All of us love to hang beautiful art on the walls of our homes. The notion of having a fine arts collection, even if you collect something totally unrelated, seems to be part of every collection. I have seen folk art and primitive collectors who acquire and hang sophisticated Victorian era paintings or modern abstractions in their homes. I would argue such passion is just part of being born a collector. Buying art smartly requires not just a belief in buying what you like, but also in understanding the artist and the market. To be successful, you need to really understand all three components. Many budding art collectors start their odyssey at an art museum. While these are great places to learn styles, artists and periods, it is rare unless you have great personal wealth that you can acquire works of the same quality. So what do you do? I encourage people to study the second and third tiers of artists who may not warrant an entire wing in a major museum. For example, in Philadelphia there are a number of incredibly talented artists such as the Smith family who produced masterful paintings and whose works are more affordable. Another interesting approach is to study artists who are associated with one area of the country but have worked in other locales. For example, at the Independence Seaport Museum, we just acquired a lovely painting of the Schuylkill River. The artist was well known in New York, but as an illustrator he frequently had business in Philadelphia. One can assume the painting was done on one of those trips. It is a monochromatic work that probably was later published as a black and white print, thus making it a really wonderful discovery. As a regular buyer at flea markets, I am amazed at the staggering number of really ugly and bad paintings for sale. Older work is not necessarily crude work. Similarly, not every modern painting is a masterpiece of abstraction. Skill and talent have to be held into account when it comes to paintings. And remember that all artists do not paint masterpieces every day of the week. There are bad works by great artists. Perhaps the one area that needs to be talked about is when a crude work, often by a Sunday painter, is described by a dealer or auction house as a folk art masterpiece. More often than not, such works are not insightful examples of nave painting but rather the works of individuals who probably need to look to another line of work. Dont buy into the line. Do your own homework. Buying art for your collection requires some patience and study. It demands a focus on understanding technique and the history of art. It requires you to dig a bit to understand the market and what constitutes a valuable painting. And finally, it requires you to make the leap of faith to acquire a unique painting. Born to collect should be the motto of Peter Seiberts family. Raised in Central Pennsylvania, Seibert has been collecting and writing about antiques for more than three decades. By day, he is a museum director and has worked in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Virginia and New Mexico. In addition, he advises and consults with auction houses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly about American furniture and decorative arts. Seiberts writings include books on photography, American fraternal societies and paintings. He and his family are restoring a 1905 arts and crafts house filled with years worth antique treasures found in shops, co-ops and at auctions.