Research the Harlem Renaissance, which was an important art movement for African-American artists in New York. By learning about the history of African-American art, you can place it in the context of art history.
Attend local art gallery and museum openings. Read art magazines and local newspaper calendars, which have information about your local art scene. Attend lectures and other art happenings that feature African-American artists. Typically, African-American artists exhibit with galleries that represent multicultural artists or contemporary artists. Also, some galleries specialize in African-American art.
Talk to gallery owners and get to know local artists in your community. Express your interest in collecting African-American art. Building relationships with local art dealers will help you locate art and artists you like.
Attend larger exhibitions in New York and other cities featuring African-American artists. Read reviews and articles about African-American artists in art magazines and books.
Discuss the price of an art piece you want to buy with a reputable art gallery owner. With your knowledge of African-American art, you can make informed choices in your purchases. You can sometimes get discounts and make payment plans if you cannot make one large payment. Also, ask the art gallery for a studio visit with the artist, if he lives nearby. You can get a good sense of the artwork and the artist by visiting his studio.
Attend auctions where African-American art will be sold. You may be able to buy older artwork or meet other African-American art collectors.