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I feel like I am going crazy... I was watching Dr. Phil today and during every commercial break there was a commercial for some "starving artists sale" this Saturday at the Crabtree Holiday Inn... They kept stressing low prices... I think something like nothing over $55. The thing is, I have scoured the internet for more information, and I can find no trace that this event even exists. I told my co-workers about it and they are very interested in attending, but we can't find anything on any of the community calendars, google, etc... Does anyone know the deal? Was anyone else watching Dr. Phil this morning... tell me I'm not imagining this commercial that was on every 10 mins, please. I know that I could just call the Holiday Inn, but I thought I'd try here first. Thank you!!!
We went to this sale, (same name, same location) several years ago and were very let down. We had high hopes of finding fabulous art at bargain prices... yes, cheap prices, but you get what you pay for! Sorry!
Thanks for your input. At least I know that this exists now. I'm being realistic about the quality, as the prices are so low, but I'd still be curious to see what they have to offer. We just moved into our first home and have a lot of empty wall space, and I was hoping that I could find one or two decent pieces.
Go to First Friday in Raleigh tomorrow ... hit ArtSpace and some of the downtown galleries and see what you like and what is decently priced and know you are buying from the actual artist (or not buying, just chatting with them over some wine if you want ).
the starving artist sale at the holiday inn @ crabtree happens several times a year. NEver been though. Has been around since I can remember...at the very least since the early nineties....
They have them at hotels in MA also. I would you use the word "artist" lightly Check out some thrift shops or the flea market in Raleigh. Or even Home Goods.
Those "starving artist" sales occur in hotels in the midwest, too. They seem pretty suspicious to me. I can't help but wonder who the "artists" are and whether they see any of the profit.
Like others, I would encourage you to check out some of the local galleries and see what they have to offer. You can also check out etsy.com ( Etsy :: Your place to buy and sell all things handmade ) to find a wide variety of artwork sold directly by the artists themselves. You can search by color, material, and even geographical location of the artist. Some of the items on the site are more crafty than artsy, but there are some gems to be found.
We have found some incredible oil paintings on Ebay. There are hundreds of artists that sell their originals on this site. We have a beautiful 6' by 4' painting in our dining room that the artist painted just for us. We had inquired about a similar one listed and stated we didn't like the colors. The artist asked what we liked, and it was ready within a week. Check their feedback and you can see how good they are. The really good artists establish a customer base and their paintings will be higher priced than the ones starting out. People ask us what gallery we go to. We get nothing but oils, all are signed and dated by the artists.
All good suggestions for alternate sources of art.
I saw an expose several years ago about these so-called "art" sales. Usually, the paintings are not done by one artist. They are mass produced, like on a factory line, and artists are assigned to do the same stroke(s) on each piece...they go from one to the next, and others follow with their strokes, and so on. Those who have an eye for art will see the difference between these and real art, which has a qualty that is missing in these paintings. Even if you don't like an artists particular style or technique, you can see there is something in the piece that these mass produced things don't have.
I've been seeing the same promotion for the sale. Trust me, it's not worth buying. If you go, then do so to develop your discrimination, then go to the Museum of Art and purchase a print of something you like. They have various sizes and they're very inexpensively priced. They'll sell it to you nicely framed (very reasonable) if you want and you'll have something truly enjoyable on your wall. I got a couple of Monet prints when the exhibit was here, and they're beautiful. Besides, a stroll through the museum is a treat for the heart and soul and a feast for the eyes. They have changing exhibits all the time. There's one on right now until the 14th, I believe. Impressionism.
Last edited by swbtoo; 01-04-2008 at 08:25 AM..
Reason: line
I think we are all on the same page here How often does that happen? LOL! Anyway, one of my favorite prints is of a lighthouse in Cohasset that was swept away in a storm and rebuilt. Here is the story: Expedition searches for sunken Cohasset lighthouse - The Boston Globe I bought at a flea market in Vermont. It's only an 8 X 10. But everytime I look at it I think about the history of the lighthouse. I think the flea market in Raleigh would be a great place to start. If you want a few small pcitures you can have postcards framed. I've gotten postcards of my favorite seaside town at flea marketd and on ebay. You can bring them to Michael's to have them framed.
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Thank you
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Check out some thrift shops or the flea market in Raleigh. Or even Home Goods.
They have changing exhibits all the time. There's one on right now until the 14th, I believe. Impressionism.
