Why Buy Local Art?
Most people love art. Art is all around us. What decorates your walls and accessorizes your home? Someone may have visited a museum and seen the priceless great master's artworks, and while only a few could afford a Rembrandt or a Monet, even the master artists had to start somewhere. Supporting your local artists could very well be a place to find those artists creating their own masterpieces that could certainly be much more affordable for you to adorn your own home.
Why Buy Local Original Art?
What's on the walls in your home?
Sure, anyone can go to one of the local generic home stores and buy a framed mass-printed artwork for $50 bucks or so. Grab a nail and hammer and on your wall it hangs. But is there really any connection to that piece that you will be looking at day in and day out...possibly for years?
OK, but does that generic mass printed art piece actually compare to an originally created, handmade, unique and utterly marvelous artwork that touches your heart?
Collecting original art to decorate your personal space(s) that are created by a local artist can be much more inspirational, appealing, a
better statement of your personal tastes, and make a much more
impressive display. Especially when you can meet and get to know that
local artist and learn about what inspired them to create it. You learn
their story. You learn about that artwork and the passion and time they put into it. What it meant to them AND what it means to you. Then in turn, you have a story to tell about that artwork that you
purchased from that artist and why it touched you. You are more
connected to the art piece that you now own. It has meaning.
And absolutely, you are supporting your local art community in ways you may not realize.
Very often, you can find artwork locally-made that may be affordable; their prices may be more than those of generic home store art prints, yet these works will have more artistic value. Perhaps even be an art investment.
Read this if you need more convincing:
Why supporting local art is a great investment
The Benefits of Buying Art from Emerging Artists
Support Local Artists
Where do you find local works and artists to support what they do?
- Go to local art events, art fairs, art shows, and check out local galleries that show artists from your area. Vendor fairs usually include fine art artists along with jewelry, soap, pottery and other craft and visual arts.
- Artists are on social media, so check out what they do, especially when they live near you. Some have their own websites, so dig around.
- Follow local art groups near you and check out the individual artists when you see art you like.
- Hear of an open studio? Check it out.
- Participate in your local art classes, workshops, and presentations and meet the other artists.
- Hear of an upcoming art opening receptions? Wow, potentially meet the artist(s) and see and purchase art right away!
- Help promote your local artists by not only purchasing art you love, but following, liking, sharing, and commenting their online posts of new art. You are helping them to be SEEN.
- Artists often have art prints of original artworks offered which is a less expensive way to purchase from the artist, thus still supporting them and what they do.
And very often, if you see art or an art style you like by a local artist, you are able to contact them to create something personalized, customized that is exactly what you want in the colors you want. Or a painting of your pet, or of your home or garden. Wouldn't art like that have much more meaning for you or a gift you give to someone you care about?
The art group, the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) offers an online store - where it is safe to purchase artwork online. Once artwork is purchased, the artist is notified and will work with and meet the Buyer for art pickup. Browse the PWAS Art Store and filter the results to the current online show, to see the artworks on display there.
And when you look around, you will find artwork at various price points - $50, $500, $5000. Jump in where your budget allows you to.
PWAS Member Lizzy Javier on Local Art
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PWAS Member Bettie Sperty on Local Art
I feel that buying local art is right up there with buying from small local stores, eating at local non-chain restaurants, buying local produce when in season, etc. When you buy local you are supporting your neighbors who are working hard, trying to make a living, doing something they love.
Also, when it comes to art, I feel more of a connection to a piece if I have met the artist or know of the artist.
PWAS Member Donna Liguria on Local Art
Adding to Bettie's statement, if you commission art from a local artist that connection is automatically built in as you share the idea for the piece you want, in the size you want, in a color theme you might request for your decor. The artwork could be a pet portrait of your favored family furry friends. Think about a wall depicting your family's dogs, cats, horses, or goldfish - oh the memories!
You could have a local artist put on canvas your family home in your favorite season. Or a family portrait with the kids when they were cute. Or have a painting of a landscape or favorite vacation spot to remind you of those wonderful memories. Beach - take me away!
I've known people that purchase rental properties and they decorate the space with artworks created by local artists that really show the flavors of the area in outstanding ways.
The sky is the limit and definitely something that sparks discussion with visitors to your home.
Or the artwork from a local artist just speaks to you and your soul. The art could be an abstract, or other art style, or a photo, Supporting local artists, well any artist really, is a strengthening of the local economy, community, enriching civic life, and just plain enable the artist's ability to continue creating original art.
Shop Local First
Think about your community's local artists the next time you need artwork for a certain spot in your home or to give as a house-warming, birthday, or maybe a Christmas gift. Do the research first to support the artists you've seen when visiting local art shows. I KNOW the artists would love to show you what they have or to create something for you. Art galleries and art groups would be happy to point you toward artists that specialize in specific subjects and/or may suit your style.
And who knows...by supporting and purchasing artworks by local artists, the potential is there for that artist to be in a museum someday. And you helped get them there.
Do you have anything to add? Comments? Drop them below this post!
Quote: "Buy art from living artists, the dead don't need the money." - Guy James Whitworth
For Further Reading
Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art.
Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
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