Can’t quite afford to hook yourself up with an art dealer or design house but you’ve come to the realization that those cheaply framed Ikea posters and throw pillows that you and all of your room mates bought for your first apartment aren’t exactly reflecting your taste these days?

The East Side Culture Crawl (Nov 21-23) is your ticket. The annual three day event that brings us common folk together with East Side artists (painters, jewelers, sculptors, textile artists, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, printmakers, photographers, etc) in their natural habitat – the artists studio. The fun part is choosing which studios to visit and planning your own personal crawl accordingly. They have a useful and interactive google map on their website here.

Many blocks on the East Side make for great places to go for cool and affordable art, but the Culture Crawl (now in its 12th year) offers would be collectors the opportunity to bypass the galleries and hang out in the studio – where the real shit goes down. Not only are the wide range of wares on offer more accessible than those that are up-sold, but they come with a story and the happiness in knowing that you are dealing directly with the artist. In other words, it’s personal. In the ESCC’s releases they really nail it:

Purchase something that strikes your fancy, commission something to be uniquely yours, or just browse through the studios and meet the artists, learning about their specific works of art, materials and tools, approaches and techniques. This is a once a year opportunity to meet many diversely talented artists and view their creations in the studios where they work. Be part of this exciting event, which brings people from all over the Lower Mainland, and share in the imaginations that enrich our neighbourhood and lives.

Right on. For further details, click out www.eastsideculturecrawl.com or visit the sites of some of our favourite participants below:

http://www.arleighwood.com/
http://www.janetwang.com/
http://www.ounodesign.com/