Buying Art

When I bought my first place, I had the good luck to meet a local artist who lived in my building. I met her on the bus stop on my way to the mall. I was going to look for home decor. I had refinished the floors and freshly painted my apartment, so it was time to find those finishing touches. I went the Mall that day and was appalled by my options. It was going to cost me a small fortune to decorate my walls with junk. I talked to my new friend the next day and and coincidentally she let me know that she was throwing out a painting. I rescued it from the garbage and lived with it for a couple of days. I loved the thing. I never got tired of it. I spoke to her later in the week and asked if she had more. I was in the market for florals for my bedroom. She had just taken down an entire exhibition of flower pieces that were beautifully framed. I quickly clicked through them and set aside four or five. I bought them on the spot. The artist was shocked and I was thrilled. I paid less than I would have paid for one framed print at the Mall.
I bought a lot of her work and was happy to have it. Then eBay and the internet came along and I started buying online. Buying art on eBay is admittedly a bit of a risk, but it can be done. I've bought junk too, but I have managed to re-sell most of it. Anyway, now I only buy listed artists. This works well for me. I have amassed a wonderful collection. I look forward to being on Antiques Roadshow one of these days with that wonderful and very valuable piece. I can dream, can't I? In the meantime, I have great stuff to look at everyday. I get up in the morning and step into the hallway going to the bathroom and it's happy time as I look at a whole wall covered in beautiful prints. The good stuff is definitely worth having in your home. Don't buy junk. Ugly stuff on the walls is very depressing. Buy good art. It will hold or increase in value.