5 Ways Art Is a Good Investment During Inflation
To spend or not to spend? That is the question a lot of people are asking as inflation reaches to shake the fruit hugging the top of the money tree. You might be one of those people.
The problem is inflation is messing with all of us. Inflation doesn’t buy much at the grocery store. Inflation ignores equity when dealing cards of opportunity. And it has a clumsy way of stepping into the deep end of the financial pool. That causes more than a few splashes and waves.
Inflation is a drama queen. It writes a script that paints a dismal picture of thousands of people leaving the office for the last time . It isn’t that the workforce is no longer needed. It is because inflation gave an Oscar-worthy performance, convincing capitalists who earned billions during Covid that they could no longer afford to pay their employees.
Believe it or not, there are some consumers who don’t appreciate that very much. I get that. From the viewpoint through my trifocals, inflation seems to make appearances everywhere, but the only thing it does well is market fear.
So, to spend or not to spend is a legitimate question. Each of you must answer the question for yourself. But the Vintage Vixen is here to tell you not to fear. Just consider your options. And realize it’s OK to surf the waves of this experience – even when your only resources show up as pennies and prayers. There is still a possibility you could drown before washing ashore. So I’ve been listening to rich people such as Elon Musk to learn how to turn investing into an art form.
Elon contends that during times of economic instability, instead of saving money, one should invest. He suggested investing in physical stuff such as real estate and products you can’t do without. Many economists contend art is a good investment.
Art means many things to different people. To Elon, art might resemble robots and rockets while some people think creative expression must involve painting. Others believe music is the art of choice. People such as me weave words into tapestries that enrich lives. I’m going with that as the meaning of the adage, “He had me hanging on every word.”
My friend, internationally acclaimed artist Sumi Foley, reminded me this week of how important it is to invest in the art of connecting with our inner child. Sumi does it through the art of textile painting. After three decades of doing what she loves, she just reached a major milestone. One of her art pieces of a Bristle Cone Pine Tree, a picture called VENUS, just found a home in the permanent collection of The Claremont Lewis Museum of Art.
“I believe that art can help our human condition from an individual level to a wider level,” Sumi said. “This is a big motivation for me to keep doing my art. I hope that my art will move people to feel more connected to nature and each other as vital participants and caretakers of the world around us.”
Read more about Sumi’s art and how her work enriches the world as she co-creates with nature to build bridges between cultures. She’s featured this week in our Community Leveled UP section.
Meanwhile, inflation is causing some people to freak out. Others are hoarding in case they need more paper towels within the next 18 months. Still more are blaming Congress. They’re blaming Covid. And they’re blaming anything that stays still long enough to become targets of society’s pointy fingers. In addition to Sumi’s inspiration and economists’ advice to choose art as an investment, here are five valid reasons to invest in art and the art of friendship.
1. Engaging with art enables the artist and the admirer to get in touch with one’s inner child. It is at that level where imagination and innocence connect with nature to create brilliance for the greater good. This is an investment that enriches all of society no matter the stability of the money market.
2. Your art represents what is in your heart. Untapped potential never depreciates. Experiment and be bold enough to let the masterpiece called you make a difference. Paint the world as a lighter place. Let your passion touch the world and embrace the work of artists who create with joy.
3. Art’s financial value usually appreciates, and its cultural contribution is appreciated. Investing in art is investing in a commodity that is rich in experience as well as price. Art from the heart nurtures creative friendships. Art provides an opportunity to leave the drama queen called inflation on the stage with her drama and the flying monkeys. The monkeys look cute as they wear costumes while performing tricks. But when they assist the ego in setting up thoughts in the spare room of your mind, it’s time to convince the monkeys to fly away and join the circus.
4. Viewing art created from the heart paints a picture reminding us of the power of gratitude. The awe and wonder captured through the artist’s eye enables us to see a form of beauty that cannot be bought – not even at inflated prices by the bold and beautiful.
5. Authentic art tugs our hearts and raises our vibrational frequencies. Metaphysicians believe everything is energy vibrating at various frequencies that align through the Law of Attraction. All I know is visual art, performance art and literary art enhances life. It has given me reason to connect with like-minded people. Through the art of friendship, I am just as wealthy if not richer as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. I’ve attracted true gems, people who make me laugh, make me feel and make me want to contribute to the greater good. The brilliance of their art hangs forever in the gallery of my mind. I’m rich because I get to hang with such people who invest in themselves by taking stock in life.
Art of the human spirit fills the gallery of possibility. Unlimited Potential enables us to build an infrastructure that allows us to drive our own lives much like Elon Musk’s automated cars can drive themselves. Compassion and gratitude are the currencies that buy us tickets to travel beyond the scope of imagination. Those rockets are fueled with love. Unlike the inflated dollar, love is free. You just have to give a little to get a lot. Knowing that, who can afford not to invest in art – the art in your heart, and the art of friendship.