A Confidential Discussion With an Art Gallery Owner

An Art Marketing Message from

Eric Rhoads, Art Magazine Publisher

Just recently I had the chance to sit quietly over dinner with a major player in

the art gallery business. We've become great friends, and are close enough that

we can share our deepest problems, issues, and concerns. It's wonderful to be

so close with someone that you can share confidences to get an opinion or

advice.

In our conversation the gallery owner offered some words of wisdom I thought

needed to be shared with artists. I have permission, as long as I don't share the

name of the gallery owner. These are insights that I think will help you, as an

artist, further your art career when it comes to galleries.

When I asked what determines who gets into this owner's gallery -- one of the

most coveted galleries in America -- it was not the answer I was expecting.

In my Art Marketing Boot Camp™ series of DVDs, I address specific strategies

about how to get into an art gallery. But lo and behold, I learned something I'd

never thought about.

We're Watching

Everything The gallery owner went on to tell me that the gallery picks and

chooses artists by reputation, which is expected. They want whoever is hot.

What was not expected from this gallery is that they are watching artists at

every turn, and are seeking artists who are good at self-promotion.

Seeking Great Promoters

"We've realized that we're in this together with the artists," he told me. "If they

are great promoters, we want them in our gallery because we're great

promoters too. The combination is powerful. Too many artists want us to do all

the heavy lifting, but we have discovered that their promotion is also

important. If they prove to us they are good at promoting themselves, we know

that we can be twice as successful than if we have to do all the work."

He went on, "We watch everything they do. We watch the advertising artists are

doing in various art journals, we watch who is showing up as finalists in various

art competitions, and we're looking at the consistency of their work, their

ability to tell their story, and of course we watch their behavior." He told me

that they had walked away from artists because of some of the things those

artists are posting on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

They Have to Sell Your Image

"We have to be able to sell them," the gallerist said. "If they are posting bad

paintings, half-finished works, their bad party photos, or their political

opinions, we avoid them like the plague. We have to sell them to responsible

collectors, and the image they create for themselves is everything. Artists are

on social media sites saying, 'Hey, look at me,' and don't realize they are hurting

themselves." He suggested that artists need to edit, that not every painting is a

good one, and that too much bad work is showing up online. He also suggested

that those who don't craft their image carefully are hurting themselves.

How to Discover Artists

"We don't really want established stars alone," he said. "We want to make our

own stars, so we're constantly on the lookout for artists who are unknown but

are doing good work. We can build their brand, build their collector base, and

build their pricing over time." He went on to say he especially watches who is

winning, and even entering, art competitions, because they're a great place to

discover unknown talent. "We spend time browsing the winners and finalists of

these competitions, because a lot of the people entering are trying to be

discovered. Maybe they don't have the money to market themselves yet, maybe

they don't have a gallery yet. We watch every competition to see the

consistency of their work. Even if they are not winning, but just finalists or

even entrants."

The Unexpected Way Galleries Are Watching You

This gallery owner continued, "If I were an artist wanting to be discovered, I'd

enter every art competition I could. It only costs them a few dollars, but we

watch month to month, and if we see the same people, they tend to grow on

us. We've picked up several great unknowns by watching art competitions."

I'd never have expected to hear this.

Five Things You Should Be Doing As an Artist

Based on my conversation with this gallery owner, here are five things you need

to be doing as an artist:

• Carefully Craft Your Image.

Your online presence matters. Galleries may not be "friends," yet may see your

posts through visits or connections. Make sure the things you post are supportive

of a positive image for you. Resist posting those drunken moments with your

head in the toilet. It may seem like fun at the time, but the gallery owner I

spoke with -- and others -- will write you off at that moment.

• Edit What You Post.

Less is more. Every painting is not good. Most painters are lucky to get one good

painting out of 10. Be careful what you post. The gallery owner suggested

getting third-party opinions on works before posting them because you're

probably too close to judge your work objectively.

• Be Careful About Progress Shots.

This gallery owner said he was often turned off by painters who show works in

progress because it often isn't good work yet. Posting an unfinished painting

tends to be damaging to an artist's reputation among those who see it and don't

understand that there's a lot more work to be done.

• Enter Every Art Competition, Every Time.

This gallerist is watching, and says others are as well. He suggests entering

paintings in competitions every month because it increases your chances of

winning and getting noticed. "We look for patterns of success," he said. "If

someone keeps winning, we seek them out. But they don't have to win. We look

at entries too, and look for painters who are innovative and consistent. It's like

a catalog of unknown artists to us. A great resource."

Promote Yourself.

Not only is promotion good for you and your art career, and for selling

paintings, this gallery reveals that they love people who are good at self

promotion. By doing so you're showing that you make a good business partner

who will help them sell your art.

Art galleries are looking for advantages, and those advantages often come from

discovering new artists who will sell. It's a good idea to manage your career as

though galleries are watching your every move, watching social media,

watching your website, seeing your newsletters (even if they're not on your list,

newsletters are often forwarded by friends), and watching art competitions.

Eric Rhoads

PS: I also learned that at least one artist who continually enters

our PleinAirSalon was discovered by this gallery owner, who has been watching

the results. Don't let the PleinAir name fool you: The Salon includes landscape,

figurative, still life, studio, and plein air painting -- the name comes from its

association with PleinAir magazine. The grand prize is $15,000, and there is

$21,000 in prizes overall, plus lots of monthly winners of other prizes. The

current competition ends on September 30. It takes two minutes to enter and

upload your best paintings. Last day to enter! Enter now

at www.pleinairsalon.com.

Streamline Publishing, Inc., 1901 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 118, Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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