If we’ve learned anything over the past 12 months or so, it’s how to shop and order items online from the comfort of our own homes! But what about something besides Netflix and Amazon? Supporting local Chicagoland businesses and creative artists is always a cool idea, and everyone loves handmade, unique art for their personal spaces.
So we’ve rounded up some good ways to buy local and unique art and décor online. We’ve started with some more well-known options and also included some regional boutiques and spaces for you to browse through. Enjoy!
These are the big ones; the heavy hitters. If you haven’t used Etsy yet, what are you waiting for? Etsy is the small, curated local boutique to Amazon’s Wal-Mart or Best Buy. The art and décor available on Etsy can come from all over the world, but you can also search for Chicago art and Chicago artists.
Less popular but still lovely is Bonanza, a site with a similar concept as Etsy. They take a slightly lower percentage of sales compared to Etsy, but due to their smaller reach, they tend to attract stores that already have a bit of a built-in following.
The Saatchi Galleries are some of the most well-known private galleries in the world, but they also dominate art retailing online. A simple search for Chicago paintings on the site in mid-October revealed 1,619 canvases for sale! Many artists on the Saatchi site are listed artists, creatives who studied at well-known art schools, and artists represented by some of the biggest galleries in the world. Plus, almost any artist can register and sell on Saatchi, so many local artisans from the Chicagoland area are in the mix.
Okay, we’ve mentioned some of the big names…now it’s time to get local. Sacred Art Chicago has everything from original oil paintings to glass art and collages. You can even buy things like candles and décor. Everything ships from their storefront in Lincoln Square, so it won’t take long to reach you! Of course, you can also pick up your purchase if you live in the ‘hood.
Continuing on the small-and-local theme, we come to Springboard Arts! These three ladies are some of the best curators in Chicago, and their many in-person events and exhibitions combined with their friendly attitudes make the SA Gallery a true classic. Come here if you want museum-quality art at a reasonable cost, by locals for locals.
Art Institute of Chicago Online Shop
We wouldn’t be doing our duty if we didn’t mention one of the world’s best art institutions in this space! AIC is about as good as you can get when it comes to art instruction and direction, and yes…you can now buy items from their museum’s exclusive collections as well as from current exhibitions online.
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