Art Breakers will be on Ovation TV this October. “Viewers can expect a little peak behind the curtain of our lives as careers as art consultants and appraisers. You’ll see behind the scenes of the countries biggest photography fair, you’ll see a few private collections, and the process of commissioning an original piece for a celebrity client. Every day in our jobs is different from the next. Each new project and client brings new challenges and opportunities to work with new art and artists. You can expect to see some wonderful art, hopefully learn a few things, and laugh with us.”
Brosseau collaborated on Art Breakers with Miller Gaffney. “Miller and I work very well together. We’re quite different in a lot of ways and similar in others. She’s a big-picture thinker, and I tend to focus on the details, particularly anything related to aesthetics. She’ll say, ‘We should go to this conference, it will be good for business.’ Meanwhile, I’m immersed in research or dealing with framing specifications. Both aspects are very important, so it’s a good balance and we bounce ideas off of each other often. We’ve known each other since we were 18, and we trust each other and have a lot of fun together,” Brosseau said.
Her plans for the future include are to continuing to grow her business, working with more art and more artists and to encourage collecting. “I’d like to start curating and organizing pop up exhibitions in different cities, and also hopefully start young collectors group in L.A.,” Brosseau said.
When asked what motivates her each day, she said, “I am very fortunate to work with beautiful art and objects every day. It’s not too hard to get motivated, because I just love what I do and I get to be surrounded by beauty. I also get energized and inspired by the creative people I work with and their dedication to both making and collecting art.”
She continued, “Sure, there are times when work can be frustrating or overwhelming. Namely, when a client is hard to satisfy. I think, ‘I’ve presented this person with 10 incredible and perfect pieces. Why can’t they just make a decision and pull the trigger?’ On the one hand, art collecting is personal, and a work has to speak to you. But I’ve also realized that a lot of people are scared to commit to a piece of art. They’ll buy a $20,000 custom sofa with no hesitation, but there seem to be more mental barriers when spending any amount on artwork. This is where I come in. Part of my job is educating the client, and helping them look and develop their eye so that they feel confident in their own taste and choices. Large appraisals can be overwhelming too. There’s always a moment of stress thinking about the work and research involved in appraising a huge collection or a massive archive. It feels like I’m standing at the base of Mount Everest looking up. But it’s just a matter of chipping away at a project one step at a time. And once I start the process it inevitably ends up being more fun and interesting than I expected from the onset.”
On her alternate career choice, she said, “I can’t think of anything I would enjoy more than a career in fine art, but I am also drawn to interior and jewelry designers’ work and process. It all relates my love of objects, taking raw materials and creating something new and beautiful, and bringing beauty in to peoples’ daily lives.”
For aspiring art advisors and appraisers, she said, “My advice for aspiring art advisors and appraisers is to put in your time working for galleries, dealers, auction houses, and artists. It’s important to understand how all sides of the art business function and the challenges of each side of the business. My other advice is to spend as much time getting to know and listening to artists. Appraisers are equal parts connoisseurs, detectives, and librarians. For appraisers, there is no education that compares to the connoisseurship gained from working hands on, day in and day out with the objects themselves. It is important to be able to make judgments of quality, and nothing qualifies you to do that unless a lot of time is spent with the artwork or objects in person.”
For Art Breakers fans, she concluded, “The one thing I would like for fans and viewers to get out of Art Breakers is a desire (even a spark of interest) to go out and buy art. Even making a small investment in a piece will bring great enjoyment. Dive in! You can’t be a collector if you don’t start buying, and I promise it will be worth it.”
To learn more about Carol Lee Brosseau, check out her website.
