Point, Click, Collect.

Mike Monteiro's cheeky Untitled (my therapist)

As an art history major, I’m always on the lookout for an easy way to start collecting with unique pieces by young artists. Unfortunately, most galleries can be intimidating for a young collector, due to the typically haughty attitude of the gallerist and the just out-of-reach price points. So I was pleased to happen upon the website The Beholder a few months back, where pieces start at just under $50 and top out around $3,000, with most pieces in the $200-900 range. Browsing the site is a cinch, with helpful categories to view the pieces by price, size, or medium. There’s even an option for a 7-day trial, where you can return the work within a week for a full refund. Favorites include Mike Monteiro’s “Words” series, which consist of simple white Helvetica lettering on a black backdrop spelling out tongue-in-cheek phrases like “I hope my ex isn’t here” and “OK, but no gay stuff,” as well as Katie Baum’s gridlike photographs of flowering trees; the triptych Cherry Blossom would be the perfect choice for a D.C. resident to liven up those tired white walls. Whatever piece you choose, The Beholder makes it easy to ditch the stale Monet posters from your college dorm room and hang up something that’s really worth looking at.