Many people think that buying an original piece of art is a terrifying ordeal that involves speaking to disdainful staff and trying not to feel too self- conscious in an upmarket gallery. But if you visit one of the many new artwork- selling sites, you can purchase pieces from the comfort of your own home.
Among them are AARTI and LondonArt.co.uk. The first has been running since 1998 and has been praised for its personal service. Though its design is basic, the contemporary art that it sells — including sculpture, watercolours and surrealist work — is always interesting.
LondonArt.co.uk claims to be “Britain’s largest art website, representing more than 900 selected contemporary artists online”. With features such as My Favourites and Commission a Portrait, this impressive site should have something for every taste and budget.
DegreeArt.com is slightly different; it sells, commissions and rents the “finest artworks created by the students and graduates of the UK’s most prestigious art establishments” — so help those poor students with their horrendous debts.
If you think you are getting the hang of buying, visit artprice.com. It claims to be the world leader in art market information, including “find your artists in upcoming auctions covering 2,900 auction houses worldwide” and, most tantalisingly, “the mechanisms and secrets of the auction market revealed by our press agency”. With a packed auction databank and thousands of catalogues, it should give any aspiring art collector a basic education.
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www.aarti.co.uk
www.londonart.co.uk
www.degreeart.com
www.artprice.com