Arts & Culture: Consumers in search of that perfect piece of art often find themselves lost in a tangle of webs created by less-than-helpful gallery curators, bidding wars, and issues stemming from exhibit proximity and lack of time. Shopping for accents to complement your home décor should be a pleasant experience, one which you look forward to and that expands your creativity.

While attending a gallery exhibition definitely has its benefits?the hors d'oeuvres, conversation and cocktails?the draw of the crowd can often be overwhelming. We're not saying you need to succumb to the perils of dealing with large retail chains, which stock over-produced re-prints cased behind plastic frames. And purchasing your art in the same place you go to buy your milk is definitely out of the question. So, what do you do when you want designer décor but don't want to leave the house to find it? Buyoutsidethebox.com, an online art gallery, is an ideal solution for all of your creative needs.

With a name like Buyoutsidethebox.com, you can expect a selection that you most likely wouldn't find elsewhere. Ruth Mitchell, the creator of Buyoutsidethebox.com, traded in her career in magazine publishing in order to pursue a lifelong dream of owning her own art gallery. However, Mitchell wasn't one to sit behind a desk all day, pushing papers and dealing with the public. She felt her time would be better spent searching for innovative artists, new concepts, and artwork that ultimately represented something outside the box. Enlisting help from her business savvy daughter, Cecelia, Mitchell soon turned her dream into a reality.

"I had seen Web sites that sold art, but they were lacking in so many ways. I wanted more of an exclusive collection to be offered in a classy magazine format," Mitchell said. "We would start out small, but focus on quality, building on the original concept."

As an avid online shopper, Mitchell was determined to make her new Web site user friendly.

"I shop online a great deal myself, and two things I do not like are, having to register to visit a site, and paying a lot of extra costs as you check out," Mitchell said. "So, we asked our artists to factor in shipping. We can do that with most of the art."

With merchandise spanning the gamut, the Web site features paintings and photography, jewelry and glass, women's apparel and children's accessories, textiles and leather books, and a collection of well-written articles.

"Our theme is creative consumerism," Mitchell said. "Anything that falls under that umbrella will show up on our site."

In addition to the merchandise sold on the Web site, which is hand-selected by Mitchell from more than 50 artists, Buyoutsidethebox.com offers its customers the luxury of perusing featured collections by visiting their blog. The blog is much more than an extension of the Web site; it showcases a wide array of any and all things artistic while capturing the essence of creative consumerism. The blog's resourceful list of Arts and Culture Web sites proves to be a valuable tool for any creative mind. And with an extensive background in magazine publishing, you can rest assure that this isn't just some run-of-the-mill blog but rather a tasteful narrative covering everything from museum profiles to film reviews.

For LxM Christina Stewart