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The 57th Street Art Fair kicks off art fair season in Chicago, June 6-7.
57th Street Art Fair
1634 East 53rd Street
Chicago
(773) 493-3247
www.57thstreetartfair.org
"Art Buying Boot Camp," focuses on buying art on a budget. June 6-7. a guided tour lead by local artists and art experts. Open to the public on Saturday and Sunday June 6 & 7, at 11:30 a.m. and at noon, Boot Camp participants will meet at the information booth at 56th and Kimbark Avenue.
Tips for Buying Art on a Budget
DOS: Try shopping at an art fair instead of a gallery. An art fair presents a lot of different art mediums. Art fairs offer good deals and you don't have to pay commission like you would at a gallery. You almost always get to talk directly with the artist about what inspires their work -- which can make the piece more meaningful.
Determine your budget range and bring only that amount in cash with you to the fair.
Photos and prints and watercolors tend to be less expensive than oil paintings.
Small pieces can make a big statement too. If you buy a small piece you can get creative with matting and framing to fill a larger space.
Take into consideration what you're buying. There's a difference between decorative art and fine art. With decorative art, which includes posters and prints, there's some negotiating room depending on how the customer is purchasing.
Any price adjustment is dependant on the artist and will vary from both to booth.
Occasionally the artist will allow for a modest discount with a simple request.
Be reasonable with your negotiating, remember artist make their living on selling their work, don't put the integrity of the piece at risk by low-balling your offer.
Use the Internet to preview art. Go to the 57th Street Art Fair www.57thstreetartfair.org and you can click on "Art Browser" to preview the artist's work before you go to the fair. You can make great use of your time at the Fair with a list of artists you want to visit.
Go with your instinct-if you love it and it's in your price range, buy it.
DONT'S
Never negotiate the price of an item that you do not intend on buying.
Don't be nervous about the process. The more opportunities you have to buy art, the more expert you will become and the less intimidated you will be.
Don't let others influence you. This is one time that shopping with friends may not be helpful unless you know that your friend understands and respects your sense of style and taste. Art buying is a personal decision.
Don't think you have to know which room or particular wall space to fill before you purchase a piece of art. Keep in mind that a small piece can be hung anywhere but a large piece of art is a larger commitment; you need to already have or be able to find a suitable place for it.
57th Street Art Fair
1634 East 53rd Street
Chicago
(773) 493-3247
www.57thstreetartfair.org
"Art Buying Boot Camp," focuses on buying art on a budget. June 6-7. a guided tour lead by local artists and art experts. Open to the public on Saturday and Sunday June 6 & 7, at 11:30 a.m. and at noon, Boot Camp participants will meet at the information booth at 56th and Kimbark Avenue.
Tips for Buying Art on a Budget
DOS: Try shopping at an art fair instead of a gallery. An art fair presents a lot of different art mediums. Art fairs offer good deals and you don't have to pay commission like you would at a gallery. You almost always get to talk directly with the artist about what inspires their work -- which can make the piece more meaningful.
Determine your budget range and bring only that amount in cash with you to the fair.
Photos and prints and watercolors tend to be less expensive than oil paintings.
Small pieces can make a big statement too. If you buy a small piece you can get creative with matting and framing to fill a larger space.
Take into consideration what you're buying. There's a difference between decorative art and fine art. With decorative art, which includes posters and prints, there's some negotiating room depending on how the customer is purchasing.
Any price adjustment is dependant on the artist and will vary from both to booth.
Occasionally the artist will allow for a modest discount with a simple request.
Be reasonable with your negotiating, remember artist make their living on selling their work, don't put the integrity of the piece at risk by low-balling your offer.
Use the Internet to preview art. Go to the 57th Street Art Fair www.57thstreetartfair.org and you can click on "Art Browser" to preview the artist's work before you go to the fair. You can make great use of your time at the Fair with a list of artists you want to visit.
Go with your instinct-if you love it and it's in your price range, buy it.
DONT'S
Never negotiate the price of an item that you do not intend on buying.
Don't be nervous about the process. The more opportunities you have to buy art, the more expert you will become and the less intimidated you will be.
Don't let others influence you. This is one time that shopping with friends may not be helpful unless you know that your friend understands and respects your sense of style and taste. Art buying is a personal decision.
Don't think you have to know which room or particular wall space to fill before you purchase a piece of art. Keep in mind that a small piece can be hung anywhere but a large piece of art is a larger commitment; you need to already have or be able to find a suitable place for it.
