I know what I like...

Isn't that what people always say about art? I have a particular weakness for certain forms of art (screen printing, lino & wood cuts and photography).

Buying art is not exactly easy when you're living on starter salaries, but we've managed to pick up some pieces we love, and many of them are from Self Help Graphics.

{my first art purchase ever, by an unknown artist}

SHG is a wonderful organization located in East Los Angeles, started over 30 years ago by an amazing nun. It has evolved into a community organization that offers classes and work space to the local community, with a strong emphasis on Chicano art. They've been sadly plagued with financial problems and for a while it looked like we might lose them altogether, but so far they've pulled through.

{one corner of last year's purchase - Chavez Ravine by Vincent Valdez}

Every year they hold a print show, where you have a chance to buy pieces from resident and visiting artists. There are lots of limited edition screenprints and lino cuts, which makes it affordable. Last Sunday was our fifth year to attend the show.

I fell in love. Madly in love. I am a very, very practical person and I can spend hours deciding whether or not to indulge in a $30 pair of shoes. But I found this giant piece of art and I knew I was buying it. There was no thought process, no evaluation of the cost, no consideration of where in our tiny apartment it would fit, just an instinctive reaction. And really, I think that's how it should be, with art. I mean, this is why I'm practical the rest of the time, right?

It is a large format serigraph called On Route to County by William Acedo and it depicts the beautiful bridge that leads into East Los Angeles. I am not doing it justice because it is so incredibly detailed that a picture just won't cut it. This is a teeny tiny sliver of it. When you see it in person you just about fall into it - it's intense. I'm going to have to get a custom frame for it because it's too large for any of the standard sizes. And I better do it soon, because right now it is taking up our entire dining room table.

D picked up two amazing (and more reasonably sized) pieces as well. I'll share once we've got them all framed.