Photo: Phillip Reed/Affordable Art Fair
Pretty much any interior designer (or even just your friend whose house is enviably Instagrammable) will be the first to tell you that the best thing you can invest in for your home is art. It helps define a space, is easy to swap out when you want a different look, and – because art is in the eye of the beholder – it can be pretty much anything, from a framed drawing your niece did to a major investment piece. But despite how versatile art can be, and how important it is to a room, it can feel a little intimidating to start acquiring it, particularly if you’re shopping on a budget.
Vanessa Seis, the director of N.Y.C.’sAffordable Art Fair, knows something about making a major impact through art without spending a fortune; she helps curate the show’s large collection of contemporary art that appeals to both entry-level buyers and serious art collectors alike (the fair has a celebrity fanbase that includes Lucy Liu, Kit Harington, Nate Berkus, Bobbi Brown and Stacy London). With prices that start at $100, the fair has something for everyone; but how do you know where to start, if you’ve never bought art before? Seis shares some of her top tips, below.
5 Tips for Investing in Art without Breaking the Bank
Seis has easy-to-follow guidelines for those looking to make their art purchases a little more manageable:
Make Art All About the Mix
Learn Why Art Costs What It Does
One thing that often deters those new to buying art is not understanding what “affordable” means in context. Why is some art $100, while other pieces are $1,500? Seis pulled some examples from this week’s fair to illustrate what makes art worth the investment.
Courtesy of Nazli Kalayci Art DealerAffordable Art Fair
“I love the colors and textures that María Eugenia Sáenz Asprea captures in this particular piece from her seriesNatural Symphony 15.Her abstract shapes are a true eyecatcher and the composition is elegant. Even an art novice will recognize its uniqueness, so this is a wonderful find under $500 that will truly stand out as a piece of original art in your home.
Courtesy GEM PROJECTS/Affordable Art Fair
“Inkyeong Baek is an emerging artist, and buying her work early in her career is a great way to get good value. Not only is it a great conversation starter in the home, but paintings such as this continue to bring joy and conversation and a sense of nostalgia. Also, being able to buy an oil on canvas painting for $500 is a great, affordable opportunity and a direct way of supporting a dedicated, emerging, female artist early on in her career. ”
Courtesy Artspace Warehouse/Affordable Art Fair
Courtesy DECORAZONgallery/Affordable Art Fair
Courtesy of Rat Trap/Affordable Art Fair
Draw Inspiration from the Pros
Courtesy Affordable Art Fair
Even if you can’t afford a decorator, so many professional artists, designers and other experts are now on Instagram that you can save photos of works, rooms and wall designs that inspire you, and use that to inform your own purchases. Says Adam Glassman, the creative director ofOMagazine, who has shopped the Affordable Art Fair for pieces like the one above, “You don’t have to be a serious collector to buy a piece that elevates your home. Think about the room and wall you’re looking to fill. Then move to your taste — do you like photography, drawing, abstract, sculpture? — then set yourself a budget. There is something at all price ranges. Art fairs are a great place to start. They take the edge off; not only are you in a friendly atmosphere, but you can trust that the galleries have curated a selection for you that is timeless vs. seasonal, and therefore something you can consider a guilt-free investment.”
source: people.com
