Top Places To Buy Local Art For Less Than $100

Whether you're a Bill Gates or just getting out of the starting gate, the art community in Philadelphia has a venue to fit your budget. Even novice art lovers with meager means can find places to take the first step in building the art collection of their dreams. Galleries, art schools, boutiques and cafes make purchasing art easy and affordable. Here are some of the top places in Philadelphia to find local art for less than $100.

Art Star Gallery & Boutique
623 N. 2nd St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 238-1557
www.artstarphilly.com

Price: $20 and up

Art Star Gallery & Boutique exhibits and sells witty, limited-edition handcrafted jewelry, apparel, housewares, prints and fine art on consignment. The shop is always looking for new works by new artists and craftspeople from both Philadelphia and around the country. The newest featured artist is Laura George, whose cheerful prints sell from $20 up. While the shop is open Tuesday through Sunday year round, once a year in May, it hosts a two-day craft bazaar, where newbie art collectors may purchase pieces at extraordinarily inexpensive prices.

Moore College of Art & Design
20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 965-4000
www.moore.edu

Price: $15 and up

As America's first and only women's visual arts college, Moore College of Art & Design, founded in 1848, has always been cutting-edge. Today, the college promotes access to art by making it affordable. Collectors can drop by The Art Shop at Moore, a venue solely dedicated to selling artwork by students and alumni. Here, you may buy scores of ceramics, jewelry, paintings, prints and sculptures priced at less than $100. The college also has an online store as well as the admission-free Galleries at Moore, which house year-round exhibits by students, faculty and alumni.

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Square Peg Artery and Salvage
108 S. 20th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 360-5548
www.squarepegartery.com

Price: $12 and up

Carrying a wide variety of handcrafted items from greeting cards to fine art, Square Peg Artery and Salvage has something for everyone. The shop sells top-quality, one-of-a-kind pieces created by more than 300 local and regional artisans. Besides wearable art, photographs, prints, paintings and unique curiosities, Square Peg sells exquisite, abstract, stained glass window ornaments. Prices here run from from $12 to $200, with the majority of pieces selling for less than $100.

Nice Things Handmade
1731 E. Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(267) 455-0256
www.facebook.com/nicethingshandmade

Price: $15 and up

Nice Things Handmade sells ceramics, jewelry, apparel, prints and fine art accessories from artists around Philadelphia and across the country. Elissa Kara, the owner, loves fibers and textiles, but encourages artists of every medium to share items in her indie boutique. Framed prints by Jesse Kuhn and colorful electronics cases, clutches and wallets by Rogue Theory sell for $15 or more.

Mugshots Coffeehouse
1925 Fairmount Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(267) 514-7145
www.mugshotscoffeehouse.com

Price: $25 and up

Mugshots Coffeehouse is a neighborhood cafe selling organic coffees, sandwiches, salads, wraps and baked goods. The environmentally and socially conscious establishment not only features movie, musical and open mic nights, but decorates its walls with works from local artists. Almost like a gallery, this coffee shop displays stunning pieces from a different Philadelphia artist each month. At the beginning of every month, Mugshots hosts a meet-and-greet night so that art lovers on a budget to stake an early claim on whatever artwork tickles their fancy.

Related: Top Art Museum Exhibits To See This Fall In Philadelphia

Susan DeFeo has been a professional writer since 1997. She served as a community events columnist for New Jersey's "Cape May County Herald" for more than a decade. A writer for numerous online publications, Susan has covered health, fitness, beauty and travel, all subjects that are near and dear to her as a married mother of seven children. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.