When shopping for fine art, you have lots of places you can choose from.  A quick internet search will bring up a long list of places selling fine art.  You could also choose to shop someplace more local like a gallery.  But where you can buy fine art from is not the question today.  However, where the best place is to buy fine art from is our question.

There’s a short and simple answer to this question.  The best place to buy fine art directly from is the artist him or herself.  The why behind this question is a little bit thicker than the answer so we’ll spend the rest of this article explaining that to you.

Price Negotiation

If you’re looking to buy fine art of any kind, you don’t have an unlimited budget.  You know that there will be a point where the price is too much and you will need to walk away.  In the United States, we don’t do much in the way of price negotiation.  The price on the tag is what you pay almost everywhere.

If you choose to buy your fine art from the artist, you will have a bit more power at your disposal as the customer.  The power of negotiation is in your hands.

Unlike large galleries or online market hubs, the artist has the power to adjust the art’s price on the fly.  If he or she wants the sale, you might find the price to be a bit flexible in your favor.

Now, you will run into some artists who will be hard-line on the price tag for one reason or another.  If that’s the case, you have the power to walk away and shop elsewhere.

Customer Service

If you buy from the artist, you will get the best customer service you can.  Big online retailers may offer you warranties but they don’t actually go the distance to make things right.  They might refund your money but that’s about all you can expect.  Galleries, though also interested in making a sale, will often sell things on an “as-is” basis.  That means that, if something happens, they won’t help make it right either.  The artist is the sole person who can make it right.

Want a different color frame?  How about changing the color of a door in the picture?  Want something else custom done with the art?  You can bet that neither an online hub nor a gallery will be able to help you with those issues.  You need to speak with the artist.

Communication

How many of you readers out there like having to wait on a long communication chain where you don’t get to talk directly to the decision-maker or the person with the power to correct a problem?  No one?  I’m not surprised.  I don’t like it either.  It’s frustrating and wastes time.

So, if you want that direct and timely communication, you will need to speak directly with the artist.  That’s not something that most in-person galleries will allow.  They want you dealing with them and spending money with them.  If you buy from the artist, you can skip several of the steps in that chain of communication and speak directly with the individual who can make the decisions.

Also, if you have a question about the piece, only the artist can answer your question.  The gallery staff can only give you answers which the artist previously supplied.  Online hubs can only give you the information which the artist included.  Both of these other options only include a list of commonly asked questions.  However, if you have a question outside what has been provided, the artist is the only person who can answer that question for you.  Your best bet is to cut out the layers and middlemen and go straight to the source: the artist.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you’re looking to purchase fine art, you can’t find a better source to buy from than the artist directly.  You may find a greater variety in a gallery or other retail/online setting, but you’ll never get the kind of service you are looking for from them.  If you want to see real gratitude in the eyes of the seller, buy from the artist.  If you want some flexibility and speedy communication, buy from the artist.  Buy from the artist if you want the best customer service you can find.  Most won’t let you down if you do.

Since you’re now thinking about buying fine art from the artist, you might check out our online store.  You can buy directly from the artist and receive all the benefits above.  Also, we’re here to answer your questions and provide you with an exceptionally good experience buying art.