May 20, 2014 01:11
by Jessica Martin

I think it was Picasso that said, “No wall is complete without a plethora of charming art, lest it appear totes lame.”* Art brings us joy, and unlike particular fashion or beauty trends, it never goes out of style. While there is a lot of money to be spent buying rare pieces, you don’t actually have to take out a loan to get into the art game.

To market, to market – Check out contemporary art fairs, auction houses, flea markets, and the ever-popular Finders Keepers Market in your city. They’re good for perusing and for purchasing original, one-of-a-kind artworks that won’t break the bank.

Support emerging artists – Everyone has to start somewhere and luckily for us, unknown artists are usually not charging a fortune for their work at the beginning of their careers. Now’s the time to go to small gallery exhibition openings to drink free booze and hopefully discover the next Banksy.

Ask for a discount – I'm not saying you’ll get it, but there’s no harm in asking, right? Alternatively you could see if the artist you like has any smaller pieces on offer for a cheaper price.

Know your space – If you’re after a statement piece and have a particular space you need filling, it’s a good idea to jot down the measurements. That way you know that the piece you just happened upon and fell in love with will actually work well with your proportions.

Everything is art – There’s no doubt owning a spectacular piece by a bona fide artist you love is like reaching Art Everest, but really, anything that brings you smiles when you look at it is art. I’ve framed postcards, hung crystal necklaces, and stuck old botanical drawings I found for 20 bucks at a flea market up with Washi Tape – as long as you love looking at it, anything goes!

Trawl the Internet and Instagram – I'm not sure if you guys know this, but the Internet is a pretty fantastic place with a lot of amazing (cheap!) wares on offer. Check out the gallery below for some inspiration. Just don’t blame me for the hours-long wormhole it will inevitably cause you to fall into. Have fun!

* ps - come to think of it, maybe it wasn't Picasso?