How to Do Your Homework, Part II
Following up on Part I of our discussion of what it means to "do your homework" in researching which commercial art galleries to approach, in this part I wanted to share some thoughts for those artists who feel they have a strong sense of which galleries their work is a good match for but for any number of reasons can't seem to land in one.
My central assumption in offering this advice is that you understand the lay of the land pretty well. You're up to speed on the hierarchy of art galleries and have a fairly solid sense of why your quiet watercolors of seascapes wouldn't be a good match for the gallery focusing on bleeding edge new media work, or vice versa, for example. You've limited the galleries you wish to approach to about 10, based on confirmation from artists and curators you know that you're correct in targeting them. And you have a good sense that your work is neither too close to that of any artist already on their roster or would aesthetically or conceptually undermine the work of any artist they're working to build a market for.
What more can you do in terms of homework/research here to narrow down from 10 to say 5 which galleries are the best ones to invest your efforts, money, and hopes in approaching and networking with?
I'll break these thoughts into 5 categories:
1. Looking for signs a gallery is looking to add to their roster.
2. Strengthening your "connections."
3. Asking straight out.
4. Remember it's a small world.
5. Patience.
Harsh Caveat
There is no amount of advice I can offer here for an artist whose work isn't strong enough for the commercial gallery system to be interested. I understand that there is a huge amount of self-doubt involved in creating artwork, and (having submitted short stories to publishers when I was much younger, none of which were ever published) I know there is a certain amount of not being the best judge of the quality of your own work that clouds being able to see how you compare with the others competing for those limited opportunities. But the simple fact remains that your art must be of a certain quality before any dealer is likely to be interested, and so I'd recommend (if you've been pounding the pavement for years with no success) that you take a few steps to get honest confirmation (again from artist friends and curators) that your work is as strong as it seems to you it is. We all know artists for whom success came relatively late in life (leaving us wondering how the hell the system didn't see how great they were years ago), so I'm not at all suggesting that lack of getting a gallery = bad art. Not always, anyway. But I do get a high enough volume of submissions by artists whose work I find so truly awful that I know I can't be wrong about all of them. Some of them are simply nowhere near ready to work with a gallery.
Assuming you have confirmation (if you felt you needed it) from artists and curators that your work is not only good but clearly within the realm of what commercial galleries will exhibit, though, here are some more detailed types of/approaches to homework you can do to narrow down which ones are best to approach.
1. Looking for signs a gallery on your list is looking to add to their roster. Besides checking their submission policy on their website (duh), keep an eye on the galleries you feel are a good match for indications they're expanding: a new location, a bigger gallery with a project space perhaps, a second branch in another city, a significant increase in the number of directors they have (one new director isn't that strong an indication of expansion, but two might be). All of this information is readily available on most galleries' websites (news items are common that broadcast expansions, new hires, etc.).
Reading their press releases regularly is a good source for such information. In addition to the tell-tale indication that they're broadening the stable--"pleased to announce our first solo exhibition with Artist X"--galleries will include tidbits about expansions and such in these announcements. Reading the art press (especially the more gossipy sources, like online magazines and blogs) for signs that galleries are letting a large number of artists go (which usually ends up being only a temporary reduction in the number of artists in a stable, regardless of the offered rationales) is another way to surmise a seachange is underfoot in their programming and that this represents an opportunity (if only somewhat down the road).
Finally, a restructuring of the gallery staff, such as the hiring of a hot director from another program or the inclusion of an acclaimed curator on the staff (to replace someone else, not to expand the total number of employees), suggests the owner saw the need to shake up the program somewhat. This may not mean much unless you have a pre-existing relationship with that hot director or curator, but it usually means a shift in the gallery's view of its identity and that means opportunity for some artist(s) (possibly you). Obviously, you'll want to learn as much about the curator or new director as you can to see if your interests align. Google is your friend.
2. Strengthening your "connections." I put "connections" in quotes here because obviously networking with the gallery staff and owner is a key part of getting them to pay attention to your work, but think a bit bigger here than just these interpersonal relationships. Target the wider world in which the gallery moves. If, for example, the gallery shares artists with another dealer in another city, see whether that entry point into the system is easier for you. The New York gallery you have your heart set on might enjoy the dialog they have with one in another city (smaller market), and if you can get into that "sister" gallery, it will improve your chances of working with the New York space. It is usually easier to make headway in those markets (and to be honest, if you're having trouble making connections in those markets, it suggests your chances in the more competitive markets won't be so good, so consider approaching galleries in smaller markets to get feedback on your submission approach and or work). Who knows, you might find a much better match in one of those markets and realize it worked out beautifully for you and that other dealer.
More than a sister gallery, though, you can strengthen your connection with your target gallery by moving in their circles in meaningful ways, such as donating artwork to benefits they chair or collaborating with artists they represent in other contexts. The more your paths cross, the more likely you'll find the opportunities to connect in ways that could open that door. I would keep the laws against stalking in mind here, and understand that dealers read this blog too (so being too obvious won't necessarily help you), but if you're truly a good match for this gallery the likelihood is your circles would overlap naturally anyway.
3. Asking straight out. This takes a particular tact to pull off well, but if you have a reasonable dialog with a gallery (you've been dancing around each other, perhaps had a studio visit or two) but you can't seem to move past the pleasantries, it can pay sometimes to ask them straight out whether they would work with you. As in all things in life, it's best to be prepared for the answer if you're going to ask, but eventually you have much less to lose by asking than you do by wondering what it might take. This question is much easier to ask via email, of course, but then it's much easier for the dealer to ignore that way as well, so you have to weigh that against the awkward silence that might follow asking face to face.
Usually, if you have a decent relationship with a gallery already, you can follow up a negative response to this question with "do you have any recommendations for which galleries might be a better match?" If you ask a dealer this during an opening or an art fair (when they're focused on other things), you might not get their best-thought-out response, but on a quiet day in the gallery or when seated next to each other at some function, it can be done with a light enough spirit to ensure you get good feedback and not make them want to cross the street if they see you coming a week later. As in all such professional exchanges, respecting their time and acknowledging that you value their opinion will go a long way toward getting you good feedback. As dealers they fully understand that it can be hard as an artist to find your way into a gallery. If they're ungracious in response to your respectful request (meaning you asked at the right time and place), you most likely didn't want to work with them anyway. Then again, to be clear, asking a dealer you barely know such a question isn't what I'm suggesting here.
4. Remember it's a small world.I got an email from an artist I've known a while who followed the advice I offer in #3. She asked what it would take for her to get a show in my gallery. Because we had had a studio visit and the opportunity to talk at length at a party once (and because I do admire her work), I responded very candidly that during our talk at the party she had scared me away with how she had dissed her previous gallery. I told her that I'm friends with that other gallery and I respect not only their program, but also their opinions and business practices. My hesitation in working with her was that she would 1) be high maintenance and 2) regardless of my efforts, end up talking about me at some party in the same fashion.
So here's the thing. Getting the ear of a dealer you'd want to work with at a party is an opportunity to sell yourself. Except for how she talked about her previous dealers, this artist had done just that, and fairly well, but that one segment of the conversation was what I remembered the most later. Despite what you may have heard, dealers are human. They like to defend their friends and will extrapolate what they see as unjust feedback about their friends into all kinds of nightmare scenarios for themselves should they work with you. The art world is small...do yourself a favor and assess how the dealer you're talking with feels about your previous dealers or anyone else you're dishing before diving in too deep.
5. Patience. The other thing I told this artist was that from where I sat, her biggest roadblock was her lack of patience. Her work is somewhat challenging, and yet she expected sales to be immediate (that was her biggest criticism of the other gallery). Besides it taking longer to develop a market for more challenging work (because the potential audience is generally smaller), a lack of patience in getting what you want from a gallery will scare off dealers who know too well that it's gonna take a concerted effort for quite some time to get you there. This lack of patience, if you too have it (I do, so I empathize) is something you must try to keep in check when doing the more interpersonal kinds of homework. It took some artists we all know decades to get to that big gallery and receive the accolades they must have known were due them years ago. Had they burned bridges during that time, rather than build them, they might have never gotten there.
Whether it's fair or not that some artists seem to fall into success and others must toil for years to get theirs is irrelevant in this context. Being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time is an advantage in any industry. Dealers end up kicking themselves for not moving quickly enough to work with an artist all the time, so it's not as if they have all the power here. The essence of breaking through that situation where you're as ready as you can be, but the galleries just aren't biting, is to keep you ear to the ground for pending shifts in their programming, maintain a positive relationship with the gallery contacts you have, and in the meanwhile strengthen any connection with them that you can.
My central assumption in offering this advice is that you understand the lay of the land pretty well. You're up to speed on the hierarchy of art galleries and have a fairly solid sense of why your quiet watercolors of seascapes wouldn't be a good match for the gallery focusing on bleeding edge new media work, or vice versa, for example. You've limited the galleries you wish to approach to about 10, based on confirmation from artists and curators you know that you're correct in targeting them. And you have a good sense that your work is neither too close to that of any artist already on their roster or would aesthetically or conceptually undermine the work of any artist they're working to build a market for.
What more can you do in terms of homework/research here to narrow down from 10 to say 5 which galleries are the best ones to invest your efforts, money, and hopes in approaching and networking with?
I'll break these thoughts into 5 categories:
1. Looking for signs a gallery is looking to add to their roster.
2. Strengthening your "connections."
3. Asking straight out.
4. Remember it's a small world.
5. Patience.
Harsh Caveat
There is no amount of advice I can offer here for an artist whose work isn't strong enough for the commercial gallery system to be interested. I understand that there is a huge amount of self-doubt involved in creating artwork, and (having submitted short stories to publishers when I was much younger, none of which were ever published) I know there is a certain amount of not being the best judge of the quality of your own work that clouds being able to see how you compare with the others competing for those limited opportunities. But the simple fact remains that your art must be of a certain quality before any dealer is likely to be interested, and so I'd recommend (if you've been pounding the pavement for years with no success) that you take a few steps to get honest confirmation (again from artist friends and curators) that your work is as strong as it seems to you it is. We all know artists for whom success came relatively late in life (leaving us wondering how the hell the system didn't see how great they were years ago), so I'm not at all suggesting that lack of getting a gallery = bad art. Not always, anyway. But I do get a high enough volume of submissions by artists whose work I find so truly awful that I know I can't be wrong about all of them. Some of them are simply nowhere near ready to work with a gallery.
Assuming you have confirmation (if you felt you needed it) from artists and curators that your work is not only good but clearly within the realm of what commercial galleries will exhibit, though, here are some more detailed types of/approaches to homework you can do to narrow down which ones are best to approach.
1. Looking for signs a gallery on your list is looking to add to their roster. Besides checking their submission policy on their website (duh), keep an eye on the galleries you feel are a good match for indications they're expanding: a new location, a bigger gallery with a project space perhaps, a second branch in another city, a significant increase in the number of directors they have (one new director isn't that strong an indication of expansion, but two might be). All of this information is readily available on most galleries' websites (news items are common that broadcast expansions, new hires, etc.).
Reading their press releases regularly is a good source for such information. In addition to the tell-tale indication that they're broadening the stable--"pleased to announce our first solo exhibition with Artist X"--galleries will include tidbits about expansions and such in these announcements. Reading the art press (especially the more gossipy sources, like online magazines and blogs) for signs that galleries are letting a large number of artists go (which usually ends up being only a temporary reduction in the number of artists in a stable, regardless of the offered rationales) is another way to surmise a seachange is underfoot in their programming and that this represents an opportunity (if only somewhat down the road).
Finally, a restructuring of the gallery staff, such as the hiring of a hot director from another program or the inclusion of an acclaimed curator on the staff (to replace someone else, not to expand the total number of employees), suggests the owner saw the need to shake up the program somewhat. This may not mean much unless you have a pre-existing relationship with that hot director or curator, but it usually means a shift in the gallery's view of its identity and that means opportunity for some artist(s) (possibly you). Obviously, you'll want to learn as much about the curator or new director as you can to see if your interests align. Google is your friend.
2. Strengthening your "connections." I put "connections" in quotes here because obviously networking with the gallery staff and owner is a key part of getting them to pay attention to your work, but think a bit bigger here than just these interpersonal relationships. Target the wider world in which the gallery moves. If, for example, the gallery shares artists with another dealer in another city, see whether that entry point into the system is easier for you. The New York gallery you have your heart set on might enjoy the dialog they have with one in another city (smaller market), and if you can get into that "sister" gallery, it will improve your chances of working with the New York space. It is usually easier to make headway in those markets (and to be honest, if you're having trouble making connections in those markets, it suggests your chances in the more competitive markets won't be so good, so consider approaching galleries in smaller markets to get feedback on your submission approach and or work). Who knows, you might find a much better match in one of those markets and realize it worked out beautifully for you and that other dealer.
More than a sister gallery, though, you can strengthen your connection with your target gallery by moving in their circles in meaningful ways, such as donating artwork to benefits they chair or collaborating with artists they represent in other contexts. The more your paths cross, the more likely you'll find the opportunities to connect in ways that could open that door. I would keep the laws against stalking in mind here, and understand that dealers read this blog too (so being too obvious won't necessarily help you), but if you're truly a good match for this gallery the likelihood is your circles would overlap naturally anyway.
3. Asking straight out. This takes a particular tact to pull off well, but if you have a reasonable dialog with a gallery (you've been dancing around each other, perhaps had a studio visit or two) but you can't seem to move past the pleasantries, it can pay sometimes to ask them straight out whether they would work with you. As in all things in life, it's best to be prepared for the answer if you're going to ask, but eventually you have much less to lose by asking than you do by wondering what it might take. This question is much easier to ask via email, of course, but then it's much easier for the dealer to ignore that way as well, so you have to weigh that against the awkward silence that might follow asking face to face.
Usually, if you have a decent relationship with a gallery already, you can follow up a negative response to this question with "do you have any recommendations for which galleries might be a better match?" If you ask a dealer this during an opening or an art fair (when they're focused on other things), you might not get their best-thought-out response, but on a quiet day in the gallery or when seated next to each other at some function, it can be done with a light enough spirit to ensure you get good feedback and not make them want to cross the street if they see you coming a week later. As in all such professional exchanges, respecting their time and acknowledging that you value their opinion will go a long way toward getting you good feedback. As dealers they fully understand that it can be hard as an artist to find your way into a gallery. If they're ungracious in response to your respectful request (meaning you asked at the right time and place), you most likely didn't want to work with them anyway. Then again, to be clear, asking a dealer you barely know such a question isn't what I'm suggesting here.
4. Remember it's a small world.I got an email from an artist I've known a while who followed the advice I offer in #3. She asked what it would take for her to get a show in my gallery. Because we had had a studio visit and the opportunity to talk at length at a party once (and because I do admire her work), I responded very candidly that during our talk at the party she had scared me away with how she had dissed her previous gallery. I told her that I'm friends with that other gallery and I respect not only their program, but also their opinions and business practices. My hesitation in working with her was that she would 1) be high maintenance and 2) regardless of my efforts, end up talking about me at some party in the same fashion.
So here's the thing. Getting the ear of a dealer you'd want to work with at a party is an opportunity to sell yourself. Except for how she talked about her previous dealers, this artist had done just that, and fairly well, but that one segment of the conversation was what I remembered the most later. Despite what you may have heard, dealers are human. They like to defend their friends and will extrapolate what they see as unjust feedback about their friends into all kinds of nightmare scenarios for themselves should they work with you. The art world is small...do yourself a favor and assess how the dealer you're talking with feels about your previous dealers or anyone else you're dishing before diving in too deep.
5. Patience. The other thing I told this artist was that from where I sat, her biggest roadblock was her lack of patience. Her work is somewhat challenging, and yet she expected sales to be immediate (that was her biggest criticism of the other gallery). Besides it taking longer to develop a market for more challenging work (because the potential audience is generally smaller), a lack of patience in getting what you want from a gallery will scare off dealers who know too well that it's gonna take a concerted effort for quite some time to get you there. This lack of patience, if you too have it (I do, so I empathize) is something you must try to keep in check when doing the more interpersonal kinds of homework. It took some artists we all know decades to get to that big gallery and receive the accolades they must have known were due them years ago. Had they burned bridges during that time, rather than build them, they might have never gotten there.
Whether it's fair or not that some artists seem to fall into success and others must toil for years to get theirs is irrelevant in this context. Being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time is an advantage in any industry. Dealers end up kicking themselves for not moving quickly enough to work with an artist all the time, so it's not as if they have all the power here. The essence of breaking through that situation where you're as ready as you can be, but the galleries just aren't biting, is to keep you ear to the ground for pending shifts in their programming, maintain a positive relationship with the gallery contacts you have, and in the meanwhile strengthen any connection with them that you can.
Labels: getting a gallery
26 Comments:
I'm holding that title for a work of mine: "quiet watercolors of seascapes". I like that.
Cedric
Great advice, as always. Thanks again for your generosity, Ed.
-Wayne
Yes, Ed. Thanks for dedicating so much of your time and expertise to this topic. Even though I think I know what you are going to say - I always end up learning something important in your homework posts.
3. Asking straight out....
I love that!
is like pop the question
when you date somebody for long time
by analogy...
it's awful when the answer in the other side won't be the one we're waiting for.
"Marriage" is not easy even when looks easy. the bride gallery can be very frisky.
Carlos
I have a question, in regards to #3.
So, say there has been this dance back and forth where someone has cultivated a positive relationship with a dealer and it gets to this point where an artist may ask the dealer if they would work with them. What are the chances of this really happening? - it seems more of just a way for clarification on where you stand. Or a better question - how aggressive or non-aggressive are dealers in acquiring new artists [well, i'm sure it varies, but....]]? At this point wouldn't they already have put the plans in motion at this point if they would really like to work with you?
I guess a whole other topic could emerge on that in the form of "where do dealers typically" find their artists?"
thanks,
nic
Ed,
Thanks for part 2!
I have a question that might sound like I'm trying to sidestep doing my homework, but it actually came up as I was doing research:
What about people who are offering their services to assist with gallery placement? There are a couple NYC gallery owners currently advertising this, it involves a fee.
I spoke with one of them who said said they work with lower/mid-level galleries helping them find new talent. The galleries are less established, but have been in business 3-5 years. There's no guarantee of placement (of course), but after they reviewed my work, they were confident they could place me with a reputable gallery (not guaranteed to be in NYC, could be a different state) that would want to work with me. They stressed the galleries were not vanity, co-op, or fee based.
Thanks.
I have a question, in regards to #3. [...] What are the chances of this really happening?Not great, obviously. If a dealer already decided to work with you, the odds are he/she would have gotten around to saying so, but there are those few times when having someone remind me they were still interested did lead to something productive, so...
I guess a whole other topic could emerge on that in the form of "where do dealers typically" find their artists?"80% through networking (recommendations by our artists and curator friends).
10% through seeing the work at fairs or other galleries
10% through all other means.
What about people who are offering their services to assist with gallery placement? I'd have to see more to comment. I don't know of any fee-involved services at the moment that I would recommend, but new services do pop up from time to time. Email me a few links, if they have websites, and I'll look into it.
Generally speaking, I do listen to the advice of a few independent "movers and shakers" out there, but I've never heard that they charge the artists they recommend a fee.
This is a subject near and dear to every artist. Thanks for such great advice Ed. Never seen it anywhere else.
What about those of us who follow art but who dont care to make it? I used to feel so much stress about how to work enough hours in the studio to keep my art developing while still being able to support myself. Eventually I just let things take their own course and found a strange pleasure in living very differently from most other artists (i.e. having a home, family and full-time job teaching).
Interestingly, after living this way for many years (essentially proving its possible to be a serious artist and also have a real life) I decided that I wasnt enjoying making the art enough and that I would rather devote all those hours that were going into the studio to doing things that were getting short-changed, like reading more. My approach was always wanting to have my cake and eat it too I guess. But also, I have a lot of interests, and I found I wasn't getting enough back from my art.Really, no one cares if you make your art. Many leave the art world and no one even notices.
I can always go back to it, but with a family and full-time job, it will be a challenge to get work made in high volume. I saw a video a while back where prominent artists living in NY were visited in their studios and interviewed about their work. The main thing I got form it was how much sacrifice these people had to make. It was depressing.The only time they did anything non-work-related was when they went grocery shopping!
I think the issue of not having money for basics is one thing. But what about the fact that you can't participate in so much of life because you're always in your studio?
I think some of the dilemma has to do with self-image. Most artists are so caught up with the idea of what it means to be an artist-how an artist's life should look, that they dont feel living any other way is legitimate. I found that once I was able to free myself from that trap, I was much happier.
The crazy thing about working to get into a gallery is that those who keep at it, eventually do get in and even if their work is weak, it gets instant legitimization because its in a gallery. in a way its silly for other artists to feel jealous because if the person wanted to hustle so badly, they got results they earned. of course this has nothing to do with art.
You make such great points untitled, I find myself neglecting friends, family and most cultural events (movies, shows) to get the work done in the studio, and it's a topic that most artists don't discuss. Because being in the studio all the time is the pinnacle of success and obvious passion.
Then there are those who do seem to balance it all, but they seem to have adjusted their work so it is easier/less time consuming to make.
Maybe that is the future of art in these fast paced times with so much to absorb, do, and see.
How do other artists deal with the reality that they are missing out on life, most of it's joys and time wasting pleasures as most people know it to make the work?
Ed,
Thank you for answering. Should you decide to publish this, my apologies for "going anonymous." If necessary, I would identify myself via separate email.
Here are names of people/gallery owners I've encountered doing my homework.
Brenda Taylor, owner, Brenda Taylor Gallery (she's the person I spoke with at length. She advertises on the NYFA web site (on and off), and also in ArtNews occasionally.
Denise Bibro, owner, Denise Bibro Gallery, has an ad in this month's ArtNews, AiA, and also, on her gallery web site, offer's assistance to artists, which says: "Ms. Bibro also provides comprehensive advisory services for both artists and collectors. For artists, she offers portfolio reviews, promotion, publicity, and grantwriting; and for collectors, art appraisals and installation services."
Mia Feroleto Fine Art Planning, Although not a gallery, currently has an ad on NYFA website: www.nyfa.org/opp_detail.asp?type=Opportunity&id=95&fid=1&sid=54&oppid=24938 "The creator of ARTWALK NY", etc.
Thanks again for all you do!
Compliments to Untitled for a thoughtful post, obviously written from experience and with feeling.
You're in a different place right now. Nothing wrong with that. Doesn't mean it will stay that way forever either - things change.
I think it's helpful to have a balance in ones life. Artists shouldn't be consumed by their drive/desires for success, to the point of having all the joy sucked out of the other parts of being alive.
I agree some great points there from Untitled. I am a practicing artist who is trying to juggle the wife, the kids, the part-time work and those other things like reading, cinema, socializing, holidays, sports and just general living.
I find it next to impossible to find a balance. I never truly switch off from thinking about art, considering my next ventures, planning exhibitions and a constant questioning as to why bother. But I find that right now I cannot imagine a life without this and for all the anguish, worry, fear and, most of all, doubt that it brings I cannot let it be.
Am I missing out on life? No this is my life. For me it is not the constant drive for success but the constant drive to create. Sorry if that sounds cheesy.
Success means that the worries get less and greater success means they go altogether or so I hope... it would validate it as a way to make a living and would allow it to continue.
Thank you for this interesting discussion. My husband of 10 years, is a full time artist and was for many years before we linked up. It has been an education for me to watch the challenges involved in getting his art shown and represented by a gallery in our city,which is considerably smaller than NYC.
Initially it was difficult for him, I believe, to do the networking and strengthening of connections which you talk about Ed. But in the past 5-6 years that's what he's done, and I think I've helped a bit in that direction.
Over the years, we both have known that his work is of quality, and should be material that would fit into a discerning gallery. But where there has been difficulty is... that for a number of years his name hasn't been particularly well-known within our city's art community. That takes mucho patience & such a long time of just getting out there.
The sad reality for many artists is that their work needs to be legitimized by the art community at large where the artist lives, generally, before the art dealer will take the artist on. So participating in minor art shows, co-op events, and going to a lot of other artist's shows has been an important way to strengthen connections, as well as participating in artist circles, etc.
In the end his current art dealer approached my husband, which for him, was the way he would have preferred that the relationship begin, rather than "asking straight out."
Now that my artist husband has this relationship with his dealer, I would say that he is willing to work with him, show allegiance to him, not under-cut him by selling at home, etc., and generally be grateful for the specialized job that the dealer does on his behalf.
I'd have to say that some of the examples given, of what an artist should not do, in initiating talks with a dealer are somewhat shocking in naivity, rudeness, etc.
Perhaps more could be said about maintaining a relationship with the dealer/gallery owner, and what some of the pitfalls are once the relationship has begun.
Again, thank you for leading off on this topic, with helpful and much needed info for artists (who don't seem to get much of this practical info in Art School, or anywhere else.)
Ed, thank you for your generosity in providing this advice!
I have a question related to #3, Asking straight out. Several times, I've had dealers express interest by saying that they like my work, think it is strong, etc, and would like to be kept up to date with my activities. (Some of these dealers have been to my studio more than once.) So my question is, what exactly are they waiting/looking for? I know that they want to see how my work develops and whether I'm in it for the long haul, but are they looking for any particular kind of exhibition activity(group shows, working with certain curators, etc)? To see how involved or connected I am? Or to see that I am validated by others? What is the tipping point to get them to "Yes, I want to work with this person"?
Thanks for the compliments. Helicopter, I dont think the worrying goes away when you become "successful" in the art world. Artists are always concerned about gaining status and then not losing it. What I am amazed by is that there are so many artists out there. Most can't support themselves on their work, and even those who can usually have to make a lot of compromises. I just couldn't see the benefit of making art, which involved creating problems for myself (don't we have enough struggles in general?) and then stressing about how to solve them, all the while with no one giving a hoot. The art world is indifferent and functions like a machine that eats people up and spits them out. But I don't want to sound bitter. Being outside of it now tends to make me more cynical about it since I often think about the hardships it caused me- though of course these were all self-imposed.
I'm curious to know what happens to the majority of people who come out of MFA programs and don't hit stride with a productive art career and who don't gain much. Most people leave the art world it seems, but yet many tend to keep a foot in art by essentially doing it as a hobby. This way they can say they haven't given up on that part of their identity.
As far as the argument for pursuing the creative life, does that have to happen through making objects? Isn't that a narrow definition? I have found that when I bring my creative drive to other aspects of my life, I am much more fulfilled.
Motivation vs quality of life has also been an issue for me.
Another duality is Ego VS the impression that you really have
something important to say. As in: are you kidding yourself?
Or just looking for a little attention? But getting sick was when everything suddenly lost senses. Now life for me has become
more about celebrating that I'm still here each day. But hey,
that never stopped me from making art? Why's that? Because it
can be FUN. And I'm moving toward the idea that showing can be fun too, when really there is not much
other motivations. I also have more an impression now that art is "connecting me" with the universe, and so is not so much something I have to show others, but something that every human
being should be making. If I was a religious dictator, instead of telling kids to pray by kissing
the floor, I'd tell them to make art continually as an offer to "God", or whatever's out there. Bad or good art wouldn't be the issue. The important is
that dialogue (be it expressing your dogmas or delivering doubts and questions, is up in the air).
Cedric Caspesyan
Oops, I sounded like implying people should believe in a "God" (that was the religious dictator),
but I simply mean that making art (in any media) represents an awareness of your abilities to think and be sensible, and it's the best homage one can deliver to its own existence. Maybe after love, but I see art as that forced visit in the desert, where you need be alone and confront youtself.
Cedric Casp
In case it wasn't clear in my post 4/14/2009 11:57:00 AM; those are some names of individuals offering to assist artists with gallery placement - the "fee-involved" part doesn't come out until you're deeper into the conversation about how they can help you.
I asked Ed about it because I didn't know such assistance existed, and wondered if it was legit.
Sorry to have left that hanging there, Anonymous...mean to comment, but got side tracked.
Those are dealers with deep roots in the art world you've listed, so, again, I'd want to know more before I comment. The entire system is ripe for innovation, but I've yet to be exposed to such services.
Yes, I agree that art making should be fun. The problem is, how can you be rigorous and have a good time at it? If i just thought about making art as something fun I'd probably make weak work. If I'm going to make art, it needs to be a serious engagement. There are high points of course, and that's what every artist is addicted to. Unfortunately most of it is sweat. As far as exhibiting, how do you have fun with that? It's competitive and hard to do. So should one just be a hobbyist?
For me the main issue has been not feeling any desire to make anything.
how can you be rigorous and have a good time at it?Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I would assume that making art is like many other disciplines. Somthing being "fun" and enjoying what amounts to serious work are not one in the same. You can enjoy a rigorous practice without it being "fun" per se, no?
Ed, No problem, I know you're busy.
Yes, I agree that those are well established dealers. When I saw the first ad in NYFA by BT, I read-up about her , the BT Gallery, etc. before I contacted her. I was excited that she felt she could help me with the gallery placement, again, not expressly guaranteed to happen, but she did review my work via my website, and we discussed my goals, and other specific questions she asked, etc. The initial conversations and a couple emails were "exploratory" in nature on her part, and were N/C.
It was only after we felt we could work together that she told me about her fee, which I didn't feel was out of line, it was more like a surprise.
I haven't moved forward because the advice I've read on your blog and other reliable sources generally recomends against paying fees. I should also mention that she felt after reviewing my work that placement with her gallery was not possible due to my work not fitting with the program there.
I'm open to answering any other questions you or anyhone have, and Ed, I really appreciate your commenting so far, and would understand if you don't want to discuss this] any further on your blog.
Yes Ed. You can enjoy a rigorous practice, but I guess it's about what the balance is. If you're constantly feeling stress about your career and your work, you have to consider why you are doing what you are doing and whether you might be better served pursuing other things.
Is there anyone out there who is an ex-artist who can speak to this? I have a feeling one would be hard-pressed to find someone who would admit to such a thing, since as I mentioned before, the identity pull is strong and people who have left the art world often still have a problem stopping the making of work because they fear they would lose themselves.
Untitled, maybe some day you can be in a position with much more free time and money to do what you want. Than the question remains, how to make art you really like without it becoming stressful and hard work? The stress is
simple. Only show when product is done and you feel ready. If you don't find that rewarding, wait until you feel extremely frustrated that no one ever gets
the opportunity to see your art. I think it has to become a "rewarding" experience.
When I say "fun", it doesn't mean you must feel like a clown. But it can be rewarding to pull off something you mean to express for so long. You have to get to this point of confidence where you know that what you have created is YOU, and that no matter what the response, you really feel like the work is the best you could have accomplished. You don't fear the response if you have distanciated yourself enough from the work
to accept that it might be crap, and that's very ok, but, when you're making it, you shouldn't
want it to be crap, and that's the best motivation in not doing "weak" art. "Hard work" is the second and biggest problem. I think when you develop a pleasure in what you do (even when it
means expressing something painful, or your anger), you accept compromises because
you are very focussed on the results. And if those results meet a certain success (whatever that
is, your own apprehension, or public recognition), you may feel a strong push to come with
something else. If you're successful, the wanton from your audience or even yourself
of seeing the next work can easily become the motivation (I know because I know
successful artists). Success can be a drug. But I think it's really important to balance the pleasure you get from being successful to the pleasure you get from
making art, or the pleasure you get from simply living. When you don't want to make that many works (because you don't need to), than it's important that your rare outputs really breaks the grounds, so that people (or yourself) will still be interested the rare times you show your head out of that hole. It's a real challenge, and this is where it comes down to: what pleasure do you get out of challenges that you set up for yourself, and out of your ability to reach them?
Cedric Caspe
Thanks so much, Edward, for taking the time to deliver all this very useful information.
Dear Ed,
I realize this is an old post/thread. However, the topic about dealers/gallery owners that offer gallery placement and other services to assist artists in "making it" is a subject worth of detailed discussion.
I have had dealings with several of these people that charge you a fee, take your money, and then pretty much NOT do what is agreed.
The bottom line is there is no easy way to get in and those that manipulate ones dream of making it should be called out on their, I dare say, deceptive practice.
Thank you for your time.
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