17. The wrap

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

17. The wrap up.

All of the things discussed will be of value to you in starting your quest to be an active Visual Artist and over time you will develop a great deal of experience. I hope the aim of assisting to find useful starting points has been useful.

In the “Art world” there are commercial opportunities, and “pure Art” opportunities where the business of Art is probably not considered. All in all it’s up to you which path you want to take, but art as a career where you can earn a living is feasible, although mostly it’s highly competitive.

To stand out from a crowded market place you need to be different, to innovate, to be noticed but you would do well to look carefully at the tried and true basics of business and marketing to be able to find your niche.

Take into account all the aspects laid out in the 16 other points and explore the ways you can be all you can be in the arts and give it your best shot.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

16. Your first solo show

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

16. Your first solo show.

At last you are having your first solo show, you are excited, the work is great but what’s going to happen? What can you control and what do you need to know.

Well firstly if you are represented by a gallery they will tell you what to do and when, if they don’t chat to them about what they want you to do and make a list for yourself and follow it.

If however you are having a solo show where you hire the space, there is a lot to consider and you should develop a solid plan of action to make sure you do enough of the right things to make the occasion a success.

1. Create a calendar then create a plan – You may have a few months to the exhibition, so gab a calendar and check out how far away it is, then jot down as many things you can think of you might need to do. From here make a plan of action seeing what needs to be done first.
2. Do research – A quick search on the computer will give you access to a range of information and articles on planing and exhibition, try an Art Forum, membership is often free and you can ask experts who have been there and done that what they did, do and the pitfalls to watch out for.
3. Create a budget – Yes MONEY is involved costs for invites catering and adverts to name a few, so create a budget and stick to it.
4. Market it well – Let the world know, but in a way that suits your budget, identify carefully who you want to target and how you will get them to notice your exhibition, art magazine adverts can soon add up, so can other costs for marketing.
5. Invite the right people – Make a great list of people you want to share your first show with, often the first show is rarely a selling show but more to the point your entrée to the art world, a “look out world here I come” statement. Therefore it’s okay to invite friends and family and treat it as a celebration, if however you are confident the works will sell, figure out who you can invite who might be in a position to purchase works.
6. Make sure the gallery is sorted – The deposit is paid, the transport of your work is organised, the hanging and placement of the works is sorted out in advance where possible, the hardware and tools you need or organised and assistants are there if you need them to hang work etc. If you are organising some catering, make sure it is planned well, if you need permits to serve alcohol then get it well in advance.
7. Keep yourself “Nice” – At the event opening you want to make sure you “behave yourself” the temptation to perhaps have a few drinks before the event to build some courage, or to have a few too many at the opening. You may think you are ok but it’s not good to upset people or put them off your work due to how you act, so keep yourself nice… (Trust me on this one it will get you in the end…)
8. Be organised with the sales – Who handles the sales? The gallery? You? a friend? Make sure this is settled early and well organised so there are as few hiccups as possible.
9. Be there – During the show you should consider making yourself available so you can chat to viewers if they have any questions about the works. If this happens on the weekend so be it. If you are showing in a well known space ask them about how many people go through a show and pick the busiest days to be there.

It’s your first show so enjoy the process as much as you can, you have done the work, built the confidence so you deserve to make it work for you as best possible.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

15. Being great to get along with

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

15. Being great to get along with.

If you have ever come across an obnoxious person you will know it’s often MUCH easier to steer clear of them, as they can drag a group down, are often negative, destroy friendships fast, and generally cause all sorts of drama. A person who is opposite to this is easy to get along with, a great contributor to a team, generally positive and builds friendships fast.

So which would you rather be?

BUT here’s our challenge, many Artists work in isolation, build up their own ways of working, their own habits, own desires and interests and are focussed on them, not others (okay big generalisation, but you get the point.)

Therefore for Art Galleries to work with them, and other Artists in group exhibitions and the like the whole team spirit and sense of cooperation is vital to things going well. So how do we make sure we are great to get along with so things can go smoothly?

1. Take the time to build rapport – That is, make the effort to get along with people by being a bit like them, by using their language exploring their view of things to minimise the difference between you and them.
2. Ask about your style – What’s my style like when dealing with other people? Ask your friends and adjust so you can “take the edge off” any parts of the way you do things, which may cause a drama or challenge of some kind.
3. Be an individual BUT – Yes you are an Artist, an individual, after all, however if there are aspects of that which causes people to be repelled then that’s often NOT useful in getting along with others.
4. Keep in contact – In a group planning for an exhibition, or with a gallery the main people involved want to know what’s happening, so drop them a line via email if you don’t talk much, if you do find phoning essential make sure you figure out what you need to ask, say etc and jot it down so you can remember it easily and not get flustered. A great way to catch up when you can’t or don’t want to is with a group sharing system like google groups, a bit like email but with the ability to share files.
5. Be knowledgeable but not a know it all – You are the best at what you do, but don’t shout it at people. Let them figure out your worth without you having to be the bragger, boastful, boisterous, blah blah blah! In fact if they ask you questions that’s fine, but consider how much information they should be given and if you might go over the top with a response.
6. Ask about them – Working with others gives you a great chance to indulge them, ask how they are, what they want, how they want it and when, I fact get great at asking questions about them and you will become a person people will want to get a long with.
7. Learn to handle tough calls… - Yes, rejection it happens, people may reject you not because of you, but perhaps your scale of work is not what they are after, or the style is not handled by the gallery (e.g. abstract V’s realistic) or any one of a million possibilities, it may not be you or  your personality but it might feel that way. Rejection is tough it can hurt, but know it may not be because of you. So don’t throw a tantrum just because someone said no to your proposal, style of work etc.

All of these points (and others) are all aimed at assisting you to be more influential, leaving a positive impression and a better communicator, so practice them and be the person people want to get along with and not the drama queen known for being the easiest person to get along with!

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009

14. Chatting to people about your work

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

14. Chatting to people about your work

Some Artists are shy, some want to tell everyone about their work and many of us are somewhere in between. Chatting about our work can be a challenge so I want to address that in this article.

Let’s imagine you create wonderful objects, your art buddies say great things but you just want to make the things and get on with making more… not to be hassled by having to chat about the works with others.

After a while you can end up having to talk about your work and finding useful ways to do it, so you can connect with gallery operators, enthuse a prospective purchaser, or keep an Art Lecturer from failing you!

Communicating about your work probably falls into a small bunch of categories.

• What it’s about (basic to complex).

• How much it’s worth.

Then couple this with small talk to fill in the gaps and you may find yourself in an awkward position if you are more used to being buried in your studio in a deep personal trance working away on your Art.

The important thing is to know you are not the only person to find chatting about your work challenging, art can be so personal and introspective it can hurt greatly to “spill the beans” on your personal symbolism and stories. To overcome some of this try a few of these ideas as possible starting points.

• Join a public speaking group – Toastmasters and other groups can be a great way to explore chatting to others through a structured program to build confidence.
• Listen to other artists talk about their work, what information they cover and how they handle themselves.
• Chat to Galleryists about what they want to hear from artists, then develop your spiel about your works based on that.
• Research ways to price your work so you can confidently discuss pricing issues before they become a stressful issue.
• Jot down what your work is about, record yourself reading it out loud and see how it sounds on playback, practice it until it seems right to you.
• Chat to your art friends about their work, see what they say, then see how you respond when they ask you about your work…. How do you feel Confident, self-assured, knowledgeable or a mumbling fool? Then consider taking steps to make improvements on the areas you are not as strong in.

There are a whole range of reasons people may not be as at ease chatting about their work, from personal confidence issues to an uneasy understanding or appreciation of the language used by artists. Whatever the reasons you can overcome them, it may take practice, it may take courage, it may take some soul searching but it can happen, it’s up to you to figure out if you want to do something about it and then taking action to implement a plan of action.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

13. Tracking your work

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

13. Tracking your work

If you are in a position to have a number of galleries represent you and show your work, it can be easy to lose track of where things are or where they are meant to be. Then ad to this art competitions, awards and the like then it starts to get complex, THEN if you rent some work out it gets really crazy!

The answer a system, a simple system, in fact the simpler it is the more likely it is you will use it. Therefore you need to come up with a way track what’s happening, even if you only have a few works out of your reach for a while it can still be a handy habit to get into.

Perhaps the easiest way is to create a table with columns on a sheet of paper. The first column lists the work, then, where it’s at, date delivered, the expected date of return, then a tick box for when it is returned.

Over time you can develop it further but the basics are there, some people do it on computer so they can wipe out the returned ones, I guess a whiteboard can do the same also.

So find the way that works, use the system and never lose sight of your works again.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

12. Websites and blogs

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

12. Websites and blogs

Technology means we are able to communicate fast to a whole range of people and the internet has certainly given us great scope to do just that.

These days updating your website can be (must be…) an easy process so you can ensure the contents, words and text along with any links can be altered to suit.

Using the web as a marketing and promotion tool is generally seen as a normal part of today’s art marketing strategies, (esp in the USA) however many Artists are content to see their representing gallery do the online representation for them. My thought is, have them do it AND do it yourself, the more avenues for promotion the better!

Blogs have become a popular way to keep in touch with those who want to know about what’s happening in your art world and it certainly offers great scope, coupled with your social media contact lists an active presence can be highly effective. A few issues arise, the information you write can work against you (especially if you have opinions others disagree with!) and if left idle for too long people forget about your blog.

In the process of building an online presence you need to make sure you are doing things for an active audience, there is no use in having a web page or blog if no one is actively looking at them. This can be overcome by utilising Google Analytics a piece of very useful software which tracks the amount of visitors to your site, long with a lot of other information you need to know, like where are the people who are looking? How did they find my site/s an so on… Analytic programs offer so much information it can be daunting. Especially if you find no one has been to your site for weeks!

This raises the issue of how people find out about you and your sites, Business cards and fliers which list your web address are useful (as long as they are handed out!) and your social media contacts and teasers keep people coming back to look. Couple this with links to your site from relevant sites and or online goggle ads you then up your chance of guiding people to look at what you have to offer.

Your site should be a great place to visit, and viewers should want to hang around long enough to read and or look at what you have, what you do etc. If you can add images of yourself at work, videos via You Tube of you working etc, then you stand a chance of being noticed in a good way.

Being active online is vital to your web success, commenting on art blogs, forums and the like can also provide people with a way to get in contact with your site.

There is lots of material about online marketing strategies you may like to check out, from using PR to drive people to your site to publicity “stunts” which cause people to have a look. Whatever way you do it, your aim should be the same, accessing a specific target market and influencing them to take a solid interest in what you do as an Artist. In the end the result should be higher recognition of you and your work with a greater likelihood of sales. 

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

11. Invites and teasers

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

11. Invites and teasers

You are having an exhibition and the gallery will probably organise the invites to the opening, however if you have to do it for yourself for whatever reason, then here are a few guiding points to consider, and how to make use of “teasers” to enhance the results of your marketing efforts.

Invites, the aim is to entice people to be at your opening, a loose guide to their success is in the amount of people who come to the opening.

The invite should clearly tell people who, when, what, where, and give them some sort of indication as to the type of work on offer. It should be in printed and email form, so the design should take into account both processes and it’s ability to be effective in each situation.

The next consideration is the quality of the printing used, Although I get a lot of invites to exhibitions via email I still like to get hard copy ones, I tend to consider those with more interest for some reason and the coated (gloss or soft buttery finishes), bigger ones the better, multi-fold, multi image ones are simply great, but that’s me..

Lastly how long before you send them out? If it’s too long before the opening they might forget about it, if it’s too soon, other things may end up on their calendar…. The general guide seems to be from 2 – 4 weeks out from the opening.

Now to teasers. If you have a great contact list of interested people on your email list then chat to them in the lead up to the show with a teaser or three. Of course you want to avoid being a spammer, so make sure you provide some way of the person opting out of being a contact.

Teasers have the aim of intriguing a person to want to know more, in this case to look at the galleries website or your website about the upcoming show, if you have a site dedicated to a group show with info on it, then the teaser should have that web address on it. If you are using Facebook, twitter and similar social media contact devices make sure your teasers cause people to check out what you have online also. It is probably not useful to merely say a show is coming up and the invite will follow soon, is a waste of time, you need to engage them in a meaningful way.

Teasers can be a simple letter, a DL sized flier or card, an email image and text or a combination of the lot. Your aim being to have heaps of suitable people interested in your exhibition and your work.

Consider using a range of short sharp headlines to grab attention, so the reader feels compelling to want to know more. 

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

10. Your art statement

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

10. Your art statement

An Artists Statement is probably meant to inspire the reader, or at least to give them some level of insight into the Artists thought processes mentally and physically. Often however it’s seen as a long boring load of rubbish by a reader who may find the document causes them to be disconnected rather than inspired or more enlightened about the Artist.

Making an Artists Statement can take a fair bit of juggling to get the mix right, of words to inspire and some form of useful explanation without giving too much away (tell the reader the whole story and they might discount you as well…)

I suggest you make it a thing worth learning, take a look at as many as you can and do a mental checklist, is the doc I am about to read daunting? Does it tell me what I want to hear? Is the statement aimed at a target market (of which I may not be part of…)? Does it refer to things or people I know nothing about and is that good, or isolating? Does the Artist sound like an interesting person to know or other? Do the words strike me in such a way as to engage me to look at the work with added interest?

The challenge is to then decipher if it really works for or against the Artist.

How would you go about writing an Artist’s Statement? Would you discuss where the ideas come from (your history, other works you have done, your interests, your philosophy’s.) Or would you go for some pseudo philosophical or intellectual stance to try and impress the reader…

I find it’s easy to look at art but a challenge to read about it and go deep on the meaning side of things. In galleries I have been known to walk in look at the show and read little if any of the Artists Statement and often what I do read is a skimming process to see if anything grabs me. Occasionally things do grab me, a neatly crafted set of words which compels me to read on as if a mystery is about to unfold in a whodunit movie. 

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

9. Consistency, passion, motivation and desire

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

9. Consistency, passion, motivation and desire.

These are vital ingredients in making it in the Visual Art world. The galleries and collectors want to see consistency of the work, with perhaps a growth or development over time. They want to also see you are passionate and motivated with a strong desire to create and continue to create.

From an Art Galleries perspective they want to provide works to their clients which will appreciate in value, or fit to the clients need in some other way (as decoration for example). Therefore they are in the business of supplying investment worthy artworks, which means if they don’t their credibility is on the line.

To ensure their artists meet these “guidelines” they would have to vet out those who they believe do not meet this criteria and often the Visual Artists who are knocking on their door to get recognition and the all important “foot in the door” can feel a little hard done by or unfairly treated.

To illustrate my point a bit further, lets look at a few similar examples, the music and performance shows idol, and So you Think You Can Dance to name a few. Those who watch regularly will know the judges sort out (in part) by asking questions, often contestants reply with “I am really passionate about this and it would mean so much if I won!” well this statement is probably true for all the contestants, it comes down to proving it rather than saying it, or at least finding a better way of saying it.

Passion is one thing, proving you are motivated, consistent in your approach and have a solid desire to be an active part of the Visual Art world is another thing. Think about it how will you… how should you… how can you demonstrate these qualities… how can you build on them to make them stronger…

Of the four qualities mentioned I believe they are all important, it’s up to you to work out ways to make them a priority. But please avoid saying… “I am passionate about Art and it would mean soo much to me!” Yeah right

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

8. The $$ and Cents

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

8. The $$ and Cents

Making Art for some is a small leisure time activity and they are pleased to be creatively involved in something. For others however it is a force within them which has great power they believe is unstoppable, or it’ somewhere in between.

Either way it costs money for materials, time is taken in producing and in the end if a sale is made the amount of profit you get back depends on how things work out money wise.

Lets start at the end of the “high end” a commercial contemporary art gallery, typically their commission is about 40 – 50% as a fee on top of what you charge for the art work so you will get back 50 – 60% of the final purchase price if a work sells.

Therefore if a work is priced at $5,000 and sells you will get $2,500 to about $3000 depending on the commission level. If you are aiming to make a living out of Visual Art you needs to be very aware of this and do figures to sort out the situation early to avoid disappointment.

I suggest you put on your “Business Hat” at this point and see the art as a product for sale, out of the $$ return you get you have to then take out expenses, figure out a profit margin and a wage etc. Any accountant should be able to assist you with the basics of this so it’s worthwhile.

If on the other hand you create art works for leisure you may not be as concerned for the $$ returns, but more pleased people have liked the work enough to buy it.

With a business hat back on, lets say you want to make a $60,000 income, if you add expenses to that (the cost of doing business) you could be up for $30,000. So you need to sell $90,000 worth of work (wholesale rate), include the commission and then you are up to$180,000 worth of sales… hmm let’s see that’s about 18 pieces at $10,000 each. It may seem a lot but if you want to make a living from your art these things need to be considered.

Use the above points as a guide and see if you can make up a few figures to sort things out, keep it in simple chunks and delve into the details as you do some juggling.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

7. The Value of Group Shows.

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

7. The Value of Group Shows.

Exhibitions are a great way for people to see your work, there are solo and group shows to consider. In this article I want to chat about group shows and their value.

A solo show means you are in the spotlight and while many Visual Artists aspire to have a solo show it can seem a very daunting task to undertake. A group show can give you an opportunity to be seen and allow you to keep costs down as well.

• Group show 1 – All in for the big group show - Big group shows put on annually by local charities to raise funds are just that fund raisers. They may have some value to Artists starting out and leisure painters. Many of them have guidelines about the qty of work you can put in and may have an entrance fee as well. These may have some value as a starting point to your CV, however it might soon fade off the list as bigger and better exhibitions are added. Invitational shows where there is a theme and there are prizes of higher value than smaller charities can be of greater value and these are often highly sought after, examples are the Archibald and Wynn prizes, winning these is often seen as a career defining moment by many Artists, on a smaller scale are postcard type shows.
• Group show 2 – A group of Artists get together and want to show - They may work on a similar theme, or style and feel it would be useful to exhibit together. Make sure all the details are worked out before you say yes… Also make sure the Artists you will be showing with are people you want to show with. Ask, who is organising it? What are the costs? How will it be advertised? Do I have enough work for it? Is there plenty of time to coordinate the show etc… How much space will I have to present in? and will it be of value to me and my art career? If the answer to the last one is low value then carefully consider if it’s worth it. A good group show can be a high value exhibition to add to your CV.
• Group show 3 – The Gallery – If you are represented by a gallery they may have a group show where they put your work up with others, often this is done at the end of the year when the gallery scene is quieter and they want to just “fill the space”. In this case you may have little choice about who they hang your works with and often the work is from their stockroom so you probably do not have to do much to make the show happen. The value here is it’s another event to add to your CV.
• Group show 4 – Online – Today’s technology can give us the chance to insert our art in all manner of websites and online art shows. Many of these are for fun and can be used as a device to get your art seen.

There are probably other forms of group shows, but for now these are what I see as the main ones and some of their value to you as an Artist.

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

6. Building a database and why it’s important

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

6. Building a database and why it’s important

If you are not familiar with the term database and fear it may be too techo to take on stop! It really can be a simple thing and I will give you a few very non techo ways to do it. But first what is it and what’s it for?

Database is an information storage device, it can be on a computer or it can be on paper or card. The aim being to store information, in our case information on people or organisations who may be interested in your work.

So here is the bare bones simplest way to do it. Any one who has a potential interest in your work , get their details and record them, on paper. Perhaps you divide it into sections, Collectors, Galleries and so on. Then jot down their details.

How do you use it? Every time you are going to do something, contact the right people, the people on your list. If you want to have an exhibition, go to the galleries section and make contact. If you are having a show and want collectors to come, send the invites to people on your list.

Sure you can get fancy and create an email database of people and organisations to contact, it’s up to you. These days you can have HEAPS of contacts through a twitter or Facebook site and get to people easily, the important part is that people know about you and your work so that selling becomes easier because you have contacted more of the right people!

Building whatever form of database you have can be as simple as a guest book at your opening through to a sign up page on your website, then you can send out a newsletter or info sheet with ease.

The value of the list is like gold and the more quality contacts  you have on it the better, then cultivate the list, educate them, inform them about what you are up to so they can know what’s going on, if you don’t tell them, who will? 

Lastly remember to have a media contact list, after all, if you can get free publicity by a quick note to a local media group, why not!

Compiled and edited by Steve Gray, Australian Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

5. social media as promotional tools

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion.

5 - Social media as promotional tools.

Twitter, Facebook, forums and other online devices (even humble email!) has become the way many people are now advertising products and services to an eager world of harried customers.

Using these devices as ways to promote your art needs to be done with care, as it can be hard to undo a tarnished online image. What may have seemed a great idea at the time can soon be a millstone in certain situations.

If you have a website or are referred to in an online interview etc… a simple link can assist in spreading the word, (Yes even in your email or online signature on a forum can do the trick.)

Some find the social media avenues are fast becoming clogged with people jumping on the bandwagon hoping to be snapped up by the millions of online viewers, the challenge is the more who advertise, the more you have to stand out from the crowd to be noticed, not easy folks.

A good online marketer takes full advantage of those using these systems well and will either innovate or simply copy their efforts n a bid to “have the edge”.

Of course the social media organisations get clever with their structures and aim to weed out “spammers” and provide all manner of filters when things get too clogged, (It’s not a good look to get wiped as a member of a networking site for spamming!)

Like all avenues of promotion the Artist would do well to ensure they have researched their options well before jumping in to the boiling pot of online adverts of any knid.

Written by Steve Gray Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

4. Other Sales Avenues

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion. 

4. Other sales avenues

When it comes to selling art an art gallery is clearly the first choice, but today there are other options. Online sales thorough Ebay or specific Artist directory type sites who promote artists, are becoming stronger.

With these options it becomes clear the Artist needs to be sure that whichever method they choose is it going to be the right ‘stance” or ”position”. Nothing could be worse for your career if you find out too late  you set up an online sales account only to find someone selling children’s art objects in the “store next door” or similar.

A fair degree of research needs to go into the method you choose and how it will work. An example would be to consider what sorts of art are sold through online stores? And then does this sort of “art” fit to your style (e.g. contemporary works). Perhaps a direct sales website is better than a site where many others attempt to sell their works.

Another way is to sell directly to your “adoring customers.”

Selling directly offers it’s own set of challenges, from sales and negotiation skills to marketing and management. If you invite people to come to the studio and see what’s on offer there are lots of things you need to consider and make sure that if you sell for cash, you have the change in your cash float to be able to settle with the buyer just as you would in any shop.

Consider, what sort of person am I aiming to sell to? How do they shop? Therefore sell to those people the way they want to be sold to.

In the end you need to research, set up a plan of action and make sure the right details are taken care of before you decide which avenue to take  .

Written by Steve Gray Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

3. Connecting with a gallery

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion. 

3. Connecting with a gallery.

You have found a gallery you want to be represented by…  What’s next?

Your online research shows they have been trading for a number of years, they have a good stable of artists, they represent your style of work and seem to have the right “presence” when people walk in the door of the gallery and contact them in other ways. Generally you like the way they do things.

Despite all this you may feel a little uneasy, is your work good enough, are you confident enough, is self doubt creeping in! ARRGH!

Relax many people have the same feeling when they are in this situation. So you won’t be the first nor the last, you can be sure of that. So what to do? A few things might sway things in your favour.

• Get on their mailing list if you can (surprised you have not thought of that one already…)
• Go to the openings and chat to the Artist/s, chat to the gallery people too.

In chatting to people you want to build a relationship with, it pays to not try and tell them a lot about you in one hit, perhaps you might take some time to reveal a lot about what you do and what you want. (the aim is to avoid being overbearing or pushy.)

You should be building a link between them and you, it can work even better if you are referred by another Artist or a friend of the gallery operator.

Some Gallery Directors will have a look at an online resource you may have (If your heart sinks while they type in your web address you had better hope the butterflies settle fast, or your own heart might be telling you something about your site!

A suggestion is to ensure you have the relationship built BEFORE you drag in a full on folio of physical works. Starting with your online presence is an easy way to get involved.

Get ready for rejection though, as many galleries see MANY Artists wanting to beat a new path to paying collectors and investors of art. Don’t take the rejection personally, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow and explore more closely what the galleries stance is about the style of work they represent.

Do your research well, build rapport, ask the right questions, show them the right things and you could be their next rising star…

Written by Steve Gray Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

2. Marketability

Sell! Or sell out… an Artists guide to promotion. 

2. Marketability

As an Artist you produce works, which are of significance to you, but are they of value to others as well? That’s the big question when it comes to selling art. I am not suggesting for a minute you change your style and way of working to make your works more saleable so you lose out on it’s artistic intent Far From IT!, however you must be aware, if you want to sell works, there has to be an end user wanting or needing what you have to offer.

If you present your works to a gallery who looks after Artists who are of a similar style to yourself, they have probably found a way to target clients interested in that style, if not they will be out of business fairly quickly!

When it comes to figuring out if your works are marketable or not, you need to ask those who know about the Art scene you are aiming at. Sure your family and friends will have an opinion, but do they know enough about your work, and what sells to really tell you straight? Chances are no… So who would you chat to? Buyers of this type of work, Gallery directors etc… other Artists working in your style.

If you are aiming to be represented by a gallery and you have found one who represents your style of work well, you have a chance they will know the best of all about the marketability of your work. They are after all experts in their field (especially if they have been doing it for a good number of years.)

Back to basics for a moment, anything, which for sale needs to have a market (people or organisations interested in buying what’s on offer.) without that market you have no potential for a sale. Now the thing is finding out where these people “hang out” and how they go about buying! In our case they hang out in art galleries so that makes it easy. But for those selling online or direct, getting an advert, sales copy etc to work for you is often challenging so be careful how you go about it.

In simple terms I guess you want to avoid those around you saying “I told you that stuff would not sell!” (when you have just spent hundreds of $$ on adverts that did not raise any interest…) So researching and working on your marketability as an Artist is very useful and can save you a lot of grief later on.

Another aspect to marketing which is very important is knowing you can not sell a secret. A secret is an unknown quantity, so people need to know about you. There are a number of ways to do this, building your profile by getting in the media (local papers can be a great start) and then build a scrap book from there (Hmm, it may sound corny but it works!) over time the more you get your name out the more people will remember you. Think of it like this, large brands (like Coke) keep advertising to keep their name out there and happening. You should do the same.

A few ways to be noticed.

• In magazines on the Arts – Adverts – Gallery listings - Interviews
• Online – Your own website – Interviews you can link to about you – in commercial sites which promote Visual Arts.
• In local papers and other media – Send them a press release to keep them up to date with what’s happening with your art work, any awards you have won, shows coming up etc.
• Active involvement in relevant online forums – chatting to other artists is great but gallery people can also check out your passion for the Arts, and yes they will google search your name at some stage.

There’s some ideas on ways to be marketable, I hope it helps!

Written by Steve Gray Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

1. Research

Sell! Or sell out… an artists guide to promotion.

1. Research…

You make art, are happy with the “quality” of the work and now want to sell it. The first step is to do some research.

For this series I want to provide information for Contemporary Visual Artists, so if you create decorative works, fantasy works etc this series may have some value for you, however there are probably other aspects you might need to consider as well.

Researching ways to sell your art is vital, so you know what’s out there and are then formulate a plan of action from that, which is rich in knowledge, not rich in hot air.

A few options are currently available.

1. Art Galleries
2. Selling online
3. Selling directly to the end buyer

A brief look, all of the above are okay, the gallery one is the often preferred option as you have an “agent” working for you, you pay a commission for that of course.

The other two… selling online can mean selling to bargain shoppers, if you can get past that your fine… and finally the last one selling directly, e.g. through studio direct sales, it can be great but you do the advertising and therefore the hard yards to attract prospective buyers.

The aim in researching at this point is to figure out which one of these methods will be of value to you, perhaps all three, or just one. As you do your research figure out which one you will be the most comfortable with and go for that.

1. Art Galleries – check out the many Contemporary Art Galleries available, there are art gallery guides in newsagents, online and through magazine listings, check as many galleries as you can, keeping in mind if a gallery sells abstract work and you are a realist, chances are they might say no… But check the stockroom if you can and see what styles of work they deal in. Get to know the gallery directors name, and perhaps do some online research to see if their online presence is suitable, they usually list their artists there so you might be able to talk to some of them to find out if the gallery looks after them well. Remember a gallery is a business and needs to make a profit, needs to see turnover of cash and therefore wants to represent saleable artists.
2. Selling online – Ebay and other online sites are generally seen as a way for people to buy bargains. If you have your own online sales store attached to your site you will want to make sure it represents you well to your prospective purchasers, can be updated easily by you and shows the works off to their best ability.
3. Selling directly – Having people drop into the studio to have a look is probably a great idea for some, but if you are a reclusive hermit, you might try another avenue. To sell directly you need to be able to chat freely to people, let them feel at ease and keep the pressure off them. Some sales knowledge is required so if you don’t want to sell and possibly haggle over the price then avoid this one as well. Some Artists offer an open studio day a few times throughout the year and advertise in their local paper for a few weeks leading up to the event.

A few ideas there, the big thing being to figure out which one you think best suits you. then setting u a plan of action to get the results you want from it.

Written by Steve Gray Contemporary Visual Artist © 2009+

Sell! or sell out…

Sell! Or sell out…

Many artists are in a position where they have produced work and now want to promote their works to sell them, generally through an art gallery of some kind. However Most artists seems to have an issue with Galleries and are either not sure how to approach them, not sure if they can handle the possible rejection not sure if they want to part with their works!

This series is about allowing you as the artist or artist to be an insight into how you might go about the process.

We will look at selling Art works and avoid the issue of “Art for Art sake” so note this series is for those who want to sell, not hide their work under the bed…. That’s a whole other issue.

In this series lets look at.

• Marketability
• Research
• Connecting with the gallery
• Other sales avenues
• Social media as a promotional tool
• Building a database and why it’s important
• The value of group shows.
• The $$ and Cents
• Consistency, passion, motivation and desire
• Your art statement
• Invites and teasers
• Websites and blogs
• Tracking your work
• Chatting to people about your work
• Being great to get along with
• Your first solo show

There are lots of things to explore so lets get started! In the next few weeks you will be able to follow the posts and gain a better understanding of what might take place in the broader Visual Arts world.

Five facts about being a Visual Artist.

It’s important to note the title of this article specifically refers to facts related to being successful in business, rather than being successful as an artist. Success is a term, which is defined differently by each us. Think about it…what are the things you think you need to accomplish before you consider yourself successful? Believe it or not, there are some artists who couldn’t care less about selling their work. Their primary definition of success is to be able to push the limits of their own creativity, leaving their studio with the sense of satisfaction, accomplishment and the enthusiasm to return to another day of work.

Others consider success the ability to gain recognition from their peers and eventually be seen as having made a positive contribution, from an art historical point of view. Still other artists, are less interested in this long term historical vision, and find their definition of success is equal to the amount of income they can generate from the sale of their work. Regardless of your definition of success for your work, these are the facts you must face if you want to be successful in the business world and understand how the art market works.

As always, it is important to note there are exceptions to every rule, and I genuinely hope you will be that one in a million exception… but if you are not, you need to be prepared. So, artists brace yourself, here is my bucket of ice cold water splash in your face:

1. You will not get “discovered.” 
 
Marketing your art is hard work. There are thousands of artists making extraordinary efforts to promote their work each and every day. Waiting for an angel benefactor or hoping for a patron, is just a way of procrastinating. You need to stop making excuses and put a plan into action to deal with the reality of the hard work it takes to get recognized. A minimum of 3 hours of week set aside to do business is essential.

2. You will not find a gallery that “understands your work” and feels as passionately about it as you do. 
 
Although many gallerists are passionate about the artists they represent, educated in art history and articulate, the majority are primarily interested in selling art. This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if sales is one of your primary goals. But, artists have to stop dreaming about finding the one person out there who can be their “art soul mate” and realize that galleries are in business to sell art, and that is exactly what you are hiring them to do for you. They do not need to understand your work on every level, nor do they have to be emotionally moved by it… what they do have to do, is be convinced they have the contacts and collectors who will like your work.

3. No matter how original you think your work is, it has been done before. 
 
Originality does not define quality, quality defines quality. Regardless of whether or not your work is original, what makes art exceptional is the context in which it was made from an art historical point of view. Study art history, know your influences, and understand originality and/or technique is only one of many considerations in the determination of what makes art great.

4. Just because your work looks just like Jackson Pollock, (or, fill in the blank) doesn’t mean it’s as good, or you can price it the same. 
 
The price of your art has very little to do with what it looks like, what it is made out of, or how big it is…it has everything to do with what the market will bear, supply and demand, and your exhibition and sales history. In evaluating how to price your work, you should be looking at other artists in your same career range, and the prices people are willing to pay for YOUR work, is how you establish a market value. 

5. You will not be able to make a living off the sale of your work. 
 
Sales are great and every artist needs and wants the positive feedback that comes from collectors buying your work. But, assuming that you want to live above the poverty level in the United States, to make a decent living you would need to sell over $150,000 worth of your art to net $75,000 before taxes. That would make your net approximately $50,000 before you deducted any expenses for studio space, art supplies, framing, advertising or promotion. Of course, it is possible. But, if you keep waiting for it to happen without accepting the reality of the odds, you are doing yourself and your work a disservice.

If you do the math, being an artist will most likely cost you money no matter how much art you are able to sell! But, do not despair…remember that being an artist is one of the greatest gifts a person can have. You have found something in your life you are passionate about and something you love to do. You are leaving a legacy and giving of yourself each time you complete a piece of art. Sit back and relish in the joy your art making gives you and accept the fact that succeeding in the business world has no part in defining your success as an artist.

©2009 Sylvia White http://www.artadvice.com/profile

If you are addicted

Living with an artist isn’t easy, particularly if you are the significant other. So, after living with and working with artists for over 20 years I’ve put together a few suggestions for you to share with your partners. One of the first things most non-artists have a hard time understanding is the concept of addiction and how it is related to art making. Most artists I know go through classic symptoms of withdrawal when deprived of their work environment for too long. They get grouchy, irritable, may suffer from physical complaints such as headaches, body aches and often times find themselves depressed for no reason. These symptoms miraculously disappear when they are given the opportunity to work again. The primary reason for this is artists are wired differently than the rest of us. While most of us can get by with the basic elements of Maslow’s theory, food, shelter, etc…artists need to be able to create as much as they need food or oxygen. It is so much a part of who they are, that to deprive them of it would be like asking you or I not to talk, not to eat, not to breathe. They have been given this gift in the same way we were given blue eyes or brown. Making art is not an option for them, it is a necessity.

Occasionally, I will get an artist who asks me to tell them my opinion of their work. It is a question I try to discourage. Unless you are asking an art critic or an art historian, most people are not qualified to comment of the aesthetic value of the work. Galleries may be able to comment on the marketability of the work, collectors may be able to say if they like it. But, mature artists shouldn’t pursue seeking an opinion of their work. Your work is your work, period. Someone will either like it or they won’t. Nothing you say or do can change that. Now, you may be able to convince someone to buy it, but, in regards to liking it, it is a primal reflex based on the accumulated history of that person’s visual information and experience. So what does it really mean when someone doesn’t like your work. It means one person doesn’t like your work. That’s all it means. It doesn’t mean you are a bad artist or a bad person or should stop making art (as if that was really an option). In almost all cases, when an artist asks what you think of their work, they are asking to connect with that person by sharing an intimate part of themselves. Realize that when an artist asks what you think of their work, they hear the answer as it relates to them, personally. It is a vulnerability that mature artists struggle hard to overcome.

The concept of “working” was a hard one for me to understand. Often times I’d go into my husband’s studio and see him sitting on the couch with the television on or listening to the radio…staring at his paintings. I’d been at my office all day, talking on the phone or busy with clients. This was not my idea of “work.” It wasn’t until I really understood the process of making a painting that I realized how much of the work is in just looking…thinking…imagining what it would be like to do this or that. Mental activity that to the lay person looks like relaxation. I could accept the fact that slathering paint around was work…but, sitting and staring, that was hard for me. What I came to learn was that the “looking,” is the hardest part. It was kind of like hearing about the way Mozart wrote music. He wouldn’t write anything down until he could hear it all in his head first, then he would write it out perfectly in a matter of minutes.

Contrary to the common stereotype of artists as slackers, artists are incredibly industrious and hard working. In most cases, regardless of what they do for a living, they are working on their obsession 24/7. Acknowledging this, can help tremendously in understanding an important aspect of an artists’ character…and saving a relationship.

http://artadvice.com

Sow what is it worth?

By Dorothy Gauvin

It has been famously said that - ‘The reputation of an artist is only as big as his price tag.’ Much as we may deplore the crassness of that, we have to recognise the truth of it in the public perception. And so, artists all come to a point when they wonder how to increase that ‘price tag.’ How is it set?

Many years ago, I was asked to join a panel addressing this question. The audience was made up of collectors, dealers, and the general public. The panel comprised reputable critics, reviewers, gallery owners and other experts. I could only conclude I had been chosen as the ‘token’ artist. The other panellists spoke at length and with much gravity. I set aside my notes when my turn came and decided to answer with the simple truth:

‘To what the traffic will bear!’

Utter silence.

Just as I was wondering if there was enough space under the table for me to crawl in and hide, someone up the back started clapping. A critic on the panel followed suit and most of the audience joined in. They knew they had heard the truth. I knew it from my observations at various galleries that showed my work and that of many of my friends and colleagues. It was not until much later that the full impact of that truth hit me through personal experience and I will tell you about that further down.

Endless stories have been written around the fact that only one of his paintings was sold during the lifetime of Vincent Van Gogh. This fact is usually contrasted with another: That in 1987, a Van Gogh ‘Irises’ was sold at auction for a record $69.95 million. Then follow reports of the scandal caused when the buyer - Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond - defaulted on the purchase due to his bankruptcy and the controversial loan extended to him by the auctioneers Sothebys was revealed. Extending the debacle, in 1990, the painting was purchased by the Getty museum for an undisclosed price sometimes estimated at as low as $6 million, although this is highly unlikely to be the true figure. So, how can this happen? How can the value of an artwork fluctuate so wildly? And how is its price arrived at, anyway?

Fellow artists often ask me for an answer to that last question. Understandably, they are looking for a formula to follow. Some take what seems a rational approach: Cost of materials plus an hourly rate for time of production. I have to tell them that while that method works for pricing a manufactured widget, it is useless for pricing an artwork. Here is why:

Cost of materials will range from a few dollars to $100 at the most, even when the work is by Leonardo Da Vinci. And which hourly rate will you think fair? The one set for a brain surgeon or the one for an unskilled labourer? After all, you are not unskilled and may well have put in as much study as the brain surgeon. But when you are starting out as a professional artist, how are you to know where you fit in?

If you are wise, and assuming your work is good enough to be accepted by a private gallery, that decision will be made for you - by the gallery director. S/he knows what clients are paying for comparable work and will price yours accordingly. But s/he can be wrong. You see, like anything else, an artwork is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. So the true arbiter of its value is the buyer.

This was demonstrated to me in quite a dramatic way some eighteen years ago. At that time, I still exhibited with various galleries and was content to accept their assessment on pricing. One day, a new salesman working at one of these galleries asked for a meeting with me. Having noted how quickly my work sold, he proposed ‘floating’ my prices.

‘What does that mean?’ I asked, having never heard the term. 
‘Well, what I will do is hang one of your new pieces without any price posted. When a visitor shows interest, I ask What they would pay to own that painting. And we see what happens.’

What happened was a real surprise to me. The canvas size which up until then had sold at around $600 was sold in the first week for $7,500. About a week later, a piece the same size sold for $12,500. And it just went on from there. I was actually shocked - you would surely have felt the same. Then I realised that in fact this is the most realistic way to find the proper price for an artwork. Simply ask the customer.

It is quite a different thing from winning a prize in an Art Competition. Since I won my first significant prize at age twelve, I had long been aware that winning did not mean my piece was ‘the best,’ anymore than the contestant who wins a beauty quest is the ‘most beautiful.’ It simply means that, in either case, this was what the judges were looking for on the day. But when collectors know they must live with a painting for some years (before it is worthwhile to re-sell) and are willing to back their choice with hard-earned cash, you get a result beyond dispute or qualification.

Please do not misunderstand me; I am not suggesting the new chum try this on. That would be asking for a raise before proving yourself on the job. But if you have put in the hard years of establishing your style, and have shown consistent sales in a reasonable time frame, now is the time to politely talk it over with a few of your gallery directors. If they are amenable to testing a float of your prices, it might well mean ‘goodbye’ to the day job.

My heart-felt advice to artists, borne out by the experience I have just shared with you and my observations of the careers of the many artists I have been honoured to represent in my own galleries, is this: Do not worry about the money.

I mean it. Pay your bills and feed your family with a day job, for as long as it takes. It may take forever, because relatively few ever become able to live on the income from their art alone. What does that matter? In the modern world, many excellent artists still rely on their day job. They can express their art freely, without pressure to make it pay a living wage. And here is another ’secret’ Truth:

If you work at making yourself the best artist that you can be; if you focus on making your own art - not trying to ‘cash in’ on whatever the latest fashion is; if you never compromise your art by exhibiting something not up to your (current) standard just to get a sale - something wonderful will happen.

Not only will you like and respect the person you see in the mirror, but also ‘it must follow, as the night follows the day,’ that the money will come. Can’t believe it? Just try it anyway and see if you can prove me wrong.

© Dorothy Gauvin

10 tips for investing in Visual Art

Mask Exhibition

PANDEMIC! Has caused a whole new fashion statement, face masks. By about now I imagine there are Artists, Designers and Illustrators decorating their face masks.. So lets make art! (with all due respect to the gravity of the situation of course…)

decorate a mask or three, take a photo or scan it, then sent the image to me with details as per usual below. I will put them up on site.

Then…

1. Create a contemporary artwork on a face mask of some kind (you could just draw one if  you want. Or hey why not photo people wearing them in like a fashion parade type set up… or just folks on the streets wearing them…)
2. Scan it, digital photo etc. Make sure it’s a jpg file please.
3. Clearly label it, write a few lines to give us an idea of how you interpreted the theme, then Email it with the details, (Artist’s name, where from and medium, to info@stevegray.biz )
4. I will add it to a page of works people can view on line and you can link to.

Closing date: 30/5/09 Be quick!

Conditions of entry: 

• Be family friendly with the imagery, no overly nasties please!
• I will edit at my discretion…
• Work MUST be that of the artist etc…
• I will use the images for publicity if I want (or not…)
• Tell the world about your work via a link from your website in your emails etc… Copy the link that way if you want.

Art, a “boutique” investment?

Selecting a gallery, which is right for you.

Finding a gallery is one thing, getting them to represent you is another and for most Artists the idea of self promotion is a tricky one. There is no set way to do this but with a few tips you can formulate a way which fits to your way of working and hopefully theirs.

Dealing with a gallery and asking for representation means you may find some will reject your work, so you need to be able to deal with criticism and rejection. Note: it does not mean your work is not good, it may be for a range of reasons, the gallery has a different direction, they know what will sell, they may have a full stable of artists etc.

The aim therefore in approaching galleries for representation is to do some homework to avoid the annoyance and frustration, which goes with rejection. Therefore find a gallery, which is stylistically similar to your work (e.g. abstract, sculptural etc.) Even if a friend recommends you and the gallery is keen, check them out in advance to see if there is a match to you type of work. These days most galleries have a website making it easier to do research at a distance.

Now you are thinking about galleries and getting started consider some questions you need to ask and others you want to ask, then set about making contact.

• Are the works of a similar price to yours (taking commission into account.)
• Does the gallery have the space to show your work in it’s best light? Yet not so big as to be “daunting” to the viewer.
• Does the gallery represent only mid career artists, established artists or emerging ones?
• What styles does the gallery represent, are any works similar to yours?
• Does the gallery have effective lighting, hanging system, customer service…
• Are the people who run the gallery people you can get along with, or are they too different from your own personality type?
• Is the space welcoming…
• Do they have group shows to allow your work to be seen other than in a full solo exhibition?
• Do they have a stockroom to hold a few of your works over a set time frame.

Aim to visit the galleries you have selected and get a feel for how it looks, what they do and preferably check out a group show of artists they represent. Note at this stage you have not shown them any work or chatted to them yet, your research is still anonymous at this stage.

Now you have visited a bunch of galleries make a short list of ones you would prefer to be represented by. Now aim to make contact by firstly figuring out who the director/s are and then seeing if you know anyone who knows them (referrals can be a great way to get a “foot in the door” and easier than a “cold call”).

Then build the relationship, perhaps chat to the receptionist on the phone first, to see if they have a protocol for representation (a form or similar). Then follow whatever protocol they use. Perhaps they want to see your website, or an email with an attachment of recent images of your work first.

Each time you make contact you build opportunities to make more contact and therefore build the relationship. If you sent images or provided your website for them to look at, call them back to see what’s happening.

Also, be sure to get on mailing lists of galleries. The aim being to keep yourself informed as to how things are happening in the art community you want to be a part of.

All the best in your search for a gallery, you have probably just realised selling your art is nearly as challenging as making it in the first place!

Valuing artworks…

Your own art book…

I have been looking into this sort of book publishing site for a while and I saw one that seems quite good, impress your friends, psyche out the gallery guys! you download some software, create your book, upload it and sell it online…

Here’s one I prepared earlier called Urbane. Check it out and see what others are up to while you are there. 

The thought of having my own glossy “coffee table book” was to good to refuse, oh and if you want just one, then so be it! the possibilities are endless!

Protecting your art investment during a recession

By Judith A Tartt

During a recession, it is vital to protect your assets. If you’re an art investor, you may be wondering, “How can I protect my art investments during a recession?” Following are three steps you can take to do so.

Three Steps to Protecting the Value of Your Art Investments During Troubling Economic Times

1. Don’t Panic and Sell: One of the things that happen during a recession is that your assets can lose value. This limits your ability to sell it to generate income if you should need to. And, like a real estate investment, who wants to sell in a recessed market?

In this case, the best way to protect your art investments during a recession is not to sell. Instead, look for ways to cut expenses and hold onto your investment for when the market corrects itself, which leads to the second way to protect your art investments, staying liquid.

2. Sustain Liquidity: As alluded above, some may find it necessary to sell their art investments during a recession to make ends meet. This is usually because they don’t have enough cash on hand to cover expenses for an extended period of time.

Many think of art investors as rich or well-to-do. And, some are. Many, however, are average working folk who’ve been lucky enough to sock a few hundred or a few thousand dollars into a piece of art - this is all an art investment is.

As ordinary working folk, art investors should follow the financial planning advice almost everyone who’s not Bill Gates rich should follow - keep enough cash on hand to cover six to eight months of expenses (or more if you can afford it).

This way, you won’t be forced to sell an art investment you’d rather keep - and watch appreciate - for years to come.

3. Don’t Over Invest: As in, don’t pay too much for a piece. As an art investor, how do you prevent over investing in a piece - especially if you’ve fallen in love with it?

Quite simply, you learn about the artist, specifically: (i) are they represented by an agency; (ii) what have their other works fetched; (iii) what are some of their recent showings; and (iv) what do their art reviews say.

Knowing this type of detail will give you a clear indication not only of the current value of the piece, but its likely future value as well.

Over and beyond this, get an official appraisal from a qualified, certified art appraiser.

Protecting the value of your art investments during troubled economic times is not hard. It’s the same as protecting any of your assets - pay attention, don’t panic and sell, and keep ready cash on hand to handle day-to-day living expenses.

If you do these things, you can ride out volatile markets - and profit from your art investments during boom times.

Investing in art - A starting point

If you are curious to invest in something else than real estate or stocks, art might be an option. Previous investment experience (in real estate or in financial markets) will most certainly determine your approach when exploring Art investments.

For example; if you are fully focused on short term profits, in which case your investment approach resembles speculation, than you are able to use this approach in what ever investment field. It may be more difficult because of the money (and time) that is required but real estate speculation or speculative stock trading is done by a set of familiar rules. And so will it be when investing in art.

If your (financial) investment approach is more fundamental and you are more committed to a specific way to invest and concerned about the companies to invest in, than this will lead to a different investment game. Especially when focusing on art.

This commitment is what makes art worth while to invest in. You could be committed to creativity in general. In that case you can’t hardly do anything wrong, because you could defend every investment with your own story – “this painting is special. I know the artist is not very well known, but that’s exactly why I’ve bought it.” You invest because of your own judgment and according to your own criteria.” 
This kind of investment approach resembles the stock-picking method in financial investments, you buy what others ignore.

The next thing would be to follow the market, and search for (popularity) trends of artists. This is much less fundamental and resembles technical analysis; stock A is rising and you imagine that it will continue to do so. For a while. This requires little knowledge is provides a good starting point for next steps in which you may broaden your investment scope.

As in the financial investments area, there is also the art-investment guru. The advisor who knows all the ins-and-outs about investing in art. He or she will first (have to) ask you what your preferences are, because also that is not different from financial investments; it starts with the question, “what do you want.”

Buying an Art investment Fund is probably the best thing to start with. It offers you a lot of information and while having set your first steps in art-investments, you can think of what you really want. Probably something different; well, it is.

© 2006 Hans Bool

What is Abstract Art?

What is art?

Sharon Hodgson Interview

http://stevegray.com.au/blog/sharon-hodgson/

 

Thought you might like to check this out…

Video art

This could be as complex or as simple as you wish, I like the apparent simplicity of this it leaves a lot to think about…

DATAFLUX 0.1 from Kit Webster on Vimeo.

Matrix concept

Coming to terms with the wide array of works and styles in the art world is a challenge at times, this matrix MAY provide some useful starting points for us to explore with.

Copyright © Steve Gray 2009+

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