Archive for June, 2009

5 Tips on Connecting With Art Galleries

By Kathleen Baker

Many artists have both the talent and the interest necessary to connect with galleries and get their work shown to a wider audience. Unfortunately, it’s not always cut and dry as to how this process works and many artists find it intimidating to approach galleries or convince themselves that galleries wouldn’t be interested in what they have to offer. Neither is necessarily a reality. Here are some tips that can help bring together artists looking to get recognition with galleries looking for great emerging art.

1.Find your niche. What do you have to offer a gallery that sets you apart and makes you a unique artists working today? Work on coming up with a way to quickly and accurate describe just what it is you do that would be compelling to someone else.
2. Network. Sometimes all it takes is knowing the right person to get you an inroad to a show in a gallery. Ask your artist friends and anyone else in the business if they know a gallery that might be interested in your work. It’s amazing how far dropping a name can go.
3. Be professional. You’re unlikely to get too far in marketing your work if you don’t have a neat portfolio, a website and some professional looking business cards. While it is an expense at the outset, it’s also a great investment in your career.
4. Research. Going into galleries blindly without knowing anything about the work they generally show or the gallery themselves is not a good move. If you wan to make a good impression, do your research and only approach those galleries for whom your work would be a good match. Better yet, be able to explain why you think this is the case.
5. Prepare your portfolio. Your portfolio is really what’s going to do the talking for you so make sure you’ve really pulled together your best work. You’ll also want to make sure that you have a good selection of images either in print or on the web so that interested parties can get a more comprehensive idea of your style and who you are as an artist.

Getting your work from the studio to the gallery is a big step, and sometimes a scary one. With a little preparation and a lot of confidence, you can make the leap and start reaping the rewards of letting the world see your work.

This post was contributed by Kathleen Baker, who writes about an accredited online degree. She welcomes your feedback at KathleenBaker3212 at gmail.com

Adri Botha, Cape Town, South Africa

Adri Botha, Cape Town, South Africa

“Baptism of Fire” and it is acrylic on canvas and sized 16” x 16”

How I came about the name for this painting was rather interesting and if you’d like to read about it, please do so by visiting my blog!  You are most welcome and post a comment if you like it, thank you!

http://lilabstracts.over-blog.com