Transformed by Art, Creativity, and Innovation

How an "art intensive atmosphere" can reenergize, inspire and transform

Dec 08, 2023

I credit the wonderful experiences I have had at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Art Basel, Galleries, and other museums and institutions worldwide for creating the person I am today. Since graduating from college, I have been transformed from a “black and white” accounting graduate to a successful executive known for innovation and someone who“pushes the envelope.” Art and Artists, curators, and gallerists are the primary catalysts of my transformation.

Claire Woods

The annual Miami immersion into the art world, anchored by Art Basel Miami, is many things to many people, but for me, it is my SUPERBOWL. It recharges my creative juices and inspires me to try new things in every aspect of my life.

I’ve said before that good artists are some of the most intelligent and curious people I’ve ever met. The talented and successful people representing these mostly introverted artists to the world are some of the best communicators and storytellers I’ve ever met.

Art Basel Miami 2023 was no exception, with something for everyone. Different pieces move each of us in different ways. If I am honest, my creative juices are sometimes moved more by pieces I don’t like, so not an hour of looking at art is valuable whether I like each piece of art or not.

The art happening this week in Miami is actually a collection of 17 different shows and venues ( Art Basel Miami at the convention center is the largest, first, and epicenter) that, when combined, covers almost every aspect of the art market. We spent about nine hours this week at the shows and only got through four of these venues.

Several life key lessons for me this year:

Be original and unique. Don’t “play it safe”. A motto for us and for art dealers. Often the booths that featured prints and “popular artists like Mel Bochner, didn’t get as much traffic as booths with unique offerings because there wasn’t a reason to stop and talk to the 3rd, or more, booth that featured work we had already seen. Dealers that feature a predominance of unique pieces or artists who are only in one or two spots in the show, create more of a reason to create conversation. Lesson learned, honor and show our unique qualities. They may be our strongest, even if they can put us outside our comfort zone.
Be open. What you like and what you can afford, or have room for, maybe different things. Despite the challenges of collecting specific pieces with your current demographics, focus on identifying what you like. The inspiration may create more waves and a bigger inspiration. Take in all life has to offer, don’t filter until you have to.
Art appreciation and collecting is a long-term game. Artists will create new work that might fit your boxes better, so pay attention now.
Trust your gut if you like something or don’t; try to figure out why. If you don’t purchase and like an artist, keep a list and build your database of favorable artists. For fun, you might actually create a phantom art portfolio and track the appreciation of artists that appeal to you.

The variety of work ranges from museum-quality pieces costing millions of dollars to emerging art. It is priced in the low thousands.

Some of my favorite pieces this year are on the continuum from millions to a few thousand: