Local Art
 

I will be traveling to New York soon and I would like to purchase something local and unique as a souvenir. I'm thinking about a painting or something similar by a local artist. It doesn't need to be of the skyline or anything specific, nothing really big or expensive, just something unique to hang on my wall. Does anyone know of places where local artists go to sell their paintings or drawings?

You can try Union Square Park (14th St & Broadway - nearest subway 4, 5, and 6 and the N, Q and R trains). The artists are usually on the Union Square West side of the park.

You may find some at Central Park as well. Enter the park at either 59th St-Columbus Circle (nearest subway #1 train and the A, B, C and D trains) or at 59th St-5th Av (nearest subway N and R trains). They usually hang out along the walkways just as you enter the park and for a short distance afterwards.

Also there is Washington Square Park (5th Av & West 4th St) The nearest subway is the W4th St station (on 6th Av) on the
A, C, E, B, D, F and M trains).

Do you want art from a local artist or art that displays something local?

NYC attracts artists from all the world and it is hard to know who is a local artist.

You can also visit the hundreds of art galleries in Manhattan and Brooklyn and look for sommething in your price range.

There are often artists displaying in front of the Metropolitan Museum. Also, doing a simple web search I found this place in Brooklyn. http://serimony.blogspot.com/2009/04...c-artists.html

If you have a basic budget there are artists in several places in the city displaying their work outdoors (opposite the Met, Washington Square Park, and in any street fair). If you are looking for real art at a much higher price there are innumerable galleries all over the city - esp in DUMBO - it depends on your budget - $25? $50? $1000?

In addition to those locations mentioned, there are usually artists displaying interesting paintings on West Broadway in Soho (on the sidewalk). The art tends to be far less "touristy" than the items outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

If you have a budget and want gallery art, then go to Chelsea, the global epicenter of contemporary art (with FAR more galleries than DUMBO in Brooklyn).

http://chelseagallerymap.com/

Good luck and Enjoy NYC!

Yes, but Chelsea tends to be more well established and be in higher price ranges.