Some are under the false assumption that art is for the "rich" or "the artsy fartsy set"
The popular misconception is that the "every man" can only afford cookie cutter mass produced commercial saccharin prints or production line pretty paintings.
Not that there is anything wrong with them if that is what you like in a painting
Pretty pictures have their place we all make them, they are a great escape from reality
(both in painting one and in gazing at one)
hell lets face it, its good to give the brain a rest at times
However if that is not what your taste runs to the sheer volume of sickly sweet
or cookie cut and "abstract"
or cookie cut and "abstract"
can be enough to make some think that a real piece of art that they can connect to is out of their reach
Not so
check out your local art/craft fairs
Craig's List
the local art collage
one of the millions of searchable web sites
heck even ebay and twitter
For a lot being an artist is more of a vocation than a profession
if you see a painting you like talk the artist themselves
even if you can't afford a piece the artist might be open to trade
or produce a more affordable interpretation of the piece
or a even a print
Be patient the piece for you is out there
*******
An off putting aspect for some is the belief in the elitist hyperbole
iv lost track of the amount of times iv heard the phrase
"well i don't know anything about art but...."
Art is highly personal and can not be easily defined
if a piece talks to you, moves you, then (for you) it is art.
It might not be every ones idea of art
but
that is the wonderful thing about art
its not and never has been one size fits all
"think... one mans trash is other mans treasure"
Just as we don't all have the same taste
(or for some need)
in clothing, or food
we also do not all have the same taste, or need, in art
***********
"Art should be thought of as an investment"
may i respectively say
BOLLOCKS
(in so far as monetary value goes)
Is not the pleasure of connecting to the piece return enough?
Are we that greedy we must look at the world through glasses engraved with dollar signs
(or green tinted glasses as it were)
It is a poor man than knows the price of everything and the value of nothing
It has always been more important to me (and many others) for a piece to go to a person that truly connect to it, rather than whoever ever can afford to pay the most money and who only want it
because it goes so well with their sofa
and they think they can sell it later for a profit
(that just tells me they really don't appreciate it)
We can buy that enveloping fluffy bathrobe purely for the comfort and pleasure of snuggling into it
but we cant buy art for the comfort and pleasure we get from it???
again i respectively say
BOLLOCKS
**************