From the article: How to Approach an Art Gallery with Your Paintings
Is it better to strive for success as a self-representing artist or try to get gallery representation? Art galleries are notoriously hard to get into and do take a large portion of selling price of a painting, but you get more painting time as you've saved the hassle of marketing and administrating sales. Or is it better to spend time running a website to sell online? Share your thoughts and opinions here. What Do You Think?
Going It Alone
- I am at the stage of looking for gallery representation however I am getting gradually more traffic and interest on my website. I find the concept of dealing with so-called art world snobs to be very intimidating but they are the ones who seemingly have the cash to spend? I am going to also approach some architects and interior decorators as I have no qualms in painting to someone else's ideas or colour schemes as that could be bread and butter work. My art has meaning to me and there are often hidden and personal symbols in there but if someone wants gold and silver colored paintings that look vaguely like sunsets, I'll do it too. If they want something to match the colour of their drapes, okay. If I want to be represented in a reputable gallery guess I will have to paint what their clients want but I love most all is the freedom to express my own thoughts and feelings in a painting. After all you can't eat pride!
- —Guest Christine Clark
Let the Galleries Come to You
- I've seen many of my artist friends work so hard to get into galleries because they equate gallery representation with success, and many of them were horribly taken advantage of by unscrupulous gallery managers and dealers. There are so many other venues to show art these days - libraries, small museums, coffee shops, restaurants and even doctors' offices. If you are approached by a gallery or are accepted into a gallery, do your homework and check references before agreeing to any shows. You might also want to make sure you can get copies of any contracts before you make your final decision. And if they won't offer you a written contract, walk away!
- —JenVan74
Considerations
- I believe a lot can depend on who your work is geared toward. If your paintings are geared more for an average home environment (e.g. sized below 3' x 4'), then selling through galleries may be actually detrimental to you. If your paintings would tend toward being placed in public spaces or large buildings, consider approaching architects and interior designers directly and working with them. If you want to sell to millionaires, museums, and, um, well, art snobs, go for the galleries.
- —BethPete
Selling Commercially, Is It Worth It?
- Commercial galleries sell paintings to make a profit. Most charge 45% plus vat (=60%). Most charge for extra services, ie, catalogues etc. On the first showing of your paintings you will be lucky to come away with any actual money for yourself (after transportation costs etc). Normally the galleries promise you a better return 'on the next show'. My advise is... don't bother with commercial galleries and go it alone, start a group, join a non-profit group of artists or sell on line. It's harder work but the return are more sustainable for the self-employed artist.
- —Denis
