In person affordable San Francisco wall art buying.
April 25, 2013 9:40 AM   Subscribe

I want to buy some art in San Francisco. The kind in frames that you hang on the wall.

My budget per piece is about $75.00 to $400.00. I like to buy original artwork or prints by local artists. I like old maps and old prints. I like color and modern art. I am periodically looking at Craig's List. And I try to visit "open studios" when they happen, and coffee shop exhibits. I check out galleries sometimes but the prices are too high (e.g. $1200). Suggestions?
posted by ClaudiaCenter to Shopping (10 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
I was going to suggest Open Studios (the Hunters Point Shipyard studios, specifically) but you might also try something like Creativity Explored. Interesting, affordable art for a great cause.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 9:52 AM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


I was just talking with someone last night who said that, improbable as it may seem, he goes to the Union Square art thingie on the weekends. He says of course most of it is trash but there are a couple of good artists there.

ArtMrkt is coming up. I can't remember what the price range is there. But remember that artists know other artists, etc. http://www.art-mrkt.com/sf
posted by janey47 at 10:31 AM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


Oh, also, if photographs are in your sights, try Craig Fonorow - I have a couple of his pieces and they are lovely.

He is involved with a First Fridays artwalk that I haven't been to, but here is some information about it.
posted by janey47 at 10:37 AM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


You may already know about these, too, but there are several art auction benefit events you could try. Only happen once a year is the main downside, and you have to pay to attend.

Art for AIDS
Coalition on Homelessness (link for last year's)
Visual Aid
posted by gingerbeer at 11:14 AM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


You might want to visit 3 Fish Studios in the Outer Sunset and see if they have anything there that strikes your fancy. They might even be willing to print something special for you... the other day a friend posted a shot of something one of the owners had just printed - I think it was his "Endeavour" print (found in the online shop) over an old map. Very cool.
posted by hapax_legomenon at 11:33 AM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


Check City Art on Valencia next to 826.
posted by rhizome at 2:37 PM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


Spoke Art?

Pop culture sensibility - a great range of price points. I've purchased a couple of things from the online and have been generally very happy.
posted by helmutdog at 5:59 PM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


I've seen some stuff I liked at Studio Gallery on Polk Street - I think most of the things I've seen there have been well under $1000, much of it under $400.

You might also find something in that price range at Thomas Reynolds on Pine at Fillmore - especially when they do their Small Treasures shows, which I think tend to be in November and December.
posted by kristi at 7:57 PM on April 25, 2013 [1 favorite]


SomArts Cultural Center and the other city-run cultural centers may be good resources. Their group shows often have interesting pieces. I am also putting in a plug for Kearny Street Workshop, an 40-year-old Asian American arts organization that began with some fantastic printmakers and photographers in the Third World Strike period; keep an eye out for art sales. SF Center for the Book may also be a good way to connect to local printmakers.
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:09 PM on April 26, 2013 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thank you for all of these great ideas. I re-re-visited City Art on Valencia. I didn't buy anything but, you know, I could imagine buying something. And I went to all of the web sites, cool.

Also -- today I had a great experience at a place called Stuff on 150 Valencia, sort of like an indoor flea market. Some stuff overpriced, but some stuff semi-affordable.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 6:55 PM on May 11, 2013


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