Hi Everybody!
I love art, especially paintings and photography. I know the classics like Van Gogh, Cezanne Picasso etc. however I don’t know anything of contemporary art.
I would like to purchase some painting for my family. Something modern but I don’t know the who’s who of today’s art world. Does anybody tell me anything? Know any good websites?
I don’t know much about it either, If I had a question about art I would talk to Phill, he is a fantastic artist.
I like the later Picassos; it’s a good way to class your mansion up a bit. If you know the right people, you can get David on loan. That one is guaranteed to get you laid.
Or, you could have those guys from Trading Spaces make you some faux modern art by painting geometrical figures on some canvas. Either way is good.
What, got too much money on hand?
If you want it to spruce up the house maybe a nice framed print is the go and just buy what you like.
Art in general isn’t a bad investment, then again, who wants to sell the things at any time in the future.
My wife has a good eye for art and we have a fair amount of it around the house.
The big names are out of reach. She buys stuff from local artists at fairs and community markets. Sometimes they are local scenes, sometimes abstract. It’s not that expensive and most local folks are open to bargaining. I don’t think she has ever spent more then $500 for an oil on canvas (framed). More often then not she spends less then $200.
Charity auctions are also a good source and for a good cause. Local nature conservatories usually do these in our area. We’ donated some art to these charities and I was impressed how much they got for them.
Buy what you like looking at is the best advice.
Try these. I’ve bought giclees from fulcrum (below) and been very pleased.
also If you are trying to search the internet you may get lost, there are tons of sites on art and artists out there and it could get a little confusing. Maybe try narrowing your search to some things you and your family will enjoy seeing on a daily basis, then go from there.
The best thing you can do is go into a big city. Art galleries and stores aren’t hard to come by, and you may even come across a big name or two. The “lesser known” big names won’t run you a shitload, either. Probably up to $1,000.
As a serious response, most cities have art galleries that have work by local artists. A lot of them have work space for local artists inside of the gallery itself, so you can even see the works in progress. Depending on medium, popularity, etc, works will cost you as little as $50. It is usually possible to find good stuff (especially signed and limited prints) for $200-$300. Unless you are absolutely rolling in cash, buying authentic “big name” pieces is just out of the question.
[quote]nephorm wrote:
I like the later Picassos; it’s a good way to class your mansion up a bit. If you know the right people, you can get David on loan. That one is guaranteed to get you laid.
[/quote]
That only works if you’re not ugly. The only guarantee about the David strategy is that you will have a large naked guy in your house.
I recommend making some crude charcoal drawings on yellowed paper, putting it in an expensive frame and telling people it is by Picasso. Most people won’t call you on it for fear of appearing ignorant about art.
DB
[quote]nephorm wrote:
As a serious response, most cities have art galleries that have work by local artists. A lot of them have work space for local artists inside of the gallery itself, so you can even see the works in progress. Depending on medium, popularity, etc, works will cost you as little as $50. It is usually possible to find good stuff (especially signed and limited prints) for $200-$300. Unless you are absolutely rolling in cash, buying authentic “big name” pieces is just out of the question.[/quote]
I second this. NYC and SF tend to be the best bets if you can make it to either, although you can make do in any large city. Like Neph said, depending on what it is you’re exactly looking for, the price range can vary greatly (if you’re looking for a popular name, be prepared to shell out somewhere in the neighborhood of $4g or more).
Do some Google searches and look into it as most of the decent galleries have web sites that give you an idea of what they sell. Many of them have fairly extensive artist lists with samples of their work so you can get an idea of who’s work appeals to you most.
Good luck,
DB
Another thing to do is to find student art exhibitions. Oftentimes college students will sell art at very reasonable prices (art colleges usually have yearly shows). A lot of art students are very talented, but have no name built up at all. A lot of it is very edgy, dark stuff, but depending on your taste, you’ll probably find something good at a reasonable price.
Pick up a copy of ArtNews Magazine. Lots of different styles for all tastes, and some good articles as well. Most of the galleries featured are in NYC. The ads will give you a lot of artists names to look up depending on if you like their stuff.
Erte, Peter Max, Rizzi, Fazino.