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Best Shops To Buy Affordable Art In Los Angeles

art gallery exhibit 610x250
(credit: Lee L./Yelp)

"Affordable art" may seem like an oxymoron, but that is not so. Good art can be had at under $100 – very affordable. Fine art can be found for a few hundred dollars and under $1,000 all across the Southland. Young and starving artists abound in our backyard, and like any commodity, competition lowers prices. Art schools make California a destination for talented artists from across the nation. These shops and galleries showcase new and working artists, and with a little diligence, affordable art can be found.

Artspace warehouse
(credit: Artspace Warehouse)

Artspace Warehouse
7358 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 936-7020
www.artspacewarehouse.com

Artspace Warehouse makes "art accessible for everyone" by networking with new and established artists worldwide, both in Los Angeles and Zurich. Specializing in contemporary art, it has both a presence on the web and a physical location. Artspace especially welcomes new collectors, and it has respected dealers, curators and designers. Artworks as low as $200 from emerging artists are very likely to appreciate in value, and the selections will add to any décor.

Related: The Affordable Art Fair Los Angeles

LA Central Library
(Photo credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images Entertainment)

Los Angeles Public Library
Photo Collection
630 W. 5th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 228-7274
www.photos.lapl.org

Los Angeles' Central Library History Department possesses a treasure trove of historical photos going back to the earliest beginnings of photography. Thousands of photos, aside from their historical value, comprise visual appreciations of the Southland's culture, landscape and natural beauty. Very recent photos are available as well. Prints are available at low cost and can be framed, adding aesthetic value. Online selections can beeasily ordered, and with the incredible diversity available, the browsing is a pleasure.

gabba gallery
(credit: Gabba Gallery)

The Gabba Gallery
3126 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(310) 498-2697
www.thegabbagallery.com

The Gabba Gallery is where "art and inspiration collide" and where affordable quality art is showcased. From collage to sculpture and street to fine art, the contemporary gallery attracts art lovers from across the Southland. Emerging artists' and established professionals' art is displayed side by side. Visitors should take note of the regularly scheduled special events. The new works are especially appreciated as these discerning curators value quality and the artist's ability to transcend into fine art. The most likely impression, as they tout, is that potential buyers will sense a "cultural art renaissance" and its "palpable energy."

la luz de jesus
(credit: Matt Kennedy)

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com

Established in 1986, art collector Billy Shire's gallery brought emerging art forms to a wider public. Described as the "Guggenheim of Lowbrow," this gallery specializes in post-pop to counter-culture "underground art" for the "masses." Shire seeks out aspiring artists, many of whom have become established over the years. New exhibits open on the first Friday of each month. Every visit challenges the meaning and expressions of what we call art.

Related: Best Places To Buy Local Art For Less Than $100 In Los Angeles

Gallery New Image Art
(credit: Stephanie Chefas)

New Image Art Gallery
7920 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-2192
www.newimageartgallery.com

Established in 1994 as an experiment in underground art, New Image Art Galleryis a home to the so-called Beautiful Losers Movement. This Juxtapoz Magazine style celebrates the virtues of Southern California's pop-culture with performance, hip-hop, graffiti, skateboard, surfing art and more. The gallery challenges the conventional appreciation of art and is gaining wider acceptance in the movement's second generation. Like many affordable art galleries and shops, New Image seeks out young artists eager to become established. But what stands out most is that this gallery brings out all that is unique to the Southland – it's our own.

Robert Cuthbert is a freelance writer covering all things Los Angeles. His work can be found on Examiner.com.

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