Saturday conference on collecting African-American Art features advice for rookies, experienced art collectors

The first 20 people to arrive at Saturday's workshop will receive a free Josiah Golson print such as the examples shown. / Josiah Golson Images
The first 20 people to arrive at Saturday's workshop will receive a free Josiah Golson print such as the examples shown. / Josiah Golson Images

Any art collector - whether already having an extensive collection or preparing to make a first purchase - will find useful information at Rooted in Color: A Conference on Collecting African-American Art on Saturday, March 30.

Sponsored by RISE (formerly known as Jazzanooga), this seminar will bring together collectors and art enthusiasts to share advice on building a collection of work by black artists.

"Part of RISE's strategic plan, when rebranding the name, was to be more representative of work in all aspects of the arts and not just focused on music," says James McKissic, event organizer. "We thought focusing on visual arts would be a good way to start out 2019."

If you go

› What: Rooted in Color: A Conference on Collecting African-American Art› When: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30› Where: Edney Innovation Center, 1100 Market St.› Admission: Free, but $10 donation suggested› For more information: 423-991-4198

McKissic says the seminar will cover "everything from how to start a collection to why collecting is important to preserving African-American culture and passing it on to future generations. We will have collectors present to talk about how they started their collections and their philosophy on collecting. One session will be about how to connect to galleries and artists one-to-one to acquire works."

Tiffany LaTrice from Atlanta, whose family resides in Chattanooga, will be the featured speaker. LaTrice founded Tila Studios, a visual arts incubator for female artists of color that offers opportunities for artists to develop professional skills and refine their portfolios.

McKissic said the first 20 participants to arrive will receive a free print by Josiah Golson. Additionally, local artists will have work on display and for sale.

McKissic said a good first step for novice collectors before making a purchase is "to spend a lot of time looking at art, visit galleries and museums. Train your eye to see what you like, but also what is good, high-quality art.

"As a person who is a passionate collector, I always say don't collect for the investment, collect pieces you love. If the artworks go up in value, that's great; but if they don't, you can still enjoy looking at them every day."

Reservation deadline is Thursday, March 28, in order to get a lunch count. Walk-ups will be accepted at the door Saturday, but will not be included in the lunch count.

Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.

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