HOW TO GET ART YOU LOVE

Art. We love it. And maybe you do, too, but you’re stymied about how to get it. Perhaps it seems intimidating, especially when it comes to abstract art, where “trained” versus “untrained” becomes a determining factor. Could you tell the difference between a Sam Francis original and the handiwork of an expressive monkey? While you might think not, your innate intuition concerning abstract art is stronger than you think, so don’t get too caught up in the details or what’s “right” or “wrong”. And hopefully, our hard-earned tips to getting your hands on art you love and beginning (or adding to) your collection will help!

#1 - Attend as many art openings and gallery exhibitions as you can. This is absolutely the best way to get to know who’s hot or up-and-coming, read his/her resume, see his/her work hung in a buzzing gallery with others, and, most importantly, get to know your own taste by way of exposing yourself to all genres of art. Do not miss Santa Monica’s Bergamot openings – a plethora of galleries grouped together, showing emerging to mid-career to established artists. The Shoshana Wayne Gallery is currently showing a gigantic group show called “Chain Letter” – literally hundreds upon hundreds of three-dimensional pieces from artists all over the country. Worth checking out for the teeming piles of artwork alone!

(Shoshana Wayne Gallery’s “Chain Letter” show, curated by Doug Harvey)

#2 - Check out art fairs like Art Contemporary Los Angeles and art supporters like the Los Angeles Art Association, the latter of which tends to encourage and exhibit artists in the earlier stages of their careers. Their La Cienega gallery space, Gallery 825, has introduced us to a handful of new, gloriously talented artists. On top of which, the work is less likely to be super spendy since the artists aren’t yet household names!

#3 - Photography and works on paper tend to be more abundant, as there are limited runs of the former and, oftentimes, lithographs and limited edition prints of the latter. Websites like New York gallerist Jennifer Bekman’s 20x200 project and Little Paper Planes give you amazing access to inexpensive, limited edition prints that you can search by price, color, and medium. Also online, Nahcotta Gallery’s Enormous Tiny Art Show carries affordable, small works running the gamut from illustrative to representational – all original and one-of-a-kind.

#4 - Shop with gallerists and shopowners and consultants who are amenable to taking pieces on short-term approval. Nothing will determine if the size, color, tone, and subject matter of a photograph, painting, or sculpture works in a space more definitively than actually seeing the artwork in the space itself!

#5 - Online galleries devoted to a cause, like the 50 Watts program of work created exclusively by people with autism, “teenage amateurs to established artists”, and the Leukemia Needs Foundation, which has events like “ Art for the Cause”, can also be wonderful and rewarding ways to support the arts. Not to mention, some of the artwork is absolutely breathtaking, like this piece below, painted by Jessica Park, a young autistic girl.



Art makes your space, and your creative perspectives, more provocative and more beautiful. Embrace it and make your home or office that much more amazing! And stay tuned for part two of our “how to” series: how to successfully frame your pieces, which is an art form in and of itself.