Many people would think that statement was the absolute truth. Nay Nay this is not the case. Need some convincing? This article from ARTINFO  has some interesting insights on that topic. http://www.artinfo.com/news/story/32129/tips-for-novice-collectors/

They present some strong points, here are a few:

They make the point that in economic downturns there are fewer buyers resulting  lower prices and more affordable selections.”

Another point made was to buy directly from the artist for better prices They also suggested art walks and open studio events.

They also suggested  Etsy.com. Art is their 3rd most popular category of  items listed.

I have to add my own observations from a seller’s perspective about  etsy. There are so many vender’s offering  similar items that it creates a very price competitive market place. Competition brings down prices. This is a  great opportunity for the buyers.

One more thought I’d like to add is this post by Clairan Ferrono  that I found to be  very insightful,

“Recently many art quilters have been successfully submitting their work to art shows rather than fiber or quilt shows. Over the nearly ten years that I’ve been an exhibiting artist, there’s been a shift in the perception of art quilts within the art world. Although some of this persists today, the categorization of art quilts as “craft”rather than “art” (which resulted in many art shows saying specifically “No Fiber”) is fading. Increasingly critics, museums, galleries and curators of major exhibitions are recognizing that the use of the medium defines art, rather than the medium itself….So if you are an art quilt fan, look for more and more art quilts to appear at art exhibits as well as in galleries and museums. And keep in mind that art quilts are still a bargain in the art world — great for the new collector! “.