One of my favorite things to do in college was to take an afternoon to explore local art galleries. I had a fascination with not only the art before me, but the story behind the artist and the piece. I loved meandering through the galleries and getting lost in the art. It was a therapeutic, quiet time that allowed me to sink into a different space in my head than my daily writing activities for my English major. It might have also allowed me to feel a little bit like Charlotte from Sex and the City, too.
Since then, I've loved getting to know different artists through social media and beyond. It's amazing that things like Instagram and Etsy have allowed artists to jump from selling their own art online to having gallery representation. On Friday, we went to one of Atlanta's most well-known galleries, Gregg Irby, to celebrate an exhibit called "The Locals." The show featured some of the South's up-and-coming artists including my friend, Renee Bouchon, among some pretty awesome other women.
Let's be real: I don't know about y'all, but over the years, I always assumed that galleries were for genuine collectors with large, sometimes nonexistent budgets. However, as I walked through the show admiring the gorgeous pieces of art before me, I was kind of shocked. Want to know a bit little secret about art galleries? A lot of the pieces are affordable! And not just affordable, but attainable, too. In fact, I even found an artist featured in the show whose work I actually own. Mind. Blown.
Galleries like Gregg Irby are making art attainable for young collectors, and there are a ton of other galleries both in person and online that are doing the same. Here are a few of my favorite places to look for art from aspiring artists and those who have "made it." Any places I'm missing? Would love to hear where you find your art, too!
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