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Tracey Ayton Photography WINTER 2016 BCA A .COM 25 artful living HOME INSURING YOUR COLLECTION Rick Dhesa of BCAA Insurance offers these tips for budding collectors to ensure their art is properly insured: • Get valuable items appraised to help determine the appropriate coverage. • Keep photos of all your artworks in a secure location to help with the claims process if they're lost. • If you're planning to exhibit art offsite, ask about your policy's limitations, as exclusions may apply. • Make sure your home has adequate security to protect your pieces. • Read your policy's fine print. It may limit coverage if the "history or rarity" of an item contributes significantly to its value. For more on insuring art and other valuable items, visit: bcaa.com/insurance Go to the source You can purchase art through galleries, or from artists directly. You may be able to arrange payment plans or small discounts for repeat or multiple purchases. But whenever possible, take the time to meet artists and visit their working spaces or studios. You'll be rewarded by a deeper connection to the artwork and the artist. "I love taking collectors to artists' studios and watching their reaction," says Johnson. "Sometimes the artwork brings people to tears or laughter, or a combination of both." She adds she especially likes clients to meet artists in person, to establish lasting relationships. Art everywhere When it comes to displaying your art, Johnson contends there are no hard and fast rules – true art lovers put art everywhere. You can ask an artist to help hang their work, or galleries will often include installation as part of the purchase. Or, you can hire a professional art installer or interior designer to assist. "It depends on the style of home, the lighting and the owner's persona," Johnson notes. "Every wall can support art, sometimes even leaning on the floor, or on easels, when there's no more wall space." Some collectors even have prints on the ceiling, she says: "Just make sure they're fastened securely so they won't fall down." ■ Don't be afraid to mingle styles. A classical painting can pair well with modern art and decor, and vice versa. To tie it all together, try picking a colour, shape or theme that carries through objects and artworks with different aesthetics.