I talked to an artist friend this morning who has been there and done that with this gallery stuff. He said don't get an agent if I want to deal with galleries, they will want to work directly with me. I was actually thinking agent more for the licensing stuff, about which I am clueless, but that's another conversation and that's good to know about galleries.
I was discouraged to hear him say that what I need to do is get into galleries closer to home. The reasons given for that were this:
so I can actually get to know them and have a personal relationship with them
so I can drop in un-announced and make sure my work is still hanging
so I can hand-deliver stuff
That's all totally valid and I see the point, but at the same time would it not make more sense to show work in a place where there's a market for it, even if it's 900ish miles away from me? I don't feel that my own physical location ought to place limits on my art (although I feel like it in fact does).
If a collector of western or wildlife art is looking to buy a piece, do they come to Sacramento? No. Anywhere in NorCal? Mmm, that I'm not sure, but I'd suspect not (if anyone knows of an exception, PLEASE let me know). It's not that there isn't an art scene in Sacto, but I really don't fit it. I can see that there may be places more toward the bay area that would have more of an art market in general, but a western and wildlife art market???
When people tell me things like this, it makes me want to prove them wrong. It's the stubborn streak, which as many of you know is well more than just a streak. ;-)
2 comments:
OK, so you're finding answers to questions I also had. I thought an agent might be good so you could just spend your own time creating art, not traipsing out to sell it. But it would probably be good to have personal feedback from gallery owners, who have feedback from art buyers.
Then I thought it would be good go put your stuff where there are compatible buyers. But you know, those people who shop in Jackson Hole don't live there. Some of them probably come from Sacramento. Maybe Amador County would be a better place than Sacramento for your stuff. And I know, you've already looked into that.
Does it help to know there are others agonizing along with you? JJ
It does help to know that others are agonizing with me, actually. Misery loves company...
I am just not certain that there are "art towns" in driving distance where my work would fit. I mean sure, art sells in Sacto, but realistic western/wildlife art is kinda frowned on around here, and up there that's exactly what everyone's showing.
Arg! I wanna go back!
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