I think it is a natural evolution going from the over-confident amateur to the self-doubting artist. But with time the mature professional has learned to balance both. I think both confidence and doubt are healthy for the artist, but balance is the key. What is the formula? I don’t know [...]

I naively thought I could take one or two paintings down to Scottsdale, walk into a gallery and wow the gallerist. As I said, I didn't have a clue about how to get started selling my work [...]

Good galleries have hundreds or thousands of submissions. This makes their task difficult and time consuming. Even with the best of intentions, a thorough review of a given artist’s work is unlikely. First impressions are critical [...]

Maybe writing this boils down to wanting to express some admiration and appreciation for artists, who despite all odds, continue to pursue their artistic passions and talents. I am an art addict. I admit it. I have been since I bought my first painting at the age of 16. [...]

The way art is sold and the power of selling our art, is now more in our hands (the artist) than ever before! If you're working with galleries, then it'll be in your best interest to lead those folks to your gallery's website. On the other hand, if you're inclined to work without galleries, this is your golden opportunity to work directly with your collectors. [...]

This new power to sell is a great thing for the artist. Knowing this, then the question becomes: Why would any artist seek gallery representation when commission rates are so high? There's no one right answer. Recently, I've seen several artists who had been previously selling on their own make significantly more income and get national recognition through gallery representation. [...]

What would happen if hundreds of us made a request that our gallery owners share contact info? What if we all did this on the same day or the same week? Would it make a difference? [...]

Words are just as powerful in creating images as your paint and brushes. Don't be bland or predictable. Realize that dozens of other artists are using the same words to describe what they do. That ought to energize you into searching for a different way of saying it. [...]

It seems that this is a time for many of us to begin pursuing a gallery that will represent our work. Whether it’s our first real gallery, or that elusive one we’ve never had courage enough to approach before, these pieces of writing are designed to build confidence in our ability to make a good impression and put our best foot forward. [...]

So let me get back to the main question: How do you feel about having the gallery owner tell you what to paint and how to paint it? Yes, this is a slightly controversial question, and I'm not looking for a complaint session. Please don't mention any gallery names - I don't want to be sued or hurt the business of any gallery. It's hard enough for them these days to keep their doors open. This post isn't about ditching gallery dealers - it's about how you feel when they advise you as to how and what to paint. [...]

The economics of framing art seems to be an ongoing problem to which I just can't find an answer...They way I see it, there really is no way for an artist to avoid the short end of the stick if the artist is selling through a gallery and providing the frames for the artwork. [...]

Some of my former posts might lead readers to believe that I dislike working with commercial art galleries, but nothing could be further from the truth. While I get irritated with art dealers who take advantage of artists by being dishonest and holding back sales money, I have many times recommended artist friends to galleries. As I've mentioned before - I've sometimes purchased paintings at a gallery - even though I know the artist personally. My reason for doing so, is that it supports both the gallery and the artist, and right now some wonderful gallerists are having a hard time paying the bills. I want to see the good and honest ones prosper. [...]

If we artists remember that we’re in a partnership with our galleries, and if that partnership is built upon mutual trust, there’s no good reason why gallery owners should avoid giving us the names and contact information of those who collect our work. [...]

I've worked with some of the best gallery dealers and some of the worst, and what I've learned is that artists should never put up with unfair business practices from gallerists. If they're late on payments because of financial hardship, we might encourage them to be transparent with us so that we can work together to get through the difficult time. Everything should be above board. However, many times artists are silent about "slow to pay" or non-payment or even downright lies. In a perfect business partnership, both parties frequently talk and discuss options - nothing is hidden and no one is left wondering what's going on. Transparency creates trust in the long run. [...]

With this post, I begin a series of blog posts on - how to work with galleries, but more specifically, how to negotiate with galleries so that both the artist and the gallery owner are pleased with the arrangements. These posts won't necessarily talk about finding and getting into galleries; rather they'll deal specifically with how to negotiate for what you want and need once you enter into what is called their "stable of artists". [...]

Clint and Lori have written a lot lately about selling your own work. Their advise has been great. But there are some of you who would like to have gallery representation or may already have it. There are pros and cons to working with galleries just as there are pros and cons to selling your own work. For me, a balanced approach utilizing both is the most practical. I cannot address all issues relating to galleries in one article, so I have chosen a few. Prestigious National Gallery vs. Local Gallery Both have pros and cons. With the reputable, well known national gallery, being added among the roster of artists looks great on your resume. It may help get you invited to certain shows. These galleries have a large mailing list with collectors from all over the country. Many (but not all) of these galleries also have a good deal of foot traffic. Your work could potentially be seen by many art collectors. However, these galleries also represent scores of other talented artists who have been around the block a few times. Many of these other artists are well established and sought after. The rest of the other artists in the gallery will be just as good as you are. You will be the new kid on the block competing for wall space. The competition already has an established collector base at the gallery. You will likely be lower on the gallery's totem pole. [...]

Today's Post is by Lori Woodward Simons, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews.  Find out how you can be a guest author. Earlier today, those of us who correspond on Twitter have been discussing ideas concerning the fact that galleries rarely want to encourage direct contact between their artists and collectors. One person whom I regularly tweet with related that one gallery explained that collectors aren't really all that interested in dialoging with the artist. I thoroughly disagree. A New Standard of Gallery Representation The way that conversation/information gets written and reviewed has changed. Even newspapers and TV are being ignored because access to [...]

Lori has a good post over on her blog about Shopping for Galleries. [...]

Here at FineArtViews, one of the most common questions artists ask is "How do I go about getting gallery representation?" Today we're going to tell you how to go about it in a way that will get a gallery's attention...and get your artwork noticed. [...]

Hi Clint, In regards to that person who got a rude "uppity" reception from a gallery:  I live 25 miles from Sedona, AZ a very snobbish community of rich and sometimes famous residents.  As I know walking in with a painting under my arm is uncool, I looked up several art galleries and called in an attempt to make an appointment.  Every one of them suggested I e-mail the images.  OK so I did that and a couple of days later I followed up with a phone call.  I was told that we 1. don't have room on the walls  or 2. we are not adding any [...]

Last week I wrote some criticisms of the marketing ideas of some gallery owners I heard during a panel discussion.  This week I focus on some of the other things these gallery owners said.  This article will take the format of simply presenting the notes I jotted down while listening.  I am not attributing the following quotes to any particular person, but they were all made by real art gallery owners: When just starting a gallery: "I was advised to find artists I could grow with." (Hint - if your just starting out, look for newer galleries) "An artist I respected gave me a list [...]

Brian from Maine wonders, "Hi Clint, I was just reading some things in your blog -- the point that stood out to me was your suggestion to list my website on the backs of artwork. Wouldn't galleries balk at this?"Thanks for your question Brian. Certainly, some gallery owners distrust artist contact information on the backs of artworks. For years this has included an artist's address and phone number. Now of course, web site addresses are taboo as well. Some gallery owners may even remove or black out such information. One can sometimes feel a pervasive desire to create a “wall of [...]

I ran across a great article explaining reasons why galleries reject artists. It is by art career development consultant Sylvia White:"Most artists harbor the fantasy that if they could only find one art dealer that loved and believed in their work, their career would be set. They secretly believe that there exists a special person that can catapult them to fame. Many artists spend most of their careers searching for "the perfect gallery." And, as all quests towards perfection, it is never ending. If they already have a gallery, it's not good enough; if they are looking for their first gallery, [...]

We've been discussing artist agents.  I've received a fair amount of feedback on the subject.  The loose consensus seems to be that the best agent is the artist himself.  There's no way around digging in and doing the marketing and drudge work for yourself, unless you're lucky enough to be blessed with the proverbial marketing-savvy artist's spouse.  However, several people pointed out that in today's art marketplace, the art galleries have, in many cases, assumed the role of the agent.  As such, the checklist that I sent last time might be of some use in evaluating your galleries.  Keep in mind [...]

Artists fairly often ask me whether or not I think having an artist's agent is a good idea.  I don't really have a simple answer to that question.  The short answer is maybe, which I realize is no help at all.I have never personally met an “artist's agent” who I felt really helped the artist at all. In a sense, the art galleries themselves are your agents. So you end up with two agents trying to make decisions on your career without your direct involvement anymore. It seemed to me that the agents I delt with were little more than message [...]