The art of art in the home

Love original art but not a millionaire? There are ways to start a personal visual art collection without breaking the bank.

According to Thelma John, manager of Gallery Central at North Metropolitan TAFE, graduation shows for art students are one of the best places to look for affordable pieces.

“Edith Cowan, Curtin, UWA and North Metro TAFE are all going to have grad shows in December each year from their artists and this is a great time to either buy or get interested in someone’s work,” she says.

Ms John suggests searching online or getting in touch with each institution to find out grad show details. She also suggests attending best-of shows such as Hatched, an annual show featuring work by graduates around the country at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts.

“Even if the work is not for sale you can still go to discover artists and look them up later,” Ms John says.

Another avenue is alternative or artist-run spaces, which are generally much more affordable than commercial galleries.

Ms John recommends checking out the galleries of independent artist-run initiatives such as Paper Mountain in Northbridge, Nyisztor Studio in Melville and Smart Casual at Many 6160 in Fremantle.

You can also find work by local emerging artists at pop-up galleries such as Artists Open House Fremantle (an annual community event where affordable art is shown and sold in private homes), as well as the online gallery of WA artists’ peak membership body, Artsource. Gallery shops and exhibitions at local arts centres are another good source of work by emerging talent.

The worldwide web is an excellent source for finding just about anything, including affordable art. Painter Emilya Colliver responded to the lack of affordable art available by emerging Australian artists when she established the website, Art Pharmacy, five years ago.

“I never had the opportunity to collect art,” she says. “I felt like there was a gap in the market for these incredible emerging artists out there.”

With prices ranging from $20 to $10,000, Art Pharmacy now has about 1300 artworks by 150 artists for sale, which include paintings, mixed media, drawings, prints and photographs.

Local markets are another source of affordable, original works of art. The Beaufort Street Artisan Market, run by Mt Lawley organisation Beaufort Street Network, is held on the second Sunday of each month on the strip’s Mary Street Piazza. All locally made, you can find art and other wares ranging from $5-$200.

“The more we support (local emerging artists) the more they will grow,” market manager Hannah Goggs says.

“You will also be buying original, unique and diverse pieces, which are only found in our city.

“Its also a nice feeling knowing that you have bought a piece from a local artist in your area. Art will always be a part of our lives and people will always prefer to have special unique pieces rather than something mass produced.”

How to buy art

“You’ve really got to buy with your heart because you’re the one who’s going to have to sit every single day ... looking at that artwork.

It’s not about impressing anyone. When choosing an artwork you’ve got to think about the longevity of it as well, like it’s going to be a part of you.

“I always say to people who can’t afford works ‘Buy one piece of amazing artwork once a year for 10 years’. Always try and buy original.” — Art Pharmacy’s Emilya Colliver (below)

“You can start being an art collector on any level. If you take a punt on things you like then maybe that artist is going to be more successful and well-known in the future and you got in on the ground floor, or else you’ve got something that you chose because you liked it,” says Gallery Central manager Thelma Johns.

Frame it

You can put just about anything in an inexpensive frame.

Think pretty greeting cards or postcards, illustrations from books, favourite vintage fabrics or old T-shirts, wrapping paper, posters and old record covers, pictures from high-end art magazines or old calendars (Frankie Magazine is good for this). Kids’ drawings or small, sentimental objects also look great framed.

Prints are another way to get more affordable work by artists you love and can be put into a cheap frame or bought printed on canvas.

If you love it, frame it and hang it on the wall to create a personalised gallery.

Where to buy affordable art

• Art graduate shows (ECU, Curtin, UWA and North Metro TAFE, Hatched at PICA).
• Markets (e.g. Beaufort Street Artisan Market, Art Upmarket).
• Online (e.g. artsource.net.au, artpharmacy.com.au, urbanroad.com.au, 20x200.com, stateoftheartgallery.com.au).
• Artist-run initiatives (e.g. Paper Mountain, Nyisztor Studio, Smart Casual at Many 6160, PS Art Space).
• Pop-up galleries (e.g. Artists Open House Fremantle).
• Galleries stocking emerging artists (e.g. Studio 281, SmartArts, Gallery East, The Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery, Heathcote Museum and Gallery).