is aesthetically pleasing but by an artist who never receives due acknowledgment can be a mediocre investment from a financial perspective.

A collection of paintings does not pay dividends or provide shelter or a situation from which one may generate cash. Its value as an investment from a financial perspective lies solely in the possibility that works will increase in value faster than the value of money declines to account for the cost of holding and maintaining the pictures, given that the capital might have been profitably deployed elsewhere.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Interesting Facts About Beautiful Art

Art usually takes many forms. It can be in the form of paintings, the way people dress, the way people decorate their homes, prints and how someone will express themselves. All these things help to build up the entire concept. It takes a keen eye to notice something good. The way people express and interpret it is different therefore this brings about the beauty and uniqueness. Throughout history, this has been one platform that people have been able to invest in. There are very many portraits and paintings that people were able to acquire a long time ago and that are highly valued at present. Their value keeps appreciating and therefore it would be a good idea to invest in this type of work.

Most of the pieces are usually auctioned during art exhibitions. Some of the highest prices can go in excess of a hundred million dollars. Some of them are painted and sold for a certain charitable event so that money is acquired to fund them. There are very many exhibitions that are usually staged in order to help bring art awareness and to showcase the work of a budding artist or one who has been in this trade for a long period of time.

Certain investors have specialized in this line. They usually acquire and collect different kinds of art. They will hold them for the longest period possible and later exhibit them. The pieces can go for a enormous price after this publicity because many buyers prefer unique pieces that are antique and that have not been seen in the market of late. One is usually not sure how much the pieces will go for because the prices are usually very unstable. It would be wrong to say that the markets in this field are anything close to predictable.

When it comes to paintings, there are different types of ways that they can be categorized as. First of all, the time period that it was made will help to characterize it. The style in which they were made, the person who made it and the kind of message that they were trying to portray is also vital.

There are different media with which they can be used when coming up with a piece. The three different types will involve water color, acrylics and oil. The style that you use will depend on the three of them. They could be expressed in abstract form which will include lines, color and dots that are not easy identifiable. On the other hand, they can be in real life forms.

Signed limited editions are often very sought after by many people. They will include a famous signature from the person who made the piece itself. They have particular collectability because they have a form of authenticity and are limited to the output. It is a means of the artist checking the quality of the reproduction and authenticating it.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Seven Fun Ways To A Happy and Fulfilling Life

Happy and fulfilled? Are you feeling that being happy and fulfilled is a far away thing for you? Are you looking to be happy and fulfilled? Most of us are looking for a happy and fulfilling life. While many are searching for happiness and fulfillment, they didn't feel that way. That's why they are searching and searching.

I have 10 ways to get myself happy and fulfilled. You may have heard some or even most of them. The difference is I want to make it fun rather than serious. I wish that you can achieve a happy and fulfilling life in a fun manner. It's easier to achieve something through fun. And to be happy, we got to have fun as well.

1. Having A Purpose

Live your life on purpose is to live your live with fulfillment. All legendary individual live their life with purpose. Some have big purpose like Gandhi, Mother Theresa. Others have not so huge ones like wanting a harmonious family. Nevertheless, a purpose is a purpose. Big or small, it is going to drive you forward.

With your purpose, you will look forward to living alive. Having a purpose provides you with energy and positivity in life. You'll move faster, walk faster and act faster because there are so much to accomplish. Happiness and fulfillment tends to follow right behind your purpose.

Have you heard of some ex-high level bankers who suddenly quit their job and went on to do social work like saving animals, trees, children etc? Though taking a huge cut in paycheck, they truly experience happiness. These people found new purpose in life, they went on to live that purpose.

Many thought that purpose must be huge and serious. Absolutely not! It can be fun and creative. My purpose in life is to have fun. So I'm always looking for fun ways to run a business, help others or inspire people. Fun drives me to do extraordinary things. When I'm having fun, I actually attract more opportunities and miracles.

Go ahead to generate creative purposes for yourself. Maybe purposes like being an outrageous dancer, a mad scientist, bringing laughter to fellow workers, most expressive singer, most adventurous explorer etc. Purposes should support you in bringing out your true self so you can really live your life.

2. Refrain From Comparing

Comparing leads to darkness. Comparing is the main culprit to a unhappy life. When you compare, you'll tend to see the grass in greener on the other side.

That girl is more caring than you. My elder sister is much smarter than me. Your pay is higher. He's better looking. She achieve so much more than me. Comparing gets you to think that you are not good enough. How can you lead a happy and fulfilling life when you are always thinking that you are not good enough?

On the other hand, some people likes to compare to the weaker group. They tends to feels they are smarter, faster and better than most people in the world. They put people down by bringing themselves up.

Comparing makes no sense at all as all of us have our own pace. Some arrive faster, some arrive slower. Some lead a team of 200, some lead only themselves. Whichever it is, everything is perfect.

Instead of comparing, practice acceptance. Accept who you are. There is no good or bad, strength or weakness, you are just the way you are. You are what the Universe makes you to be. You are perfect in every way.

3. Chasing After False Perception

One major reason that causes unhappiness is the never-ending chasing after a false sense of achievements. Some go after branded goods, some go after man-made titles, some go after the number of opposite sex he/she slept with.

You will eventually realize that this kind of chasing doesn't add any fulfillment or happiness to your life. It may provide you with a temporary sense of achievement, but soon after that feeling will be gone, and you have to go for the next big thing. It creates an endless chasing after the next  branded good.

How about giving up the chase? Detach from all these things liberates you as a human being. Detach from the false sense of happiness brings you true happiness in life.

4. Surround Yourself With Positive Friends

Like the saying, you are who you hang around with. Hanging around with happy and positive friends keep you happy and positive. And hanging around with unhappy friends will influence you to be too.

Positive friends have a way to pull you out of unhappiness. Positive friends tends to support you when you are down. They will show you the possibilities of overcoming challenges. They will show you the possibilities of being happy.

Ensure that you are around happy people most of the time. I especially like what the author of The Power of Intention, Wayne Dyer's way of answering a call. "I want to be happy, and if your call is not about that, you called the wrong number."

5. Read Books

Self-help books, personal development books, biography books, business and investment books all have one single objective. To get YOU to live a fulfilling life.

And I'm amazed that majority of the population don't read. Once I recommended books to some friends whom are struggling in life. Their response was, "I don't like to read. I can't finish the book." Maybe that's why they are unhappy and struggling.

I do believe that beside feeding our stomach, we have to feed the mind too. What we think, control what we do. We think happy things, we will also be happy. Books play a part to get us to be fulfilled and happy. Go to the nearest book store or visit amazon to pick up one book. With $20 you get to be happy and fulfilled, I think it's a good deal.

6. Serve Others

The most fulfilling activity on earth is to serve another human being. Bringing smile to another person is very satisfying. I can't describe the feeling of receiving a "thank you" from someone sincerely.

Shift your focus from satisfying your needs to the needs of others. A fulfilling life comes with making another person's life better. This is definitely true.

7. Having The Spirit of Gratefulness

Unhappiness can be caused by focusing on the things that you don't have. Many focus on not having enough money or car they owned is not prestige enough or the house they stayed is not big enough etc. Focusing on the lack will never provide you with happiness and fulfillment

Instead look at what you already have. Look at your bank account. No matter how little the figure is, there are millions others who don't have that figure. You have the luxury of surfing online, which means you have a computer and internet access. There are millions in the world who don't have computer or internet access. You are already better of than many millions others. Isn't this something to be grateful for?

I am quite sure that you are not in poverty or starving like many millions others. Your basic needs have probably been met. Don't you think you are better off than many? When was the last time you look at what you have and were grateful about it?

You may just want to appreciate what you have and what you have done in a daily basis. You can start with giving thanks for the food. It's not anything religious, but to remind yourself to be grateful, to remind yourself to focus on things you already have. This set the stage for a happy and fulfilling life.