Where to buy art? - YouLookFab Forum

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Where to buy art?

elpgal

Veteran

When we moved into our house a few years ago, I took a minimalistic approach and put away all sorts of tchotchkes and frames and figured Inwould bring them out if Inwas missing them. Fast-forward 4 years and my walls are still bare. I know people recommend picking up items when you travel and decorate with things that have history and personal meaning. But, I am not traveling much and my life is mostly limited to work, exercise and kiddie activities. I don't want to decorate with generic things from Homegoods and Art.com.

What are good sources to buy art online. I especially like line drawings and oil paintings from what I have seen at friends' homes. I like big pieces of statement art as opposed to frame collages. Furniture is mostly mid-century and Ikea. Help?

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16 replies

Latest reply was from JAileen

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

etsy.com might have some options and artstream.com is another source

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

one more lostartsalon.com

Anonymous

wayfair.ca/.com

Gaylene

Veteran

Thrift shops, Goodwill, garage sales, and auction markets are often good sources for original art. It’s amazing what gets cleaned out when people move away or have to clean out someone’s house.

Also keep an eye out for art crawls, art shows, and open studio tours in your area. Bonus is you get to meet the artists and talk to them about their work. Student shows are also good source, as are artist cooperatives. Art schools and colleges also frequently hold exhibitions. Art supply shops are usually full of brochures and posters announcing upcoming events.

Online is trickier because you can’t really see the details which make you fall in love with a particular piece. If you decide to go that route, maybe visit a few local galleries to get an idea of artists whose work speaks to you, then check out the their websites. If you are interested in prints, most major museums have websites where you can find good quality reproductions.

SandyG

Veteran

Local high schools and colleges hold art shows. Summer festivals have a lot of artists showing their work. Painting groups in your local area (try Meetup) will sell their work. And for fun, some big wallpaper panels have bold florals, nature, or graphic designs that look great in a frame.

rachylou

Veteran

Maybe your area has an Open Art Studios web...

Style Fan

Veteran

I would look for art crawls, local art shows, arts and crafts shows, places like that for original art if I was starting to build a collection of art. Looking in thrift shops is a good idea too. You might find some interesting pieces.
In our area there are studio tours where you can go to the artist's studio to buy art (and pottery, jewellery, etc.)
Art schools are also a good place to look.

SW Ann

Veteran

My favorite is local art festivals and fairs. However, if I am looking for a specific style or color, I like art.com. Great service, easy to pick various ways to get the "art" that suits your needs.

Anonymous

Try to see if there are any auction houses in your area. Many treasures to be found there. I also live near a very artsy town and swoon over the many works of art.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Oh! Oh! Please, on behalf of artists everywhere, check out local artists! Look to see who has open studios near you and visit to see what you like. This is a great way to support artists directly who are not at a level to have gallery representation (and it’s usually far more expensive to shop for art at a gallery, as they are focused on “collectors”). If there is an art school or college near you with a strong art focus, you may find some really interesting work in the coming months, as students often have shows wrapping up the academic year. Many art schools have an art fair in the spring. Also, if any towns or cities in your area have summer festivals with artist booths, those can be fun to peruse as well. Have fun, and I hope you find something you love.

elpgal

Veteran

Thanks y'all. Apparently I was living in a cave. I spoke to our preschool's art director and she gave me much the same advice like you all. Turns out there are numerous options in my town. She promised to send me links for local artists

JAileen

Veteran

I grew up in a town that had an art festival every year. It was a great place to see and buy art, and meet the artists.

bella

(website)

Veteran

yes, yes I second local art shows particularly if you have art schools nearby. Really cool and affordable stuff, and as a bonus you get to meet the artist! I think that way your art would still be personal meaning and history.

Mochi

Veteran

Yes, not adding anything new here but you should definitely see if there is an Open Studio/First (Thursday/Friday, etc) of the month type of event where people can check out galleries and studios, meet artists and see their newest work. It's a lot of fun and there's no compulsion to buy. Supporting local artists is great.

viva

Veteran

Definitely local is great. But I'm also going to throw in another vote for etsy. I have two little original paintings on my walls that I adore - one from an artist in Italy, and one from Austria. I also have a beautiful photograph from Germany. In addition, I have several paintings from local artists.

When I started buying art a number of years ago, I was really drawn to the small -- so most of my original art is 12x12 or smaller (some quite smaller!). It was an affordable way to start an art collection, and it makes for really interesting visuals with several hung together on a wall rather than one big piece. It's also very easy to change things up by creating new groupings every now and then.

BTW, if you like photography, you should really check out Janet's stuff. It's amazing. If I had more wall space, I would - but our home is tiny now.

Good luck!

JAileen

Veteran

Another place for art is thrift stores and junk stores. I’ve found so many great things second hand. Last week I bought a couple of framed signed and numbered wood block prints. I was attracted to them because they reminded me of where I grew up.