Buying Art From Thrift Stores and Painting Over Them

Last week, I kicked off a brand new blog series, The ABC's of Gathering,withA is for Art, a post full of tons of inspiration on how to decorate with gathered (vintage, thrifted, found) fine art.

>> Take hold of up on it here if you lot missed it!

Only I decided I couldn't let the subject field residue in that location. Hopefully after finishing that mail service, yous were all fired upwards to go gathering and search out unique fine art for your own abode! So information technology just made sense to follow up that mail service with some practical tips on where and how to observe vintage art…

Personally, my tiny upkeep has so-far dictated that my vintage fine art finds come from local thrift stores. I take a closet total of pieces that I've brought home for a few dollars each, just waiting for their moment to shine!

I'll be honest – they aren't all gems. Sometimes I don't brand great judgment calls and bring a piece home but to go, "What was I thinking?!" Thankfully, I've usually just spent the price of a fancy cup of coffee, and then I don't beat myself upwards over it too much, and I tin merely turn around a donate the piece back to the austerity store later on.

And then equally you can imagine, I've grown a little more discerning over time, although it'southward still hard to stand in the eye of a thrift store and brand snap judgement calls.

These are some of the things I go over with myself when I've snatched up a slice of art and I'yard trying to brand a decision.

Vintage Fine art Shopping Tips:

Not all vintage art is good – only similar non all good art is vintage.

Is information technology an original? I just love buying original art, not that at that place'due south annihilation wrong with prints. It'south just that if it'due south an original painting, I'm much more likely to pull the trigger. To determine if it's an original, Itouch the surface (have y'all e'er been fooled by those vintage "paintings" with faux brushstrokes?) andget up close (like, inches away looking for tell-tale press dots.)

Avert "signature blindness." Okay, and so it has a signature – whether it's an original oil painting, watercolor, signed and numbered print. Don't get so excited over that penciled or painted proper noun that you forget other considerations like, "Is it actuallypracticed?" and "Do I even like information technology?"

Google the artist. Sometimes I experience a little cocky conscious, hugging a slice of fine art to my breast while I stand in the middle of an alley and pull out my phone, merely a quick Internet search on the artist'due south signature can help you make up one's mind whether you've found something really special or not. Honestly, this is a step I typically doafter I've plant, fallen in dear with a piece, and brought information technology home. (Call back myForrest Moses lithograph story?)

Practise an "across the room test."If you feel you can safely fix the piece down (gotta watch out for thrift-find-snatchers, yo!), lean it up against as empty a backdrop equally you can find and take several steps backward. Sometimes a little distance (literally) tin can help y'all decide how you lot really feel about the slice. Can you visualize it in your home?

Remember, thrift store lighting & settings are normally unflattering. I remind myself of this fact when shopping for clothes, too! Throw a great piece of art in a pile of junk and it might not jump out to you lot initially – that's why I recommend a bare background for the "across the room exam."

The flourescent lighting in many thrift stores is also pretty awful for making judgement calls. Try carrying your fine art to a window so yous can view in natural light! And then many times, I'll experience just "so so" nearly a find at the thrift store, but when I become it home and view it in a different setting, I fall in honey.

When in incertitude, text a friend. Aye, I definitely do this! Just concluding calendar week I texted Cassie a picture of a painting I was debating over and her feedback helped me determinenon to pull the trigger.

Only ultimately,listen. Whether the piece you find is technically practiced, by a known artist, old as dirt… What actually matters is that it speaks to you. I've ended up altruistic dorsum pieces I bought just considering they had a signature, or were originals, because they just didn't fit my vibe. So unless you lot are shopping to resell, who cares if the artist was well known or if something like is $200 on Etsy? All that matters is whether the art you just found makes your heart sing!

My favorite found art, based on Botticelli's Birth of Venus – read more here. I don't know anything near this slice, and her face is a little distorted/asymmetric, but I madly love it!

Now. As I mentioned, I've found all my vintage fine art at local austerity stores throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth expanse.

A) I live in an surface area with many austerity stores inside driving altitude
B) I live near some older, established neighborhoods that tend to donate cool, former things to these thrift stores
C) I take the time and inclination to visit multiple thrift stores regularly (usually weekly, oft twice a week) and I relish earthworks through many unexceptional pieces to detect a diamond in the rough.

Nevertheless, I realize that my situation/location/interests might exist vastly dissimilar than yours. I can't merely say, "Hey, you lot too can have these same results – you just demand to visit austerity stores more frequently!"

Sources:

The good news is that austerity stores are but ane of many sources for finding promising vintage art! Here are some other places well worth a visit in your quest for the perfect piece of art.

(Today'southward postal service may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through 1 of these links, it doesn't cost you any more and helps keep The Gathered Home running. Read more nearly affiliate links here.)

shopgoodwill.com.Have you ever visited Goodwill'south online auction site? Some of the best Goodwill donations don't actually brand it onto the flooring of your local shop – they get pulled aside and photographed for online auction. Yous can browse over 3,400 art listings here,or search for items from stores in your surface area (where you might be able to pick upward your purchase, instead of paying for shipping) right hither. Information technology'southward an auction format, so final sale prices can exist unpredictable.

Antique stores, vintage shops. These will almost likely offering a much more curated selection of art than the bargain bin at a austerity store, only naturally, what you save in time and effort, y'all'll make upwardly for with a higher cost, since yous're getting the benefit of the dealer's experience, effort, and middle.

Flea markets. Confession: I've never been, although I'd love to visit some of the ones Emily Henderson frequents! Look prices to vary widely based on location and vendor, but in full general I would anticipate paying higher than thrift store prices, lower than vintage retail locations.

Craigslist. I haven't made an art purchase via Craigslist nonetheless, but I have come across some wonderful pieces in my browsing! (I'm still lamenting a vintage giraffe oil painting I pined over for weeks only never pulled the trigger on.) Some searches to attempt: "oil painting", "original fine art", "vintage art."

Etsy. Oh Etsy. A upkeep destination? Not always. Simply definitely one of the best places to shop for vintage art. I could (and recently did) spend hours just browsing the vintage oil paintings department! Y'all don't even need to leave your couch, although you'll probably need to pay shipping. Y'all'll find prices that range anywhere from Goodwill to 1st Dibs, aka$ – $$$$+. But if you're staring at a blank wall and want some gorgeous art NOW, you can't beat Etsy'southwardenormous selection + curation (27,000+ in the "vintage painting" category.)

eBay. eBay actually has even more than listings than Etsy (34,000+ for the search "vintage painting"). I personally find the navigation on eBay a trivial daunting, only it looks like at that place are definitely some good deals to be had if you lot're willing to devote some time to excavation.

Chairish.com. Think of information technology every bit a swanky vintage shop: all the pieces on Chairish are tightly curated, so equally you tin wait, the prices reflect that. However, you tin can shop from vintage dealers beyond the nation, who take put in the hours scouring estate sales so you don't have to. You can bank on hopping on and finding something special!

Another lengthy post, I know! Can y'all tell I'k passionate about my vintage fine art?! Tune in tomorrow forone more "A is for Art" post – I've pulled together some of my favorite online vintage art finds and I'm so excited to share them with you lot!