I Did It in My Studio
Theory and Practice
My theory was that, if I could sell my work directly from my studio, I could cut out all the middle men and take complete control of the sales process. It wasn’t as simple as I thought, as selling robs time from making art, but here’s how it worked out for me in practice.
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The Open-Studio Option by Maureen Booth
In the first 20 years or so of my painting and etching career I had gallery shows all over the world. It seemed important in those days to get my work out and about where people could see it and the press could comment on it. Also, the money was a factor. I had to sell my work in order to go on creating it.
My gallery experiences were hit and miss. Some of them were delightful opportunities to deal with gracious, professional gallery owners who knew how to sell art. Other experiences—the majority—left something to be desired. They seemed to represent the practical proof of Murphy’s Law. And, believe me, there are a lot of things that can go wrong in an art exhibit! A few examples from my own experience:
• The invitations weren’t sent out in time and nobody came to the opening.
• The transport company didn’t deliver the work in time to be hung. Once I spent a year preparing a show for a museum in Agen, France, but the paintings and etchings never made it across the Spanish-French border. The museum had sent out the invitations, and I had bought my plane ticket, but the transport company, Spain’s most expensive, had forgotten to provide one of the necessary documents at customs.
• The bank took its pound of flesh. I exhibited at a bank gallery and part of the deal was that they pick a painting for their collection at the end of the show. When it was over I hadn’t sold much, but the bank’s “artistic adviser” turned up and chose one of my biggest, best paintings. That stung.
• Etchings went missing, lost or stolen. Once I left a zinc etching plate—one of my best ever—in a gallery show to illustrate the process, and it disappeared. I can’t rid myself of the sneaking suspicion that the plate found its way into the gallery owner’s collection.
• Leaving work in the galleries’ permanent collections also seems to me a bad business. The work is always thrown in with that of dozens of other artists, something which seems to me to limit severely its visablity and devalue its worth. Then there’s the question of pricing in these situations. One of my paintings was sold from a “fondo de galería,” and the gallery refused to tell me who had bought it. Years later it turned up in one of Germany’s most prestigious art collections. I had been paid my humble local price. How much did the gallery make on that operation? I’ll never know.
To sum up my experiences with art galleries, I always noted an unsettling element of “cast your fate to the wind” whenever I dealt with them. I missed any form of control over how my work was exhibited and commercialized. I always had the feeling that I was an inert element in a buyers’ market. They, the galleries, were “businesses” and therefore powerful and important. We, the artists, were looked upon as mendicants—or worse, vagrants—and were therefore significantly less import. At least that’s the way I saw it, and still do.
Then one year—it was some time in the mid-1980’s—I needed a new studio large enough to incorporate etching, but we didn’t have the money for the building project. It was early spring and my husband, Mike, suggested that we smarten up my existing studio and the garden and have a show at home in order to get started on the new studio. At that point we had been living for 15 years in a village on the outskirts of Granada, and we had a lot of friends and clients in the city. So we whitewashed the entrance, the house, the studio and the garden walls, and we dotted the terraces with flowers purchased from the local garden center. (It’s cheating, but it looks great!)
Mike designed a simple invitation and had it printed at a friend’s print shop. I sat down for a couple of days and phoned 50 0r 60 of the most-likely art buyers, making sure everybody knew it was a fund-raising exhibit for a new studio. I think that “good-cause” factor was helpful.
In the end the show in mid-June was a big success and we made enough money to put up the walls and roof of the new studio. Not only that, but the Open Studio show at our house became an annual event. Now we send the invitations by email, but I still phone people, as well. They appreciate the personal touch.
So many good things have happened over the years thanks to these home shows. Friends start asking a couple of months beforehand, “When is your next Open Studio, Maureen?” Naturally, they are all aware that they save themselves the gallery commission by buying directly from the artist. At one of these shows, about 10 years ago, a French friend who was retired in Granada brought along his daughter, the director of a Paris real-estate firm with 1,000 employees. This chance contact led to the largest commission I ever had—etchings as Christmas gifts for all their employees and clients. That first job was followed by more commissions in subsequent years.
Recently, after a long time without exhibiting in a gallery, an old friend, a good painter, opened a beautiful new gallery in a provincial town a couple of hours’ drive north of here. He invited me to exhibit there before Christmas (2008), and of course I said yes. To make a long story short, despite his honest best efforts the economic crisis loomed so large over everything that the three-week exhibit was not successful. I barely covered the cost of the frames. We picked the work up when the show closed and brought it home.
Mike said, “There’s still more than three weeks of Christmas shopping left.” (The Spanish don’t give their gifts till the Epiphany on January sixth.) “And you’ve got all the work framed. Why don’t we try selling it directly from your studio?” So he prepared an invitation and sent it out by email, I made the phone calls and we had the Open Studio show on the weekend of December 19-21. We had respectable sales, so the show was definitely worthwhile. Best of all, talking with one of the business people who came and bought art, I was able to find a job for a dear friend who needed it badly. So, despite everything, we had a very Merry Christmas, thanks to an improvised Open Studio show.
Afterwards, with the world economic situation worsening by the week, Mike and I began asking ourselves if there might not be a way to attract clients to my studio on a regular basis. Over the years we had seen that if we could get people out here they would almost always buy something. The question was how to entice them out to the studio. Mike’s solution was typical: a website.
Then I remembered I had a friend, Maribel, who owned three hotels in Granada. I could suggest that she offer her guests an excursion to an artist’s studio. In the end we decided to both do the website—a very simple, single-objective site—and speak with my friend, Maribel.
She was very receptive to the idea and typically elegant. “You prepare some provisional brochures and let me know when they’re ready,” she said. “Then I’ll take you around and introduce you to all the receptionists.”
That’s where we stand right now. Mike spent a couple of mornings creating the website (http://granadastudiovisits.com). He says that anybody capable of following simple instructions could do the same thing just by using the services of one of the popular blog platforms—Blogger or WordPress, for example—which are, by the way, free.
It remains to be seen if this project will be successful. Times are tough, but I’m optimistic. The basic concept has already been successful in a modest, informal way. There’s no reason to think that it can’t work better if we go about it systematically.
I write this down here in order to share the concept with other working artists around the world. I suspect a lot of you could also make this plan—or some variation on it—work for you. If there’s a secret to succeeding in this, it’s the same secret for success in everything else you do: Be creative!
[...] I Did It in My Studio [...]
Pingback by Our First Post! Maureen Booth’s “Open Studio Option” « Cut the Gallery Out of the Picture | January 19, 2009 |
[...] The purpose of this new site is to gather from the artists’ community itself all the information we can on their experiences in sidestepping the art world’s main middlemen: the galleries. Cut the Gallery Out of the Picture is an audience- participation site, and you are all invited to contribute your own stories to its collective fund of alternate-art-marketing information. The first contributor is my long-suffering painter/printmaker/muse and wife, Maureen, who has a lot of experience both inside and outside of galleries. The article goes into some detail on her latest ideas on keeping ahead of the economic tsunami which is enveloping artists–and everyone else–these days. You can read it here: http://cutthegalleryoutofthepicture.wordpress.com/i-did-it-in-my-studio/. [...]
Pingback by Cut the Gallery Out of the Picture « World Printmakers’ Print Workshop Central | January 20, 2009 |
Greetings, Maureen,
Your story reminded us very much of our own experiences with galleries!
Most in New York, some in San Francisco and other American cities.
Overseas gallery-shows were better, in Austria, England and Scotland,
but there was never real follow-up once the shows closed.
Here are some of the occurrences that cnvinced us we could do much better without the gallery-middle-men:
- They would sell work – and not pay.
- Go bancrupt, so they wouldn’t have to pay,
and open the next day under another name! -
to start the game again with some new unsuspecting artist-victims.
- Sell work to other countries and not pay.
Who has the money – and time – to sue??
We had a very nice letter from Japan (by now many years ago)
praising Anton’s work (my husband is the artist)
and when I questioned where they had seen it,
a gallery in San Francisco came up as the SELLER.
We finally drove there from New York, as we had been unable to get a response.
The doors were closed, some paintings visible inside, no Krajnc, leaning against a wall. The room was otherwise empty. Mail was sticking out of the mailbox, crammed in.
It had not been picked up…
Needless to say we never got the work back nor any payment.
I could write a long story, but for now, let it suffice to say we DID cut the galleries out completely.
The studio we built in Tucson, Arizona, functions as “Open Studio by Appointment”. Telephone: 520-742-1766.
The website, which I created – and which needs updating -
is very extensive, since my husband works in many media,
two and three dimensional.
Of course we feel the recession, like all artists worldwide at this point, but getting rid of the sharks and snakes in the gallery business was one of the best moves we have made.
Dear Maureen,
Thank you for sharing your story. It did let me know that other artists have experienced some of the incredible ups and downs of this life we have as an artist.
You know there was a time a while ago, when I looked at my earning life. I told myself I can really succeed in this world and just use the money I earn to finance my art making. I will show when I choose and that will be that. I had given up the idea of teaching for a living because most of the teachers I knew did not produce art. They just taught and spoke to the students about their dreams. I did not feel the need to pass on what I knew, primarily because there were a lot of local artists who had those positions already. So I became quite silently the elder statesman of the art scene.
I packed in my meager savings and now just do my art work. I am a happier but financially poorer artist.
I live near Seattle Washington. If you know anything about this part of the country, it is very hard on artists. And they are not always a kind lot to exhibit with. I have lived many, many places and have experienced many communities in which I showed and sold my work. From an artists standpoint this is a tough community! It dose not need to be hard on the artist to artist connection.
Recently I began showing, demonstrating, and selling my prints at one of the local art fairs. People came back each year to purchase more work. The sales were increasing nicely. I skipped this past year and could not help but notice that another well known artist-printmaker found my place. I wish him well. I don’t know if I will be able to resume showing (for health reasons) at this venue again.
I have also had the peculiar events with galleries, and that is the one constant of my carrier. If you can’t imagine it, it will still jump up and get you! The gallery that tells you that you must bear all the costs. Okay! Do all the publicity. Okay! Hang the show, provide the refreshments. Okay! It was a nice location so I will do this.
I paid for the publicity, got ready to hang and then a new director of the gallery informs me that my show will not be a one man show. Mind you I had framed everything, done the postcards, sent them out and now the space was to be shared by one other artist. And she was indignant at my even being there. She insisted that we alternate work in the space. She insisted on a lot of things. And so did her mother.
She did not have very many pieces of work to show. I had an entire group of framed prints. In the end I took the largest,, out of the main area, to show my work.
My work was hung as a group, together. We barely spoke during the exhibit but I told her mother that I was sorry that her daughter was not included in the publicity. I had already done that a month or so before hand and I was unaware of her daughter. Her mother was surprised when I told her I had had to pay for this month’s beforehand. She stopped being so hateful.
The exhibit was lovely, I did not sell a thing, and none of my friends came. But it was well attended. A year later another exhibit of mine in Oregon seems to have brought out some of the same people who attended the Seattle “one man”. But both exhibits were totally ignored by the critics of both area’s. The show in Oregon was a financial success.
So what can I learn from these recent events?
My work is certainly still appreciated by repeat customers, repeat artists who even travel to see the work. The place, say Washington verses Oregon may still look at my work in a different light. Location can still be very important! The work sells both places but not in galleries both places. The cost of my work is not a factor in both places. But out of the state or even the country is a huge difference in sales. Over the years my work has been appreciated out of the country more often than in my home state.
I have been trying to analyze this without being fanatical. But I would like to try my hand at not only showing but selling my work off the internet. So as an old hat at the studio art game I am aware that for those of us who are not household names, we must always find new ways to market our work.
The open studio event you spoke about is a good one. I may try it next, and keep a mailing, phone list.
At the very least I will not have to be surprised by being bumped for an exhibit at the last moment (true!). All of this because I am still happier doing my prints and paintings than work for a minimum wage. And do art on the side. And at the end of the day I am just an artist. This is what makes me complete.
By the way Maureen you are living one of my old dreams. I actually grew up in Spain, just have not been able to return for many years. You are indeed a lucky artist. Granada is a beautiful town!
Carol
Heads up on Infusion gallery Art Scam!
These people have fled to Hawaii after being caught up in the “Vanity Gallery” art scam….Artists “pay” to have their work shown with little or no promotion….the profits come from the artist paying the gallery, not through art sales…..beware of these people…they may change location or gallery names, but are still a bunch of dirty low-lifes (have you seen their dirty hippy pictures?) ripping off poor artist….
spread the word!
Hi Maureen & Mig
This is an interesting thread. I haven’t really experienced the ups and downs of gallery sales like you and the others, as I am more a producer of prints working with the artists, but I know the stories well. My last show of prints in a restaurant were involved in a fire, the owner of the restaurant skipped, the art was all junked by the restoration company before I could get it, and nobody had insurance. And so it goes.
You know a little about my work with the gigposter rock artists, and I really like a lot about this group. I participate in ‘Flatstocks’, organized by the API and taking place in conjunction with music related events in Austin, Seattle, Chicago, and Hamburg. Each artist brings their work and rents a 10×10 space, and sells to the crowds themselves. The poster art is music related, but many of the printmakers also do artprints, or make other items – part of the deal is you have to do all the work yourself.
What is different about this way of selling compared to either an art fair or a booth at a local Saturday market is the size of the crowds (Seattle Bumbershoot can have up to 250,000 people over the weekend)but the fact they are there with a common interest (music) that relates to the art.
So, if you have thematic work (flowers, animals, etc) maybe a solution would be to do a booth at a flower show, or a zoo, or something along that line. to be in a place where people would not normally expect to see an art display, but where the art is related. Automotive art at a grand prix race, etc etc.
Some of our people will do $10,000 on a 3 day show, and this is with prints that sell for $20-100. (I don’t do those kind of numbers!)
and Mike, you’ll like this….the people who show up with digital posters/prints don’t sell well at all. People want screenprints!
This new place we moved to, I’m going to work towards what you describe Maureen, studio shows, a few weekends in the summer. We are located on an old scenic highway thick with tourists in the summer – some signs, some promo in town, open studio and event tents in the yard – I think it has some possibilities!
The plan is of course to make enough extra we can buy a couple of tickets to spain and come and drink all your wine.
Good luck to everyone. Merry Christmas to all.
Hi Andy,
Great to hear from you. Your theme-related idea for print sales at trade shows is brilliant. I wouldn’t expect less from you. Why don’t we develop the subject a bit in an interview for Print Workshop Central? I’ll email you the questions. Fancy that? As for coming over and drinking up all our wine, I hereby challenge you to try it!
Merry Christmas to you, too.
Cheers,
Mike & Maureen
Well Mike, I would need to practice first of course. Too much beer drinking has ruined my appreciation and capacity for wine, and I fear you may be a professional in these matters…. But that’s off topic.
Sure, send the questions, happy to participate. This next little while is good, we are generally hibernating for the next few months – although I had an inquiry about machines from Saudi Arabia yesterday, so you never know who might show up on your doorstep….