[quote author="Sunshine" date=1256370898][quote author="bkshopr" date=1256259761][quote author="Sunshine" date=1256213811][quote author="bkshopr" date=1256202565][quote author="tmare" date=1256174740][quote author="bkshopr" date=1256166637]It was on the news last Monday night on channel 2. Some one bought a Picasso for $2.</blockquote>
Should have been you
. That will teach you to spend time chasing Kogi trucks and lazing around Floral Park instead of spending your weekends scouring the shelves and walls of the local Goodwill and the Salvation Army stores for treasures.</blockquote>
Yeah, instead of the over priced micro size taco at $2 I would prefer a Picasso. I did check every wall at the Goodwill and Salvation Army around OC. I am afraid the so call treasure OC residents donated have been Aaron Brothers posters and Costa Mesa swap meet throw aways. <strong>Most arts that people hang on their drywalls the frame costs more than the art.</strong></blockquote>
There is still a noticeably naked space over my fireplace. I cannot find a painting within my price range that I'd like to hang there and I refuse to hang a print. I found a great mirror, only to bring it home and have my bf tell me that although the frame of the mirror matched my decor perfectly, it had no integrity and would surely break apart and fall once hung. The search goes on.</blockquote>
How about a TV? Many people do that today because many floor plans do not allow enough wall space to achieve both separately without stacking them. Is the TV within your price range for a painting?
Just a curiosity what is your price range? and what is the wall size above your fireplace?</blockquote>
My media niche is beside my fireplace, and there is an open air space above the media niche. Above the fireplace, there is a rectangular cut out area that can accommodate a mirror or painting/print no larger than 45" H x 35" W. The design of the niche and fireplace won't accommodate a t.v. over the fireplace. I'm not opposed to prints; I have many prints throughout my house. I just want an actual painting over the fireplace, and I don't care who the artist is. I probably wouldn't spend more than $400. I've given myself a swap meet budget and I've looked at the swap meet a few times and I haven't found anything yet.</blockquote>
Collecting original art is a very expensive hobby and especially the ones where thousands of companies have made copies from. As more imitations are being made the paintings also increase their value.
Please do not buy a poster print or a machine produced giclee prints. Swap meet is definitely not the place.
I rarely encourage consumers to buy imitations but with a $400 budget I would recommend this:
<a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Modern-Art-Deco-Huge-Oil-Painting__W0QQLHQ5fBINZ1QQ_armrsZ1QQ_fsubZ454120010">Oil Painting imitation of the original masters.</a>
These Chinese artists have mastered the European techniques and knocked off the original by good brush works. You can buy one hand painted art for less than $200 and perhaps get a frame for another $200.
Here is the way to recognize a good frame. When mitered corners are hidden.
Only you and I would know the painting is fake.
Homebuyers today having to spent all their family budget on buying a house with a frugal budget left for swap meet arts. This is not directed at you but a reality we see everyday.