Finding a new gallery for your art can be a daunting task for many artists and not all artists have that natural-sales-ability. But, the number one Cardinal Rule for any type of sales is sell yourself! So how does one do that?
First of all, honestly ask yourself a few important questions:
- Am I ready for a gallery?
- Is my art salable?
- Is my art technically good?
- Have I developed a recognizable style?
- Do I have a cohesive body of work ready to display?
- Have I had success selling my work in art/craft shows, out of your studio and other non-gallery venues?
- Do I have the time to fulfill the supply & demand of a gallery?
- Do I have a website that showcases my art and information? (This is not a must, but highly suggested)
- Do I have a portfolio, bio, resume & artist statement?
If the answers are yes, great - you might be ready to take the next step toward finding the right gallery. If the answer is no, then do not put yourself in a vulnerable position. Approaching a gallery before you are ready is kind of like putting a gangly teenager in modeling school. It won't help your self-esteem and it most likely will bruise your ego. Be patient and hone your craft until the ugly duckling turns into a swan.Okay. So you are ready for a gallery. Now it is important to do-your-homework and think about where your artwork belongs in the art market. This is easy to do and you can start from home:
- Flip through art magazines and look at gallery ads and the artists they represent.
- Checkout gallery websites and see if your work would be a good fit for them.
- Talk to fellow artists and have them suggest galleries to you.
- If you paint traditional floral still life paintings don't bother approaching a gallery that specializes in contemporary abstract art.
- On the other hand, all galleries are looking for that fresh artist to add to their "artists' stable" but - within its own genre.
No comments:
Post a Comment