Last time I was in Alexandria, I stopped in the Principle Art Gallery.  They had a lovely collection of mainly paintings, although there were some sculptures as well.  We spent quite a bit of time in there because they had a varied collection.  The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable.   Check out the link to their website below. 

http://www.principlegallery.com/published/

Last weekend I visited the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA.  There were a myriad of treasures and something to suite everyones taste and budget.  Each artist has their own store within their studio so you could actually watch the artist work and chat with them as they create their next masterpiece.  I highly recommend a visit if you are in the area. 

Visit their website and check out the directory of artists.

http://www.torpedofactory.org/

Last year we visited Kennebunkport, Maine for a family vacation.  We visited a few art galleries to find just the right memento for our visit there.  We ended up at the Morris Trainor Art Gallery in Kennebunkport and found a lovely original watercolor by Bob Arsenault.  It is very different because it portrays the sea at night with dark blues and purples – and a full moon.  The gallery staff were very knowledgeable and helpful and they shipped it home for us so we didn’t have to take it on the plane.

Another must see gallery when visiting Niagara-on-the Lake is Ed Spera’s.  He is a very talented wildlife artist that captures every last detail.  Mr. Spera travels extensively in order to photograph animals that he recreates on canvas.  His clients buy paintings based on the pictures from his travels so check in frequently if you want something specific. 

http://www.speraart.ca/index.html

Every time we are in Niagara-on-the-Lake we stop by the Angie Strauss Gallery.  She does beautiful art work including florals (my personal favorite), landscapes, and vineyard scenes.  Ms. Strauss accepts commissions as well.  We bought a piece from her and it makes me smile every time I look at it. 

http://www.angiestrauss.com/

Original art is undoubtedly an investment, but most pieces will give you a nice return on your investment in the future.  I used to buy prints exclusively because that is all I thought that I could afford.  Over time I realized that I should be more open minded and have found some great pieces for reasonable prices.  I am more likely to leave a spot blank than buy something I don’t absolutely love just because it is cheap and I need something on the wall.