I know a lot of indie game developers don't really like to pay for their game content and would much rather complete their games without paying a dime. In some cases however this is a little unrealistic depending on the capabilities of the development team, if there is one, and the kind of content that the game calls for.

I myself have a game where I originally tried to get all my content made on the cheap, with someone who wasn't all that serious about completing all the content. He was a part of the team and ended up leaving before it was all done. So now I have to redo all the graphics, which for me alone would be a nightmare. So I've elected to instead hire a contract artist to do the artwork that I need instead of scrounging for it all.

Here is where I draw a blank, where is the best place to find said artists? I've tried some graphics forums, but posting on those can be a little touchy and impersonal. I don't want just a volunteer, I'd rather set up a paid contract and have the work guaranteed. I need a specific set of graphics to made the game work and I don't want to play around trying to get it completed. I need a professional or at least a professional amature/indie.

What do you folks suggest?