Why This Artwork Had to Be Mine (And Why Art Matters)

I bought an artwork! Very grown-up of me. Here’s why Art matters.

I debated. I overthought. (Yes, classic indecisive Libran behaviour.) I drove my husband slightly mad. But in the end, I did it—I bought an artwork! And it got me thinking about why art (or really, beautiful things) matter in our lives.

Katherine Spindler Greeting Today, 2025 Oil on Fabriano, 72 x 57 x 5 cm

Art Reflects Our Own Experience

Collecting art isn’t just about owning something beautiful—it’s about the connection. The piece I chose? A figure in Shavasana, the yoga pose of deep rest. Lying still, surrendering, absorbing. My own yoga practice has been on a bit of a sabbatical lately, and this work feels like a quiet invitation to return.

Art has a way of anchoring us to where we are in life. It marks time, becomes part of the rhythm of our homes, and reminds us of what matters. This one is going up in pride of place in our bedroom.

Some Art Just Speaks to You

I first saw the painting in a catalogue, but I couldn’t make it to the Cape Town Art Fair. I told myself, a little woo-woo: If it’s meant to be, it’ll still be there when I visit Cape Town. And… it was.

Seeing it in person? The easiest decision. The artist had painted the back of the piece pink, and it literally glowed—floating in the frame like it was lit from within. It’s often in the details that art transcends the everyday, lifting and inspiring in ways words can’t.

A Little Artist Love: Katherine Spindler

I’ve been a bit of a Katherine Spindler stalker for a while. Her work is dreamy, eerie, layered—it reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter. But it’s also how she talks about making art that really resonates.

"As artists, we make to find our way. We make to see, to feel, to move through."

She speaks of the “layers of indecision,” of learning to trust the not-knowing. Her paintings are a delicate play between accident, impulse, and control.

As a painter? Completely relatable.

The Importance of Seeing Art in Person

This experience made me rethink online art sales. Seeing, touching, and standing in front of a piece matters. Can a screen ever really capture the texture, the glow, the feeling?

I’m honestly questioning whether I should even have an online shop. It’s a conversation I’m having with myself (and my inner Libran!) in real time.

Supporting Artists, Building Community

Buying art isn’t just about ownership. It’s about supporting someone’s creative journey, investing in the value of making, and growing the broader art ecosystem. And that feels good.

So I’m ditching the overthinking and going with the heart.

P.S. If you're curious, you can explore more of Katherine Spindler’s work here, or have a peek at my recent artworks over at www.nicolabouwerart.com.