The art of shopping for affordable art

My
favorite art has always been two things: One, out of reach. And, two, so
totally out of reach that even the little me who makes-believe about being
chateau-rich gets mocked by the still-intangible stable-me: She comes with
pursed lips and excessive eye blinks for snooty effect.

Which
is why, after a series of horrific events last year that made my skin hurt, I
tried to grab everything that was out of reach by the neck. I ran more than two
miles for the first time since fifth grade (a serious feat for someone with
legs afraid of pavement). And I went art-crazy, scouring galleries and websites
for affordable artwork.

Immediately
I discovered a handful of pricey works so beautiful (and even ugly-beautiful) I
wanted to buy them all. I wanted to hug their expensive, flawless little necks.

I found a few affordable pieces that made my heart flip; they now hang in my
new sanctuary as lovely reminders of that time when things seemed far away but actually
were nearby.

So if you’re looking to become a desire-tapping Stretch Armstrong this season,
these overworked arms feel your pain. Which is why I bring you three galleries
hosting holiday shows that feature affordable — or almost affordable — art by
local beauty-makers. After all, ’tis the season to grab something by the neck
and throttle it with your love, right? For those really wanting to spread the
love, don’t forget that art makes a great gift, too.

My favorites

“Home for the Holidays,” Soo
Visual Arts Center, 2640 Lyndale
Ave. S., Minneapolis, Nov. 14-Dec. 31: Arterial images dressed up
like Easter eggs (Bethany Kalk). Drippy abstracts soaked in the Earth (David
Andree). And fanciful still-lifes decorated in Baskin Robbins colors (Erika
Olson). These oh-so pretty pictures by more than 15 local artists aren’t
necessarily kick-in-the-gut daring.

Still, many of these technically crafty and design-inspired pieces are downright
fetching. Beautiful, even. They run the gamut from nostalgic to primal to as
sweet as those chalky mints Grandma puts in a delicate dish on the coffee table
every holiday. The kind you gobble up so you can see the gold-leaf flowers at
the bottom of the bowl. If you think that all sounds a tad too sweet, remember
that a daring work of fecal matter isn’t exactly something you could easily
hand-wrap and bedeck with a bow.

MCAD Art Sale, 2501 Stevens Ave. S., Minneapolis, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1: Sometimes young artists are guilty of churning out that innocuous private-part painting that’s about as
bold a statement as a bumper sticker. You know the unfortunate kind: all
lingering post-pubescent anger and equally as embarrassing.

While there are sure to be a few not-so-nouveau bolds among the thousands (yes,
thousands!) of pieces of art available for under $1,000 — from furniture to
toys to sculptures to photographs — created by MCAD undergrads and alumni, any thrifty
art shopper is sure to uncover something beautiful, affecting and/or, ahem, ballsy
at this annual show. After all, this is where the much-touted multimedia artist
Ernest Arthur Bryant was born only a few years
ago.

Interact Center Holiday Sale, 212 Third Ave. N., Minneapolis, Dec. 1- Dec. 8:
providing a showcase for artists with disabilities. This year, the gallery is
hosting a holiday art sale of work by its fantastic, formally trained artists.

The shop will also carry its almost-famous holiday cards, featuring, among many
other local card-makers, the artwork of John Pieper, who spent 20 years as a
scientist and theologian before suffering a serious brain injury. His surreal
print, “Angelus Nova,” (right) finds inspiration in the famous Klee painting “Angelus
Novus,” an artwork so literary it has spawned poetry as moving and important as
the piece itself.

Other suggestions?

Of course there are a handful of other great galleries selling their wares at
affordable (or near-affordable) prices for the holidays.

Frank Stone Gallery and Minnetonka
Center for the Arts also come to mind. For you arts-and-crafts aficionados, and for those
local-only lovers, I’m wondering: Where do you find your favorite gifts of art?