I just heard about the Levy flight, concept…when an animal has a territory where they live and find their food, and when they realize they have used up all the resources for this area, they go off in a random direction and start the process all over again and again.

Now does this, can we, relate this theory to art collecting consumer behavior… where a collector has created a pattern of collecting art… they  discover your art, admire it for awhile, buy several pieces… then you don’t see them again because they’ve started to admire another artists work… of which they will repeat the pattern and again and be off to yet another artist never to return?

I remember running into a collector who purchased my earlier paintings, in our conversation they mentioned they didn’t connect as much to my current work so they weren’t interested anymore… but if I ever went back to the previous style, they’d be back. I did mention I would be happy to paint a commission piece in the style they resonated with but I wasn’t painting it as my main thrust anymore… alas…

I’d once met a very famous artist who was commissioned $30,000 to paint a 16×20 piece in a style they’d become famous for years before, this artist told me it was tough and they’d already been at it for months… it was something they still had to do!

Question: is there a solution to the problem of collectors moving on when your art changes as it usually does over time? Is this levy flight?

Tell me about an experience you’ve had…

That’s it for now and don’t forget to sign up to receive my Art Notes by email in the upper left corner side column.
Karrie Ross, Los Angeles Artist
California