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Finding Clients
Working With Art Galleries
By by Maria Piscopo

Fine art sales are always a popular topic!  As the markets for both consumer and commercial services keeps changing, many of you are looking for alternative revenue paths. A fine art sale by a gallery always gets high interest from the photographers and artists but what about the gallery owner’s perspective? We talked with gallery owner, Charles Guice, at http://www.charlesguice.com to get his views on how to get sales representation through an art gallery.  What factors influence his choice of the photographers he represents? How does he view fine art marketing presentations? What can you do to follow-up?

First, some background on the venue. Galleries are the “brick and mortar” store front operations in fine art, and they usually sell to individuals, private collections, and corporate collections. They can offer interior designers or others a small discount when the purchase of the art is not for the end-user and the gallery client is the one to re-sell the work.

Many galleries now have web sites and post their catalogs on their web sites to draw attention to the work. Most large urban areas will have large and well-established art galleries but do not overlook the smaller regional and local galleries. Most towns will be home to several galleries.

                “Fine art colonies” are the home to dozens of galleries in one location, often a quiet and remote area where artists have congregated. Examples include Santa Fe (New Mexico) and McGowan Fine Art, located in historic Concord (New Hampshire).

When you are looking at galleries, check out their level of involvement in their community. Although primarily concerned with providing a space to show works of art, galleries are sometimes used to host other artistic activities, such as concerts or book readings. These interactive and entertaining events are often combined with a fine art exhibit to enhance and increase the “foot traffic” audience and help increase the chance of sales!

Next, you have to do some homework before you approach a gallery for your work. Most fine artists choke merely at the thought of walking into a gallery because of a lack a preparation. Preparation and planning will give you the resolve and even the confidence to start selling yourself to a gallery. Also, when you visit a gallery, take the time to check out the basic architectural aspects such as layout, traffic flow and, of course, lighting. Collect and review their promotional materials and reception invitations, anything that will give you a sense of their business-like approach to art. Finally (and this is extremely important), talk to their staff to determine how considerate and helpful they are to visitors.

What will an art gallery owner look for in the talent they want to represent?   For some suggestions on this question, though, here’s what gallery owner Charles Guice at http://www.charlesguice.com uses as his personal checklist of information he wants from any emerging artist presenting to his gallery:

·         Three or four bodies of work – ranging from 12 to 20 images in each body of work

·         Chronology of portfolios – it gives him an idea on where your work is headed

·         Sizes of the editions within each series.  Many collectors do not like large editions (he personally prefers edition sizes of 7 to 10, unless the prints are very large, and then an edition size of 3 to 6)

·         Individual print sizes within each series - especially multiple sizes of the same image

·         When and where the work has been sold

·         When and where the work has been exhibited

·         Any press clippings or reviews of the work

·         Ink jet prints are a turn-off to him, because serious collectors will not consider them 

·         Ideally, a current CV (curriculum vitae or resume) that he can keep on file

Charles does not like unsolicited presentations and recommends that he be contacted first, “If you are contacting me long distance, the only thing I would need added to the above list is a CD of the work being presented.”  He goes on to say, “Also, I expect an artist has already done his or her homework, knows my gallery and is approaching me because they have a similar sensibility. For example, I like narrative photography, and when we talk before the presentation I would share this.  So it would save a lot of time if you do not have this style. This homework always includes finding galleries that carry fine art photography! It still surprises me when artists approach me with a medium – sculptures for example – that I do not work with. Another example is when I am approached with a style of work similar to that of an artist I already represent, e.g., black and white portraits.”

Charles has a strong opinion about well-planned and executed marketing presentations, “Marketing presentation is very important to me. It says that the artist’s commitment is there, and a good sense of design is there. And I look for a sense of design I like.  Honestly, I don’t like ‘slick’ or ‘low end’ presentations. You can push the packaging too hard and be too overbearing or not spend enough time, money or attention.”

Should you follow up after the presentation?  Persistence is critical, but be cautious of creating an unwanted reaction.  Charles says, “For follow-up I don’t like to be bugged. If I like your work, I will get back to you. Generally, I do not mind being added to your email follow-up list once we have met. But I usually like to have some closure and will recommend you send me new work in the future, or I will say the work is not what I am looking for at this time.”

In conclusion, begin your search with this idea: a gallery is not the end client so you are not selling your work to the gallery. You should think of your gallery search as a matchmaking process. Find a match-you and the gallery-that will work best for both parties. Partnering with a gallery will give you not only the gratification of seeing your images on display but also the satisfaction of a profitable relationship. Focus on galleries that already display photography as fine art or those that at least show a strong interest in doing so.  Visit the gallery as part of your preparation or if out of town then at least review their Web site. Then find out how often they have photography shows, what type of work they like to show and what type of work they usually carry ( you can get most of this on their web site). Look at the styles and types of photography work they are showing and how you can add something they may not have!

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