Above: Designer Robin Eisman
Below: One lovely art piece
hangs over Robin's desk.

Art Smarts 101

Original artwork brings drama and color to any home. These tips and terms will help you find and display pieces you'll love for a lifetime.

When it comes to selecting artwork for your home, one design danger is selecting a piece that's cliche. Don't worry about matching the sofa and avoid "starving artist" sales where "paintings" are actually assembly-line knockoffs.

To find worthy pieces, designer Robin Eisman suggests visiting art gallery openings locally and wherever you travel. "Keep updated on what's going on in the art world," she says, "such as getting yourself on mailing lists of local art galleries. You can meet a group of artists and keep abreast of what is going on. Also, go to local museums to gain an appreciation for different kinds of art."

The expert tips below can help you become an art-smart buyer in no time.

Robin suggests attending art festivals to view a variety of art. "You can wander through and see what you fall in love with," Robin says. "It's terrific because you can usually meet the artists and find out more details about their work."

When you think you are ready to purchase quality art, Robin suggests one efficient approach to finding what you want: Talk to an art representative. "This is someone who represents a number of different artists," she says. "You can tell the representative what you are looking for, and they can pull together a slide presentation as well as introduce you to various artists."