Where is the best (non internet) place to buy art for my home?

Question

I don't want to spend a lot of money, but I want things that look nice and not cheap. I also want to see the artwork in person before I buy it.

Answer 1

Hobby Lobby has a good art and frame department.

Trees N Trends has art already framed.

Even the box stores, Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, JC Penney, all have art and home decor areas.

I live in Middle Tennessee, most of the stores listed above are national, the top two may only be regional, not sure.

I was just at Wal-Mart yesterday, I was really surprised at how the Home Decor section there is looking, better and better.

Get creative and make your own art. Found art and reusing items the way they weren't meant to be can really unique and cool. Find your style and stay true to your likes, don't follow trends unless it's to your liking.

Answer 2

Elmo, I've read your Q&A's and I know you're smart (I appreciate your comments on Bush) and I appreciate your interest in art. An art gallery in your area would be a good starting point. However, galleries typically have a 30-50% mark up on the price that the artist asks, and artists usually ask a higher price when taking art to a gallery than if they were selling it out of their own homes. The benefit to going to a gallery is that you can often arrange to meet the artists.
You can go to a gallery and ask if there's any artists who do commissioned art, and they'd probably set you up with a contact. Once at the artists house, instead of commissioning anything you can see and buy art they have on hand, usually much cheaper.

Answer 3

Define art.

Anything is art, if it looks artistic to you - even your own 4 yrs old scribbles (and some 4yrs old scribbles are truly something).

If you are thinking of actual paintings - probably the way to go is to a close-by university or school of art, and see if they have an expo where you can buy stuff. Heck, if they don't organize one, it may be a great thing to do!!!

Otherwise, if you are just looking at stuff you can frame, anything goes. Look for groups of items with a common theme - it can just be a similar color (imagine a group of subjects with a common peacock blue theme, it could be striking), and frame each separately - then hang in groups.
Or, you could look for old encyclopedia books, and frame the antique prints in there. Or, you could purchase photo magazines, and frame distinctive ones.

Finally, you will find pre-framed material at local stores, such as Marshalls or the like.

Answer 4

Is there an art school or a university near you? You can get original art at very good prices from students. Call the art department or the office of the Dean of Students and ask.

Answer 5

There's Hobby Lobby, Michael's Crafts, Marshalls Department Store, and Big Lots. theres also Jo-Ann Fabrics not to mention furniture stores and goodwills for frames, paint them, find a picture at garage sells add antiqueing to them then frame.

Answer 6

if there is an expomart or armoury or some sort of convention center near you, every so often they'll have like liquidation art bonanzas where they sell off fairly inexpensive yet tasteful art. if there is one of these places around you, call them up and see if they have any art shows scheduled.