What do you mean you have a house full of original fine art that all your friends admire and you can still afford to buy more? You can't be serious...


Does buying affordable fine art seem too good to be true? Maybe you don't know any artists personally. Maybe you saw a gallery where the track lights were so hot and the prices so high it made you sweat. Maybe you've been to art openings which felt more like photo ops than an opportunity to connect with an artist you love. Or maybe you found a great little gallery with some interesting owners who had a cozy space and the artist was available and eager to talk with you, but you could never afford the artwork that pulled your heartstrings.



Coffee by Jeff Cohen, ebay seller jcohenstudio

Look, I like to make the scene, have my photo taken looking pensive, and dream about what it must have been like at the Factory. I recognize that there is an entire hemisphere of affluent arty types who spend countless hours and dollars on fantastic openings with strawberries dipped in chocolate, a doorman, and little red dots on the sold artworks (if you want to see the prices you have to find the price list). I also appreciate that more and more there are alternatives to the academic art world. You can see wonderful shows at excellent, eccentric venues across the U.S. It just so happens most of us live in one town, and no matter how cool it is, the resources are limited. You may not find artwork which appeals to you, or if you do it might be out of your price range. You may not like the local venues or want to make "the scene". Worse yet, you maybe in a small town with next to no art. So here is my advice, go see any art you can in person. Press your face so close to the canvas that a man in uniform asks you to step back. Ask the salesperson questions. Learn everything you can, figure out what you like and most important, savor the experience like a fleeting love affair. Then take what you have learned with you to a new venue, a venue ideal for artists and collectors. Search eBay for eMOMA, I have no doubt every person reading this will find an art piece they love and can afford. And if you don't, I'll rise to the challenge. Email me, the Curator and I'll consider recruiting the type of artist you're looking for.

Why are our prices affordable? Traditional galleries and contemporary alternative galleries are still stores with overhead, advertising, and employees. Any brick and mortar gallery must take a commission from the artist to stay in business, this is often 50%! Hey, that's HALF. More than Uncle Sam takes from most of you. Even art fair artists charge a premium to their collectors, there are entry fees, slides, travel and lodging expenses. eMOMA members are career artists who continue to exhibit, travel to art fairs, self promote, and win awards. In addition to the traditional ways to captivate an audience eMOMA has established a professional collective of esteemed artists for a new art district. eBay is an exciting new venue which enables artists to represent themselves with absolutely no middleman. The overhead on auction expenses is minimal and eBay consistently provides traffic and advertising for art auctions. Beyond the luxury of selling art at affordable prices, and not having to wait for the next gallery show to make sales, artists are able to deal one on one with their collectors, opening up a new avenue to the way artists sell art.



Female Nude by Carlos Durazo, ebay seller carlosdurazo

So what do artists want? They simply want to do what they love: sell work to collectors who will adore and care for one of a kind pieces. They want to make a living wage, like anyone else. Do all artists want to be superstars? No. Are all artists Divas like Warhol and Dali? No. Will every artist's work increase in value? No. Do you expect these things from the artist whose work you admire? If you say yes then I invite you to reexamine your idea of artists. Our society plasters pop culture and cliché images of superstars everywhere, looking so slick and so paid. This is completely superficial, and entertaining as it may be, it is not what I value from art or artists. Fine art does not have to be about fame, self importance or money. I don't buy art as an investment. Anyone who guarantees your art purchase will increase in value is throwing out a hell of a sales pitch. The only way an artist can make that assertion is to offer to buy it back from you in "x" amount of time for the supposed inflated price. If you're buying art with only the bottom line in mind, see if you can get that in writing! Incidentally, I did buy a piece on eBay about 4 years ago from an artist who has become quite renown and collectable. The price of the artist's work has consistently risen and if I sold the painting now I would make a tidy profit. I do have a good eye for art, but will this piece still bear an inflated price on the secondary market in 20 years? Impossible to tell. It is however of no concern to me because I buy art I love, to live with forever. So gamble with art as an investment if you choose, but you might be better of in Vegas Baby!



"Heart Reach" by Teod Tomlinson, ebay seller teod_art

What should a collector want? This is what I expect from an art purchase. I buy art I can afford, usually on eBay or at an artist's website, sometimes at a gallery or fair. I expect beautiful, touching pieces which I can happily live with forever. I want to meet the artist, if only via email and feel like I've made a connection and a contribution to their lives and their artistic gift. In my experience artists are kind, creative, fun, hardworking people who help one another, lean on each other for support and encouragement, and adore their collectors. I'm proud to be an artist and proud to think of it as a blue collar job. We work everyday, it's not play, it's hard work and some days I'd just as soon have a gig pushing a pencil. It's not as easy as we make it look. It's a gift, one we are so happy to have the opportunity to give to you. One of my collectors said getting a package from me is just like Christmas morning! That is what I think art should be. So if you're still not sure why to buy art from eMOMA artists, give yourself a small gift, stroll through the new art district by searching eBay for eMOMA, buy an affordable eMOMA artwork and you'll understand. Art is magic and it's within your reach.

Stephanie Greene
Curator
www.emoma.org
April 6, 2004