Artists: How to Support Your Gallery (If You Have One)

A message from Art Publisher B. Eric Rhoads

News Flash: It's Not the galleries job to do 100% of the work. Successful artists understand that a gallery relationship is a partnership. If you help them sell more you will benefit. (Note: If you don't have a gallery and need one scroll to the bottom).

Congratulations. You just got accepted into your first art gallery! Now you can sit back and collect the dough from all the artwork they sell. Right? Well maybe. But there are things you can do to help your gallery sell more work. Here are some ideas:

1. Ask What You Can Do:
Most galleries will tell you what they need from you. But just in case its a good practice to ask, "What can I do to be an ideal artist in your gallery? What can I do to help you sell more artwork?" Every gallery is different. Some may tell you to do nothing while others may have specific requests. Listen carefully.

2. Start with the frame:
Though some galleries will select the frame, many expect you to put the frame on it. Fact: Good frames sell paintings faster and at higher prices. Most artists I know use inexpensive frames. The pros use high quality frames, which have better finishes. Most gallery owners will tell you that they have taken a painting off the wall after several months, re-framed it in quality, and sold it immediately.

3. Prepare a detailed biography:
Look for every possible angle you can add to your biography, which gives them something to talk about. Where did you study, whom did you study with, where do you paint, what is your background. Put it all in there. Chances are the gallery will edit out most of it, but they may keep things in, which you may have edited out otherwise.

4. Provide top notch photography:
Give a quality reproduction of every painting you provide. Make sure you photograph with color bars and grey scale so color correction can be exact. Provide HIGH resolution images so they can be blown up bigger in ads. Make sure you study how to do good photography (tripods, proper angles to avoid reflections, proper lighting, etc.) or hire a professional (you'll want images for your book someday anyway.)

5. Provide a Story for each artwork:
Stories sell. If there is a special story with a painting write it up and attach it to the back. "I backpacked 300 miles on a mule with 2 other painters. We camped by a waterfall and I awoke to find a moose drinking from the water. I quickly sketched him."

6. Provide Co-Op Dollars:
When you see galleries advertising they often (not always) ask the artist to pay a portion of the ad cost (usually half if the ad is just for that artist.) Provide co-op money when possible, especially if you have a big expensive painting you want them to sell.

7. Be Visible:
Win awards, be in shows, generate publicity, do anything you can to increase your visibility and create something for the gallery to talk about.

8. Offer Your List:
If you have a list of people who already have bought your artwork it cannot hurt to give it to the gallery. Again, think of them as your sales agent and don't assume you will be selling direct. They can use extra names.

9. Promote to Your List:
Email newsletters, new painting releases, painting stories to your list can be helpful. (Make sure the gallery gets them too). Make sure you list the gallery as the place to buy and provide a link.

10. Ask What Art They Desire:
While many artists reject the idea of allowing a gallery to dictate what they paint a practical approach is to listen to their requests and if you're comfortable, provide them more of what sells. Its fine to paint what you want, but if it does not sell it won't help your income. Maybe you can paint what you want and still provide something within the range of what they need.

11. Tag Your Website and email signature:
Make sure your email readers and web visitors know where to buy your work. Make sure the gallery is listed and linked.

12. Take a Shift:
Ask the gallery if you can pick a couple days to "babysit" the gallery. There is no better way for you as an artist to understand what a gallery has to go through with customers. If you can experience the role of a gallery sales person for a couple days you'll have a finer appreciation of what they go through. Understanding the gallery world will make you understand their needs more. It won't change your artwork but will make you a better artist in terms of your gallery relationship.

13. Don't be a Pest:
Gallery managers have to spend a lot of time babysitting all of their insecure artists. Don't call or email too much to ask if anything has sold (a good gallery will let you know). Don't complain too much. Ask how often they want to hear from you.

14. Show Appreciation:
The unwritten story is that no one wants to help a jerk. If you are a whiner, a Pre-Madonna, a jerk, a pest it will hurt your sales. Though most won't consciously "get even" some will sub-consciously. One artist I know buys the sales person who sells his art a special something with every sale. Chances are that they will push a little harder to sell his work. Incentives are wonderful, but make sure the gallery is okay with it.

15. Be a Fast Responder:
A Gallery can loose a hot sale prospect in a matter of minutes. They may need a quick question answered,  know of your willingness to make an adjustment or do a commission work. Give them your cell phone and answer immediately. Minutes can make a difference between a sale or no sale.

Good luck!! If you don't have a gallery and need one.... read below.

Eric Rhoads
Publisher
Streamline Publishing, Inc.
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In

PS: If you need a gallery we are having EXCELLENT success helping artists get galleries. Our magazine Artist Advocate runs images of your artwork (paintings, sculpture, photography, fine crafts, mixed media) and sends the magazine to over 6,500 galleries which sell original artworks, PLUS art licensing and art publishers. BONUS: One artist in our last issue ended up getting discovered by one of the major national artists magazines, which resulted in an article!

"I picked up a gallery with my first ad in Artist Advocate. The second ad yielded another new gallery, a featured show and a $20,000 commission. I can't wait to see what happens with the third ad! -Bill Wright

Read other testimonials here.
Go to the Artist Advocate Website here.

If you're interested in applying for an Artist Advocate Artist Listing Contact:

Kathleen Lawrence-Davis (kathleen@artistadvocatemagazine.com)
530-934-3687
Jaye Alison Moscariello ([email protected])
310-581-1578
Lisa Freedman ([email protected])
914-301-5184
Peggy Taylor ([email protected])
828-628-9021

Artist Advocate Magazine: Connecting Artists With Art Galleries on Facebook

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