IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CREATIVE COMPASS
With an increasingly vast range of social media platforms and the affordability of ecommerce websites allowing artists to directly connect with potential collectors, it is natural to question the value of art galleries to artists.
Here, as part of an ongoing series, Gallery Owner Vicki Fox discusses six ways galleries play a vital role in any successful artist's career.
Here, as part of an ongoing series, Gallery Owner Vicki Fox discusses six ways galleries play a vital role in any successful artist's career.
Focus on what’s important
As an artist, your primary focus should be on creating your art and galleries help artists to have the time to to do this. Marketing yourself, doing markets, dealing with enquiries, arranging postage quotes, invoicing customers, and packaging and posting works all take time and can limit your income. A gallery's job is to do all of the above as well as dealing with returns, missing parcels and following up with the client. This leaves you with time to focus on your creative work.
Let collectors eyeball your work
While we all look at and admire work on social media, there is something to be said about seeing a piece ‘in the flesh’.
Galleries allow us to view the colours as they are, rather than through the skewed settings of a screen; to see the scale, brush strokes and textures; to admire the way a work casts shadows and reflections; to observe the piece from different angles; to touch and hold small sculptural pieces; to feel the weight of a pendant around your neck; or to appreciate the texture of an unglazed vessel. Small interactions like these are meaningful experiences for potential buyers and can’t be achieved via social media.
Increase your reach
Representation in a gallery increases your potential audience. Galleries allow you to show your work in multiple locations and to be seen by potential buyers that may never discover you online. They act as advocates for your work and good galleries will communicate to customers the story behind you and your art when appropriate.
Most galleries can tap into their own database and find potential buyers for your work, sometimes without the work even going on show. A gallery increases the visibility of your work through exposure both online and in store and they access customers that may not have the time or inclination to search through the Internet to find a work they admire.
As a gallery owner, there have been several occasions where I have made note of a client looking for a specific style or type of work and sold a piece without it ever going on display.
Be represented by professionals
Part of an art gallery's job is to promote the artists they represent. Many artists find it challenging to promote their own work. It is the role of gallery professionals to promote the work of the artists they represent, and they do this in a way that is educational and insightful.
Where sometimes self-promotion can feel difficult, a gallery is able to promote an artist and their success in an informed and professional way. A gallery employee voicing that they think the artist's work is likely to increase in value comes across entirely differently to an artist claiming this themselves.
If you’re feeling nervous about promoting your work, it’s likely that you won’t do it in the best way. Approaching a gallery ensures you have a team of professionals on your side to help.
Feel supported
Being an artist can be a lonely and isolating career. A good gallery should be a source of support, feedback and advice to their artists. They can advise artists on pricing and discuss what customers are responding to or looking for whilst encouraging the artist to retain their unique style.
Galleries should also help to motivate and boost their artists when sales drop or enthusiasm is lacking and can give critiques that help further the artist's practice.
Through exhibition opportunities, galleries provide the motivation to produce a cohesive body of work within a set time period. This can be a challenge to achieve on your own without a deadline.
Develop an art community
Having a good relationship with a gallery can help grow the art community as a whole. Galleries take on both emerging and established artists and while the established artists may be the drawcard for visitors, often they will discover artists they’ve never heard of on display in the same space. These discoveries are vital for emerging artists and can lead to purchases and new followers.
If you look at the online profiles of some of your favourite established artists, chances are they are represented by at least one gallery. This is in part because of the many benefits a gallery offers and also because there can be a certain amount of prestige associated with being represented by an art gallery.
Written by
Vicki Fox
Vicki Fox
This post is part of a series of features by Vicki Fox. Keep an eye out for future posts, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly updates straight to your inbox.
Vicki Fox is owner of Quirky Fox Gallery in Hawera, and runs an artist mentoring programme, Creative Compass, with fellow artist and gallery owner Santie Cronje (Deciduus).
Designed with visual artists in mind, but applicable to a range of mediums, Creative Compass aims to guide emerging artists through their professional journey, answering questions and developing skills and confidence to reach the next level in the New Zealand art scene.
Vicki Fox is owner of Quirky Fox Gallery in Hawera, and runs an artist mentoring programme, Creative Compass, with fellow artist and gallery owner Santie Cronje (Deciduus).
Designed with visual artists in mind, but applicable to a range of mediums, Creative Compass aims to guide emerging artists through their professional journey, answering questions and developing skills and confidence to reach the next level in the New Zealand art scene.
