At estate sales, it can pay to be very late.

Went to an estate sale today at the last hour. There wasn't much left, but I was able to bargain down some great prices because I bought a big pile and there wasn't much time for anyone else to buy the stuff. Very happy to now have several new prints from an artist I have long admired (had one of her prints for a long time...screen prints, which I like...couldn't afford her originals).

This artist is making sort of "not new" new oil paintings at affordable prices.

I love his work. I'm not disturbed by his method, if that's the way he's got to do it to make a living. The artist, Graham Gercken of Australia, is sort of a one-man starving artists shop from what I can tell. He offers dozens and dozens of scenes (he is mostly a landscape artist) that he apparently has painted in a variety of sizes. The prices are excellent for original oil paintings. The one first pictured is a 30" x 24" for $298. The second is a 1"6 x 12" for $129. I feel bad that the guy has to paint in what I assume is a rather production-line type method (I imagine he does one painting after the other of the same scene...or maybe works on multiple canvases at once to gain speed...it would be interesting to see how he does it). But, I'd love to have one on my wall. Looking at art sort of calms down and gets my creative juices flowing simultaneously. Here is the link to his Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GerckenGallery?ref=l2-shopheader-name

"Not new" artwork can be a bargain.

I love art. So much so, that I consider it a whole different category and have not vowed to only buy "not new." However, I probably won't get anything "new" this year, but I leave that option open. Last week I picked up this oil painting at an estate sale for $25. Can you believe that bargain? It was at a lower end home, so I assume they didn't think they could get more for it. Today I was at an estate sale at a wealthy doctor's estate and there were some beautiful oil paintings, all over $100, but definitely worth more...I wish I could buy them!

Selling finds on Etsy

I had opened an Etsy shop to sell some of my art glass collection (items for sale pictured). I am downsizing in anticipation of moving to a smaller place someday in the near future. As I am shopping "not new," I am finding so much really neat vintage stuff that seems destined to go otherwise unappreciated that I am going to try to resell some on Etsy.com. It will allow me to indulge my love of cool stuff and bargains while (hopefully) making a little bit of money and further “justifying” the gas it takes to drive around to garage/estate sales. I try not to drive too much, but, um, mileage happens. The name of my Etsy.com shop is ArtGlassAndMore. I also sell a little bit on ebay.com. Today I finalized the deal on a really nice (used) fur coat that I bought for myself, but never wore. I was hoping to break even, but I actually sold it for more than what I paid. Yipee!