Galleries: Friend or Foe?
One of the burning questions, for a large number of artists, is, Are galleries worth their 50% cut?
One way to look at this is a simple check list of what the gallery is going to do for you, in an ideal relationship:
- Pay for the space to show your work, and all the attending overhead costs:
–Rent for a good location
–Heat/light/insurance/decor/administrative costs/staff
–Advertising
–Exhibition costs: display, brochures, ads, opening night expenses, etc.
- Create lasting relationships with buyers and collectors for your work
And yes, you could…Do all of this yourself
I had a private client once confess that he tried both ways: to be his own salesperson and to be in a gallery.
And he kept track of everything. At the end of two years, he discovered that his expenses were the same as the 50% commission he would have paid a gallery, and he had 50% less time to work on his craft.
Another artist told me
My galleries have the locations and do the marketing that I cannot do or do not have the budget to do. I am always available to spend time with the staff to make them familiar with my work and techniques. These people are trained to sell. With this additional knowledge, they will tend to use it and thus they promote my work. The galleries know how to sell. I know how to make. It is a good partnership.
So, what do you think? Are galleries worth the cut?
Written by Ariane Goodwin
Posted under Information, Marketing Your Art
Tags: art, exhibitions, fine art, gallery, gallery relationships, visual artist
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549 days ago,
Robin Maria Pedrero said:
I don’t consider the 50 % a negative especially now that I have been working with some galleries for years, that are reliable, handle my art with care, and seek and secure collectors of my art. I do however build that in to my price points.
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549 days ago,
Nancy Christy-Moore said:
I’m happy with the representation most galleries give me. In addition to sales, having space in a reputable gallery enhances my image as a professional artist. Private sales often occur partly as a result of that perception on the buyer’s part.
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549 days ago,
Sari Grove said:
Sigh… Why does it seem that even when I’m with a gallery, I’M the one who ends up closing the sale ? I’M the one doing all the talking…? Looking back over the years, all the sales I have made through galleries, have been sales where I was there, holding the collector’s hand, doing the sales pitch…all the things I thought THEY were going to do…Is it just that I had hoped I could just paint & nothing more ? & that really, even with galleries, the artist still has to be present & still do much of the leg work ? probably I guess…
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549 days ago,
Ariane said:
Sari,
I think it’s the simple human factor. Collector’s aren’t just buying a piece of art. They are, in essence, buying access to you.
Your work is a mirror, a reflection of a creative act that calls out, in some mysterious way, to their own creative being.
Bless the opportunity. It’s a gift to create and to share, and that reality isn’t lost on your collectors.
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549 days ago,
Kathy Ostman-Magnusen said:
A gallery with a ‘good reputation’ is well worth the 50% or whatever they charge. (Not all galleries charge that much) The biggest problem I have run into with galleries is that anyone can also open one. I have found that so many of them know little about how a gallery should be run, what their responsibilities are to the artist and how to create a long term relationship with an artist and their collectors. I have run into just about every problem in the book with galleries and found ‘many’ to be a heartache and headache. I have a fantastic gallery in New York now and have been represented by them for about 3 years. Wow! What a difference professionalism makes! YES they are worth every single penny of their required percentage.
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548 days ago,
Lyne Marshall said:
I think the fine line is finding the right gallery, as Kathy mentioned in the last post . Then they are worth all we pay them in commission. It have had some awful experiences in galleries where the Directors have been artists. But I have worked on both sides and had the interesting journey of being both artist and gallery owner through going into major art fairs under my business name. I work with the artists but make the rules about how work is hung etc. Beside the huge costs of exhibiting in these major events I have made a few discoveries……
Artists can be very unreliable, so I know how the galleries feel. They need stress money..
Gallery owners accept me at these events as one of them and I
havent found it a disadvantage, [learnt a few tricks of the trade ]although one of my ex university tutors expressed shock, horror. Can’t make everyone happy..I am over art for arts sake
I have seen how people respond to me work. I have seen them cry, wow… and buy it while they are at it. So no more starving artist…
You dont always get this feedback from galleries. Although I have been burnt in past working with galleries, the worst when you have to keep asking for your money, I know I still need the right one to represent me and they are worth the commission they charge if they are hardworking and have my trust.
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548 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
I’ve had both really wonderful and truly horrofic gallery experiences. Up to our recent national economic reversal, I’ve regarded the 50% price tag as well-spent. I am seeing now, however, in order to keep a competitive edge in the gallery and get those art-buyer dollars, I am forced to reduce the price of my work to accomodate that 50% price hike, just to make sales. This is about survival and if you want to survive now, you have to drop the price of your work. That 50% hike is not looking so good to me now. Does the gallery still sell my work ? Yes, but it’s kinda hard to see it go for so much less than I feel it is worth. I keep reminding myself of art marketing guru Jack White, who says if your work is selling too cheap, you’re on your way up the artist success ladder. The only other thing about galleries that is irksome is those who have a liberal return policy. It supposedly encourages sales, but strictly from a sales persepective, it also encourages impulse buys which often yield buyer’s remorse, which translates into a return. I’ve NEVER had work returned at a gallery until this Dec when I became represented by a very classy gallery in a large city near me. He allows people 30 days for returns, which I think virtually INVITES people to bring the work back; I don’t agree with it at all. One man bought one of my Tuscan landscapes, appeared to love it ( was there opening night), kept it one week and brought it back to exchange it for another of my works, same size, kept that one for two weeks and brought it back, exchanged it for another artist. So now, I’m in the hole with the gallery because they paid me for those works. They sold two more small works of mine, but I don’t get any of the money because I have to pay off the return. See what I mean ? Can’t suck enough. So it’s a love-hate thing with me. Love that they promote and sell, hate that they charge so much. Common sense would be to soften the sell to fit the current market, lower prices all around to make the purchase more attractive to the buyer. People aren’t going to spend 4 figures for artwork when they’re worried about mortgages and jobs and their 401K. I have no problem adjusting my prices, and with my resume, thank God, my buyers get that and appreciate it. The gallery hanging on for dear life to that arbitrary 50% figure, not so much.
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548 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
As an aside:
I read your Smartist tip on photography. I don’t agree with you at all. Yes, you have to get specific training to learn to photograph your own work and do it well. Of course, the photos are a sales tool, so it is critical to get it right. There’s a learning curve, but it is well worth scaling. I have worked very,VERY hard to eliminate all the middlemen in my business. I used to pay a photographer, but quickly saw the cost was eating up alot of profit. I think it is an imperative to learn to photograph and reproduce your own work; you learn so much in the process. I do all my own photography, except for very large scale works ( which I rarely sell in these troubled times), I make all my own prints and also learned to make my own giclees. It saves me a HUGE amount of $$$, which translates into savings passed along to buyers, which yields more sales. I also offer many different price points of my work. If the buyer wants my work but can’t afford an original, they can buy an Art Poster for 49.95. Being able to manage each aspect of bringing your work to market is key to survival; so I am all in favor of artists taking the time not just to make the work, but learning the full gamut of reproducing it, including image-editing. Makes all the difference in the world, and besides, NO ONE knows your work like YOU do ! Don’t be afraid to try; get some mud lamps, a good camera ( at least 8 MGP) and get to shootin’. There are many resources on the net to teach you how to light your work and get the best shot; certain photog magazines will show how to, as well. Then you have to get a professional-grade image-editing software program, such as PhotoShop, and learn it. It takes time; this is hardly an overnight or weekend project, but it is one that will make you much more independent and infinitely more savvy about selling your own work, and will equip you to make more sales and put more $$ in your pcoket.
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548 days ago,
Ariane said:
Susi,
You’re completely right. And bravo for you! Clearly you have the dedication and competence to do it all.
However, it’s a mistake to assume others have what it takes to follow your lead. Some artists are perfect for hooking up to whatever learning curves a business demands. Others are not.
I’m speaking to those who are not technically savvy, nor want to be, but whip out any digital camera and shot.
That said, even since that post was written, the fluid changes of technology are making it easier and easier for most artists to tackle the learning curve in short order.
So, it behooves me to update that post, wouldn’t you say? And your comment here is the perfect propulsion I needed! So thanks!
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548 days ago,
Karen Martin Sampson said:
Regarding galleries I thing the commission they take is well worth it if they do a good job of showing your work and are responsible enough to pay you in a timely fashion after a sale. I also had a rep for commercial work and the commission I had to pay was, again, well worth it. I didn’t have to pound the pavement any more or give the sales pitch; more time for actually being in the studio.
As for photographing work, I had a course in art school and learned to set up lights, etc., but the easiest way I have found is to take the work outside on a nice day and put the work in open shade, make sure I line up the edges to be square in the viewer and then bracket the shots. It has never failed for me. I also have a simple photo editing program, iPhoto, which serves well for almost any slight adjustments I have to make, as well as cropping the edges. I have also used professional photographers on occasion and never felt their results were any better than my own.
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548 days ago,
Sari Grove said:
Just to add to the photography conversation…I do most of my own photography, almost all…Except for- I needed a full set of professional slides of a collection which was already in a gallery, for a museum…One of the other artists showing also did stock photography & offered two sets of slides plus shooting with his pro equipment for $150.00 …The work was exceptional & better than anything I could have shot…totally worth it…(galleries always give me a yes with these photos…) I also paid an art photography company to shoot individual transparencies for giclees…one at a time…(again, the work was tremendous…) For the internet, my own digital shots are fine, seeing as I often downsize the pixels for easier loading anyway…But for something really special-like that gallery you have been aching to get into- paying for one set of photos can make a huge difference…just not all the time…
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548 days ago,
Karen Martin Sampson said:
I agree with you Sari; for that really “aching to get into” gallery having professional shots taken could be well worth it. I have been considering it for a new series of paintings I ‘m doing that I REALLY hope to get into a certain gallery… Otherwise, for general use I just can’t afford to pay for professional shots, and I have never had any negative comments on my own photography.
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548 days ago,
Daniel Sroka said:
50% is a pretty standard wholesale discount for anyone wanting to sell a product in a retail space. Art and galleries are no different. Of course there are good galleries and bad, there are galleries who are suited to your work and not. If an artist feels one isn’t “worth” 50%, it is their resonsibility to find another outlet
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548 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
Ariane, you’re just awesome !!~…believe me, I get that some folks just don’t wanna hear it about managing all aspects of marketing their work; God bless ‘em, I say, I want to keep as much as of my $$$ as I can ! :) I actually have area artists that ask me to teach them these things, as well as some marketing campaign tactics. I am always amazed that everybody doesn’t know this stuff. I have no special training; I educated myself; I get WebPro newsletters, Art Business News etc etc, and I learned the hard way, good ole’ trial and error. It’s a college wide open to anyone who wants to learn.
As for Daniel’s reply, leave it to a photog to make a black-and-white statement. :):):):)
It’s not always that simple and straight-forward, Daniel…there are only so many galleries in some areas, so you are obliged to find a way to work with the ones you have access to; that can mean compromise, or maybe even just sucking it up if you want to make sales and remain competitive.
Yeah, you can always take your work to another state, if you can afford the shipping/ins and work involved; I’ve certainly done that many times. There is alot to be said for working with a gallery close to home, though, dramatically decreases overhead, even if the gallery is less than perfect from the artist’s viewpoint. It’s not always going to be a honeymoon, I learned that a while back. So, you just go with it, do the best you can, compromise where you can and cash the durned checks where you can’t. :)
Your work is incredible, BTW. I LOVE your close-focus flowers !!~ Could be awesome abstract paintings, those.
[Reply]
548 days ago,
Molly Gordon said:
This is such an important topic, Ariane. Just today I was speaking with a client who had said she thought she sold more work directly to buyers than through galleries. When I asked her for specifics, we discovered that most of the direct sales were two people who had seen her work in a show.
I’m also glad the topic of promotion came up. It’s a wise artist who expects and even looks forward to having conversations with serious buyers. Every artist should ask their gallery to share contact information for buyers. (This is subject to negotiation. It must be clear that you don’t intend to sell to the buyer behind the gallery’s back.)
For artists to show in distant places and it cannot be present for their shows, it’s important to equip the gallery owner to train his/her staff to present the work. What’s obvious to the artist is not necessarily obvious even to a gallery owner or collector.
Bottom line: it’s all about the fit. The gallery that is right for you is the gallery that benefits greatly from showing your work while providing you with the exposure, presentation, and sales that you need.
[Reply]
548 days ago,
Daniel Sroka said:
Sorry if I was brief in my last comment, but I was typing the last reply on an iPod, which doesn’t encourage verbosity.
True, it’s not always easy. But I think many artists often forget they are a business, and that a gallery is really just a store. Being in a gallery has no importance unless they are showing and *selling* your work.
So we all have to find ones we can work with: be businesslike, and only work with galleries that are businesslike. And if you have your work in a gallery that is not pulling its weight, look elsewhere. Yes, it may be tough to find another gallery, but if your local one isn’t selling (or isn’t paying you, or marketing you, or whatever), then what other choice do you have.
And Susi, thanks for your kind words on my work.
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542 days ago,
Diane said:
Susi,
You are filled with such great advice! You should write an e-book on how to be a thriving artist and make a profit. Your website is really good also. You said you have figured out how to make your own giclees. Did you buy one of those large printers? I can make small prints on specially prepared canvas that will run through my home printer made by Fredrix but I am wondering about you personally make prints larger than 8 x 10? Is there another answer except for investing in a $5000 tempremental large format printer? I sure would appreciate any advice out there.
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542 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
Hey Diane~ :)
How kind you are, and thank you !Actually, your suggestion about a marketing/promotion book for artists is something I’ve been seriously considering for quite a while. I get asked DAILY about tips and tricks, and I am always fielding questions about online galleries/what works/what doesn’t/what to avoid like the Black Plague and what to delve into and give ‘er a go. Some of these things seem so common sense to me that I can’t imagine any book I’d write would garner the sales it’d need to make it worthwhile, but I’d like to be wrong about that. :) I already have a book on Amazon.com ( not about Art, a non-fiction work); you can search my name to find it, if you care to. ( I won’t be so disingenous as to use this forum to promote my book, just sayin’, I know how to write and market a book, so maybe a book on Art Marketing For Artists might be the thing ????)…I’d love feedback on this idea, BTW.
As for investing in a large format printer, I have an Epson PhotoStylus 2200 that a photog pal bartered me for a 4 figure painting of mine. :) LOVE that when it happens. :) I can print fairly large works using a paper roll, but use it only for work 11″x14″ and under because the last year or so, that’s mostly what sells. For larger works, try signing up with a site like ArtWanted.com. You have to upload high rez images, but you can then merchandise your work into a variety of goods, such a mouse pads, mugs and ceramic tiles. I bought several as test pieces, believe me, they came out spectacular. I am using these to augment my show sales, again, offering a wide range of price points is key in this economic climate. So the buyer loves my work, can’t afford or won’t spend even 49.95 for a poster; they CAN buy a 19.95 mouse pad or mug or ceramic tile, all under 24.95. This is a brilliant way to use every-day items as a “gateway” to your work for new buyers. ArtWanted.com also makes it possible for you to produce your own giclees; you can have them printed on canvas, gallery wrapped, etc; many different options. I like that I have a modicum of control in that venue that I may not get otherwise. Also, there are no minimums so you can buy just one piece at a time if you like. They have a built-in quality control aspect in their upload program which immediately shows you what sizes and formats you can merchandise your work, based on the quality & resolution of the image you upload. The better your camera & PhotoShop skills, the better the image you’ll upload, and that’s what makes all the difference. It’s a no-fail deal. The pricing is REALLY reasonable. Look into it, see what you think. I have often used high end graphics biznesses to repro my work/make giclees. I honestly can’t say that what I get from ArtWanted.com is any less quality than the printers and graphics guys I’ve used ( and given fortunes to) in the past. Again, the giclee you end up with is directly related to the quality of the image you upload, but once you master that, you’re golden.
Just a wee disclaimer: I am NOT affiliated with ArtWanted, in any way other than being one of their member artists. Just like if I knew a great deal on brushes and had a discount coupon, I’d tell you about that, too. :)
Try uploading and printing one of your paintings at the site, see how you like your finished product. Hand-enhancing giclees gives value-added to your price point and makes the work more desirable, so you may want to think about that if you’re not already doing it. There are loads of places that will make giclees for you, but if you’re cost-conscious, try the site I mentioned; Image-Kind has the same services, but I don’t find their image quality control software quite as vigilant or reliable.
Another thing you may consider is time-sharing a large format printer; get a group of artist/photog pals together & do a group purchase, and agree on a location it will stay, and split up costs like ink and electricity among you; there are lots of wonderful large format printers you can buy used or re-conditioned, you don’t have to buy brand new, just be sure to buy a well-known quality brand. Epson seems to be state-of-the-art for my artist friends & myself, too., I highly recommend it. I don’t recommend LexMark. HP has several wonderful large format printers, also.
Welp, any more questions, I’m happy to answer if you want to ask and feel you can rely on my answers. Just remember, Art is a business, and as such has most of the same principles guiding it as any other form of commerce. This is something I see lost on most artists.
[Reply]
542 days ago,
Sari Grove said:
…just be careful…for every artist making money on giclees there are ten thousand more just spending a lot of money with little return…the serious art market knows that a photographic reproduction is a photographic reproduction, even if they doll it up with a nice french word…There is also a take on your time commitment, which says to just spend your time making better originals, rather than trying to sell multiples of work that weren’t selling as originals at gallery prices…
The previous comment is excellent, for the question- just don’t lose sight of the big picture…try to be a better artist,
not a better buyer of art prints …(which is what happens when you end up with those unsold giclees sitting in your basement, or that really nice printer…)
[Reply]
542 days ago,
Kathy said:
Tell me what you think of this situation I went through with a gallery last year. First off, I had a signed contract 50/50, and my contract listing all my prices. I was contacted via email by said gallery owner one night, asking if I would come down in price. I wrote back that yes I would. I didn’t say how much exactly, only that I would. I had noticed too that perhaps on one of two paintings, including the one in question, I had priced it higher than I normally do.
OK-next morning my husband called the gallery to discuss the painting, (I don’t like talking money, another reason I have contracts). The owner was not there, but the salesperson said that she had indeed sold the painting ‘the night before for asked price’.
OK-next I was contacted by the gallery owner who asked me to ‘change the terms’ of said contract and ‘split it THREE ways’. She wanted to give the salesgirl a ‘bonus’ for the sale.
Ridiculous isn’t it? I don’t even know where to begin on just how many things were wrong with ‘that’ picture.. pardon the pun.
OK, yes of course I should have given the salesperson some kind of gift (?)
I said no, a contract was a contract, that’s why we sign them.
After that I was pressed by said gallery to lower my prices. But! a ‘precedence’ had been established. The most obvious reason was on behalf of the person who had purchased said painting the night before.
I AM curious about other thoughts.
Oh- the whole giclee thing? I for one am over it. I have stock of them that I am selling out and have no plans of doing more, at this point anyway. I could change my mind.. lol! Personally I think that if an artist is dong that well with them, then they are probably ready for a publisher and that of coarse is a whole other ballgame.
[Reply]
542 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
Can I slip in here again and make a point about giclees ? I don’t have a huge backstock of them. I don’t make giclees of a work until I see it is getting a great deal of interest, the prints are selling briskly and there’s alot of buzz around that work. THEN I’ll make ONE giclee, see how it moves. If it goes quickly, then I make another. It is both not cost-efficient and unwise for the value of your portfolio to start cranking out giclees with no solid indication there’s a market for them. A giclee is meant to be a more attractive price point for potential buyers who are balking at the original price tag. Again, this is about common sense survival, not building a backlog of repros to get dusty and moldy. I do print-on-demand with my website; if they want to order the giclee, they do, THEN I make it. For the big regional shows I do, if I know a ptg has sold well in prints, even if the original hasn’t sold yet, I’ll make a smaller giclee and offer it, they always go. Print on demand is the way to offer this price point without breaking the bank or stockpiling; neither are good business. Not to offer your work in a wide variety of price points is also not good business if you’re trying to make a living. Of COURSE you want to make great originals, but making a great original doesn’t mean it falls within the discretionary spending of everyone who sees it and loves it. Make sense ?? :)
As for your gallery experience, Kathy, when any gallery steps outside your contract, you are within your rights to remove your work or at least demand they adhere to your contract. I’ve NEVER given “gratuities” to gallery personnel; they are salaried for their work and almost always receive commissions, too. If I’ve been with a gallery for a while and they’ve done well for me, I find ways to show my appreciation, but never “bonuses”, which would be the gallery owner’s responsibility, not yours. I feel bad that happened to you, Kathy; I’d take my work out of there, sounds verrrrrrrrry fishy. :( I would like to urge you to be more protective of your contract; let it defend your interests, that’s what it’s for. If the gallery owner/curator signed it, then they are LEGALLY obliged to abide by it.
PS–if you’re going to have your husband talk business for you, it’d probly be a good idea to give him a title ( such as artist’s agent) and get him some biz cards so your credibility is not affected. I doubt most professional galleries would even agree to speak to your husband or anyone else on your behalf if they’re not specifically named in your contract as your representative. That’s the precedent you want to worry about because it can come back real quick to bite you on the fanny.
[Reply]
542 days ago,
Sari Grove said:
The branch that bends with the wind doesn’t break…I believe that gallery owners are people, friends, allies…Not contracts, enemies, traitors…Times are tough & art is a hard sell these days…Finding a new gallery right now is like pulling teeth…Poeple are human & make mistakes…The most important thing is to have healthy & honest communication with the gallery who represents you…By sending in your husband, you are breaking off real communication & creating room for further misunderstanding…The details.The details.The details are, how much money would you make on the sale compared to your costs, even with the dumb three way split…? Are we talking splitting three grand three ways ? Did the salesgirl do something out of the ordinary, like shine the collector’s shoes or something? (Obviously something extraordinary must have happened for the gallery to want to change the contract?)
You said yourself you maybe had overpriced…So, lowering your prices is a step in the right direction…Developing a long term gallery relationship means bouncing ideas back & forth, fighting, forgiving & learning each other’s rules…
geez, you sold a painting, the collector wants more, you should be drinking champagne…stuck with these people, they are willing to go the distance for you, even if it means emailing late, making after hours sales, talking to your husband instead of you…They sound like real people…& they will get better at it too…I’m gonna bet on it…
p.s. again, I repeat, giclees are just a word for a photo reproduction, it ain’t rocket science…
p.p.s. life is messy…what you put in a contract may not always apply to that moment in time…you gotta roll with the punches…
[Reply]
542 days ago,
Sari Grove said:
um…people…&…stick with…(see, everyone screws up…are you going to ditch me for making a few typos?)
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
I think this forum is fabulous; there is so much valuable input from folks who obviously are working hard at making a living in Art.When we get to talking about contracts, however, and how they are utilized, it is a fool’s errand to allow deviations outside the terms of your own contract. In the first place, your contract should be crafted in such a way that it just about represents you/your work the same way you would if you were standing in the gallery 24/7. You don’t bend with the wind when it comes to contracts; to do so can send the very clear message that you are unprofessional or even unsure what matters to you for your own work. Know what you are about and put it in the language of your contract BEFORE you go to a gallery. Run it by a lawyer, better yet, an Art & Entertainment Lawyer who specializes in such contracts. Get yourself a book or two on art legal documents; there are several on Amazon.com, and study hard, use what you learn. Making it up as you go along, either on your part or the gallery’s, is asking for catastrophe. Offering or agreeing to a “split” from your end is just business suicide, teaches the gallery you CAN be manipulated and they will do it again and again. Once you ignore your own written instrument, the sole protection you have aside from counting on the integrity of the gallery, you have shot yourself in the foot big-time. You can’t expect a gallery to respect your work and your wishes if you don’t.
Agreeing to talk to your husband instead of you is a liability in the professionalism ledger for this gallery, period. No reputable, respected gallery I’ve ever dealt with would EVER agree to speak to anyone but myself about my work, period. That’s how it’s done. This is business; the gallery works for YOU. You are paying THEM a commission from your work. It’s all well and good to be pleasant and personable with gallery staff, but at the end of the day, IT IS BUSINESS. They’re not there to be your bud; they should be about cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship with you, though. Asking you to give up any more of your end is NOT mutually beneficial. Think of it this way: If you had an employee you hired under contract and they broke the rules of that contract in a big way, how long would you keep them on ?? The gallery works for you, not the other way around. That can be an important shift in artist-think insofar as dealing with galleries. It can be a very satisfying experience and should be; but only if you’ve made careful preparations in your business plan, most notably, crafting a solid contract that encompasses protecting your work the way you want to. If you don’t conduct your art business like a business, then you can’t realistically expect any gallery to represent your interests wholly. This is the single most common error I see artists make: conducting their business like it is a hobby they don’t know much about and find distasteful to deal with. It’s nearly an accident when an artist with that mind-set makes money. Be about being professional; learn the ins and outs of doing business, represent yourself fully, advocate for yourself/your work; earn the respect of gallery owners by having a comprehensive contract and knowing enough about the business of Art to be successful in it, in whatever your definition of success is. To do anything less is unworthy of your work.
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Daniel Sroka said:
Kathy: I think you are right to stick to the contract — politely but firmly. The gallery’s 50% commission should cover all of their expenses, including any bonus for sales people. They of course can ask to renegotiate — but only for future sales, not existing ones.
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Nancy Christy-Moore said:
Absolutely agree with the last two comments. If the person you’ve signed an agreement with can’t uphold their end honestly, you don’t have an agreement with them – they have violated their trust, so the agreement has ended. Time to move on. Unfortunately many galleries know there are more artists who want/need to exhibit than there are galleries, so many take the low road and cheat the artists at their whim. When you discover this situation, pull the work and lick your wounds. I’ve had relationships with galleries for over 25 years and met all kinds. I’ve had to pull work out of at least 3, but have had that many and more who were honest and did a fabulous job representing me and their other artists. After awhile you get an intuition about them when you are approaching them. I always give a new gallery 6 months to represent me initially. If they do their job, I stay. If not, I’m out of there. Remember you are your work’s best representative and if you believe in it you won’t let anyone diminish it’s value by cheating you.
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
What they said. :):):):)
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541 days ago,
Kathy said:
First, I just want to clarify about using my husband to do my negotiating, he is my acting agent, and we consider my art as OUR BUSINESS. He does all my shipping, framing, a lot of phone work, , scouting for new galleries, promoting, etc. so his interest in ‘our investment’ (which is HUGE) But that is kind of neither here nor there in this general blog. I almost think it is more important to bring out the points that were conveyed by others, that yes, an artist needs to stand up to the plate in regards to their own work.
Sari… huh? Is there any other ‘profession’ that is more trampled on by both the client and quite honestly our own selves, by not honoring our own efforts and work? What other profession, even being a maid in a hotel, can you think of that would allow negotiations AFTER the fact? “Example’ where that might be acceptable?? Can you think of any other situation where people would even dare? Cause honestly I can’t. Women especially just don’t honor themselves as they should.
When I consider my investment into my ‘profession’ I am ‘astounded’ at times, as all artists should be if they are serious about what they do. Just considering the financial end; canvas’, easels, paints, brushes, art library, office and supplies,computer, dues, brochures, portfolios, shipping, storage, phone, electricity, studio space, framing (we have a full frame shop jut for my work), sometimes a lawyer, gas, a van/truck to haul art in, giclees, prints, sketchbooks, on and on and on and that is just a partial list for painting. What if you do sculpture as well, as I do? All of this is to say nothing of the TIME spent to get anywhere at all. There is time spent on actually doing the art, then time to learn, time in promoting, time hauling art and supplies, on and on. Time worrying about the latest work for good or bad, and not being able to sleep all night, as you try to figure out how to do the work ‘better’, than the last painting or whatever. I could go on and on about this list as well.
BTW, yes that painting actually DID sell for $3000. I personally don’t think that matters in the bigger picture here, but to give up an extra $500., and to give the gallery owner $2000. and me get $1000. ? After MY financial outlay and time, to say nothing of a breeched contract? Nope that was too big a chunk to negotiate over.
The idea too that an artist would begin to lower their prices after a sale and not honor the ‘investment’ of their collectors is just not appropriate. Think about the woman who bought my painting for $3K the night before, coming into the gallery and seeing slashed prices. Wouldn’t that just stick in your craw? If you saw that an item you bought the night before, say a couch to go ‘under’ one of your paintings, had gone on sale the very next day, after you paid full price, would you ask for that sale price? Do I give my ‘collectors’ deals? Yes, but I don’t slash my prices in galleries for non collectors. It isn’t professional. I say all this w/thoughtfulness and do not mean to sound aggressive, only an assertive artist.
One last thing, I agree! THIS IS A GREAT BLOG! THANK YOU!
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Sari said:
Kathy,
What I was trying to convey is I don’t think you should leave the gallery just ’cause they were a little inappropriate…
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Kathy said:
OK Sari, perhaps I responded defensively (?) But I do think that if you detect that the gallery owner is not honest, as in this situation, that it also speaks to how much we value our talent/career/art as well. Mistakes? Or even stretching the truth a bit? Sure, I am always first in line to say, I have made a zillion! and allow others the same latitude. But in business, dishonesty is a different story.
[Reply]
541 days ago,
Susi Franco said:
Know what, Kathy ? At the end of the day, it doesn’t MATTER what anyone else thinks you should do !! If you’re uncomfortable or unhappy w/the gallery, then take your work outta there. Sounds like you won’t have too much trouble locating another gallery happy to represent you in a professional & honest manner. Keep your chin up, sounds like you’ve got an awful lot going for you in your business. BTW, I salute you on having a spouse who fully supports your work the way you described your husband does. That’s a hard thing to come by, believe me. Best wishes to you in your career~
Warmly: Susi
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