Did you know there are patterns in the way you collect art? What does your art collection say about you? You may not be consciously aware of them—I’m not sure I am either—but they are there. While there are certainly people in the art world who would love to analyze what drives our purchasing decisions, I sometimes wonder whether it’s more important, and perhaps safer, for us to understand those patterns ourselves.
Art collecting is deeply personal, and every art purchase is uniquely subjective. This subjectivity can create anxiety for collectors, especially those who have spent a lifetime building a collection. I often speak with collectors who worry that their children have little interest in inheriting their art. The idea that a life’s passion could one day be reduced to a garage sale or, worse, discarded altogether, is understandably unsettling.
But what if the issue isn’t the art itself, but the absence of its story? What if we could articulate why we collect, how the works relate to one another, and what values or experiences shaped those choices? Understanding our motivations allows us to communicate the narrative of our collections—one that can outlive us and be meaningful to others.
Art is not consumed like other luxury goods. Consumer products offer utility or comparative value; art does not. Its worth is rooted in the artist’s worldview and the symbolic or emotional value the collector derives from ownership. Sometimes that value is joy or inspiration. Sometimes it is status, identity, or belonging. When we collect art, we are also constructing versions of ourselves—placing ourselves within, or intentionally outside of, certain cultural and social circles.
An art collection is not an assortment of unrelated objects. It is a single body of work. In my former life as a librarian, I learned that what gives a collection meaning is not the individual items, but how they function together. Libraries have collection development policies—clear statements of purpose and intent. Most art collectors do not, and that’s perfectly fine. But knowing your “why” can deepen both your enjoyment of your collection and its ability to be understood by others.
We may all appreciate the beauty of a flower, but a garden is never accidental. It is intentional, tended, and shaped over time. An art collection is much the same—and it brings as much joy to the person who cultivates it as to those invited to walk its paths.

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Season 5, Episode 2
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John Bishop Fine Art is an art business run by visual artist John Bishop. John is based in Houston and he is an abstract painter and illustrator, a blogger, a vlogger, podcaster, and creative writer. He has authored several children's zines and books, as well as co authored books on photography, and art business themes. He maintains a studio at Silver Street Studios in Houston. John posts a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels. He wants to discuss what he's learning, what he's experienced, and whom he's met in his journey of running a freelance creative business. John's art explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Join the conversation, the community, and share the journey together.

John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com
John’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart
Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

• We often ask: Why do we collect art?
  
  
  • It’s a surprisingly difficult question to answer.
    
    
  • Unlike collecting objects such as coins, art collecting isn’t purely about accumulation.
    
    
  • Memories and emotional connections matter more than the objects themselves.
    
    
  • Sometimes it’s hard to explain our motivation because we fear getting it “wrong.”
    
    
• People collect for many reasons:
  
  
  • • Institutional preservation (libraries, museums).
      
      
    • Wealth and status, and investment.
      
      
    • Psychological compulsion.
      
      
  • Yet most collectors don’t identify with any single one of these motivations.
• The myth of the “cultural patron”:
  
  
  • Artists often imagine collectors as patrons advancing art history.
    
    
  • Surveys show most collectors don’t cite cultural enrichment as a motivation.
    
    
• What research suggests instead:
  
  
  • Collecting is closely tied to self-identity.
    
    
  • It fosters connection, community, and communication.
    
    
  • Collections educate us, comfort us, and carry personal meaning.
    
    
  • Sharing collections helps connect with others who share our values.
• Circumstances vs. choice:
  
  
  • Purchases may be tied to events, places, artists, or moments.
    
    
  • But among many options, one piece is chosen.
    
    
  • That choice reveals something deeper than circumstance.
    
    
• A personal realization:
  
  
  • Collecting is less about ownership and more about recognition.
    
    
  • A work reflects something back we didn’t know we were seeking.
    
    
  • Understanding our personal “why” brings clarity to how we collect and live with art.
    
    
• Early impactful art experiences:
  
  
  • Childhood exposure to unsettling Caribbean portraits at a grandmother’s home.
    
    
  • These made an impression, but don’t “count.”
    
    
• An interesting observation about collectors:
  
  
  • While writing a book on collecting art, many interviewees refused the label “art collector.”
    
    
  • Even those with homes full of artwork didn’t identify that way.
    
    
  • Collecting, for many, is personal—quiet, intuitive, and deeply human.

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John Bishop Fine Art is an art business run by visual artist John Bishop. John is an abstract painter and illustrator, a blogger, a vlogger, podcaster, and creative writer. He has authored several children's zines and books, as well as co authored books on photography, and art business themes. He maintains a studio at Silver Street Studios in Houston. John posts a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between art enthusiasts of all sorts. John's art explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Join the conversation, the community, and share the journey together.

John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart

John’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Joh

I was invited as a guest onto a podcast yesterday and of course, I said yes. If I have learned anything over the years, it's that anytime you have the chance to talk about your art, take it. The podcast is a Houston based production called THNX: A Feelgood Podcast, with host Rand Mintzer. Rand and I chatted for about an hour about everything under the sun, and the whole experience was delightful. The purpose of the interviews is to find people of interest, and ask them about the one person they would like to thank. It's a great concept when you think about it.

I thanked John Ross Palmer, a local painter who has had some international acclaim, and who started a mentorship programs years ago called the Escapist Program. John started a nonprofit that coined the idea of the Escapism movement, with the idea that artists need not be starving, and that there was a way to escape the whole gallery/museum tradition for artistic success.

I believe in my heart that if you survey a great many of the emerging artists in the Houston area, a significant number of those artists would owe John Ross Palmer a thank you too. It was then that I began to realize how important it is to have that sense of gratitude as I continue to build my art business. That same gratitude is a tool that we all should keep close as we meet other artists, collectors, gallerists, journalists, curators, and art critics. And therefore I want to say thank you to you as well. Your support for me and my journey means the world to me. You are greatly appreciated.

Now, let's go paint something!

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Season 4: Episode 12
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John Bishop Fine Art is an art business run by visual artist John Bishop. John is based in Houston and he and Bogdan Mihai, are owners of Buburuza Productions, LLC, and co-founders of the charity Aripa Arte. John is an abstract painter and illustrator, a blogger, a vlogger, podcaster, and creative writer. He has authored several children's zines and books, as well as co authored books on photography, and art business themes. He and Bogdan also own and manage a company in Romania, and travel often to Eastern Europe. He maintains a studio at Silver Street Studios in Houston. John posts a weekly blog/vlog/podcast that creates a community, a conversation, between creatives in all sorts of fields at all sorts of levels. He wants to discuss what he's learning, what he's experienced, and whom he's met in his journey of running a freelance creative business. John's art explores how to turn mythic, archetypal symbols into individual experiences allowing us to see them in a new way, with fresh eyes. Join the conversation, the community, and share the journey together.

John Bishop: http://www.johnbishopfineart.com

gBogdan Mihai: http://www.bogdanfotoart.com

Bogdan’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bogdanoninstagram/

John’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnbishopfineart/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnBishopart

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnbishopfineart

Buburuza Productions: http://www.Buburuzaproductions.com

Aripa Arte Nonprofit: https://www.aripaarte.org