Kate-happy-mountain_small
Reputation: 130

How to collect art on a small budget?

I enjoy contemporary art a lot, and would like to start buying/collecting some for my own enjoyment (more than for investment purposes). I have two questions:

1. Besides attending First Thursday and other art walks, how can I discover artists I like?

2. How in the world can I do this when most good art I see costs a grand or more? I definitely support the idea that artists should make a decent living, but that leaves a large percentage of potential art patrons out in the cold. Is art just for the rich?

10 Answers

  • Parents_photos_210_small
    Reputation: 13

    1.  I think the best way to discover art/artists you like is to simply enjoy looking at art while you are out and about in your daily life. Enjoy going to museums, galleries, sculpture parks, cafes and appreciating the work you see there. If something piques your eye, don't worry so much about the cost. Just enjoy it, as Jen and Sharon said don't be afraid to ask questions. And may I add: To anybody. Anytime. Anywhere.  There are no stupid questions in art - that's why Questionland does this.

    You don't have to put so much weight on First Thursday.  It's not an all-encompassing representation of Seattle art and definitely not representative of the northwest as a whole. The artwork on the gallery walls are not the be all end all of artists' work. If you delve deeper, you'll probably find work by that artist that you like even more, in their studio or perhaps hanging elsewhere in the city/country. Or you'll find out who that artist's influences are and become enamored with them/their influences instead.

    2. It's not for the rich. It's for everyone, but like most other art forms there are tiers that cater to different budgets. Punk shows are a couple bucks - balcony seats at the opera can go pretty high. Likewise in visual art, prints are cheap but bronze and glass can be pricey. And just like in music and dance, even the name of an artist can ratchet up their price.

    So I have to ask YOU a question. Why do you want to collect art? Do you want to make an investment that will accrue in worth? Or do you want to enjoy art / support art / have art?

    If you're in it for investment purposes, you're probably better off with war bonds. But that shouldn't stop you from buying art. People collect cars and most of them depreciate in value as soon as you sign the check. Not so in visual art.  Kip Waddle is on to something in his/her answer. Art students and cafe artists may not have the grandeur of galleries, but some of them are on their way up. And that is something to look for in galleries/studios as well. Find work that not only appeals to you, but seems like it has struck on something that will be of worth or matter to others, particularly in the future.

    But if you into buying art just for enjoying/supporting/having it, then don't listen to anyone (not even me). There is no accounting for taste. Most artists will need the support.  So just look for what you want at a price you can agree upon.

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  • 0prr6_small
    Reputation: 3429

    Poster art. Original, screen-printed posters are very affordable and are real art. Go to a poster show (flatstock ect) and meet the artists. Most of it is concert posters but, not all of it. There is a ton of great stuff and many pieces that are just art for arts sake. Add a cheap frame and you can have an Original Screen Print for about $60

    A good second choice is Art Students. Now is the time that art schools have their graduate shows up. You can meet an up-and-coming artist and get in on the ground floor. Bonus tip; Coffee shops and small restaurants near collages. The art on the walls can be very good and much more affordable than at a real gallery.

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  • 28967_1462768449073_1229329422_1377366_5202744_n_small
    Reputation: 80

    Great questions and I know you're not alone.

    1. There's no shortcut for looking at art, which is hard, but also what makes it great. So you're on the right track, but what I also do is try to check the web sites of the galleries I'm visiting beforehand to make sure I budget time accordingly.

    The truth is, while we want to see it all, we have limited time. So if you have a little bit of a sense of what you're interested in beforehand, you can plan accordingly to make sure you don't miss this or that. (Naturally, JPEGs and artist statements are limiting, so what I try to do to balance that out is to make regular visits to places I have never been, or rarely go to, even if what they're showing doesn't look that promising.)

    The other thing is, First Thursday is so busy that you might want to budget one weekend afternoon a month just to cruise around, too.

    And the last thing is -- you are awesome! Just committing yourself to learning about living local artists is such a great contribution to the city we all live in. Yay for you.

    2. Even when the tags say $1,000-and-over, there are almost ALWAYS other works available by the same artists for less money. Always, always, always ask the people sitting behind the counter if you are interested in looking into an artist.

    Art is definitely not just for the rich. And gallery owners aren't rich people, generally speaking, so they actually sympathize.

    Let me know if you need more ideas/answers!

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  • Skull_pumpkin_small
    Reputation: 1610

    Oddly enough, second-hand furniture stores may surprise you. It's worth a look and the art may already be framed. Framing isn't cheap.

    One additon to the good advice here: you may want to save up for one special piece from a favorite artist. Go and drool on their stuff for free at the gallery, and get their contact info. When you have saved enough, go to that artist, get one very special piece and treasure the hell out of it.

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  • Img_1226_small
    Reputation: 7

    There are a number of great sites that specialize in affordable editioned art. There is currently a great print by conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner on the 20x200 site. Prices range depending on the edition size.

    http://www.20x200.com/art/2010/04/head-over-heels.html

    It would be worthwhile for you to get on the 20x200 mailing list to keep up to date on their most recent prints. They seem to have an emphasis on photography.

    Another site you should checkout is Tiny Showcase which has more of an illustration sensibility.

    http://tinyshowcase.com/

    Printed Matter in NYC also has some great editions for sale and you would be supporting a fantastic non-profit that supports and fosters publications by artists. There is a Matthew Brannon print I love that is priced at $250.

    http://printedmatter.org/catalogue/pm_editions.cfm?email=&cookie1=602BA3F7-1C42-E16D-536C1D58E6F7E7F0

    One of the most ambitious and off beat art edition projects is The Thing Quarterly organized and curated by Jonn Herschend and Will Rogan. You can subscribe for $200 a year. Can't recommend this enough, it is a huge value and they select some amazing contemporary artists to participate.

    http://www.thethingquarterly.com/

    On a more local level it never hurts to enquire about more affordable works by artists you enjoy that exhibit with local galleries.

    Also the UW MFA Thesis show is about to open at The Henry Art Gallery. This is a wonderful opportunity to discover new talent, meet the artists etc... and to potentially support an artist before they have gallery representation.

    http://www.henryart.org/events/show/244

    Happy hunting...

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  • On_my_head_small
    Reputation: 61

    I agree with Jen that you can certainly research what's going on in the galleries through various blogs and publications (Jen's got a great blog roll to get you started). When you find something you like visit the artist website and even shoot them an email. Once you do this, most likely you'll be on that artist's newsletter list, and you'll start hearing about all kinds of shows and events.

    Secondly, if you are out and about, talk to the artist in person! We want you to talk to us! We want to sell you our art! Usually we have stuff on the gallery wall and yes it's expensive, but we also have smaller works for sale in our studio that you might not know about.

    Art is absolutely no way just for the rich. It's on us [art people] to change that mis-perception. Really, it's people like yourself who I really want to sell my work to - that is to say people who are interested and willing to engage with art.

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  • Icon_small
    Reputation: 1627

    I found some really cool stuff a while back at a gift shop on Fremont Ave. It might be Frame Up. They had some really nice watercolors for a reasonable price, more reasonable if you don't buy them preframed. I've since seen one of the artists I found there at art shows.

    Browsing frame/gift shops in general might be a way to find reasonably priced art; some, like Frame Up, have stuff beyond standard posters.

    Etsy is another possibility.

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  • Mg
    Reputation: 8

    The key word here is budget. You need to take a look at your budget and decide what you want to spend on art and then make it happen. It might take some discipline but you can have art that you like. Remember that many artists and galleries are willing to set up payment plans. Some individual artists may may even be open to discussing options such as bartering. It's worth a try if you have something to swap. Art is definitely not just for the rich. In some cases though ownership of some art may be out of the reach of many of us. Use the internet to locate new art and artists!

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  • Davidclose2_small
    Reputation: 366

    Nucleus Gallery. LA-based, I think, and they offer hundreds of prints (from $20 and up) and original artworks (often preframed, and usually priced in the hundreds) from many artists. They ship, and do great packaging. We bought a couple of super-affordable ($20-40) prints from them recently and were impressed by the quality for simple prints at that price point. Good place to start if you like modern stuff.

    I think a simple answer to your question is also to just save up for one or two expensive pieces. Investing a $1000 in a piece you're definite you will love for the rest of your life is worth much more than buying several cheaper pieces you aren't nearly as in love with.

    *The* art gallery in town for me also offers art renting services -- an interesting way to "try out" pieces before buying them. Could be worth a shot.

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  • 3111439792_aa0c306e88_m_small
    Reputation: 72

    1. How to discover artists? Visit local art galleries and stores and discover all sorts of new stuff. Additionally, in Seattle we have great shows like the Urban Craft Uprising featuring artists of many different levels and price ranges, many emerging and very affordable! Also, blogs and websites provide many great ideas--such as Design Sponge, Decor8, and more.

    2. Investing in art can be pricey, no doubt about it. But investing in emerging artists can really pay off--or if it is an artist who is more established and has pricier work, often really well done prints can be obtained for a lower cost, and beautifully framed, for a price that is more in the couple of hundred range rather than thousands!

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