Tag Archives: “how to get into galleries”

What It Takes

I wanted to take a moment to discuss some concerns that I hear repeatedly amongst artist friends and online.  If you are reading this post, then more than likely you are an artist or maybe an art enthusiast.  Some of you may have embarked upon making a career of your art while others are afraid to do so for various reasons.  And of the ones that are currently working on their art careers, you may find yourselves discouraged at times or frustrated that things are not going as planned.  So what do you do about it?  Well, I am here to say that first of all, don’t give up.  And don’t be scared, or discouraged, or angry, or sad, or frustrated, etc., etc., etc.  This is a subjective business and not everyone will feel that your work suits their gallery or their living rooms.  And that’s okay.

Let’s face it.  This career is not for sissies.  But if you love your art, which I’m sure you do, then the other stuff won’t really matter.  Take pride in your work and take pride in all that you have accomplished.  Even if you’re just starting out, you have a lot to be proud of just in taking the first step to starting your career.  Shockingly enough, most people do not take those first steps (and that’s including those that are not even artists).  It takes guts to make the first move.  You’re getting out of your comfort zone.  And even once you are well into your career, you will find that you still have to shake things up and get out of your comfort zone again and again.  As the stakes get higher, you need to do more as well as reach more.  But that’s okay because you love what you do.

Aside from loving your work, you have to be consistent.  That is the one thing that I see so many artists drop the ball on.  Consistency is key.  You can’t expect to accomplish everything overnight.  You will have to slowly build and take each step towards building your exhibition experience, your portfolio, your sales, your awards, etc.  And just because you accomplish one goal, doesn’t mean you can stop.  You have to keep on plugging away at your career.  You can’t just coast or rest on your laurels.  You’ll need to have new work to show, you’ll need to expand to other cities, other states, other countries even.  You’ll need to keep moving.  How many bands can you think of that were one-hit wonders?  How many actors can you think of that were popular and then seemed to disappear from the face of the Earth?  You may find it hard to even think of examples but once you do, you’ll be thinking, “oh yeah… whatever happened to…?”  Don’t be one of those cases.  You are not a flash in the pan.  You’re serious about your career and you are here to stay.

The good news is it’s not about luck!  Sure, sometimes you may happen to be in the right place at the right time, but that won’t be often.  And even if it does happen, it won’t necessarily make your career.  Even for the positive things that happen in your career, if it wasn’t directly related to your doing, if you trace it back, you will probably find that it was thanks to one of the “seeds” you planted in the first place.  You don’t need to buy a Magic 8 ball or get a tarot reading.  Just keep putting yourself out there, creating more, improving as much as possible, marketing, networking, exhibiting, etc.  You don’t need luck- luck is hard to get anyway.  Consistency is easy enough to do and is a sure bet.

Stay strong, be consistent, and be professional.  The rest will follow.

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www.AmyGuidry.com

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Gallery Opportunities

Viewers at Gallery 549 looking at Amy Guidry's paintings

With two group shows less than a week apart, another in the next month, and a solo show only 7 months away, a lot of pe0ple think I’m really busy.  Or uber-busy.  It seems normal to me, though, especially if I want to maintain a career as an artist.  So this has me thinking that this must not be the norm, which is unfortunate because I like to think that artists are all showing their work somewhere other than their basement.  So I have to ask- are you doing all that you can to promote your work?  Or do you not know where to start?  For those that are beginners, I thought I’d take this opportunity to discuss how to exhibit your art.  And maybe even those of you who are not new to this will pick up some ideas.

First, I like to ignore all the “rules” regarding getting into galleries.  So many people say you should start small and local.  Yes, there is some truth to this, but don’t sell yourself short.  Some of my very first exhibitions were out of my city and out of my state, so there goes that rule.  Secondly, there are a lot of people that say you shouldn’t even approach a gallery, that you should just let them call you.  What??  If I want something, I don’t just sit on my couch and will it to me.  I go out and get it.  Now, don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean you can just march into a gallery and dump your portfolio in their lap.  You should send them your work in a professional manner- read my steps for doing this in a previous post.

Galleries like to know that you are going to be reliable and not flake out if they book a show with you for several months/years in advance, hence the need for a good resume.  So you’ll need to build your exhibition history.  But how do you get an exhibit if you have never exhibited before?  I know- it’s like which came first, the chicken or the egg.  This is where starting small and local comes in since you’re more likely to get into a gallery that knows you personally through local events, plus if they are not solely looking for established artists, you’ll have a better chance.  That said, don’t limit yourself, either.  There’s no harm in trying to get shows elsewhere- especially group exhibitions since galleries know that if you drop out, it won’t be so hard to replace you or make up for it.

In addition to galleries, there are other ways to exhibit your work.  I’d recommend this whether you need to build your exhibition history or even if you’ve done hundreds of shows.  You can never reach enough people.

University galleries and museums– great to have on your resume, but won’t result in sales necessarily because the general public doesn’t think to go there to buy art.  That’s just the perception they have.  However, these venues are very prestigious and build your credibility among collectors and galleries.  You will need a few shows under your belt to score one of these, but just to say, this is something you should be aiming for.

Local museums– more likely to show your work these days due to the economic crisis.  Their funding has been limited since the government loves to cut arts funding first, so they can’t afford to ship work and give stipends to national/international artists.  So get to know your local museum and send them a proposal.

Juried exhibitions– Now there is a lot of debate over these types of shows since some think they lead to nothing, while others think you should never pass an opportunity to exhibit.  If you are completely new to exhibiting your work, I say go with the latter.  When you’re starting out, you won’t discriminate so much- there’s plenty of time to do that later once you’ve been showing a lot.  If you’ve built a bit of an exhibition history, that’s a different story.  Personally, I will do juried exhibits, but that’s only if I feel they are worthwhile.  I decide based on:
Where the show is being held– is it a good venue or is it some cube in the middle of nowhere?
Who is the juror– someone prestigious in the art world or just somebody’s grandma that took a watercolor class once?
Is the venue insured? Nevermind whether your own work is insured, if the venue itself can’t afford insurance, then it’s probably not a good one (sorry).
What city/state/country is the venue located– again, don’t go with someplace not typically known for art.
Is it a vanity gallery? There are a few of those out there holding juried shows- make sure the gallery has a good reputation.

Lastly, look into exhibition opportunities that are off the beaten path.
Pop-up galleries are the latest “it” spaces and do not require representation, so you are more likely to get into one.  Also, if you are just starting out, look into showing at coffee shops, bookstores, libraries, bank lobbies, doctors’ offices, law firms, gift shops, restaurants, etc.  Although food and smoke near your work is a scary concept, so just consider that risk, but look into making your own exhibits through these venues.  Not all will lead to sales, which is why many don’t bother, but it will build your name in the community, build your exhibition history (until you can gain more via galleries, etc.), and it can lead to future sales since people will see your work and talk about it with others well after your show.  Each step builds upon the other.  It all takes time- Rome wasn’t built in a day.

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things, so if you have ideas for opportunities to share, please feel free to add them in the comments section.

www.AmyGuidry.com

Rejection Stinks- Here’s What You Can Do About It

Amy Guidry with her work at the Acadiana Center for the ArtsYes, rejection from a gallery stinks. So I thought I’d post some ideas on what to do about it that don’t involve burning down the gallery or hate mail. I should preface this by saying I got the idea for this post from Art Calendar magazine. Jack White wrote an article called “Rejection Hurts” for the May issue. While I sometimes disagree with Mr. White’s ideas, I did find this article to be “spot on.” I would like to give my own two cents, though, so that’s the great thing about having one’s own blog. 😉

Okay, so you get a rejection from a gallery or a museum. Now what? Well, as Mr. White stated, it’s best to build a thick skin. True, but also look at this as an opportunity to get a referral. If a gallery rejects you, fine. Ask them if they can recommend a gallery that would suit your work. They may know of a new space opening up that is looking for artists. Or they may just give your name to another gallery themselves. (Yes, hard to believe, but that has happened for me.) It’s no skin off their nose to give you another name. In addition, you can then contact said gallery and use the name game to your advantage by saying ‘so and so from Gallery XYZ recommended your space to me and thought my work would fit your gallery.’

As far as reasons behind the rejection go, one of the more common reasons that Mr. White does not mention is that gallery’s have, in general, 12 exhibits a year. So that usually boils down to only 12 of their artists being shown in one year (except in a group show, of course). So it is not surprising that galleries, museums, and art centers usually have a full calendar for two years in advance. Sometimes 3 years. Just because a gallery isn’t interested at the time, doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. Perhaps they will keep your information on file. Perhaps they would like to stay in touch with you. It would be wise to maintain some type of relationship with these people. If you truly love the space, then it’s worth the time and effort. Not that you should do this anyway, but if you are randomly sending your work to any and every gallery, then it’s impossible to maintain relationships with all of these people. But if there are a few spaces you would give your left arm to be in, it would be in your best interest to stay in touch. And I don’t mean in a looking-to-get-a-restraining-order sort of way, either. Just get to know everyone on a personal basis. Learn their names. Go to their exhibits. Show a true interest in their artists’ work. THEN you can fill them in on what you’ve been doing.

I liked that Mr. White ended with saying to use rejection as a motivation to move forward. Aside from moving on, though, look for ways to turn rejection around into something positive. There may be another opportunity there, you just have to dig a little.

www.AmyGuidry.com