Art used to be a luxury; one would have to be rather wealthy to fill a home with artwork. The hours spent getting each stroke just right were definitely reflected in the price, but pieces and artists were respected. Now, anyone can pick up a $20 canvas from TJ-Maxx, Target or even Amazon. While this is convenient, original work isn’t being purchased nearly as much, which largely hurts the art community. On top of that, customers aren’t willing to spend as much for good artwork anymore and compare authentic work prices to that of cheap prints found in chain home stores. With the decline in this economy, it has become even harder than usual for artists to make it, unless they can get into a white cube gallery. Supporting the arts is important and should be valued over price saving. If you’re truly interested in art, consider buying authentic paintings, drawings or multimedia pieces from either well known or local artists.