The Local Perspective...
We interview some of our favorite people in O'Keeffe Country!
Bobby Beals, Art Curator
This month, we talk to Bobby Beals (pictured above)... born and raised in Santa Fe, and the Director/Owner of Beals & Co. He is such a great resource for all things Santa Fe, as well as being a wonderful personality too. Don't miss his gallery, and we guarantee you'll love him as much as we do.
We asked him a few questions that we thought you might enjoy... and will help make the most of your trip to O'Keeffe Country:
Q. Say you’re going to Santa Fe, and you’re interested in buying artwork there. What should you keep in mind?
A: Coming to Santa Fe is such an amazing experience. The artists, galleries, and museums are a source of the best of the best in the country. I would recommend to people interested in buying artwork here to take a few minutes to do some research online. Requesting physical guides like The Essential Guide to Santa Fe, Inside Santa Fe, and The Collector's Guide will help your shopping experience, as well. If you are just browsing fine art, visiting Canyon Road is a must! With over 100 galleries, shops and restaurants, you are sure to find what you are looking for.
Q. Is there ever an occasion when you should buy art on the spot? Or always wait?
A: Art is so personal and when you find a piece you love, it is tempting to purchase it right away. When you know, you know, and I would encourage people to trust their instincts and buy art that makes them happy. If you feel you would like to wait, I would recommend asking the art consultant to place a 24 hour hold on your piece. Take a picture of it to your hotel and think about it over a glass of wine, two glasses if necessary!
Q. What is your best advice for a collector who is just starting out? Are there collecting guidelines 101?
A: A beginning collector cannot go wrong if they love the art they are collecting. Purchasing art can be a little daunting at times, but if you think about the cars you have bought, computers you have purchased, and furniture you have collected, art happens to be something of a purchase that you can actually truly enjoy, and it will give you years of enjoyment! Collect what you love.
To make collecting less of an impact, ask for a payment plan. Discuss other works by the artist you enjoy and talk about the future of his/her career. If the artist is local, try to meet them. Create a relationship with the artist and/or the art consultant, and they will surely keep you connected to the art scene. Work together to build your collection and find yourself emersed suddenly in the wonderful world of fine art!
Q: Is there a difference between buying what you like and buying for investment?
A: There does seem to be a difference in buying what you like and buying for investment. If you plan to buy for investment, you should be sure you really like it too. If you can't sell the piece, you are the one that will live with it. So, I suggest to only invest in art that you like. With new contemporary artists, the investment is in the enjoyment. Sometimes, that particular artist's prices will rise, their value will shoot up, they will be featured in publications, and you'll find the artwork you liked turned out to be quite the investment!
Q. What is your best advice for a sophisticated collector?
A: Most sophisticated collectors work to have background information on a particular artist they are interested in. They want to insure that the artist will stick around as an artist and that there are galleries and museums that stand behind the work. All collectors become sophisticated collectors because they have a passion behind fine art, just as the artists do, and just as the galleries do.
Q: And if you do buy something in Santa Fe, how do you get it home?
A: There are so many shipping companies to be used in Santa Fe. Some of my favorites are Art Delivery Service (Hand-delivery by Truck), Armadillo Santa Fe (Custom Made Boxes with Foam Insert), and Pak Mail (drop off to ship).
Q: Some of Santa Fe’s best art isn’t in galleries. Do you have a favorite place to see art – off the beaten path? Or a favorite public art display?
A: Santa Fe offers some of the coolest studio tours. You can often find a studio tour in surrounding areas, too. For instance, they have studio tours in Abiquiu, Dixon, Cerillos, and Albuquerque as well as Santa Fe! Another great place to see fine art is in the Hotels. For instance, you can find great pieces of art at The Eldorado Hotel & Spa, The Inn & Spa at Loretto, and at The Inn of the Anasazi!
Q: You were born and raised in Santa Fe. What is one thing every visitor should do while here?
A: If you are visiting Santa Fe, take the time to stop, listen, and breathe in the fresh air. Look around and see the energy around you, the speed of things, and the quality of the people you are visiting. Taste the food, hike the path, watch the sunset, hear the music, look at the mountain ranges surrounding you, and find yourself some peace in
Santa Fe. Welcome to your new home… Take it all in!
We asked him a few questions that we thought you might enjoy... and will help make the most of your trip to O'Keeffe Country:
Q. Say you’re going to Santa Fe, and you’re interested in buying artwork there. What should you keep in mind?
A: Coming to Santa Fe is such an amazing experience. The artists, galleries, and museums are a source of the best of the best in the country. I would recommend to people interested in buying artwork here to take a few minutes to do some research online. Requesting physical guides like The Essential Guide to Santa Fe, Inside Santa Fe, and The Collector's Guide will help your shopping experience, as well. If you are just browsing fine art, visiting Canyon Road is a must! With over 100 galleries, shops and restaurants, you are sure to find what you are looking for.
Q. Is there ever an occasion when you should buy art on the spot? Or always wait?
A: Art is so personal and when you find a piece you love, it is tempting to purchase it right away. When you know, you know, and I would encourage people to trust their instincts and buy art that makes them happy. If you feel you would like to wait, I would recommend asking the art consultant to place a 24 hour hold on your piece. Take a picture of it to your hotel and think about it over a glass of wine, two glasses if necessary!
Q. What is your best advice for a collector who is just starting out? Are there collecting guidelines 101?
A: A beginning collector cannot go wrong if they love the art they are collecting. Purchasing art can be a little daunting at times, but if you think about the cars you have bought, computers you have purchased, and furniture you have collected, art happens to be something of a purchase that you can actually truly enjoy, and it will give you years of enjoyment! Collect what you love.
To make collecting less of an impact, ask for a payment plan. Discuss other works by the artist you enjoy and talk about the future of his/her career. If the artist is local, try to meet them. Create a relationship with the artist and/or the art consultant, and they will surely keep you connected to the art scene. Work together to build your collection and find yourself emersed suddenly in the wonderful world of fine art!
Q: Is there a difference between buying what you like and buying for investment?
A: There does seem to be a difference in buying what you like and buying for investment. If you plan to buy for investment, you should be sure you really like it too. If you can't sell the piece, you are the one that will live with it. So, I suggest to only invest in art that you like. With new contemporary artists, the investment is in the enjoyment. Sometimes, that particular artist's prices will rise, their value will shoot up, they will be featured in publications, and you'll find the artwork you liked turned out to be quite the investment!
Q. What is your best advice for a sophisticated collector?
A: Most sophisticated collectors work to have background information on a particular artist they are interested in. They want to insure that the artist will stick around as an artist and that there are galleries and museums that stand behind the work. All collectors become sophisticated collectors because they have a passion behind fine art, just as the artists do, and just as the galleries do.
Q: And if you do buy something in Santa Fe, how do you get it home?
A: There are so many shipping companies to be used in Santa Fe. Some of my favorites are Art Delivery Service (Hand-delivery by Truck), Armadillo Santa Fe (Custom Made Boxes with Foam Insert), and Pak Mail (drop off to ship).
Q: Some of Santa Fe’s best art isn’t in galleries. Do you have a favorite place to see art – off the beaten path? Or a favorite public art display?
A: Santa Fe offers some of the coolest studio tours. You can often find a studio tour in surrounding areas, too. For instance, they have studio tours in Abiquiu, Dixon, Cerillos, and Albuquerque as well as Santa Fe! Another great place to see fine art is in the Hotels. For instance, you can find great pieces of art at The Eldorado Hotel & Spa, The Inn & Spa at Loretto, and at The Inn of the Anasazi!
Q: You were born and raised in Santa Fe. What is one thing every visitor should do while here?
A: If you are visiting Santa Fe, take the time to stop, listen, and breathe in the fresh air. Look around and see the energy around you, the speed of things, and the quality of the people you are visiting. Taste the food, hike the path, watch the sunset, hear the music, look at the mountain ranges surrounding you, and find yourself some peace in
Santa Fe. Welcome to your new home… Take it all in!
Mike Boyko, Tempo in MotionMichael Boyko owns a great company called Tempo in Motion... for all you golfers out there, they have created a system that improves your golf swing and game by using a click pattern within their music, which is customized to your personal rhythm and tempo. It's genius - we think - like having a personal golf coach in your ear. They have a special one month free trial right now, so test them out, get in the groove, and use the power of music to create a sound game. And if you didn't already know it, we have amazing golf courses here in Northern New Mexico.
We asked him a few questions that we thought you might enjoy... and will help make the most of your trip to O'Keeffe Country: Q. You both have chosen Santa Fe as your home. What makes this city so special to you? A. The city and its surroundings are beautiful. It's a small city, but with a sophisticated art scene. There's a funky mix of Indian pueblos, Spanish descendants, artists, hippies and wealthy retired folks. You never know who you will meet when you get invited to a dinner: the daughter of a Secretary of defense, an ex-Ceo, or a Hollywood celebrity. Q. What are your favorite activities in the region? A. Golf at Black Mesa Golf Club, hiking the Atalaya trail (you won't believe the view!) and gallery hopping, particularly downtown and in the Railyard District. Lots of biking too. Q. Does your favorite activity change by season? A. Not really. Have you ever tried to play golf in the snow? In Santa Fe, the sun comes out and warms everything up pretty quickly. In the summer, we like listening to music outdoors, from the Santa Fe Opera to the free Bandstand concerts on the Plaza. Q. Christmas is right around the corner. Is there a special tradition you celebrate during the holidays here? A. On Christmas Eve, we usually gather some friends and do the Canyon Road Farolitos walk. Bon fires, farolitos, warm cider... it's so much fun! Q: What is one thing every visitor should do while here, regardless of time of year they visit? A. Go to the Farmers' Market. All the locals are there. You can taste and buy specialities from the region, and there's always live music playing! Q. Red or Green? A. "Christmas" on the side. Finish these sentences: We've had terrific food in Santa Fe at... Santa Fe Bite ($), Taberna La Boca ($$), and Geronimo ($$$) When we've had enough of Santa Fe (is that possible?), we go to... Austin, TX We love shopping at... Patina Gallery, all things beautiful! We never travel without... a bottle of water. Every home in Santa Fe should have... a good luck Milagro (small tin charm). The best souvenir to take home from Santa Fe is... Boots from "Back at the Ranch" or The Great Margarita Book from Maria's Restaurant after a proper tequila taster. |