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Where to buy inexpensive art?

post #1 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:01pm
Thread Starter 
So I'm moving to my first 'nice' apartment w/ good architecture and a lot of space at the end of this month. I have some decent pieces now, but the new place is over twice the size of my current, so I'll have more space to cover.

I'm primarily interested in 2-dimensional art - prints and photographs. Secondary would be 3-dimensional art - bowls, vases, sculpture, etc.

What I don't want are framed Monet or Picasso prints, etc. I'm not after originals but I don't want something that everyone has.

Modern/experimental/outsider.

My total budget for art would be, say, two grand. I'd be willing to spend up to $75 for a smaller piece like an 8x10 photo, $175 for a mid-sized piece, $300 for a large piece, and maybe $75-150 for a 3-dimensional object.
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post #2 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VMan View Post
So I'm moving to my first 'nice' apartment w/ good architecture and a lot of space at the end of this month. I have some decent pieces now, but the new place is over twice the size of my current, so I'll have more space to cover.

I'm primarily interested in 2-dimensional art - prints and photographs. Secondary would be 3-dimensional art - bowls, vases, sculpture, etc.

What I don't want are framed Monet or Picasso prints, etc. I'm not after originals but I don't want something that everyone has.

Modern/experimental/outsider.

My total budget for art would be, say, two grand. I'd be willing to spend up to $75 for a smaller piece like an 8x10 photo, $175 for a mid-sized piece, $300 for a large piece, and maybe $75-150 for a 3-dimensional object.

You're not in LA, are you?
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post #3 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lawyerdad View Post
You're not in LA, are you?

No, Midwest. I have a feeling I will need to do this mostly online.
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post #4 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:46pm
http://www.etsy.com/
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post #5 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:50pm
Take a look at my stuff:

www.ycarabas.com

It's not completely updated because I've been busy at work and sick so I've been slacking.

My email is on the site if you're interested in anything, also if you'd like to commission a piece we could work something out.

I know I have icons I painted on my site, but no I'm not a religious artist, I just happen to be Greek and I actually find the way icons were painted very interesting.

Also, I will be moving into digital painting soon. For a couple reasons. Firstly to cut down on waste as painting tends to be environmentally unfriendly. And also because I see computers as the future art medium, they allow you to do things that would otherwise be impossible (or in some cases, very very difficult).
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post #6 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VMan View Post
No, Midwest. I have a feeling I will need to do this mostly online.
So have I...the etsy.com site is good. An alternative would be to find the best-known art school in the vicinity, and to start checking out the student scene and the numerous small exhibitions/openings/showcases they always have. A piece will be far more fun buying, and far more fulfilling owning, if you know or at least have talked to the artist. Bonus: There will also be arty chicks to check out.
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post #7 of 33
12/10/07 at 8:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucky Strike View Post
A piece will be far more fun buying, and far more fulfilling owning, if you know or at least have talked to the artist.
Or the art you've purchased could be totally ruined once you talk to artist and find out how weird he is.
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post #8 of 33
12/10/07 at 9:02pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucky Strike View Post
So have I...the etsy.com site is good.

An alternative would be to find the best-known art school in the vicinity, and to start checking out the student scene and the numerous small exhibitions/openings/showcases they always have.

A piece will be far more fun buying, and far more fulfilling owning, if you know or at least have talked to the artist.

Bonus: There will also be arty chicks to check out.

Thanks for the tips, will check out etsy tonight.

Lucky for me, there is a good art school (MIAD) in close proximity. They have gallery nights which I believe are quarterly, where students show projects on the campus, and sell their art at cafes and galleries in the surrounding areas. However, I've stopped in the galleries/cafes in the past, hoping to buy something, and the student's prices were $800 to $6000+ (sadly out of my budget).
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post #9 of 33
12/10/07 at 9:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by VMan View Post
However, I've stopped in the galleries/cafes in the past, hoping to buy something, and the student's prices were $800 to $6000+ (sadly out of my budget).
That's where you need to haggle. You'd be surprised at how low you can get prices when you wave cash in front an art student's face. Edit: I just reread that and saw you were referring to galleries. Gallery owners will typically not haggle in my experience, and I've even been thrown out of some before when trying to. Your best best is to go straight to the artist and work out lower prices.
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post #10 of 33
12/10/07 at 9:16pm
Check out Lumas. Great photography.
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post #11 of 33
12/10/07 at 9:25pm
i'm a sculptor and many of my pieces are in your price range.
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post #12 of 33
12/10/07 at 10:22pm
My high school had a very strong arts program and a lot of the students sold their work. Maybe you could check out some of your local high school. I imagine this would be a particularly good time considering the first semester is nearly over.
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post #13 of 33
12/10/07 at 10:28pm
Nice stuff celery.

I'd suggest some of mine, but I don't have my website up yet. And, I think I'm out of your price range, if you were interested in painting anyway.

Stazy's idea is a good one though.
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post #14 of 33
12/11/07 at 4:58am
I have both expensive and inexpensive art. The inexpensive stuff I got from estate sales and the like though you do have to cull your way through kitschy ugliness and cheap stuff.
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post #15 of 33
12/11/07 at 5:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucky Strike View Post
So have I...the etsy.com site is good. An alternative would be to find the best-known art school in the vicinity, and to start checking out the student scene and the numerous small exhibitions/openings/showcases they always have. A piece will be far more fun buying, and far more fulfilling owning, if you know or at least have talked to the artist. Bonus: There will also be arty chicks to check out.
...spoken like a true art student. Those are all great recommendations. Some of my colleagues are happy if they can get $250 for a small-medium sized work at our galleries. Another great thing about student work is that when they get famous (perhaps after their untimely death), you can brag to your friends about how you got "one of their earlier works"
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