This morning, I was reading through an art forum that asked about whether artists should list prices of their artwork on their websites. In fact, I've seen several discussions on this topic, and many respondents had voiced that if you're working with a gallery, then you shouldn't post prices on your website - just in case the gallery raises your price or lists a different price.

So here's a few questions:

Who Owns Your Business?  Who Makes Executive Decisions?  Who Pays Your Taxes?  Who Sets Retail Prices? Whom Do You Work For?  Who Works for You?

During my Internet meandering, I came across the following quote...

You must always know the details of your contract with a gallery up front. If you’re free to show at other galleries and such, then rules change. But if the gallery that represents you does not allow that, then you are obligated to fulfill gallery prices. Period. That means you cannot offer collectors prices that differ from prices in the gallery. No wholesale prices, no discounts, etc. This is the price you pay for gallery representation. A price that is far too expensive in my opinion.

The part of the quote above that I have the most difficulty with is - "gallery that represents you does not allow that."

Who Runs Your Business?

I don't know about you, but I think it's time for artists to realize that galleries work for us, not the other way around. We are in charge of our business. We can sell our own work, but sometimes it's advantageous to have a gallery sell for us when they serve a clientele that we could not otherwise reach. However, that does not mean a gallery takes power over our business practices, prices, or tells us what to paint, e

As long as artists are desperate to get representation by galleries -- galleries will take advantage of artists.  Not all gallerists are crooks -- I know several gallery owners who would never dream of raising prices behind an artist's back. There are some really great, honest folks out there to represent you.  Gallerists who pay on time - every time, do not inflate prices, while keeping the difference, do not give discounts without your permission... and this is the way consignment business should be conducted.

I Do Like The Idea Of Working With Galleries

Over the years, I've recommended many artists to gallery owners, but I only recommend these artists to dealers that have a flawless reputation with artists. A lot of heartache and frustration can be avoided if you get references from other artists before signing on with a gallery.

So, from now on, realize that you are the one who calls the shots.  It's your business, and you determine whom to work with and what are fair business practices. Of course, this means that you are completely honest and fair in your business transactions. Decide what your price scale is ahead of time. Do not let gallery owners tell you what they allow and what they don't.  They are not your parents - they are your partners; there should be room for negotiation.

For example, one of my friends signed on with a gallery close to her home that disallowed her working with any other gallery in a 50 mile radius.  So she dropped the contract with a gallery that had been doing a great job for her-- in order to go with this new, untested gallery. Why did she do that?  I have no idea - perhaps it was because the gallery was closer to home or because it carried renowned artists. However, there should have been room for negotiation. I would have talked to the new gallery owners explaining why I didn't want to leave my former gallery in order to work with hers... especially since the 1st gallery was over 40 miles away from hers.

Set Your Terms Ahead of Time

So next time a gallery owners asks to see your work for consideration, think about which terms you will accept and which ones will not work for your business. Don't ever be desperate - desperation on your part invites folks to take advantage of you. Draw your boundaries. We must set up working systems with them that benefit both parties and take advantage of neither.

I plan to send out a newsletter next week that describes what conditions I set when I write my own contract for gallery representation. If you'd like to begin receiving my email newsletters, go ahead and sign up on this website. You can unsubscribe at any time, so don't worry about being spammed or locked in.

Sincerely,
Lori

Here is another re-post of an article I wrote last year. I've learned a bit more about writing blogs since then, so please forgive me if this is not really written all that well...

About a decade ago, I wrote a series of articles for Watercolor Magazine called "Advice From Experts". The editors gave me full reign of the topics I chose to highlight. So, being intensely interested in the area of art marketing, I wrote articles that interviewed high profile gallery owners and what they like to see in artist submissions to their gallery.

Art Submission Protocol

In the years since, I’ve come to know and befriend many gallery dealers. There is definitely a protocol that dealers generally expect when artists approach them for representation. But before I talk about how to submit materials to galleries, it is important to put the horse before the cart, and talk about the art work that is to be submitted. After all, you could have a best materials and portfolio, but if your subject matter and style is "all over the place" - in other words, too varied, you will be at a disadvantage. Before you approach galleries, it’s wise to spend some time developing a professional looking, body of work that exhibits an easily recognizable and consistent style of your own.

A Cohesive Body of Work

 

Think about some of the artists that are listed in the high visibility shows and galleries in the U.S.. When I flip through magazines like Southwest Art, Art of the West, and American Art Collector, I see many familiar names of well known artists, and immediately, I know what each artist’s work looks like and the particular subject matter each specializes in. There’s no doubt about it, artists who’ve experienced success have a well developed, individual style. Many specialize in one subject matter. For example, Kathryn Stats paints landscapes, and so does Scott Christensen and Matt Smith. Robert Coombs prefers romantic figurative works. There are exceptions though - some artists paint figures, landscapes and still lifes, but these artists have a cohesive style that translates through all their subjects. Two come to mind. David Leffel and Richard Schmid.

All of this is to say that if you want to look professional and get a gallery owner’s attention, your paintings will need to look like they’re all painted by one artist. Now, you’re probably gonna look at my website and say to yourself, well... she doesn’t practice what she preaches! And, you’d be correct – at least for now. But I am currently on a journey to find out what I love to paint most. Last year, I had three galleries: one wanted only my still lifes, another preferred my landscapes and the third really didn’t care but didn’t sell any of my paintings. I should have never let myself get into this state of affairs, and I could have avoided it by first developing my body of work with the subject matter I love most, and then approaching the galleries, with the visual statement, "This is what I paint"... period. If you don’t have a style that you are known for, gallery dealers will sometimes ask you to paint what they know their customers want to buy. Since I have the ability to paint a variety of subjects, I let them fragment my art into whatever they liked best. It emotionally wore me out, and I pulled out of all three galleries in order to begin anew -- finding out who I am as a painter without outside pressure.

Paint What You Love - Love What You Paint

I am currently developing a series of landscapes because this is the subject matter that most speaks to my heart. As I push the brush over yards and yards of canvas, my individual style is naturally emerging. Which leads me to the next statement... Paint what you absolutely adore painting, because if you get known and collected for it, you’re likely to be stuck with it. Collectors sometimes get nervous when their artists go off in a totally different direction. It makes them wonder if the works they previously purchased are devalued.

So let me finish up this segment with some encouraging words: If you haven’t gotten to the point where you’ve arrived at a style of your own, take however much time you need to get there. Seek the subject matter that you adore, and get better at it than you ever thought you could. Also, it doesn’t hurt to set your best paintings aside for national competitions. When you get into those shows, it builds your resume, gives you affirmation, and lets gallery owners know you’re in it for life.

This is a post from last year, but I've decided to move it up to the top.  Here in the northeast, spring is the time when galleries begin to think about opening for the summer. What follows is how I've checked out galleries while fooling the staff into thinking I'm a collector and not an artist.
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When artists shop for a gallery, they should avoid acting or looking like an artist, but take on the mood of a collector... why, you say? A few reasons: First, you’ll want to know how attentive the gallery staff is to those who walk in the door. Secondly, you’ll be able to assess how much they know about the artists whose work they carry. If the staff suspects you are an artist, you may be written off and even ignored (bad sign - as many artists are also avid collectors).

So, how does one avoid looking like an artist?

Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a few passionate art collectors who are not artists, and I’ve observed that they do not look at paintings in the same manner as artists do. When artists enter a gallery (usually in groups) - they all look at art in exactly the same way: Each artist covers the perimeter of the gallery, looking at each and every painting, then looking at the price, and additionally they get their noses up close to see how it is painted. Then they start to talk about how it is painted. Even if you never verbally mention anything about technique, this type of viewing will automatically give you away.

The typical non-artist collector walks in the gallery, smiles at the gallery personnel, and then surveys the entire gallery at once with glances in every direction. When something catches their eye, he or she will proceed toward the piece for a closer look, but mind you, not a CLOSE look. Collectors typically are not interested in every artwork on the wall or the prices of the paintings they’re not interested in. OK... so when a collector moves in for a closer look, I mean about 5 feet away. If the painting is large, he or she may stand 10 feet away. That person is trying to get a feel for how it feels to live with a painting and perhaps how it appeals to them emotionally. If the painting strikes an emotional chord, they’ll look at the price tag. Some will look at the price tag a bit sooner because there’s no sense of falling in love with something that he or she can’t afford.

Don't Go By Yourself or With Other Artists

Now, back to you... that artist. DO NOT let the gallery know you are an artist at this time. For me it helps to visit galleries with my husband (we are collectors) or a non-artist friend who doesn’t know diddly about how to paint, but loves art. If there are works that interest you, or better yet, if you happen to know one of the artists the gallery carries personally... ask about that artist. See if they’re doing a good job of promoting their artists. Incidentally, I visited a New England gallery with one friend who was showing there. Her paintings were sitting out but on the floor against the wall. There was no proof that they had been hung before we arrived. I did not let on to the gallery owner that I was an artist. I noticed another painting (by another artist friend of mine) – it was leaning on the stair railway, and sideways! What kind of representation is that? Well... I’d not want to work with that particular gallery.

To sum it up: take a day trip with a non-artist, art loving friend to a gallery district, have a wonderful lunch, and play it like a collector.

The Breakfast Club

Back in 1995, I began attending a local artist gathering - which we affectionately call "The Breakfast Club". In '96, I wrote a feature article for Watercolor Magazine on 3 of the artists who attended these Wednesday breakfasts in Nashua NH.

Over the years, my attendance has waned - mostly because my husband and I spend weekends nearer to Keene NH, and I've been spending a lot of time on the road. But this morning, I decided that it had been too long since I'd seen my friends in person and not on facebook.

The Daily Painters

As the morning progressed into noontime, I listened as these artists spoke of their recent success or lack of it where sales are concerned. It seems that some, who had been working successfully with galleries for years, have not had any sales in months. While those who have been selling for several years with "Daily Painters" have been selling at about the same rate. While I do not list with Daily Painters (because I don't paint that often, and would be lying if I put "daily" on my logo), I have sold more this year on my own than when I was working with galleries. The galleries I have typically worked with are in resort locations, and travel is way down right now. If these folks don't travel to where the galleries are, then they won't see and fall in love with the artwork at these locations... resulting in poor sales for every artist in those galleries.

On the other hand, artists who have a list of their collectors on hand (like those who sell through Daily Painters, blogspots, or from their website), have the ability to contact their previous buyers. I have the names of a dozen or so who have collected my work in the past, and since I'm not currently working with a gallery, I have begun to work with these folks directly via my email newsletter.

Lifelong Collectors

Yesterday, Clint Watson of Fine Art Views wrote about how one contact can become a lifelong collector. Meanwhile, Seth Godin recently blogged that having 10 people who love and buy what you do -- might be all you need to make a living.

The folks on my email newsletter list are those who already own and/or  love my work. As a bonus, they seem interested in helping me with my career, and are eagar to promote my work to their friends and relatives. Because I'm not with a commercial gallery, I can ethically charge lower prices or offer a lay-a-way plan for those who really want to own my work but don't want to put it on their credit card. I can offer unframed or framed. I'm much happier getting a few less hundred dollars for a painting, yet actually knowing the people who bought it than selling it via a gallery to a stranger.

Knowing my collectors personally has made a huge difference for my sales. Once someone buys one work from you, they are many more times likely to buy again. This is a known fact. During hard times, I like to offer my most loyal collectors incentives that make it easy to own my work. Because I don't have an expensive overhead - like gallery dealers do, I can afford to make exceptions.

Artists Helping Artists

Back to the Breakfast Club. Many of the artists were worried or feeling desparate - especially those who are dependent on their income from art sales. One had lowered her prices at a gallery to the point where she was making less than $100 after the sale. I know her work, and it is certainly worth much more than that. My suggestion is that she needs to get her work in front of a different set of buyers - those who are used to spending $400 or more for great artwork that is framed and ready to hang. Maybe she can no longer afford to sell though a gallery that takes 40-50% for $250. Perhaps she might do better by starting over with a good website and building a new following, one customer at a time. I can't say for sure, but meanwhile, her work is just sitting there. One of her galleries - where she was the #1 seller, has shut down for the winter months. Something's got to give.

People Are Still Buying and Collecting

There are still people out there who buy artwork, but they don't necessarily want to have to go on a trip to a resort to find it. Perhaps we artists might consider courting these art-lovers directly in the comfort of their homes by helping them acquire the work they love, then I think we may have a work-around during the recession.

For those of you who are continuing to work well with galleries at this time, please don't change anything. You need to support those who are doing a good job for you. Some galleries have such a loyal clientele that they get through recessions just fine. As my tennis coach in college said:  If you're winning, don't change a thing.. but if you're losing, try new things until you begin to win.

Please feel free to comment or share your ideas with others who read this blog. Working together by sharing what's working is the way to go.

Sincerely,
Lori

When difficult economic times seem to knock down art sales, I wonder why the price of art can't be flexible like the price of housing or gas? I realize that when artists are working with galleries that their retail price needs to stay rigid, so that collectors will pay the same price for an artist's work at any venue for that artist (including the artist's web site). I also understand that if galleries and artists lower their prices, that galleries probably won't be able to pay their rent, electric bills, and for ads - the price of these things never goes down.

With a 50% commission, if the price goes down too much, nobody makes any money with a sale.

But here's my question: If I, an artist who is currently selling through my own efforts, decides to keep my prices low or offer some works at bargain prices (maybe 25% down from regular), is there any reason why I should not do that? Is it ethical? I am not going below my previous gallery prices because my gallery sales took place a few years ago and those I've sold recently via galleries were priced very low as well.

One of my galleries routinely raised prices on artists' work - in this case, it was done ethically. The gallery dealer let the artist know about the higher price and paid the full 50% commission of the final sale to the artist. So... no problem there.  But wait a minute! Now the retail price of that artist's work has gone higher and higher, and it cannot be lowered... ever?  Not even during economic downturns.

Then the boom goes bust, and artwork seems too expensive and just sits on gallery walls. When the housing boom went bust, the price of homes came a tumblin' down, but not so with art prices. So some of these artists, who were doing fairly well in previous years, now can't pay their bills. So what's an artist or gallery dealer to do?

I really don't know that answer...  But here's my Question!

Why can't the price of artwork be flexible - especially in the middle range. If folks know that they can get an artist's work for less during down times, won't it spark a buying trend? Then when more money is flowing later, the artwork will increase in value (yeah, I know I already said that), What about the law of supply and demand?  Demand is down for certain price ranges right now. I've heard from a dozen or so artists who've had successful careers but their sales have dropped off drastically.

However, there ARE artists out there whose pricing is flexible, and they're doing OK. For example: a few artists I've been conversing with who sell on Ebay have not experienced a drop in sales - just a drop in what people are willing to bid, but the number of sales are nearly the same. So those artists are making "some" money, while some I know, who just deal with galleries -- well, sad to say, haven't sold anything in months.

This isn't to say that there aren't plenty of folks out there still buying art right. Some artist have seen an increase in sales. Jeremy Lipking has had a great year! Artists who've made a name for themselves on a national level, don't seem to be affected, but what about the rest of us?

I'd like to hear from some of you - see what your thoughts are on this issue. Don't be shy now...

Lori

 

Shopping For a Gallery

When artists shop for a gallery, they should avoid acting or looking like an artist, but take on the mood of a collector... why, you say? A few reasons: First, you’ll want to know how attentive the gallery staff is to those who walk in the door. Secondly, you’ll be able to assess how much they know about the artists whose work they carry. If the staff suspects you are an artist, you may be written off and even ignored (bad sign - as many artists are also avid collectors).

So, how does one avoid looking like an artist?

Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a few passionate art collectors who are not artists, and I’ve observed that they do not look at paintings in the same manner as artists do. When artists enter a gallery (usually in groups) - they all look at art in exactly the same way: Each artist covers the perimeter of the gallery, looking at each and every painting, then looking at the price, and additionally they get their noses up close to see how it is painted. Then they start to talk about how it is painted. Even if you never verbally mention anything about technique, this type of viewing will automatically give you away.

The typical non-artist collector walks in the gallery, smiles at the gallery personnel, and then surveys the entire gallery at once with glances in every direction. When something catches their eye, he or she will proceed toward the piece for a closer look, but mind you, not a CLOSE look. Collectors typically are not interested in every artwork on the wall or the prices of the paintings they’re not interested in. OK... so when a collector moves in for a closer look, I mean about 5 feet away. If the painting is large, he or she may stand 10 feet away. That person is trying to get a feel for how it feels to live with a painting and perhaps how it appeals to them emotionally. If the painting strikes an emotional chord, they’ll look at the price tag. Some will look at the price tag a bit sooner because there’s no sense of falling in love with something that he or she can’t afford.

Now, back to you... that artist. DO NOT let the gallery know you are an artist at this time. For me it helps to visit galleries with my husband (we are collectors) or a non-artist friend who doesn’t know diddly about how to paint, but loves art. If there are works that interest you, or better yet, if you happen to know one of the artists the gallery carries personally... ask about that artist. See if they’re doing a good job of promoting their artists. Incidentally, I visited a New England gallery with one friend who was showing there. Her paintings were sitting out but on the floor against the wall. There was no proof that they had been hung before we arrived. I did not let on to the gallery owner that I was an artist. I noticed another painting (by another artist friend of mine) – it was leaning on the stair railway, and sideways! What kind of representation is that? Well... I’d not want to work with that particular gallery.

To sum it up: take a day trip with a non-artist, art loving friend to a gallery district, have a wonderful lunch, and play it like a collector.

Lori Woodward Simons

What Galleries Want

About a decade ago, I wrote a series of articles for Watercolor Magazine called "Advice From Experts". The editors gave me full reign of the topics I chose to highlight. So, being intensely interested in the area of art marketing, I wrote articles that interviewed high profile gallery owners and what they like to see in artist submissions to their gallery.

In the years since, I’ve come to know and befriend many gallery dealers. There is definitely a protocol that dealers generally expect when artists approach them for representation. But before I talk about how to submit materials to galleries, it is important to put the cart before the horse and talk about the art work that is to be submitted. After all, you could have a best materials and portfolio, but if your subject matter and style is "all over the place" - in other words, too varied, you will be at a disadvantage. Before you approach galleries, it’s wise to spend some time developing a professional looking, body of work that exhibits an easily recognizable and consistent style of your own.

Think about some of the artists that are listed in the high visibility shows and galleries in the U.S.. When I flip through magazines like Southwest Art, Art of the West, and American Art Collector, I see many familiar names of well known artists, and immediately, I know what each artist’s work looks like and the particular subject matter each specializes in. There’s no doubt about it, artists who’ve experienced success have a well developed, individual style. Many specialize in one subject matter. For example, Kathryn Stats paints landscapes, and so does Scott Christensen and Matt Smith. Robert Coombs prefers romantic figurative works. There are exceptions though - some artists paint figures, landscapes and still lifes, but these artists have a cohesive style that translates through all their subjects. Two come to mind. David Leffel and Richard Schmid.

All of this is to say that if you want to look professional and get a gallery owner’s attention, your paintings will need to look like they’re all painted by one artist. Now, you’re probably gonna look at my website and say to yourself, well... she doesn’t practice what she preaches! And, you’d be correct – at least for now. But I am currently on a journey to find out what I love to paint most. Last year, I had three galleries: one wanted only my still lifes, another preferred my landscapes and the third really didn’t care but didn’t sell any of my paintings. I should have never let myself get into this state of affairs, and I could have avoided it by first developing my body of work with the subject matter I love most, and then approaching the galleries, with the visual statement, "This is what I paint"... period. If you don’t have a style that you are known for, gallery dealers will sometimes ask you to paint what they know their customers want to buy. Since I have the ability to paint a variety of subjects, I let them fragment my art into whatever they liked best. It emotionally wore me out, and I pulled out of all three galleries in order to begin anew -- finding out who I am as a painter without outside pressure.

I am currently developing a series of landscapes because this is the subject matter that most speaks to my heart. As I push the brush over yards and yards of canvas, my individual style is naturally emerging. Which leads me to the next statement... Paint what you absolutely adore painting, because if you get known and collected for it, you’re likely to be stuck with it. Collectors sometimes get nervous when their artists go off in a totally different direction. It makes them wonder if the works they previously purchased are devalued.

So let me finish up this segment with some encouraging words: If you haven’t gotten to the point where you’ve arrived at a style of your own, take however much time you need to get there. Seek the subject matter that you adore, and get better at it than you ever thought you could. Also, it doesn’t hurt to set your best paintings aside for national competitions. When you get into those shows, it builds your resume, gives you affirmation, and lets gallery owners know you’re in it for life.

Well... to the easel I go! Landscapes it is!

Lori

 Approaching Galleries

If you have not been selling your artwork, then it may be wise to test how saleable it is before approaching galleries. There are a couple of straight forward ways you can do this: Do outdoor shows in your area and enter nationally renowned fine art competitions. Outdoor shows are a great way to learn about the business of framing and preparing your works for sale - and you’ll get face-to-face feedback on what folks like about it. The competition is fierce with national competitions, but if you place at all - it’ll be a good step in proving the worth of your work.

For example, if you enter an Oil Painters of America show (you must be a member), and your work is accepted, this lets you know that you’re on the right track. If your painting sells at the show... whatever you’re painting, keep on painting it. There are also great magazine competitions by American Artist and The Artists’ Magazine. For these, you only need the image of the painting. You won’t need to send the work to a show.

Your Body of Work

It takes some time to prepare for gallery representation. Here’s the part that’s hard to hear: You should have at least 10 spectacular paintings, same style, and preferably similar subject matter. These paintings should be framed professionally and ready to hang. Artists who sell well in galleries and gain a following of collectors have developed their own style. There work is not "all over the place" with subject matter or color or brushstrokes. The work is recognizable from across the room as this artist's work. Some artists do paint many different subjects, but they have a distinct style.

If you don’t have a body of work like I described above, and you haven’t developed a style, I suggest you look through art magazines and dog-ear or tear out pages that have paintings that you love. Most likely, you’ll begin to see that these paintings have something in common - and it’s also likely that your eventual style will be similar. Copy the works of artists that have been dead for at least 75 years (to avoid copyright problems). Then paint and paint .... paint your own compositions (from life or your own photos)... and you will arrive at a style after a time. How long it takes depends on how often you paint. I’ve been developing my style for a number of years - I enjoy Hudson River School type landscapes and realistic floral still lifes. That is who I am, and that is what I strive to paint.

There is a market for all kinds of subjects and styles, but don’t try to get away with saying your paintings are impressionistic or abstract unless they are very well designed. It is far easier to paint in a realistic style than to construct a fantastically composed abstract work. There is so much more to it than what meets the eye.

Researching Galleries

Unless you’ve built up some credentials through placing high in competitions or have had many sales at local galleries, submitting your work to well known galleries that advertise in magazines may be a waste of your time. Sure, if you’ve had your work published in magazines and got honorable mention in American Artist’s Cover Competition, you probably can reasonably submit to a top gallery. These galleries have such high rents and costs that they really cannot afford to take on an artist who is unproven with collectors.

The good news is that there are many, many other galleries in great gallery districts across the nation that sell very well. But before you call anyone up or send a letter, make sure you select a gallery that sells work that is similar to yours (not the same, but the same type of art). For example, I would not approach a gallery that sells abstract works. My work would fit in best for collectors who appreciate historical paintings or realism. If you are an abstract artist, don’t bother contacting a gallery that shows realism. Good galleries don’t have work that’s all over the place either... they know their clientele, and they don’t try to sell to every taste.

Unless your work is known nationally on some level, it’s a good idea to target galleries that are within a day’s drive of your home. For one thing, it saves on shipping costs, and it’s easier for a gallery to stay honest with sales if they know you might be stopping by. The closer to home my gallery is, the easier it is for me to work with the owner. For one thing, I live in New England which means I can easily paint in New England - and galleries in NE will sell scenes that are local. Still life doesn’t matter so much, but even so, tastes in New England have a traditional bent.

So once you’ve found (and visited) several galleries you feel your work will fit well in, you might call and ask if they are accepting artists submissions. Of course, the person you’re talking to will say no... they have all the artists they need.

So, preface your question with, "I paint Hudson River Style Landscapes in oil, and my work won third place in International Artist Magazine’s landscape competition. I’m looking to add a gallery in your location. Are you currently looking at artists’ portfolios? You have to have some ammunition to hit them squarely between the eyes to get their attention. That is why I say that it is better to prove your work by getting some credentials before approaching the better galleries. If they are interested. Ask for the gallery manager or owner - then ask if they prefer to see a portfolio (photos, bio, and resume) or your web site. If and when they ask you to bring work in for viewing, only bring a few of your very best works. Never show the gallery person everything you’ve ever done... not only will you bore them to death, you won’t look like a pro.

Now some local galleries - that are frame shops or are not in art districts or tourist towns, are much easier to get into... especially if you paint realistic subjects that have a wide appeal. Most of these galleries sell prints and some original art. I advise not to let the gallery frame your work before it’s sold, because if it doesn’t sell, you may be stuck with hundreds of dollars owed for custom framed paintings. Always do your own framing or let the gallery buy your work at a 50% discount of retail unframed at the onset.

I HAVE TO MAKE DINNER NOW

Well, I’ve gotta run, so I’ll need to continue this talk at another time. I’ll delve into how to get ready for that appointment with the gallery.

Hope you enjoyed reading this and got something from it.

Sincerely,

Lori

 

 

So, you want to start making some money with your art, eh?
There are lots of ways to reach collectors in today's art markets... outdoor shows, Ebay, web site, etc. However, many of my artist friends who have done very well at outdoor shows in recent years want to show in galleries, and although most galleries take a 50% commission, they like the affirmation that goes along with having someone else sell their work.

Not all galleries are created equal. Ideally, a gallery that sells a lot of work has the following points:

The gallery is located where there is foot traffic, expensive restaurants, and usually, no where to park. Old Town in Scottsdale comes to mind. In other words, in a classy arts and shops district. These places are usually located in resort towns. Some galleries can be out of the way, but they usually spend quite a bit of money on advertising in art collector magazines in order to interest and attract good clientele.

Now don’t fall for a gallery that boasts about car traffic on a busy street because folks who do end up visiting galleries generally need an alternate reason to be in the area. .. such as many shops and galleries, atmosphere and restaurants (which I’ve already said). No one will get out of the car to stop at a gallery while on the way to somewhere else. Maybe there are a few exceptions, but they are a few.

The ideal gallery should also have wonderful lighting, a glass front with paintings attractively displayed, and it should almost always be on the first floor. If it is next to another gallery, so much the better! Quality art is not inexpensive, and so a gallery needs to be in an area where wealthy people go for fun. Art collectors often like to visit as many galleries as they can in one evening. Art Walks are a great way to bring in folks on a regular basis. Where there is one successful gallery, it won’t be along before others crop up around it. That’s when the rents go up. It is interesting to note that many rents in high end art districts can run in the tens of thousands per month. Add $5,000 full page ads onto the cost, and you’ll see why gallery owners need to take 50%. They also can not afford to keep art on the wall for very long if it has not sold.

In fact, smart gallery owners do not let works sit unsold for months on the wall. They either call the artist and ask for an exchange of work or ask the artist to come pick up all of his or her work if nothing has sold. This is actually a good thing. Dealers who do this are interested in making a living and work hard to sell the work of the artists they represent. I have had to pick up work twice in my career - it isn’t a big deal... I’ve seen it happen that an artist took work out of one gallery, went into a gallery on the other side of town and sold a ton of work!

Some owners don’t like contracts, but I do, so if the gallery owner does not have one, I have them sign my own (2 copies) - one for me and one for them. It’s not complicated or unfair, but I expect to be paid within 30 days of a sale, and when it goes beyond that time, it lets me know there is probably financial difficulty or else the owner or manager is not good with paperwork. What that means to me is that I don’t really want those kind of headaches, and I arrange to show my work elsewhere.

Can I afford to be that snobby? Yep... you bet! I’m in business to make money, and possibly let my husband retire earlier than expected. On the other hand, I don’t see my art as just a commodity either... it has brought joy into the lives of art lovers. The way I see it: gallery dealers do not own me, nor are they my employers. They work for me as much as I work for them. It is a 50%-50% partnership based on trust and honesty;we depend on each other.

One time, a gallery dealer on the east coast delayed payment for almost a year (even though my husband called and so did I). She became permanently unavailable. Fortunately for me, one of the gallery’s best selling artists happens to be a good friend of mine, and when she threatened to leave the gallery if I didn’t get paid, the dealer made arrangements to see me in 2 days, and I got my unsold paintings back and check for those that had sold. I also found out later from a client that the gallery was asking way more for the retail price of my paintings than I had set. These kind of practices are illegal in most other business transactions.

 

Get References:

Once you’ve made an appointment to show your work (I’ll address preparing for gallery representation in a separate article), either contact the other artists in the gallery privately or ask the owner for a couple of references. If he or she gets annoyed - explain that you just want to be sure you’re getting into a stable business arrangement. If they look at you like you’re crazy... maybe you don’t want to deal with that person. If your artwork is good enough to sell in the gallery, you certainly should be treated with respect by the gallery dealer. You are both professional adults and should display mutual respect.

Ok, that’s enough writing for today. Feel free to comment or ask a question.

Sincerely,

Lori Woodward Simons