Many people travel around the world only to bring back cheap chotskies or gifts bought for others. Sometimes it’s not having enough room in your luggage because you overpacked yet again, or not wanting to carry the weight of some heavy totem in your backpack, or even not having that “thing” you collect from every trip, like my mother’s shot glass collection.
Well, if you’re looking to have something more than your photos to remind you just how lovely your time was away, consider ART as a beautiful and lasting memory of your travel. Art can be surprisingly inexpensive, easy to pack and extremely lightweight.
When considering where to buy, choose local. Avoid the heavily touristed spots and look for small artist-run galleries or co-ops. In Dubai, I purchased original art depicting a desert oasis scene from the artist’s brother. He rolled it up tightly, taped it and it fit neatly in the outside pocket of my carry on suitcase. In Cusco, Peru, I met a local artist in her gallery one night. It was tucked away in a quiet meandering cobblestone street. After visiting with her, I picked out a small 8x10 sized sepia image of a village woman walking up that same path I had just strolled. I love supporting local artisans that I’ve actually met. If you have time, you can see the artist at work and even commission a custom piece. It feels good knowing I’m supporting the local economy rather than buying mass produced “Made in China” ceramic replicas of the Buddha while traveling in Thailand. Now every time I walk down a hall or pass through the living room, I see the art I bought, now framed and hanging up, and I’m taken back to that wondrous visit.
Here are a couple of tips to help you start your own art collection on your next trip.
Do your homework. Maybe paintings aren’t for you. With a little bit of research, you’ll discover that Morocco is known for colorful and intricately designed ceramic bowls. These can be small and light and stackable in between your clothes. Likewise you can collect small handpainted lacquer boxes from Russia. You may still want to bring gifts home for others. One of the easiest items I purchased for friends was a packet of 10 fine silk scarves from Vietnam. They were flatter than a t-shirt, wrapped in plastic to keep smooth and fit in my luggage beautifully. While Turkey is famous for copper, unfortunately you just might not be willing or able to lug around an authentic copper coffee set, although wouldn’t you love to have one?
And for those of you that don’t mind the heavy stuff, knowing which countries are famous for certain items can even allow you to plan your next holiday to decorate or even furnish your home. Travel to India for rugs and textiles, Africa for exotic wall art, Bali for teak decor. The list is only limited by your bank account and the unstamped pages in your passport. If you still can't figure out what kind of art to buy, print a favorite photo and frame it. You’ve just created your very own masterpiece!