How to Give the Gift of Art

Giving art as a gift can be a rewarding experience for both giver and receiver. Art by its nature is a way to express personality, emotion, ideas, and experiences. Because of this, giving art is an ideal way to honor an occasion.

However… due to its objectivity, it can also be intimidating to give art as a gift.

We are here to take away any doubts and mystery by giving you some tips for gifting art.

Expand Your Definition of “Art”

“Art” doesn’t necessarily mean a painting on canvas or a bronze sculpture. The first thing to do is consider the definition of art.

Art can be –

• Tickets to see a theatre or dance performance
• Handmade jewelry
• Fiber or textile art like knitting, felting, or lace
• Clay, such as handmade coffee mug, decorative plates or wall hanging
• Wood carving or a woodblock print
• Forged metal sculpture, jewelry, or even lighting
• Glass or crystal sculpture, jewelry, or hand-blown piece
• Art made from recycled metal, wood, ceramics, or glass
• Signed and numbered print of original artwork
• Paper quilling, cut paper, or paper sculpture
• Photography of a meaningful place or subject
• Music performance or concert tickets

Art is produced by creative skill and imagination. Though we often think of art through a European fine art lens, it is much broader and more accessible than that!

And when it comes to budget, everything listed above runs a wide price range. By considering many different types of art, it can help meet any budget requirements or limits.

Understand the Gift Recipient

Now that you know how many options there are and that budget won’t be an issue, let’s start to narrow things down.

Some art collectors have a specific style or color palette to which they are drawn. The more eclectic art collector is much easier to buy additional art for and will most likely love any meaningful piece that expresses the occasion. Someone with a set style can be more of a challenge. If you know the person well and have been around when they expressed interest in an art piece, style or artist, that will really help you to select something they will enjoy.

It can also be helpful to reach out to their family or friends for tips on what they might like. Doing a little reconnaissance or research in advance is extremely helpful if the receiver might have a strong opinion on certain types of art.

Keep the Gift Within Reason

Whether it’s a birthday, retirement, anniversary, or holiday gift, keep the art not only meaningful to the occasion but reasonable to the occasion.

You can’t go wrong when you give art that is –

• A modest size so it can be easily transported
• Ready to be enjoyed
• Is appropriate to the gift occasion
• Includes information about the artist (if possible)

It’s not a good idea to give art that can’t be immediately enjoyed or requires extra steps by the receiver. That means concert tickets in hand or a print that is already matted and framed.

Give the Gift of Art

We hope that now you are comfortable giving the gift of art for almost any occasion.

It can be fun, very meaningful, and provide the gift receiver joy for years to come.

For tips on finding your art gift at an art marketplace, click here. For a list of local art stores and galleries, click here.