Where do you shop for paintings? My walls are too bare, and I love to look at paintings.

[raccoon]

So, where do you find good ones (hopefully not too expensive)?

[MiddleFingerMom]

1. Check your local library...

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...because in some of the places I've lived, they lent out art as well as books.
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[raccoon]

2. A good idea. Only thing is, I'd have to take it back. nt

[joeybee12]

3. Find a local auction house, go to their preview and ask for the price list...

which is what they THINK they will go for...you might find a deal.

[rug]

4. Get motel art.

http://www.zazzle.com/motel+posters

[cleveramerican]

5. The Museum

Any big art museum will have a gift shop where you can get prints.

[csziggy]

6. I've found some really nice original artwork at local craft shows and prints from museums

I have a wonderful limited edition print of a blue crab that I purchased from the artist at a craft show in Panama City, Florida. A batik of a hawk purchased at one in Tallahassee as well as an absolutely spectacular sand blasted glass piece of a pegasus.

Here is the pegasus in its old location before we had it mounted as a window with LED edge lighting:


Other pieces were bought from artists at their shops or at cooperative artist shops in small towns such as Micanopy, Florida, which used to sell antiques but which have evolved into artist colonies. When we moved into the new house, we had the opportunity to frame and hang prints we bought decades ago - a series of botanical prints from the British Museum and several prints of wildlife we bought from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum back in 1977 when it was very new.

Other artwork on my walls currently are photos hubby and I took of our horses or that relatives have taken of various subjects. A lot of the other "art" pieces are needlework I have done over the years.

[Chan790]

7. What are you looking for and what's your price range?

I ask because I'm an art dork and know that we have some commercially-successful and talented artists here in the Lounge; people who are actually gallery-shown and make their living as artists. (Mopinko, ghostsofgiants, MyGoodBabushka, several others I'm forgetting and apologize for that to them.)

So if I/they knew what your range and style was, someone would be able to say "Hey, I might be a good fit."

Beyond that, I buy most of my art from college art department showings. Most Art schools and universities have end of the semester "gallery shows" meant to launch and prepare their students into art professionals. Great work, usually cheaper. Got some great pieces and in 20 years maybe I'll own a hidden treasure.

[raccoon]

9. Oil or acrylic paintings. I like landscape, old-timey houses, pictures with cats/dogs/other animals

in it.

You and some others have given some good suggestions. Thanks a lot!

[jmowreader]

37. Everyone needs a copy of this

[mopinko]

20. thanks for remembering me.

showing and selling are 2 real different things, tho. my cash flow mostly goes the wrong way.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

8. I'm not sure where you are, but...

the Unitarian Universalist church I attend displays new paintings, photos, and other hangable art by local artists each month. I believe there are a number of congregations that do this.

You could also check your local arts center and any nearby galleries.

[Pacifist Patriot]

10. I was just sitting around pointing out the art on our walls to my son yesterday...

and telling him where we got each piece.

Sidewalk sale in front of a bookstore.
Auction on a cruise.
Painted by relatives.
Library sale.
Silent auction at the Unitarian Universalist church.
Estate sales.

[panader0]

11. www.hotmoviesale.com

Movies, books and posters

[edbermac]

12. Get a Bob Ross.

He paints happy little trees.

[Skittles]

18. Bob Ross was AWESOME

his calm demeanor and soft voice was better than valium for me.....I miss him :cry:

[edbermac]

22. LOL, I know, I can only watch him during the daytime.

He comes on a PBS channel right now - 12:30 at night, and in about 10 minutes I'm dozing off...:boring:

[Skittles]

23. I hear you!

it wasn't until I read comments on his youtube videos that I realized I wasn't the only huge Bob Ross fan who was never, ever interested in picking up a paintbrush. :D

[haele]

13. Thrift Stores. You can get some nice "mood art"

at a thrift store for around $30 or so, especially if there's been an art community around. I've got a few smallish landscape paintings that were done by art students in the 40's and 50's that are both unusual and evocative, if a bit on the primitive side.
My favorite find is a Veteran's Village find - a $3.00 10x12 framed pen and ink drawing of what looks to be semi-arid landscape with a raised on stilts frontier type house with a wrap-around and covered porch in an area that looks to be either the Outback or on the high Sierra plains - some small ranch in an area with extreme weather and possible flash flooding. It really is art - it tells a story.
If you want "real art" that can sell in a gallery, check out a reputable Pawn shop for something that will be half the cost. They usually (not always - that's why you check the reputation) research what they have before they put it up for sale, because they want to get as much return on their money as they can.

If you want to support current local artists, go to the farmer's markets, swap meets, and craft fairs. You can pick up unusual art and support your community as well.

Happy hunting.

Haele

[mopinko]

19. i have picked up some amazing stuff in thrift stores.

we have a couple good little antique malls around here that have quality work for reasonable prices.

pick what you like, and pay what you can afford. just don't cheap out on framing if you buy something unframed, or poorly framed. if you like it, take care of it.

[redwitch]

14. Lots of wonderful local artists where I am. They have studios.

And tours. Often local shows at small galleries. Support your local artists if you can. Many are very reasonable and also very giving of themselves for local causes.

[Iris]

21. don't forget festivals

[grasswire]

15. check out shopgoodwill.com

www.shopgoodwill.com

Every week they have hundreds of pieces of artwork up for auction, many of them incredibly cheap! These are culled from their thrift shops all over the U.S.

[dgibby]

33. I love that site!

I've decorated my house with paintings, lamps, quilts, etc, from there.

[Old Troop]

16. You can borrow some very nice ones from many public libraries

and keep changing as they are returned. Personally I lean toward Elvis on velvet or dogs playing poker!

[applegrove]

17. The woman who owns the local CD warehouse also paints. I love her stuff

and she displays it at their store. I bought one one time. I had to give it away because I didn't think it would survive a move. But I think I'll look her up and buy more stuff if I ever make more money than I am now.

[GReedDiamond]

30. Self delete...posted in wrong place!

Sorry...

[MilesColtrane]

24. Art Snob's Warehouse Of Eternal Art

They specialize in oil on astroturf.

And, each painting is signed...by someone.

All your favorite subjects are here, bulls, clowns, hobos, sad eyed orphans.

Look at these clowns roasting hobos, bulls goring sad eyed orphans.

This is rugged, year around, all weather art, perfect for your basement or family room.

Discaimer: Art Snob's Warehouse of Eternal Art does not do business in states with active consumer fraud laws.

[Arugula Latte]

25. If you live by an art college, you can get some great student work for little $$

Get the artists on the way up ... These colleges often have sales (paintings, ceramics, etc.) that are fun to check out.

[Nikia]

26. We have an artist's co op in a nearby town

There are also art festivals in the summer. Around here, actual paintings are $500-$1000. There is a store, though, that buys at estate auctions and sells paintings for much less than that, mostly under $50.

[XemaSab]

27. There's a small gallery in Red Bluff

that has stuff on consignment.

I went and got three BIG oil paintings there. They're all from Vietnam. One's about 2x3 and it's a landscape scene with some mountains and rice paddies. One's also about 2x3 and it's Buddhist monks. One is 2x4 and it's shrimp fishermen. I seem to recall paying about $250 total for them. :D

My mom also got a 3x5 painting there for $1250, but that's not very budget-friendly. :P

We've also gotten some stuff off of e-bay. If you poke around, you might find an artist in your area. My mom did that, and we went to visit the artist's studio and we got some stuff there for a reasonable price.

My mom has a friend who is an artist, and we've got some of her stuff.

I've also seen stuff in antique stores.

Everything else I can recall came from a trip somewhere: Sonoma county, Arizona, Vancouver Island, Maine, Jasper, Washington state, some Native American reservation up in BC...

Are there any open studios in the area? Or an art trail? :shrug:

[whistler162]

28. recently ebay....

every ince and a while one or the other of my two favorite artists is offered on ebay.

[blonndee]

29. I shop online at etsy or ebay. nt

[GReedDiamond]

31. The Hive Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Los Angeles...

...very often has affordable original art by upcoming as well as established artists from all over the Country.

http://www.TheHiveGallery.com

The upcoming $250 and less show:

http://hivegallery.com/2010/news/december-2010-%E2%80%9... /

If you cannot be there in person, you can buy through their web site.

Disclaimer: I don't work for The Hive Gallery, but I have shown work there. It's a community of artists and patrons, not just an art gallery.

[rbnyc]

32. In the artist's studio...

...I usually buy right of of the studio. In Huntington, NY where I live now, there's a great little shared studio space where I've gotten to know a lot of the local artists. Some of the stuff is out of my range, but I bought an awesome piece a few weeks ago for just $90. I really like supporting local artists and it's exciting to see what's going on right in your own neighborhood.

[Bennyboy]

34. I like posters..Music mostly...

http://www.expressobeans.com/members/collections.php?id=16213 part of my collection.

I buy a lot direct through the artist now http://www.expressobeans.com/members/collections.php?id=16213

I love Ryan's work. His value also has increased and even if you didn't have that in mind, it is nice to know.

My friend Mark Henson, has original paintings that are both erotic and very political. http://www.sacredlight.to/paintings/nubial.html

[Curmudgeoness]

35. Don't limit yourself to just paintings. I have a Native American

basket hanging on the wall. I have also used interesting rugs, tapestries, quilts, even a WWI silk hankie that I had framed---just about anything can be hung on walls to give interest to a room. I love art, but just can't afford a lot of it. I buy paintings at a wildlife art show when I do get some.

Or have fun and try painting your own?

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

36. Myself and thousands of other global artistes and photographers

at Redbubble.com. Matted prints, mounted prints, posters, and framed giclee, print-on-demand.

My page: http://www.redbubble.com/people/spidersknee

[applegrove]

38. I was talking to a friend of my parents whose mother sells her art. She is one step removed from

being famous. Art dealers want like 35% for her to sell through them. Which is ridiculous. I would look online for people selling their art on the internet. Surely there has to be a website that sells art and gives the painters a good deal.... and if there isn't a site like that tell me so I can put a site up and get rich. LOL!

[tigereye]

39. from friends whose paintings don't cost a bunch, and at second-hand

stores...

[victoryparty]

40. Depends on the art, but...

This gentleman is getting ready to have a show in Berkeley and he is truly an artist in every sense of the word.

http://stoyemilburn.net/index.html

[txwhitedove]

41. www.art.com for prints and reproductions. See link here

http://www.art.com/frameStep/?pd=15151755&sp=a&apnum=4847235&PODConfigID=0&EmailID=&FID=&ui=A4A6AA51B3D84FE295A832F4FBDD5DEB&customerzoneid=3

But I found this reproduction of Van Gogh's Landscape at Twilight at Goodwill for $15.00.
My daughter bought me another reproduction for my birthday.