Art buyers can still find great deals in the city

Believe what you read in the national press, especially given the arrival of New York's Galapagos space, and and you'll figure artists began to flock to Detroit just a few years ago. Luckily, they've always been here, and continue producing a body of work that often comes at a bargain price. Here are some likely places to look for good deals on a relative shoestring.

For almost a decade, Motor City Brewing Works has hosted a consistently popular art night each Wednesday. It's called "This Week in Art," and it features working Detroit artists offering smaller-scale work than usual. And some of the artists have been local heavy hitters, including Robert Sestok, Gilda Snowden, Carl Oxley III, Gwen Joy, and Glenn Barr. It's also a great place to meet local folks into art.

Long before people talked about "emerging artists," the Detroit Artists Market was pursuing its mission of being a market of art made by Detroiters. Since 1932, DAM has done that and more, offering educational programming, mounting art exhibitions, and offering everything from large-format work to gift-sized work.

1345 Division St., Ste 102, Detroit

This letterpress shop, founded in 2011, aims to preserve the craft of letterpress printing by teaching workshops. They also have a retail area where they sell original edition prints made the old-fashioned way, featuring the work of artists from Detroit and the rest of the state.

10125 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit

Co-founded by artist and teacher Mary Chase Perry Stratton in 1903, Pewabic Pottery is more than a ceramic studio. These days, it's a nonprofit school and studio, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991. But Pewabic has long been known for its shimmering glazes, and its tiles adorn many of downtown's grandest skyscrapers. Some are even on exhibit at the Louvre in Paris. They sell vessels and dinnerware, but their tiles remain popular. At $20, a lover's knot tile can make an unusual accent in a fireplace, or up on the mantel.

Every December Handmade Detroit puts on the biggest crafter bazaar of the year: the Detroit Urban Craft Fair. It hosts 100 vendors and takes place inside the Masonic Temple. The two-day event allows shoppers to peruse goods that might otherwise only be able to buy online, to meet with crafters, and generally enjoy the company of other DIY- and craft-lovers.

The College for Creative Studies students spend all year making work for this end-of-the-year exhibition, and collectors come early to snatch up paintings, photographs, sculptures, and more from tomorrow's great artists and designers. The opening reception is also a great opportunity to drink wine and stroll through the college's campus.