Art
The 5 Best Places to Buy Art Original Art Online In New Zealand
I firmly believe everyone should own their own piece of original artwork. The world has moved in a way where consumers want everything as cheap as possible and mass produced copies flood the market as a result. By buying original, it helps all the artists out there keep creating, and it means you get something that is truly unique and truly you.
But purchasing a beautiful art piece for your house or office can be a daunting task for many.
Now online commerce is becoming the norm, everything you can imagine can be ordered with a couple of mouse clicks while sitting on the couch in front of the TV. This is an easy Segway for large retailer- But what about the artists, crafters and handy-makers whose business’ revolve around the sale of one off, bespoke creations?
Fortunately, the art industry is entering a renaissance with the help of boutique galleries and stores that now too have made the shift into online selling.
We’re spoilt in New Zealand with many great boutique galleries moving online and helping connect the consumer with our many talented artists. Sites like macandmor.co.nz , mobileart.co.nz, bunnyart and endemicworld are excellent places to start and ones I can personally recommend. So read on to find a few tips on what to looks for when shopping online, and why I think these are the 5 best places to buy original art in New Zealand.
Five things to consider when deciding where to buy original art
When you’re spending big money, and shopping with a company you’ve never dealt with before, it’s understandable that you’d feel a little nervous.
Taking some time to do your research up front will could save you from a lot of money and time down the drain if you end up doing business with the wrong gallery. Look out for things like testimonials, their refund and shipping policies to make sure you’re 100% satisfied with what arrives in the mail.
- What are you looking for?
Are you collecting works from established artists as an investment? Passionate about supporting the next generation of up-and-coming artist? Or just looking to buy the perfect piece for your home or office? It’s important to have a clear intention on what you want and why you want it. Different galleries will specialize in different niches of the art market, so by first understanding this you’ll be able to find a gallery that matches your interests.
- Price Range
Different stores will operate in different bands on the market. Small format originals from up-and-coming artists can normally be found for as little as $200-400, while large format works from known artists can easily attract north of $3000-5000!
- 3rd Party Testimonials
Don’t read the testimonials on their website. Instead, try googling for reviews on other websites from people who have shopped with the company you’re looking into. Places like forums and twitter are great when you can find firsthand accounts from regular people (and therefore much less likely to be a paid/sponsored post).
- Refund policy
Some stores will allow the art to be returned. Others won’t as there is a chance the art has become damaged while it was out of their hands. If you’re confident in your purchase, then this won’t be an issue, but if you want the peace of mind of being able to take it back then make sure to check out their refund policy.
- Shipping Rates
Original art is usually sold pre-stretched on a frame. This means its large, heavy, awkward and just generally difficult to transport. Add on top of this the fact that pieces are one of a kind, and extremely valuable and you realise that shipping art will be a justifiably expensive operation. Some companies offer free shipping, but check the fine print ot make sure this includes insurance, and is a door-to-door service.
My 5 favourite online art retailers in New Zealand
Now that we’ve done our homework, let’s take a look at my 5 favourite online art stores here in New Zealand. These are all stores that I’ve either dealt with personally, or heard awesome reviews of over the years.
Let me know what you think, and if you’d add anyone to the list?
1. mobileart.co.nz
The mobile art gallery is an online firm that sells and leases art pieces across New Zealand. They operate primarily as an online business, but to take viewings by appointment at their Mount Eden gallery space.
The nest point of difference with mobileart is they allow both corporate and residential customers to hire an art piece of their choosing based on monthly payments which are clearly advertised on their website. You can even structure the payments to buy the art once the lease period elapses.
The website also has a mobile app where clients can browse and purchases artworks, and superimpose the artwork onto the walls of you house to create a ‘try before you buy’ through the power of technology – pretty cool!
Finally, mobileart also offer an art installation service within Auckland which works out at around $128 per hour. This is a great option when you consider the logistics of transporting and hanging a large piece, especially when access is restricted
| Physical Location | Mount Eden – Auckand (viewings by appointment) |
| Price Range | $$ – $$$$ |
| Art Styles | All |
| Other Services | Installation, mobile app, art rentals |
2. macandmor.nz
Macandmor is another local website that sells a broad selection of primarily New Zealand art pieces sourced from all over the country. The site offers high-quality artworks across at fair prices. This company is based in Tauranga and comprises local artists who work together to sell their paintings.
One benefit of the macandmor site is that it offers a no-risk buy and return policy. In short, it means that when a buyer receives art and finds it’s not up to their standards, they can return an art piece to the gallery and will receive a refund.
The website’s art gallery is organized in alphabetical order making it easy to navigate. There is also an artists’ page where you can know more about the artists who crafted the art pieces.
| Physical Location | Tauranga (viewings by appointment) |
| Price Range | $$ – $$$$ |
| Art Styles | Abstract, landscape, |
| Other Services | Refund guarantee |
3. bunnyart.online
Bunnyart.online was founded during the first COVID-19 lockdown and is owned by the same folks who started mobileart (see above!). The site was created to offer New Zealand artists a platform to post and sell their own work – trying to give small artists a leg up into the world of selling art online.
They also conduct fundraisers through their platform to support learning institutions and businesses in New Zealand which is an awesome way to give back to community.
Bunnyart has a good art catalog where you can select items depending on price or style. You can also opt to browse the entire art catalogue without using any search filters, or filter by artist to see who is currently exhibiting on their platform.
They offer a 7-days money-back guarantee on undamaged returns – which is great for peace of mind when deciding what to buy.
I personally love browsing their catalog to see who is up and coming on the NZ art scene.
| Physical Location | Online only |
| Price Range | $$ – $$$$ |
| Art Styles | Varies based on current artists. |
| Other Services | 7-day refund policy, community fundraising. |
4. Endemic World
These guys have made quite a name for themselves in the NZ art scene. Though most people know Endemic World for their prints shop, they also offer a good size selection of original art.
You can view all original paintings in their physical gallery at 62 Ponsonby Road, or shop the collection online here:
A few perks of Endemic World is they offer free shipping, without a minimum spend – awesome since shipping is often pretty pricey (especially for framed art).
| Physical Location | Ponsonby – Auckland |
| Price Range | $$ – $$$$ |
| Art Styles | Abstract, landscape, |
| Other Services | Free shipping, prints |
5. Artbay.co.nz
Artbay.co.nz is one of New Zealands most established online galleries. Based out of a beautiful headquarters in Queenstown, Artbay have a truly massive collection of original works from over 70 New Zeland artists.
Prices range from around $250 all the way up to $40,000 – giving a hint at the breadth of their collection.
Artbay offer a huge number of additional services including layby, 7-day returns, affordable shipping, and access to the NZ Gallery Fund which offers interest free 12 month loans to NZ resident trying to buy art.
They also have a consultancy service, and have an app to superimpose the piece onto your walls at home. All-in-all, if you need help getting art onto your wall, artbay.co.nz will be able to sort you out.
| Physical Location | Queenstown |
| Price Range | $$ – $$$$$ |
| Art Styles | All |
| Other Services | Layby, Gallery Fund, International Shipping, Consultancy, Mobile App. |
Conclusion
Like I said at the start of this article, I firmly believe everyone should own their own piece of original artwork.
By buying original, it helps all the artists out there keep creating, and it means you get something that is truly unique and truly you. Art helps introduce a human touch in a world where we are accustomed to machines and electronics. It also helps to validate our humanity and breathes life into a room or house.
Stores like mobileart, artbunny, artbay, endemic world and macandmor make buying your own piece of original kiwi art easy, safe and fun – but they are just the tip of the iceburg. There are plenty more galleries out there stating to take art to the internet.
I hope this article has helped you on your way, and you find a piece of art you absolutely fall in love with. Let me know in the comments below what you found, and where you found it!
You can also checkout some of my other articles to help you pick the right art for your home.
