Budget decorating: Use reproduction art

Want to hang a piece of art by Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali or maybe even Pablo Picasso on the wall of your home? Is the price for an original work totally out of reach of what's in your wallet?

Never fear. Fine art can be within your decorating grasp simply by turning to reproduction prints.

According to Doug Kerwin, president of Metaverse Corporation, reproduction art can include everything from black and white photography by Ansel Adams to the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci.

Kerwin's company provides open edition reproduction prints through its Web site, FulcrumGallery.com, as an alternative to high-priced original art.

"We don't sell original artwork," Kerwin said. "Prints are much less expensive and generally more well known.

"They are much better sellers, at least on-line. It is much more difficult to convince a customer to fork over $500 or more for a basically sight unseen piece of original art, than it is $30 for a print reproduction."

He said consumers wanting to purchase a quality reproduction can find a reputable dealer by looking through industry journals, such as "Art Business News."

"Many publishers and art suppliers advertise in those publications," Kerwin said.

He suggests customers find art that works both with their matching décor and their individual tastes.

Kerwin said favorite artists for many of his customers include prints by Georgia O'Keeffe, Ansel Adams, Salvador Dali, Michael Godard and Jack Vetterino.

He said the print used in decorating is ultimately left to personal taste.

"Personally I like abstract art," Kerwin said. "I like older houses that are renovated in a modern style and like to accent that with abstract art, but that's just my taste."

He said the fine art prints his site and other businesses offer often come off the same lithographic press as the limited editions prints.

"They are on good paper stock and are great looking images, and we feel they should be branded as such," Kerwin said. "Often customers are surprised that they are of such good quality and wonder why the price points are as low as they are."