Skip to content
Design
10 Online Sources You Might Not Know For Collecting Super Cool Art (Whether You Have $40 or $4,000) + A Quick Ask the Audience
Six years ago, I knew I wanted to create a baseboard-to-ceiling gallery wall in my dining room. The wall was already a deep, rich jewel tone, so the art I selected was fairly neutral. Now, over half a decade later, most of that same art lives in a very different room in another home on a white wall, and it’s just not exciting me like it used to.
I want to draw attention to my phrasing up top because it was fairly deliberate. “…the art I selected.” Of the 15 pieces that comprised my gallery wall, I owned five of them previously. Things I acquired (the MaryAnn Puls mixed media at the top right, for instance) or made (like that big black and white photo of the pencil shavings my husband photographed or the EHD “compliments” papers) over the years prior, but all the other 10 pieces were picked quickly online and rather unceremoniously just to fit a “vibe.” At the time, it felt okay. Though to be honest, it was a bit soulless. And art should never be soulless.
I realize now that my approach to it was all wrong. In my opinion (now), art is something you buy because it touches you or means something to you, whether it’s $5 or $50,000, bought online, at a gallery or flea market. Curation is one thing, “filling holes” is another.
My bedroom, on the other hand, actually has art I sourced and saved over the better part of a decade (including a scroll that Charles brought me as a gift on our first official date; it was from China when he visited during a semester abroad). And I love it.
Anyhow, I’m exploring the idea of starting to collect art for both my living room and my home in general that feels more “us” now. If it were up to my husband, everything on the walls would be a photograph straight from his camera. Me? I like a variety of media (and am particularly enamored of embroidered art these days). And while I knew for a while that my heart wasn’t content with my walls, it wasn’t until I saw Dan Pelosi’s gallery wall in his “library”, heck just all the art in the home he shares with boyfriend Gus Heagerty, that I realized why: that feels like the personality I’ve come to know of him online. Authentic and unapologetic. My art? Besides the actual photos of our faces, it could be anyone’s walls.
I’m not rushing to refill my frames for the sake of change, because then I’d be in the same position then that I am now. Instead, I’ll take my time. If I find something at an estate sale or thrift store or basically anywhere and I love it (and can afford it), I’ll buy it and find a home for it. Too long I’ve spent filling spaces in my home just to get to the end product (mostly so that I can photograph it), and I’m getting to the other side of that; I’d rather stumble upon or hunt down things I live and then place it somewhere. If that means something has to sit empty for a while, so be it.
Now, while I know many, many people would recommend finding second-hand or vintage art, that wouldn’t be much of a resource guide for anyone here. That’s my caveat for today. Here, I’ve compiled a list below of places online where you might want to start collecting art from—or dig around to find artists you love so you can follow and support them individually. This is in addition to doing things like going to local art walks, digging through local thrift and antique stores, deep diving into Etsy or 1stDibs or any other in-person means to discovering art that excites you.
So, if like me, you are hungry for some meaningful, beautiful, personality-filled art at different price points, read on.
1. Tappan Collective
Tappan Collective is a Los Angeles-based gallery with a strong online presence. The founder, Chelsea Neman Nassib, believes everyone should be able to follow an artist’s career and collect pieces they love. Their roster includes up-and-coming artists as well as mid-career artists. While many of their original pieces are in the thousands in terms of price (out of my league), they do sell prints starting at about $100.
2. Head West Studio
Okay, hear me out here. Head West Studio mostly features art that is themed around Western imagery and cowboy culture (is that a thing?). That is not my look. But there is just something about the colors and art styles of some of their pieces that always makes me do a double take, particularly the Melissa Lakey series. The cut paper works by Andrea Cira are also incredibly cool, depending on the space (not every room can carry a large armadillo artwork, after all…or can it??). I may not always live in California, so I can definitely see myself collecting something from here to mark my time out west. Prices start at around $50 for a small 8″x10″ unframed print.
3. House of Spoils
When I think of Los Angeles “cool factor,” I think of House of Spoils. I’ve actually worked with them to borrow art for photoshoots in the past when I worked at a furniture company, and they were really great. If you’re in the Southern California area, you can make an appointment with a team member at their Venice gallery to walk you through their collection of lifesetyle- and adventure-focused fine art photography. Prices start at $165 (with a free membership sign-up) for smaller prints, and everything comes matted and framed.
4. Upton
Upton is both an art and home brand from the artist mind of owner Michael Upton. While they do sell prints on paper, my favorites are the prints on canvas and woven art. It’s a small collection, but I just like the simple yet punchy and graphic nature of the works. A hanging canvas like the one in the image above runs you right around $200.
5. Saatchi Art
Saatchi is definitely for the most seasoned art collector, with a budget to match. You can work with them to acquire original paintings, photography, sculpture, and drawings, but if you’re still in the “gotta keep this under a few hundred” group of art enthusiasts, you may want to stick to their prints. What’s cool about their sites is that they include the price of the original along with the print in case it’s something you want to consider acquiring. Usually, a print and the original are fairly far removed on an artist site, and I like how they are married here.
6. PSTR Studio
I *feel* like I’ve written about PSTR before, but I simply cannot remember so I apologize if you’re thinking “yes Arlyn, we know already.” Actually, I don’t apologize because we all need reminders sometimes! PSTR is fairly on par with a lot of websites like Society6, for instance, that sell really affordable art prints, but to me, it feels so much more pared down in a good way. They also offer framing and matting for incredible prices (starting at $43 for the frame and $11 for the mat plus free professional mounting for a poster that’s 30×40 cm). The works of the artists they sell are exclusive to the site and super modern, punchy, colorful, and graphic.
7. 20×200
For nearly two decades, 20×200 has offered a tight collection of limited-edition, museum-quality prints, photos, and artist-made works. They focus on emerging, established, and “legendary” artists, as they say on their site. Their mission states that they want everyone, no matter their budget, to be able to collect limited-edition art, so they have a super wide range of prices, though each piece comes numbered and hand-signed by the artist with a certificate of authenticity. I really like how they organize their art by room, theme, color, and mood so you feel like you have somewhere easily to dive in and start exploring.
8. Art Finder
Art Finder, I’ll admit, is pretty overwhelming, but if you have the patience, you’ll likely find something really special. They are all about connecting the collector directly with the artist who sells original works from all across the globe. Kind of like Etsy but just for art.
9. Uprise Art
I love Uprise Art and hope to collect original pieces from here one day. They have a gallery space in New York, but make it very easy to buy online. There’s something so charming to me about the floral paintings of Andrew Alba, and on the flip side, the contemporary shapes and colors of Scott Sueme make me dream of owning something from his current exhibition. They do also have pieces under $350! If you’re looking to start collecting original works and love contemporary art, definitely pop over to see their collections.
10. Etsy
Left: Talking Yarns | Right: Dutch Wool Designs
I know I mentioned Etsy earlier on but I did just want to showcase some of the sweet embroidered art I’ve been loving so much as of late. You know that art you look at and think “Psssh, I could do this,”? Well, this isn’t that for me. Sure, maybe if someone gave me an exact template/pattern and I had tremendous patience, but let’s be real…I’m not doing that. Anyway, how sweet is that petite rolling landscape from Dutch Wool Designs? It’s like 4 inches tall, which makes me love it even more. Not all art needs to be hulking and giant to make an impact. Sometimes, putting a tiny little thing somewhere unexpected can speak similar volumes.
—
So now I have a late-to-the-party Ask the Audience. What artists do you love? Do you follow? Have you purchased art from directly? I’d love to hear some names and research their work to keep an eye on over the next few years. I fancy myself being able to support their work over time, collecting pieces for our home, so please do help a girl out by giving me a head start on artists to give some love to.
Thanks as always for being here and reading my words.
Until next time…
Opening Image Credits: Design by Arlyn Hernandez | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Arlyn’s Moody Dining Room Reveal Is All About the Insane Power of Paint
I could look at Uprise all day. These are two artists that I love
Your timing on art is providential. My husband had a hospital procedure a couple of days ago (Dallas) and I saw a piece of art that I love on their walls. The artist is Paul Yanko, and, yes, I want to get a piece of his art for our family room. Now that we’re empty nesters, we have more disposable income for art. I am always so inspired by this blog and just loved Emily’s post from a few days ago, decorating her friends house with that stunning piece of art. I’ve also purchased art from Jennifer Cavan, a Santa Fe artist. I appreciate **all** of you ladies’ inspiration. P.S. I have four (densely) cross stitched pieces that I did back in days of yore hung in the house–haha!
I first saw the work of Han Cao (@hanwriting) at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD – I’m blown away by the texture of her work (generally a combination of old photos and embroidery). Do not own any pieces… yet.
Sarah Morgan (@sarah.morganartwork) is a British cyclist, artist, and printmaker. I’m absolutely in love with the dreamy quality of her work (lightly smudged edges, etc) and own several of her “bathers” pieces.
I also love to collect pieces when travelling, unfortunately we didn’t find anything on our trip to New Zealand a few years back, so I’ve been also stalking some NZ artists online – including Esther Remnant (@estherremnant) for the right piece to bring home.
I love going to local art festivals. If I like the artist vibe I take a card and follow on social media. Also local galleries as well as googling local mural artists. I follow all of them and sometimes purchase based on what I see. you dont have to buy art immediately after you see the artists stuff unless you truly love a piece. Once you start following artists you’ll get suggestions for new artists or maybe they post other artists in their stories and if you like that artists work you can follow them as well. Also I know you guys push these really connected gallery walls, but I have many gallery walls in my home and I just add to it slowly. I buy what I love and move pieces in and out. Are the colors matching? no. But once you gain your art perspective it will make sense and go together and if not who cares… surround yourself by art you love… not art that others think is acceptable. For atlanta people… ABV gallery and cat eye creative have online galleries you can purchase art from or discover new artists to follow. Was just perusing Radius Gallery… Read more »
Love this! We recently moved and I’m also in the process of figuring out what to hang and where. With respect to curating a collection over time, my pro tip is to put any artwork you really love that the children in your life make into a frame, even if it’s just a cheap one. Having it in a frame protects it but also elevates the piece, encouraging you to find a place on the wall.
Thanks for including the mini embroidered piece. I was just at the MoMA and had a chance to see Dali’s “Persistence of Memory” in person for the first time. It was so much smaller than I imagined it would be! It was a weirdly pleasant surprise to come upon it, just casually hanging there, tons of people passing by because it was positioned at the entrance to the room it was in. But if one happened to stop and notice, its size really invited you to look closer. I’m excited to find ways to play around with scale in my own home in some unexpected ways.
I really like this artist local to Minneapolis, Kristen Schue. I have one of her prints and really love it:
I also like Meg Lionel Murphy:
Two suggestions from someone who went to art school but has never been able to support themselves full time as an artist (health insurance is expensive ? ): 1) Visit your local college art department when they have shows and craft sales (usually happen throughout the year but especially around winter holidays and graduation). Nothing means more to a beginning artist than the vote of confidence a sale can bring! Also, artists who are just starting out are often down to take commissions so you can scale it to your budget/space! Pay artists if you can, not just stores/galleries: the $$$ gets diluted really quickly — often the artist is getting just a fraction of each sale. 2) cultivate art appreciation in your children! Have them be a part of the process of going to galleries and picking art, even if it’s just a poster from a gift shop or a picture book featuring art you saw. A lot of what made art a “real” job in my head happened because my mom would spend time with me when we went on family trips and sought out local artists for me to meet/buy a print or functional design piece from.… Read more »
This was such an insightful comment, thank you very much!
I was coming here to say this! Student art sales are amazing and it’s so exciting to see what the next wave of artists is bringing to the world! We have a couple small original paintings from the RISD sale like 15 years ago that were probably $25 at the time and they still make me happy. I looked up the artist a year or two ago and he’s still working but in a totally different style, which was cool to see!
This article could not be more timely. I’ve also had a bit of a personal renaissance in terms of my ‘art collection’, a grandiose reference in my case which is seriously misleading!! Over the past year or so, I’ve been pinning pictures from artists I like and if I see a painting in rooms that I like, I look them up! I’ve started to do a lot of what is essentially research and it’s really helped me identify what I like (which turns out to be quite eclectic).
I look broadly and widely at local artists and overseas galleries and I can really get lost down the rabbithole of Artsy, but it’s so enjoyable!
I’m also treating it as a long term project but love visiting galleries when I travel. I am also a fan of street art and have lots of lovely little things I’ve picked up in places like Rome etc. Not ‘high quality’ art but I love them and they look great on my wall and remind me of my hols!!
I’ve spent some highly enjoyable hours on Tappan and Etsy but looking forward to the others you’ve listed.
Thanks Arlyn!!
I love Sydney Beach Zester’s work! So colorful and thoughtful and bringing a whole new perspective to textile art while also bringing the same warm feeling Gees Bend brings. You can find her website at /
She’s also repped at Anne Irwin Fine Art, who also has several other great artists.
I love these art posts!
I am a lifelong Mainer and one of my favorite local artists is Sarah Madeira Day. She does great landscapes and has recently been doing other subjects as well. Very affordable too:
Another favorite that I have not yet purchased but would love to someday is work from Carolyn Misterek. She has really cool monochromatic pieces:
I totally agree about taking time to find great art- when I was in my 20s I liked finding prints to frame but now it’s much more fun to search through thrift stores and estate sales to see if there’s anything good (it can be hard to find!). I enjoy looking through vintage art on Etsy and I actually sell a lot through my own shop too. The good pieces tend to get snapped up pretty quickly, but here are links to a few:
and
My friend’s brother, Joseph V. Clarke, has been making stunning pieces – I’m also saving up for one!
I love this post!! I know some of these sites but some of these are new to me.
For us, the art that we love is commonly found on vacations. This ranges from “tourist” art (little watercolors of Europe done by street artists) to original paintings from galleries that we pass while out walking, and textural art like a wood block from a printer in South Korea. We don’t spend much – we’ve never spent more than $100 on a piece and it’s always small enough to put in our luggage. It’s fun to incorporate galleries or artistic quarters into travel, though it seems like we typically stumble upon the art rather than seek it out. This does not make an aesthetically-curated home, necessarily, but it feels more personal that way.
For larger art, we’ve framed old maps found in our grandparents homes and “invested” in a more expensive acrylic because it was painted by someone we know.
We do have some nice prints from 200×20, Society 6, and Etsy, but these are my least favorite because they feel flat and impersonal. The exception is a custom watercolor portrait of our dog that a friend commissioned from Etsy :)
Wanted to flag The Patrons’ Show in Alexandria, VA, an annual event that happens in February. It’s a fundraiser for The Art League, which supports local artists and the art classes they offer the community. You buy a ticket for ~$200 and there are hundreds of art works of all types. On the day of the show, your name gets picked in a random order, and whatever your top choice of art is that hasn’t yet been taken, you get! You can do it virtually, you don’t have to be local – there’s an app that shows all the art and you can rank it on the app itself, and then they’ll ship you your piece. It’s a ton of fun and I’ve always gotten something very unique that I’ve liked!
Thank you, Arlyn, for sharing Dan Pelosi’s home! Love it! I started collecting art in 2020, and while I historically was drawn to abstract art, the focus of my collection has been floral and botanical. I have picked up a few vintage botanicals, but mostly I buy from current artists. My collection started with an outdoor wire sculpture I saw at Kristine Mays’ Rich Soil exhibit at Filoli. Shortly before that, Ashley of The Gold Hive shared some of her favorite artists and sources for art. From that post, I discovered Ron Nicole, and became obsessed. Ronni’s process is slow and takes a lot of trial and error, so her art was rare and hard to get. Over time, I’ve collected several of her pieces, including plasters, papers, and prints. She’s now developed a process that has allowed her to offer limited collections more frequently. I recommend subscribing to her newsletter. From there, I discovered other artists via Instagram and by going to local open studios. Here are other artists I love! Carolyn Misterek – originals and prints Amanda Nolan – originals and prints Erika Perloff – pastel paintings of landscapes around California – also an amazing teacher Renee Switkes… Read more »
Holly Young pieces are so fun! I have an original that goes from room to room in my house because it works every where.
here are three local artists that we love here in hawaii, and are affordable for prints:
Omg this post is amazing and just in time – I’m decorating our family room and was looking for artwork!
A tip if you are looking for art on Etsy – Do a Google search for the artist and see if they have their own website. Etsy takes out a large chunk in fees and artists would much rather sell direct to customers if they are set up for that. :) My wife is an artist and has been selling on Etsy for years and I love her art.! I’m sure she would appreciate it if you’d check it out. NLS Design –
Sometime around 30 years ago, in my 20’s, for some inexplicable reason, I made an intentional decision to only buy “real” art (that’s what I called original paintings, but I’m not sure if it’s an appropriate label now) whenever I saw it and could afford it. I think it made me feel a little eccentric compared to my friends who didn’t seem to care about art or frequent antique stores and thrift shops. I don’t have anything I don’t love and still have every single piece hanging up somewhere. I’m glad to see the EHD team promoting the idea of surrounding yourself with things that you love and have meaning. A recent artist recommendation I have is Moose at World of Moose! I eyed up one of his prints for over a year and finally bought it a few months ago. Best decision ever as it makes me so happy to jut sit and stare at it!
I have 2 amazing Minneapolis-based painters that are so talented & their works so special.
The first is Cara Jo O’Connell. Her paintings are extremely detailed, with a strong perspective.
carajooconnell on Instagram
Next is Megan Bell. I love how she brings so much color & movement, but in a quieter, not so in-your-face way..
meganbellstudio on Instagram
They’re both really incredible in their own ways & artists who’s careers I’ve very much enjoyed following. And collected when i can, (I’m definitely not rich, just a lover of original art & an artist-supporter, when i can be, like you :)
I like to support up and coming artists so my suggestion for a source is your local art schools, especially in Spring. Typically art schools have end-of-the-year showcases and the schools organize shows where you can buy and support the art of their students.
I’ve bought a couple of pieces from dailypaintworks.com. It’s site where artists can list their original work and set their own price for sale or auction. The inventory changes frequently (hence the name) and styles are all over the map. It’s a great way to support an unknown artist, and it’s not nearly as overwhelming as Etsy.
I live in Charlottesville Virginia and love local artist Grey VonCannon. She makes colorful, juicy art that features abstractions of bodies, fruit and nature. I own one of her screen prints, and a few of her prints, but hope to own an original one day!
Cool place to get art – check your local historical societies/universities/public libraries! The University of Washington has archive prints of Washington state from photographers that you can pay to print. The New York Public Library has a ton of public domain works that are digitized, too! I’ve found some amazing stuff there:
I have an original piece (from 2017) from Emily Keating Snyder. She is a Maryland-raised, formerly Los Angeles -based (now lives in NYC) artist who makes embroidered thread abstract art that she sews on canvas. My piece is about 5×7 (purchased for about $100) but she makes even larger pieces that run thousands of dollars. Being a Marylander, I love supporting our homegrown talent. Emily also commissions pieces and has affordable prints (under $100) of her original artwork.
Arlyn, I owe you a giant THANK YOU for pointing me to Michael Upton’s gorgeous canvas art! I just snagged a neutral yet abstract black and tan 44×36 print (Larnax on his website) for only $125. I have been searching for almost 2 years to replace the poorly made, and boring Target photo that’s been hanging in my studio rental bedroom. And I completely agree that art needs to be meaningful otherwise it’s just covering up dead space. My style leans vintage, French country, Victorian, and Design Within Reach 70s modernism and this new print will be perfect!
A couple MA favorites:
I first met Sophy 15 years ago when she did the art for an environmental literary journal I co-edited in grad school, and have loved her work ever since! She does a lot of murals and it’s always such a joy when I run into her art in the wild.
While we’re recommending local artists, here’s a rec of a different type: Andrew Xenos, ME-based maker of jewelry inspired by natural things like wood and barnacles — I own a bunch of his stuff and want more:
Most websites that sell art require that the artist herself or himself sells it. So you miss out on collectors selling great art. For example my father’s art was not allowed to register with Saatchi because he passed away. I suggest searching for art on Independant websites. Etsy is something I have been considering.
I can’t get enough of alderluxe on Etsy. The first piece I bought surpassed my expectations in quality and it’s the first thing everyone comments on when they come over. I won’t hesitate giving these as gifts. The artist will also customize colors and has been incredible to work with!
Check out