Art collecting can be time-consuming, complicated and confusing for the beginner....

...but it doesn't have to be.

In this clear and easy-to-follow guide, learn the necessary knowledge and skills to begin building your own art collection.

Art is the purest form of hope, dreams, and sentiments. A single image can reveal long-held secrets, spark the imagination, offer a sense of belonging and home.

Art conveys the words the artist often might not have been able to speak aloud. In The Black Market: A Guide to Art Collecting, Charles, a long-time art collector and art historian, introduces novice collectors and would-be collectors to the art world, its deep roots, its connections to our pasts, and its hopes for our future.

In the first part of the book, you'll discover the history of African American art and will find essays born in the decades between 1900-1990; fascinating lecture reviews on books and exhibition catalogs that invite art enthusiasts to explore the culture, the storied lives, the simplicity, and the everyday struggles and triumphs of the African American experience.

The final sections of the book offer insights and tips about the business side of becoming an art collector. You'll find an overview of storage, collection management, a glossary of terms, and the all-important guide to insurance for your collection and interviews featuring prominent art advisors and collectors like Hill Harper and Keith Rivers.

If you ever wanted to become a collector, wanted to learn more about the African American art, or want to deepen your knowledge, The Black Market: A Guide to Art Collecting is a fascinating, immersive, and essential guide to developing a meaningful and awe-inspiring collection.