NOT ALL GALLERIES ARE ALIKE…

I have been experimenting with different styles of painting recently and some I like and some not so much. It is important to me that I keep reaching and growing as an individual and as an artist if for no other reason than to keep myself amused. We creatives spend large amounts of our time alone and if we just keep doing the same old thing week after week it gets pretty boring. At least it does for me.

Sitting on my table, softly whispering her story.

So let’s talk about galleries today. You have been creating your art, you’ve got your artist statement and a portfolio and now you are ready to find someone to sell your work, probably a gallery. What you need to think about at this point is what type of gallery is going to be right for you and your work. You will encounter two types of galleries and each operates quite differently.

The first type of gallery is what I would call owner operated. It could be owned by a company or an individual (who may or may not actually work in the gallery). There is often a manager who is responsible for the day to day running of the gallery and several employees who work for the business. The art that is shown in this type of gallery is selected by one or more people and is taken in on consignment. The work is arranged in the gallery by the employees and the artist will usually be paid a commission ranging between 50 – 60 percent a month or two after the art is sold.

The other type of gallery is what is called a cooperative or collective gallery. This type of gallery is owned and operated by a group of artists who show their own work in the gallery. There are no employees (the artists do all of the work including sitting the gallery) and the work on display is up to the individual artists. Each person is given a set amount of space for their art and they are paid an agreed upon commission at the end of every month on anything that that has been sold. Commissions are much lower in these galleries because you often pay dues and spend a fair amount of time every month performing your duties. Artists who become members of cooperative galleries generally share a common vision with the other members and these galleries can be everything from funky and dysfunctional to really quite amazing.

Before you approach a gallery, you should find out everything that you can about the gallery including what type of gallery it is, what type of work they show and what the general price range is. Even more importantly, visit the gallery! Look around. Talk to the people there, not about your art, but about the gallery and the artists that they represent. Get a feeling for the place. Are the people friendly, helpful, professional. Do you genuinely like the gallery and do you see your work there. I encourage you to be absolutely honest with yourself on this point and make your choices wisely.

Never, never, and again I say, never, walk into a gallery with your portfolio under your arm and ask if you can show it to the first person you encounter, especially if you have never set foot in the gallery before that moment. If it is the perfect gallery for your work you have just blown it and if it isn’t, then why are you asking? You would be surprised to know how many quivering emerging artists make just this mistake and it is (almost) never good. Always act like a professional, even if you have never shown your work in a gallery before. Call and introduce yourself. Ask if you can send some images of your work for consideration. Make an appointment to show your portfolio. It is what a good gallery will expect from its artists.

Entering into a relationship, a business partnership, with a gallery (or a group of artists in a co-op) can be wonderful or it can be a nightmare. The work you put into selecting galleries to approach will save you hours of wasted time and possibly some serious headaches down the road.

Personally, I only seek out businesses that are mentally, emotionally and financially healthy. I also prefer to do business with galleries that have been recommended to me by another artist (who I respect) and unless I know the gallery owners, I rarely do business with a gallery that is just starting out. I’m not shy about asking other artists about the galleries they work with, and I am especially interested in whether they pay their bills on time. Patience at this point in the process will reward you many times over!

Not a very spiritual post today but hopefully valuable. Soon to come… more from the heart.

Namaste,

Yarrow

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