Downtown galleries aren’t necessarily the best place to buy art, and not knowing about art shouldn’t preclude you from buying good art. Commercial galleries use prime, or bright colors to draw you in off the street. Like anything, if it has instant gratification, you may grow tired of it quickly. Photographic paintings of waves, or zebras are just that and are aimed at a certain type of buyer. They rarely say more than what you see in the immediacy of the moment. The next thing is to choose a painting that blends into you home and decor style. Also, paintings are only one way to cover a wall. Oriental rugs, tapestries, artifacts are also very nice. Investing in art may not always offer great returns, but it will hold value better than just a wall covering that may even be difficult to sell if you got tired of it. If you are serious about buying a nice painting, definitely research it because the rewards are worth it. Google the better known local artists to get an eye for what is good art, and then try a few weekend shows to see how up and coming artists compare. There are many online galleries, where you can buy older landscapes, seascapes and so on. Ebay is always a good source for research.
