I’m tapped out at $5k but I really love some more expensive artists. HELP!

First of all, congratulations on joining the expensive taste club. We are a fun bunch! If you spend enough time around great art, you’ll soon notice that it can be difficult to set limits on how much you are willing to spend on a piece you love. But there is a budget. There is always a budget. If you have found an artist you love but just can’t afford one of their signature pieces, there are some workarounds…

1. Consider purchasing a smaller work, a work on paper, a study, or a print (if the artist produces prints). Here is a gorgeous little ink drawing by Dora Maar up for auction next week and the starting bid is only $500…
2. Watch charity auctions on Artsy. Many emerging artists will donate works to charity auctions to support causes about which they are passionate and to help gain exposure to art-loving audiences. There are often good deals to be had.
3. Identify what it is about that artist that resonates with you and look for artists working along similar lines. Is it the theme? The colors? The artist’s story? This is a big part of what I do so feel free to ask for help.
4. And I know you don’t want to hear this…but you could always save toward it. It’s good to set goals!

Here is 1 charity along with 4 artists who’s work sells for more than $10k (and in 1 case WAY more…) but their smaller works under $5k are just as wonderful, or might be even better, but definitely have something to offer…

Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit Benefit Auction

The auction is live now on Artsy and lots will start to close on October 28 at 12:00pm EDT. Here are some favorites:

Lot 4

Lot 11

Lot 28

 

Hank Willis Thomas (b. 1976, Plainfield, NJ)

Yes, you read that right. THE Hank Willis Thomas of The Embrace in Boston Commons. His work, like his quilts and large sculptures, sells solidly in the 6 figures and he has blue chip representation but he has a print practice that makes his work really attainable. I typically am not drawn to overly political art, its just not my thing, but Hank’s elegant touch always gets me and I am so enthralled by his new series of monoprints (or as the studio is calling them, unique variations) that remind us all how important it is to protect our democracy. I like how the works can be read in a variety of ways and from multiple viewpoints, depending where on the spectrum the viewer falls politically. In the end, Hank reminds us that we all share a common goal and that is to protect our freedom. These are listed at $10,000 each, which falls slightly outside the scope of this newsletter, but they are too good not to share considering his work is often well into the hundreds of thousands. Here are 2 of the unique variations.

Gudmundur Thoroddsen (b. 1980, Reykjavik, Iceland)

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Gudmundur Thoroddsen’s show at Asya Geisberg in September. It was one of those shows that I saw first from the sidewalk and it beckoned me in to the gallery before I even realized what gallery I was entering. Once I realized I was in Asya Geisberg, I was not surprised as I always love her program. But I digress. This show was a knock out and these works whether small or large have such visual impact on a space. The paintings, while abstract, give the viewer a true sense of the Icelandic landscape in all its oxymoronic glory. The jagged edges of cliffs meet the soft moss covered rocks. The volcanic lava flows butt against icy glaciers. The island itself was formed from nothing into something but the beauty of the country stems from the fact that it is so untouched. You literally get the feeling that no one has ever been there before. I felt all of this standing in front of these paintings. The show closes in a couple of days but here are a few favorites under $5k.

Harminder Judge (b. 1982, Rotherham, UK)

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting and sharing a meal with Harminder a few months ago in Cleveland. It was refreshing to hear him rave about our fair city, so I automatically liked him, but also hearing him talk about art was transcendent, much like his artistic practice, which is grounded in an extended exploration of pigmented plaster as an artistic medium. “His alchemical process involves layering pigments into pools of wet plaster. The plaster sets – freezing a record of its creation in time, and the surface is then worked, polished and slowly worn away to reveal layers of colour, texture and movement beneath. Culminating in expansive modular panels and ineffable shapes which seem to hover off the wall, colour, forms, and compositions are allowed to reveal themselves and intensify over time. The results are sensual and seductive, with surfaces appearing sleek and shimmering. They have an illusory quality, seeming to hover in front of the wall, suggesting depth, evoking the idea of a portal or doorway and inviting the viewer to stay with them in contemplation.” -from the artist’s CV and bio

Prices range from GBP 30,000+ for his most ambitious multi-panel works down to around GBP 4500 for the smaller panels and he is represented by London Gallery The Sunday Painter.

Saba Farhoudnia (b. 1987, Tehran, Iran)

Saba was born in the midst of war. Her paintings are monumental in scale and explore the challenges facing the human condition. Saba merges the art of drawing, painting, language, and verse, through brushstrokes, geometric forms, calligraphy, and gestural marks to evoke drama, pain, humor, and beauty. The forms are intended to plumb the depths of the grotesque and elevate the humor in beauty. Her work explores humanity poised on a precipice: facing an insecure present and an uncertain future. She is represented by Fou Gallery in New York.

So there you have it and this is just scratching the surface. It was hard to narrow it to just 4 artists to feature but stay tuned for more posts like this. And if you see something you like, let me know and I can share more details.