There are two common ways to approach a gallery:
either go in cold and in person
, with some photos of your paintings or phone beforehand to set up an appointment. Another option would be to send an email asking to set up an appointment.
How do I contact a gallery as an artist?
They make contact
through direct messaging on social media, by email, phone, in person, by mail
, by spontaneously appearing at galleries, through people who refer them, and so on. Unfortunately, many of these attempts fall far short of what galleries expect from any artist who approaches them with their art.
How do you approach an artist?
- Find the Gallery That Fits Your Work and Goals. …
- Develop a Relationship With That Gallery. …
- Know How to Speak About Your Art. …
- Expect to Bring Your Audience with You. …
- Follow Submission Guidelines to the Letter. …
- Understand the Commission Structure.
How do I ask a gallery for representation?
- Don’t Show Up on the Doorstep. …
- Know Your Worth. …
- Figure Out What Your Scene Is. …
- Be a Presence. …
- Pick a Specific Target. …
- Yes, Do Instagram. …
- Learn the Delicate Art of the Studio Visit. …
- Don’t Get Ground Down.
How do you attract artists to your gallery?
- Champion your artists. You’ve chosen to work with particular artists for a reason, so share this with your audience. …
- Offer thought leadership. …
- Talk to your audience. …
- Get a full visual effect. …
- Attract visitors to upcoming events.
How do you ask an artist to draw you?
Be polite, cordial, and friendly –
make eye contact
, introduce yourself, give them a compliment on their work. Describe what you are interested in, ask them how much it will cost (at times they have set prices but usually it depends on the size of the page, if you want color, etc.
What should you not ask an artist?
- [Insert self/family/friend/pet] could do that. …
- I don’t get it/It’s stupid. …
- It’ll be great exposure/Can you do it for free? …
- You must be rich at these prices/I’m in the wrong business. …
- Being an artist must be so easy/fun/I wish I could just make art all day. …
- What’s your real job?
How do you introduce a gallery?
Introduce yourself, explain that you are interested in their gallery, and briefly tell them a little bit about you and your art and why you are a match for them. Follow up the conversation with an email linking to your website or attach a few jpeg images of your work – do this within a day so they don’t forget you.
How much does a gallery pay an artist?
Every gallery is different, but most galleries take somewhere around a
50% commission from pieces you sell
. Some take 40%, but rarely do any take more than 50%. Some galleries take a very small percentage in exchange for a monthly payment. Say it costs $300/mo to display in the gallery, but they only take 30%.
What attracts an artist?
- Line (parallel, symmetrical, straight, diverging, undulating)
- Color (muted, intense, complementary, monochromatic)
- Shape (geometric, organic, repeated)
- Texture (rough, smooth, bumpy)
What do you do at an art gallery?
Galleries have multiple roles, both visible and invisible:
to incubate and support their artists
, often by going above and beyond the normal work of putting on shows, promoting their artists, and selling the works; and to providing services such as financial management or book publishing, in order to help their artists …
How does the art gallery business work?
Representing living artists based on its mission, aesthetic, price point and target audience, the gallery charges a
commission
, around 50% (for commercial spaces, it can be less for non-profit galleries) for handling the marketing, sales and development of the artist’s work.
Why do artists look like their art?
Great artists have known this instinctively and so have
deliberately painted their own faces
, even when they are supposed to be reproducing reality. It is rather like the way that when we look at our own children, all we can really see is little images of ourselves.
Are you an artist if you draw?
Nobody is a born artist. But if the passion for drawing exists within,
you can become an artist
. Art doesn’t need to look perfect. It definitely doesn’t need to compare with someone else’s masterpiece.
What should I ask an artist?
- Why do you do what you do?
- How do you work?
- What’s your background?
- What’s integral to the work of an artist?
- What role does the artist have in society?
- What has been a seminal experience?
- Explain what you do in 100 words.
- How has your practice change over time.
Why do artists hate their own work?
The real problems begin when hating one’s
work transforms into perfectionism
. The artist finds an excuse for spending more time or resources on a creative project. Instead, of shipping, they dither, delay or tinker. … New artists tend to imitate those they admire; more advanced ones reinterpret their early influences.
