"Feels Like Fall" Kimberly Kiel
As the holiday season quickly approaches, the task of finding that perfect gift can often become quite daunting, especially when you’re buying something for the person who seems to have everything. What’s the best solution? Well, get them something that’s unique!
Original (and local) art can be a perfect gift. It’s thoughtful, unique, and it’s not another scarf.
That being said, like any great gift, a lot of thought needs to go into the process:
Buy for their personality
It’s easy when looking at fantastic art pieces to get carried away and forget that you’re there looking for a gift for someone else. But that’s the key. This painting, or sculpture, or piece of jewelery is not for you. Keep in mind their taste: do they like pastels? Landscapes? Maybe they love conversation pieces. A great indication of what they like, is what they already have in their home.
Stay in budget
Pick a budget that you’re comfortable with and then have fun finding a piece that fits their personality and your budget. Remember that art is available in all shapes, sizes, and best of all, price ranges. If you can’t afford a huge oil painting, why not try a postcard-sized one. Or a small funky ceramic sculpture.
Surprise, or don’t
While a surprise gift is always a lot of fun, when purchasing a piece of art for someone else, it isn’t always practical. If this gift doesn’t have to be a surprise, think about getting their opinion on a couple pieces that you had in mind.
Get a gift certificate
In general, I’m not the biggest fan of gift certificates. Often I find that the receiver would be better off with a fun (locally-made, art) card and some cash. However, I will make the exception when it comes to a gift certificate from an art gallery or store. Make sure that their personality is reflective of at least some of the pieces of art in the gallery. The great part about a gift certificate is that they’ll ultimately pick the perfect piece for them and they’re not necessarily restricted to your budget. They may take your $250 gift certificate and put it towards that $500 oil on canvas that they just had to have.
Have fun
At the end of the day, purchasing holiday gifts should be a fun experience (even though more often than not, it isn’t…). Personally, I find galleries to be much less crowded and hectic. The perfect break from those busy shopping malls. And who knows, you may find a great piece of art for yourself in the process!
Happy Gift Shopping!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Nice post and well written. I definately agree that giving the gift of an original art this Christmas is both a unique and thoughtful experience.