Grand Opening May 12
The grand opening of Jen Tough Gallery and AIR Studios Santa Fe is happening May 12 from 5:00-8:00! You’re invited to join in the festivities and celebration as we finally open our Santa Fe gallery and our new venture, AIR Studios!
WHEN: Friday, May 12 from 5:00 - 8:00
WHERE: Jen Tough Gallery and AIR Studios Santa Fe, 4 N Chamisa Dr, Santa Fe, NM 87508
MORE INFO: https://www.jentough.com/grand-opening
Santa Fe Building Updates!
The gross drop ceilings are now all gone, the flooring ripped up, electrical getting in place, windows moved (or removed), and we’re moving along swimmingly! We’re on track for our May 2023 opening! Stay tuned for more details!
Miami Art Week 2022 Wrap Up (We Won Awards!)
What an incredible week! The fair was absolutely packed each and every day, and we sold a good chunk of work. Our strategy of creating a “wall of wonder” with dozens of small works did really well, and the accompanying lower price points with those smaller works was very successful. Whether it is the sluggish economy, or the fact that most artists were unknown in Miami, the lower price point proved very popular. We had a tremendous number of compliments on the booth display, and our new clear plexi ledges made the work look like it was floating (so cool!). We will continue with this strategy for our next fair, Artexpo NY at the end of March, where we’ll be representing our new Spring 2023 Collective and other selected artists.
We were thrilled to receive both the Spotlight Award and Best New Exhibitor for Red Dot! Another example of how successful this new strategy is for us, and the artists we are representing!
Gallery Renovation 2: Santa Fe Gallery 4 “Before” Shots
Our new Santa Fe building will have 4 exhibition spaces (Yes! Amazing!)
Gallery 1 is for co-op gallery solo shows (monthly)
Gallery 2 is for co-op gallery group shows (quarterly)
Gallery 3 is for the collective (bi-annual)
Gallery 4 is for rotating exhibitions, group and solo (monthly)
Below is a short video of Gallery 4, “before” any renovations.
Yikes.
Currently, it is a garage. A big, big garage, with tall ceilings. A perfect rectangle (perfect gallery).
We’ll be adding new flooring, replacing the garage doors with double glass entry doors, taking out some windows, adding a glass railing to the upper galleries, a floating staircase and new lighting. And of course, tons of white paint.
Gallery Renovation 1: OMG we bought a building in Santa Fe!
Watch us transform it into 10 rent-by-the-week artist studios (with open studios every weekend) and 4 exhibition spaces!
In April of 2020, our business like many other “non essential” businesses, was ordered to close due to the pandemic. Having just moved to Santa Fe from the Bay Area a month earlier, we never even got a chance to open. With our income suddenly frozen and unable to secure any type of governmental assistance in time, we had to close.
So we took the gallery online, and created our online artist community, the Artist Alliance (the most supportive artist community around!)
Fast forward 2.5 years: we have purchased a 5000+ sq foot building on the 285 corridor, minutes from downtown Santa Fe, with an expected opening of spring, 2023! Gratitude and excitement doesn’t cut it. We are beyond thrilled!
Follow along with us as we transform this diamond in the rough, and please visit us when we open May 2023!
Interview with Sarah Boyts Yoder
Sarah Boyts Yoder is a painter based in Charlottesville, VA. She received a BFA in Painting from Eastern New Mexico University in 2003 and an MFA in painting
from James Madison University in 2006. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions throughout the US including the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. She was awarded a professional fellowship in painting from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and has twice been a fellow at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Boyts Yoder has also been awarded an artistic residency at 100W Corsicana in Corsicana, Texas, her home state, each year since 2017. In 2019 she had her first international exhibition in Sydney, Australia. Boyts Yoder is represented by Page Bond Gallery in Richmond, VA, by Show & Tell Art & Design in Charleston, SC, by Blue Print Gallery in Dallas, TX and by Jen Tough Gallery, based in Santa Fe, NM.
Favorite quote: Look what there is to have, for awhile at least, here in this dangerous world - David Searcy
*excerpted from the essay, Still Life Painting, from his book of essays, Shame and Wonder
Another favorite quote:
I am made of everything I have seen
- Matisse
Where do you dream of going someday?
Cartagena, Colombia
What artists have influenced your work?
Georgia O'Keefe, Elizabeth Murray, Amy Sillman, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Motherwell, Arturro Herrera.
Best experiences in life so far?
One of the most joyful and pure experiences in my life is salsa dancing. In that space I find improvisation and quick thinking, experiments in communication and collaboration, unselfconsciousness, freedom, joy and feelings of deep expression and connection to self and others. It's similar to the things I also find in my studio practice and I apply all those lessons in both spaces.
What’s on your bucket list?
My own big, bright, dreamy studio at home
Vacationing/traveling across Europe (including Greece) with my husband after our kids are grown
To be able to keep working hard and creating throughout my life
5 Minutes with Kerry Schroeder
Kerry Schroeder is a contemporary mixed-media artist. Her paintings are ethereal and abstract, yet rooted in the physical world, finding context and carrying underlying narratives. Strong dualities such as light and dark, the form and the formless, the raw and refined, imply simultaneous existences and worlds integrated. The multi-layered works reveal remnants and themes of a journey and a search. Using Nature as a language, she interprets both personal and universal experiences and the many cycles of life such as life and death, renewal, change, rebirth, transformation, evolving and devolving. Forms, marks and colors come and go through a larger, more expansive world, allowing the viewer to connect to something abstract, yet something very familiar.
Schroeder received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tulsa University, with an emphasis in Art History. Schroeder now works and lives in Portland, Oregon. Her paintings have been featured in exhibitions in galleries and cultural centers throughout the United States, including the Costello Fine Art Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, Patricia Rovzar Gallery in Seattle, Pryor Fine Art in Atlanta, and Arthouse in Austin, Texas. She has been featured in several national arts publications including American Art Collector. She was selected by Southwest Art magazine as “Artist to Watch. The Editor’s Choice for up-and-coming talent.”
Kerry is represented by Jen Tough Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
Favorite quotes
"Think of the small as large."
—Lao Tzu
There's a sorrow in the wind
Blowing' down the road I've been
I can hear it cry while shadows steal the sun
But I can not look back now
I've come too far to turn around
And there's still a race ahead that I must run
I'm only halfway home I gotta journey on
To where I'll find the things that I have lost
I've come a long, long road still I've got miles to go
I've got a wide, wide river to cross
I have stumbled I have strayed
You can trace the tracks I made
All across the memories my heart recalls
But I'm just a refugee won't you say a prayer for me
'Cause sometimes even the strongest soldier falls
—Julie Miller / Stephen P Miller"
Where do you live?
Portland, Oregon
Where do you dream of going someday?
Morocco
Which artists have influenced your work?
Cy Twombly
Andrew Wyeth
Singer songwriters:
Patty Griffin
Julie Miller
Bruce Springsteen
Jackson Browne
What was one of your best experiences in life?
In the heat of a Central Texas summer, a favorite event is going tubing on the Guadalupe River. One time I slipped through the open hole of the tube and floated on my back with one hand lightly on the tube. With my ears under water I could only hear the gurgling of the river while I looked up to the blue sky and white clouds. I don't remember how long I was in this state, but it was magical. I didn't once think about hitting a rock or running into something. I just trusted the flow of the river and let it carry me along.
Name three things on your bucket list
Building my own studio.
Eating a margherita pizza in Naples.
Finding the meaning of life.
Kerry’s website: www.kerryschroeder.com
Interview with Carol Dalton
Carol Dalton grew up in Southern California. She explored ocean life and the coastal foothills before enrolling in The Santa Barbara Art Institute, a part of Brooks Institute. Majoring in painting from 1971-1974 and receiving several scholarships, she also studied printmaking and ceramics. Her exposure to nature has had a lasting effect on the artist. Her work has become more nuanced over time reflecting her quiet yet emotional connection to the environment. Natural colors, patterns, reflections, and texture inform her work. Carol builds up her paintings on wood panels with layers of paper and water based paints, scraping, sanding, marking, until distilled with a powerful presence. Dalton has been exhibiting for over thirty years. Carol lives in Benicia California with her husband, and maintains her studio along the Carquinez Strait.
What is one of your favorite quotes that you feel reflects your work or practice?
He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.
—St. Francis of Assisi
Do you have any other quotes you like?
When I think of art I think of beauty. Beauty is the mystery of life. It is just not in the eye. It is in the mind. It is our positive response to life.
—Arn Glimcher
What are the biggest influences in your latest work?
Observing textural layers of materials, patterns in nature, the art of primitive cultures.
Where do you dream of going someday?
Deep into the sea.
What artists have influenced your work?
Agnes Martin, Anslem Kiefer, Hannelore Baron, Eva Hesse
What is one thing that has been a wonderful experience in your life.
Having the freedom to express myself. Maintaining a studio has to the best life long experience for me.
Name three things on your bucket list.
Traveling in the Southwest.
Visiting my brother and sister in law in Australia.
Having an unlimited amount of wood panels.
In what way did your upbringing impact your work?
I explored ocean life and the coastal foothills in California, lived on an avocado ranch, and spent time in the garden. Spending time in nature influenced my use of color, tactile application, and subject matter.
Podcast: A chat with artist Tom Owen
Transcript
Today I'm super excited to be talking to my friend, an artist, Tom Owen. I first met Tom in 2017 when he came to my very first gallery location, which was in Vallejo, California on Georgia street. It was a beautiful space. Unfortunately, I had to leave because of all the movie production going on. Um, he was selected to be in a group show. I was doing called guilty pleasures, which was a fantastic and fun show. And I met a lot of really good artists.. He was also a founding member of an art fair collective, uh, that I created where artists would join band together. And we would have a booth and I would represent their work at our fairs. So he did a lot of art fairs with me over the years, Tom and his husband live in a gorgeous Victorian in Northern Kentucky, across the Ohio river from Cincinnati. He's an avid art collector. His home is filled with an incredible collection of contemporary art, including a stunning work by another one of my. Gina Tuzzi Tom's work has evolved over the time that I've known him moving from colorful organic shapes that float on the canvas to more brightly colored minimalistic, geometric shapes and forms that fill the entire space. And substrate his work is inspired by landscape, primarily highly abstracted and distilled down to minimalist forms, his subtle texture and layering mirror, his own psychological experiences of the subject. Sometimes giving a glimpse into past experiences of his childhood, to political realities of current day. And we all know what those are. Tom's media has evolved as well. Moving from acrylic to flash a highly pigmented water-based. Which he applies using squeegees and scraping large forms onto his cradled wood panels within these forms are a subtle interplay of color, inviting the viewer to look closer. And the hand of the artist is visible as opposed to many minimalistic works where the artist's hand is not present at all. It's one of the things that makes his latest series so interesting to me because it really stands out and it's boldness, simplicity and, and how different it is from a lot of minimalistic works. You see a lot of minimalistic works are so cold and Tom's, you know, Tom's work has this very subtle interplay of color and really sort of draws you in. You can see Tom's work on my website, Jen Tough gallery, and you can also check out. Uh, work on artsy through the gallery, and you can also look at his stuff on his Instagram feed and his website and links of course, will be available in the show notes. So thanks so much for joining me and I look forward to this conversation and I'll see you guys next week. So, hi Tom Owen, how are you doing?
Tom Owen:3:02
Jen? I'm doing great. Thanks for this opportunity. I'm looking forward to speaking with you.
Jen Tough:3:06
Yeah. So we met a few years ago. You were in one of my group shows, as I recall. Do you
Tom Owen:3:15
remember the name of it? I do guilty pleasures,
Jen Tough:3:18
right. And yeah, so that's how we met. And that was what probably 2017. Yes. And the dark Trump days is I recall, I think we were all sort of like shell shocked. Right. But I got to meet you and your husband. And you guys so nice. And you actually purchased a piece, you purchased the Gina, piece. Was that, that time or was that another
Tom Owen:3:44
time? Absolutely. At that time, because Gina had the solo going on in that smaller backroom. And so we were so taken by her work, but we, we did purchase one of,
Jen Tough:3:56
yeah, that's Gina Tuzzi you guys. She's one of my other artists, so, so that's how Tom and I met now, Tom, you are in, are you in Covington, Kentucky
Tom Owen:4:05
or.
Jen Tough:4:07
Okay. You have to get that correct, but that's still super close to Cincinnati.
Tom Owen:4:11
It is. It is right across the Ohio river. In fact, from my house, I can see downtown Cincinnati. I can see the skyline and I can see some of the neighborhoods up on the Hills. Right.
Jen Tough:4:22
So I have to ask you this. I actually just asked my husband this, this morning on our walk. Do you know, what's round on both sides and hide than. 'cause, you know, I'm an Ohio girl, right? So I have to ask everybody who has some connection to Ohio. And so my husband who was born and raised in Napa, he had such a hard life. You know, he's like the only reason I know this is because I'm married to you. So anyway, I had to give you the little test
Tom Owen:4:48
I was born and raised in.
Jen Tough:4:50
Um,
Tom Owen:4:53
I grew up in Fairfield, which is about 20 miles, 25 miles Northwest of downtown Cincinnati.
Jen Tough:5:01
Okay. So it's still kind of, it's still kind of south. Is that kind of close to Athens?
Tom Owen:5:07
No other way. Athens is east. Fairfield is west. I mean, it really. From my home where I grew up, it was literally 20 minutes into downtown Cincinnati.
Jen Tough:5:18
Okay. Yeah. So you basically grew up in Cincinnati, which is cool. It's a cool town.
Tom Owen:5:23
It's so princess, it is, it's very European. It feels very European. When you're here, we have a great symphony and art museum and lots of, lots of opportunities here. So it's a great, it's a good. Yeah.
Jen Tough:5:37
A lot of people, you know, put Kentucky and Ohio, you know, like sort of like, sort of dismiss them, but there's a lot of stuff going on, you know, Cleveland to like, everyone's heard of, you know, but they have such, you know, just like Cincinnati, they have such an amazing art scene because there's a lot of old money there. So like people used to put money in symphonies and ballets and art museums and that conservatory, oh my God, Cincinnati. Beautiful.
Tom Owen:6:04
It is, it is. And you know, and the, and the, the contemporary arts center is an amazing institution that we are so lucky to have in Cincinnati. So,
Jen Tough:6:15
yeah. So tell me about, you just retired from your corporate gig. Right? Tell me about that. So you were sort of like slogging away in the studio, all sort of in your spare time. Tell me about like the last 10 years of your life.
Tom Owen:6:33
Wow. The last 10 years of my life. So I, I will say, you know, I did paint. I had been paid all my life and you know, I, for me, it was a great. Way for me to balance my world quite honestly, because working in corporate America, I was, I worked for an insurance company for 21 years. I led their learning and development function for the entire enterprise. And we have offices had office, not me anymore, but the company has offices in Western, in every state of the union and Canada and in Mexico. I was responsible for my team was training all of the folks in all of those different offices, well, over 8,000 employees. And so, you know, I would paint on the weekends. I would paint in the evenings because it really truly is my passion. And it's what I've always done from the time I was a small kid. And, you know, I say in my little bio that I, I, you know, took over a part of the garage when I was in high school. Literally. It's true. Put my father out and created a studio in our garage so that I could paint during high school. And I've always been a painter. And it's something that I've, I looked forward to doing. Once I retired from the corporate world, you know, and the corporate world gave me an opportunity, relate to, to survive and to live and to, and to have money, to experiment with my art and to grow as an artist. So. You know, I don't regret any of that. It was, it was tough sometimes because I would, I'd be painting until 10 o'clock every night or 11 o'clock in the evening. And then all day on Saturday, all day on Sunday, uh, especially in the last five to 10 years, because that's really where my heart and passion were.
Jen Tough:8:12
Yeah. Did you find it hard to go from, you know, working during the day and then coming home and painting, like making that sort of psychological switch? Did you just get used to it? Like how did you.
Tom Owen:8:26
That's a great question. You know, there's, there's a wonderful quote from Nicholas Wilton who said that frequency is more important than duration. And when I didn't feel like going to the studio, I would remember that quote because even if I spent a half hour. Or just an hour in the evening, then at least I was doing something in, in my art. And, but it took me a while to get there because I felt like, oh gosh, I only have this limited time. And I put all kinds of pressure on myself to like, sort of separate those two worlds into like, be totally focused on our while I was here in my studio. And then. But over time. I think for me, you know, I was able to, to, you know, gosh, if I needed to respond to a commission request, I could do that on my lunch hour while I was at work. It was not a big deal. And I was fortunate enough to have a flexible boss who and core values at the company about work-life balance. So that if I needed to take a day or an afternoon to go visit a gallery or to do a studio visit, I had that flexibility. And so it was a really. To me, especially in the last 10 years I'm working in that company. So, you know, it in terms of like, could I switch it on and off? No. Cause I was always thinking about my work and my art rather than not my work at the company. Yeah. It was hard sometimes evenings sometimes I just wouldn't feel like it. And you know, and so I didn't beat myself up. I chose not to do art that night or knowing that, Hey, I've got all day Saturday that I can work on extra. So, um, I was so excited to retire though and move and move my studio out of my house. I took, I, we live in an old Victorian home, as you know, and I have the third floor here as my studio. And so to move out of that and to have a much bigger space into a studio space that has a sink and all those other kinds of amenities. People just sort of take for granted has been a real, I think, a real boon to my art making and the quality of the work that I'm doing today versus what I was doing even just a year ago. Yeah.
Jen Tough:10:30
Yes. Because your work really has evolved really rapidly. It has.
Tom Owen:10:35
And I'm having a great time.
Jen Tough:10:37
Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, now explain to everyone what your, what your process is right now. I'm sure they're probably looking at some pictures of some of your work, but talk about, you know, cause you've switched, you, you know, kind of paint your process. Everything is different from what you were doing before.
Tom Owen:10:55
Yeah. You know, it's funny. I, I was, somebody asked me about this the other day and I was like, I can't remember, like when, like what turned me on to using flash, which is a high, the most highly pigmented paint you can buy and it's dead flat and I love using it. It dries its water base it dries quickly and you can mix it. You can thin it, you know? There's all kinds of different ways to use this paint. It was originally developed in the 1950s for sign painters and then it's permanent and all those kinds of wonderful features. But I love how flat it is. Number one, and the fact that I can manipulate it with a variety of tools. So I very seldom use brushes anymore. Do a lot of brushwork, but now I use, I'm looking around here cause I use, um, can use squeegees. I use scrapers, I use an edge of a ruler I use in like, I have this large sheet, that's large sheet of plexiglass that I'll use to pull the paint. The the panel, you know, and I used flash on both canvas and Jessa panels and you get two very different looks and experiences. So if you think about the painting first draft, the orange and white one, Jen it's, it's done on canvas. And then if you look at some of the others, you know, it's, it's really done on. These cradled panels, which I buy from ampersand, they're super smooth, they're beautifully finished. So it allows me to pull the paint and get lots of variation and layers and textures and visual effects that I really enjoy. And I don't control a lot of it, you know, and I love, I love responding to what's happening as I'm painting versus sort of plotting it all out. Okay. That's now orange and not blue and, or, you know, or that, that ran over here. And that's good. So, so it's, it's great. And you can just lay her on it and I don't, does that answer the question?
Jen Tough:12:49
Yeah, totally. And I, you know, I love how you did this switch because I mean, I'm always, as you know, I'm always harping on artists that, you know, I want them to do something different and because there's so many abstract expressionists, nonrepresentational painters, you know, who use a brush and they, you know, and they might combine media. But you've really, you know, and you were kind of separate, you know, you were kind of experimenting with that and using that in the beginning when we first met, and then you made this pretty radical departure to a much more minimal, you know, minimalist sort of approach using the flash with the, you know, in the squeegee. And I love it. I love, I love all of it. I mean, especially because it's different and it shows your growth as an artist. Yeah, I think you kind of wore, you kind of were tight, like war out of what you were doing before. Like you were ready to like, sort of take that next step. I love that.
Tom Owen:13:39
Absolutely. Right. And I, you know, and I, again, I think I was reading an article somewhere that talked about flash and I thought, I don't even know what this is. I gotta find out about this. And there are a couple of manufacturers of it here in the states. I use actually Frank and bourgeois from Paris. I know it has a very fancy, but there are some distributors have it here in the states, but it is, I think the highest quality. Flash that you combined. It is. So it feels, this is going to sound weird, but it's very similar to guash, but, but it feels almost velvety when it's dry. There's a real it's it's so it's so soft and I love that about it. People are like, can I touch it? I'm like, sure, go ahead. It's fine. They're like, Ooh, it's so interesting. So yeah,
Jen Tough:14:28
it's the same sort of visual qualities of in caustic in a way. Yeah,
Tom Owen:14:34
it does. You know, I used to work in encaustic many years ago and I, and I love it. And it's different in that. I mean, within Costa gab, it ends up being flat. I always would Polish my encaustics up, so they have a sheen to them and then they would eventually cloud over again. But, um, it's, it's much thinner and it's not as, I don't know, it's really, really super smooth. So with encaustic, you always had some feeling of texture. I think this is.
Jen Tough:15:02
Yeah. So I can totally see that fitting into your aesthetic style for sure. When I started seeing all this new work, I was so excited and I was like, it was sort of like when I started seeing it, I was, you know, the first time I was like, oh, he's found his niche. He's found his he's found his way. Like, yeah. I, and you know, when I, you had sent me pictures of when you installed Gina twosies painting, cause you know, the painting you bought is one of my favorite ones that she ever did. And I saw your house and I was like, oh my God. I mean, okay, you guys, so Tom has one of the most awesome. Art collections ever like just you guys have such a just amazing house. There's no, it's so creative and colorful and it's not stuffy. And next time I'm in the Midwest. I'm going to be stopping by. We're going to have a cocktail.
Tom Owen:15:56
You are always welcome here. I'll tell ya. But, you know, I think it's important to live with art. I mean, I, we collect the art of the artists that we love and I love being surrounded by that work. It inspires me every day.
Jen Tough:16:09
Yeah. And the colors, I mean, everything's everything that you guys have is so. Brightly colored. And, but not like, you know, yucky past destiny kind of thing. Right. It's garish. Yeah. It's strong and it's oh, I just love it. And so Tom's house is why, when was it built? Like
Tom Owen:16:27
1894.
Jen Tough:16:31
Love. Absolutely love. So in New Mexico, there's like none of those kinds of places here. Right? Like it would probably be like, they'd last, you know, like what, like a few years, you know, you just, everything is just so destroyed here by this. Sun's interesting. But yeah, it's definitely one thing I miss about the Midwest is all the Victoria.
Tom Owen:16:55
And we live in a great little neighborhood. It's very walkable and we walked to lots of restaurants and bars. And when we can do that, so his
Jen Tough:17:04
Kentucky, like the along the river, like along the Ohio river, is that mostly where like in the bigger towns, is that where it's like more liberal. Because it's hard to Kentucky without thinking of, you know, who that's true.
Tom Owen:17:19
That's a great question. So, you know, right across the Ohio river, there are, you know, really sort of there's Kentucky Newport. Bellevue are some of the small little river towns. And in fact, a lot of river captains lived here before the turn of the century. I'll be turning before the turn of the 20th century. And that's where. Large Victorian homes sort of, or initially built, but it's this sort of strip right along the river, that is truly a much more progressive. And whenever there's an election and you look at the returns, it's always this particular county public counties right here, along the river that always come in blue. And then there's one or two sort of in central Kentucky near the Capitol or near university of Kentucky and Louisville that come in blue. Everything else is not blue.
Jen Tough:18:07
I know, I know people on the west coast, they think like, oh my God, Kentucky, like, you know, they get a little, like, you know, they get that sort of look, you know, like this and they don't understand. I mean, when I first moved to Los Angeles in 93 or 92, um, you know, people, they knew I was from Ohio. So they said, oh, did you grow up in a farm? It's like that actually, my dad was a physicist, not a farm, so yeah, there's a lot of misunderstanding, but I think, you know, the internet definitely has helped with, with that like sort of people understand a little bit more. About that. So let's talk more about like your, did you go to school for art or any kind of creative thing or were you more in business or what was,
Tom Owen:18:52
that's a great question. So, you know, I did win two scholarships out of high school to one to the art academy and one to a smaller commercial arts school. And I, I opted not to pursue either of those because you know, when you're 18, you know, truly what's best for you. Right. And so I, I made some other decisions and I, I did not go to school for art. So I'm, you know, I'm mostly self-taught I take them workshops and seminars and things like that along the way. But, you know, I studied. Theology and English literature. So, so my undergrad is in English literature and with a minor in philosophy and theology. And then I taught high school for a number of years before I got into business. And so I was actually a religion teacher in two different Catholic high schools on the Ohio in Ohio. And yeah. And so, and then, you know, I did that for, gosh, I'm going to say 12 years, 13 years maybe. And you know, one of the things I always used to tell my students is you need to try new things. You need to reach, you need to grow, you need to learn. I taught mostly seniors. And so it was easy. To sort of share that message with high school seniors, right. And to take risks and, uh, but to be safe and all those kinds of things. And I knew I had been through the one high school for almost 10 years and I thought, you know, I was department chair. I was super involved in lots of different things. I knew every parent there was, I thought, boy, do I want to do this one? I'm 55. And when I'm 65, No, I don't. And so, so I sort of took a step back and said, okay, what skills do I have that are transferable? So I really started looking out in business to see, Hey, can I transition some of my, my teaching skills into a more lucrative way of life? And so ultimately I started working for a pharmaceutical research company, a Canadian company, as a trainer in their Cincinnati clinical research. And so I got a couple of promotions and we're with them for five years before I then joined the world of insurance.
Jen Tough:21:06
Wow. Art academy of Cincinnati, this discussion. So we could have been like maybe in the same founded. I know I went there for like a minute. I think I was smoking too much. And then I, then I went to Colorado to be a ski bum. So this, okay, so this was 85.
Tom Owen:21:28
So I'm, I'm a little older than you. So this would have been at, this would have been in 78. Okay.
Jen Tough:21:34
So not that far off,
Tom Owen:21:36
not that far off, right? Yeah. But
Jen Tough:21:39
you, you, you know, you did the right thing because there was no money. Like, you know, now, right? Like you, unless you have a trustful
Tom Owen:21:48
that's right. Well, you know, I, I read an article. This has been probably maybe a couple of years ago now that talked about the economics of art and going to art school and that sort of thing. And. And I'm going to get this percentage wrong, but how to every art school sort of graduate, they were saying that, you know, it's less than 3% that actually can make a living and make a living doing the kind of art that they want to do and love to do. And everybody else ends up doing something else. And I thought, okay, so maybe I didn't make the right choice, you know, because I've been able to. To practice my art and do painting and create while I've had these other jobs. You know, it's not hasn't, like I said before, it hasn't always been easy, but it's been, it's been a good experience. I've never regretted.
Jen Tough:22:39
You have so much experience like business experience, which a lot of artists don't, you know, if they haven't taken that path and half of art is business, it really is right. Like marketing communication, promoting yourself, you know, I mean, you've got the writing skills, you've got the business skills. I mean, that's huge.
Tom Owen:23:00
I do, you know, I do feel like that that's been a real, um, bonus for me to have had that experience. You know, I it's like I have, when I get a request for a commission, you know, I know how to talk to those folks. I know how to, you know, go into their home and look at it and, and have a conversation about what do they want to achieve and why are they going? You know, all of those things that I had to do as a business person, you know, so it's, it's worked out really well. And the,
Jen Tough:23:29
I think the business side, your business side has really allowed you to explore new things like, you know, joining the collectives, like you were part of my collective, you know, just exploring, just really putting yourself out there instead of just sort of sitting back and waiting to be discovered, which is, you know, something that art school perpetuate. Oh, you just have to make amazing art and that's all you have to do. And somebody will find you just going to find you magically and then like everything's solved all your problems or, you know, it's, it's, you know, you were very proactive and very, very business-oriented with your, with your career. And I think that's extremely positive, you know?
Tom Owen:24:13
Well, I, you know, Jen answered that's it wasn't easy because you know, like any artists. You know, you put your heart and soul and to the work that you create and then to put it out there and have somebody judge it and say, oh no, that's not right for my gallery, or that's not right for the show or whatever, but I think where business helped me. Okay. That's one person's opinion. There are other opinions out. And, you know, there, there will be somebody that likes and appreciates what I'm doing and I just need to find the right person or the right group of people. And Hey, thank you for your time. And I move on. I never want to burn a bridge and something I learned in business. You know, the other thing I think that's helped me is to understand that most galleries, business people, and that, you know what, they don't have a lot of time to waste. They're looking to make money for. Themselves, but also for, you know, providing art for their clients. And that has always helped me when I approach a gallery or when I'm interacting with somebody like you or another gallery owner. And because I know, I know you're running a business and I get that that's okay. This is not, I know. Sorry. Y'all. It's like, you know, I, I try not to be high maintenance because I know there are high maintenance artists sometimes not at all. So I try to have things on time and the way somebody wants them. But yeah,
Jen Tough:25:51
no, you're great. Okay. So speaking of Greg, tell me about your.
Tom Owen:25:57
So they're actually not up here right now because we live next door to a little park and there were children playing in the park and Fanny, who is a Dandie Dinmont terrier decided she had to come. Nonstop on it's playing on the park. I'm sucking not while we're doing this podcast. So she is four years old. And if you don't know what a dandy Dan Monterio looks like, do a quick search because they are the funniest looking dog. In the world and we love the faster she has personality plus. And, but she's, she's very long body, but a big poofy head. So I wish she were here now and I pick her up so you can see her. And then, and then we have Mavis and Mavis is a gosh she's button out 12 or 13 Norridge terror. So if you, if you ever saw the movie best in show, and you think about the little dog Winky that wins, that wins the dog show, that's a Norwich terrier and Mavis had. Personality plus, and an attitude to go with it. She's very much her own woman. And we'll tell you when she wants something, how she wants something. And then if you don't meet her expectations, she let you know that too. So they're both sweet dogs and we're very lucky to have them. They get along. Fanny tolerance, Mavis Mavis. I should say tolerance fanning. Cause Fannie just wants to play
Jen Tough:27:23
she's younger. So she's all about that. But two of the greatest dog names ever Fannie and
Tom Owen:27:29
Mavis Mavis, and before we had Fannie, we had blanche. Blanche was a less Highland white terrier. We rescued from, she was a, she was used as a breeder in a puppy mill. And so we saved her from. Horrible life. And so she was a great dog. She was probably the best that we've ever had. Sweet as can be. So,
Jen Tough:27:53
so tell me about your goals for art. What do you, what do you, I know that's kind of a big question. Just tell me about like, where you kind of want to go and what. You know, is it multiple galleries across the country? Are you trying to get more galleries? Are you trying to like, what, just, just talk about that a little bit.
Tom Owen:28:11
Like what you use that yeah. You know, that's a, that's a really good question. And as a business person, I would have annual goals and objectives and set this for my team. I know. And it's funny because I we're getting ready to go on vacation. And I, and I said to me, all my husband and I said, you know, I want to take some time while I'm lying on the beach. And shut down what I want to achieve in 2021 in my art practice, I'm all about goals. So I ha you know, I don't, I don't have them completely formulated because what I find is I need space to do that, to really sort of think about where, where do I want to head? You know, I've got, I I'd love to have more, more work in galleries. I'd love to sell more. It's funny. I enjoy commissions. I know some artists really don't. They struggle with that a little bit. And I get that. I'm not afraid to walk away from a commission. I've done it a handful of times. You know, I sort of have a process that I use with clients. And if we can't come to an agreement, then I I'd say, you know what? I am not the artist for you. Here's a list of other people that you might want to connect with, but I can't produce what you're asking me to produce because I don't do reproductions and I'm not. Not be true to myself and my vision. So, and th those two things don't meet. And I I'm, it's funny, those people that I've said, Hey, okay, you know what? Let's part ways they still follow me on Instagram. They still, you know, send me Christmas cards, all of those kinds of things, because we left that relationship in a good way,
Jen Tough:29:48
because I probably would have gone south rapidly.
Tom Owen:29:51
Yeah, right. So anyway, in terms of goals, I, you know, I would like to, I'd like to be in a few more galleries. I want to be really selective about that. You know, I have, you know, where I find that my work is really well or on the coast, west coast and east coast. I think, you know, probably I've had some success in Florida and in California, you know, I'd like to sort of break into the Charleston region a little bit. I think there's some opportunity for me there. Yeah. Like I said, my plan is to take, you know, sometime over the next several weeks. Flush out those goals. And here's the thing about goal-setting chat as I never do more than three big ones, because the reality is if you do more than three, you're never going to get them achieved because you're too pulled in lots of different directions. If all I want to do this and what it is, I want to do this workshop and know, teach this and. Then you're not spending your time on your practice. And so, um, I try to limit it to three to four sort of big goals for me. What do I want to, you know, whether it's, Hey, you know what, I want to expand my studio. That could be a goal. You know, I want to break into this particular market. So how am I going to target different galleries? That sort of thing, you know, I'm, I'm not, I know, I keep thinking, I got to find a better system. I know, I know it's, I mean, I have, I use my computer a lot and I have lots of files, but, you know, Excel was never or access. I never had to use those tools. And so I don't think I'm very skilled at it and I ended up getting frustrated. And so I just go back to creating the table and word. I mean, I have all my own creative spreadsheets and things like that, but it's oh, absolutely. Yeah, I was going
Jen Tough:31:41
to say, Hey, wait a minute. You're like the business organized person. I can
Tom Owen:31:47
remember all
Jen Tough:31:48
this stuff. A lot of artists. Do you know what I mean? Like, I think, especially when you're talking about goals, you know, they they're like, oh yeah, well, I'd kind of like this. And it's like, well then how do you, what steps are you going to take to get that? What's your process? And I think that it's, it's really easy to, you know, to sort of overlook that. And I think, you know, I know with Excel for me, I was like, there's no effing way. I'm going to learn Excel because then someone's going to ask me to do. And, you know, and I, there was no way. So I think there's a real aversion to that, but you know, those tools are helpful when it comes to like approaching galleries
Tom Owen:32:22
and absolutely. And I will tell you, okay, I'm going to get all businessy now. So. I used to teach a program to executives called the four disciplines of execution. And it's actually some work done by cubby to do some of this work. And Larry Bossidy did some of this work. And how do you execute? You know, these wildly important goals. And, and I still use those, those tools and those processes in my, in my practice today. And so, you know, it's about having a scorecard it's about, and once you get it sort of, you know, it's about, okay, but set along the three most important goals and what steps you're going to take, and what's your vision to get there. And so on. How are you writing that down and how are you keeping score and those kinds of things. And. And it feels like it feels like some work at the beginning, but then once you get it, oh my God. Then
Jen Tough:33:20
you can't live without
Tom Owen:33:21
it. You can't live without it. So I'm a huge, I'm a huge fan of the four disciplines of execution. Yeah.
Jen Tough:33:31
Well, I think your business sense has really, really helped in, you know, it really advancing your career really rapidly because. You know, I mean, just three or four years ago, I don't think, you know, you were with a gallery and now you've got like three, right?
Tom Owen:33:47
Yeah. So I, you know, well, you know, I, so ABC fine art in Cincinnati has been showing my work for gosh since, well, probably for the last eight to 10 years. Very, I mean, not a lot. And, and, you know, I've been very fortunate to have been with them and then there've been some smaller galleries along the way that have had, you know, I've been with them for a year or a couple of years, and then, you know, owners change and they change their focus and things like that. And, you know, and then there's a COVID thing. Right. So, yeah. So I'm with, well, Jen Tuft gallery and there is, you know, art design consultants on with pallet home and paint and Richmond, Virginia. And there was the Greenwich house gallery here in Cincinnati, but they've since closed. So yeah, but you know, so yeah, I've, you know, I've had a really, I've been really fortunate to have that kind of gallery experience and working with gallery owners galleries, and also. You know, meeting and working with other artists who show in those galleries. I think one of the most important things, if somebody is trying to get into a gallery is, you know, go where your work is similar because that's what the, that's what the gallery wants to show at that it has to be identical, but like, if you're a realistic landscape, Don't don't try to get into a gallery. That's focused solely on abstraction. I mean, it doesn't work. And
Jen Tough:35:17
then just try to get to know the owner and just try to, you know, just, you have to, it's all about connecting
Tom Owen:35:25
with people. Well, you know, Jen, you talk about what I learned in business. It comes down to relationships and I really think that that's true.
Jen Tough:35:35
So. It totally because, you know, I mean, I love your work, but if I didn't, if I hadn't known you before, I don't think I would've, you know, I mean, you have to have that relationship to know like, Hey, is this going to work? Do I want to work with this person? Do I want to? Yeah. And that's where the database comes in handy because then, you know, 50 galleries may be on the list that you're hitting up, keep track of, you know, if they didn't respond, if you're going to put, you know, take them off the list, whatever, like, you know, I don't know any other way to do it, but,
Tom Owen:36:08
well, you know, it's funny. I it's funny you say that because I just suppose it yesterday, today sent out my holiday. Happy holidays, MailChimp, but so. The I sent out this holiday greeting and I include not only people who've purchased work, but who have shown an interest in my work, even if they've never purchased anything. People who asked, you know, I've done commissions for as well as a number of galleries with whom I've had contact over the years. And, you know, just today I had two of them. So went out this morning. I had two of them respond saying, oh my gosh, it's great to hear from you. I love this piece. And your email, hope you do them well, you know what? I'm going to go back and take a look at your website again. Oh, that's awesome. So, you know, and that points to the importance of having an updated website too. Right. So yeah, which I could do better at
Jen Tough:37:00
no, I think your website's really good. I think, I think you are. You're just, you know, you're, you're knocking it out of the park. So tell me where you're finding your creativity these days. Whereas where are you drawing inspiration from?
Tom Owen:37:17
Yeah, that's, you know, that's a hard question, but I will tell you I'm super well, so I'm inspired by. I was an English major, so, and I still read and I still read poetry and I still love literature. So I read, I read poetry. I'm inspired by that. You know, I'm inspired by sort of my, the landscapes around me. And so I really, I tried try to look at straggly. My world. And that's where, that's where a lot of my work comes from today. When I think about some of the pieces that are, you know, that I'm doing today, it's really inspired by sort of some of the lines and the shapes that I see around me that I, I I'd love to travel. And that always, gosh, fills me up with lots of. How have ideas. I come back with hundreds of photographs on my iPhone, and oftentimes it might be just color combinations or, you know, here's an odd shape where these two colors came together. And, you know, I couldn't tell you if it was a sign of a house in a doorway or whatever the case may be, because I'm really inspired by, by the. Especially using flash because you can do all kinds of crazy wild things with color with flash. So does that answer the question? That's it's literature, it's the world around me? I don't know. I know some people are inspired by music that doesn't always get me going, but
Jen Tough:38:41
where are you guys going next? Cause you were just on Regis in Mexico
Tom Owen:38:44
city. We were in Mexico city and it was wonderful. It was just a wonderful experience. And so we are this week, we are headed to Anguilla and we just got all of our. Yeah, again, another COVID tests, which were all negative, which is great. And then it's crazy. Cause you had to fly into St. Martin and then you have to take a boat from St. Martin over to Anguilla. And so we have to be, you have to be tested when we land and St. Martin and then again, and Anguilla. So lots of, lots of COVID tests to come in the next few days. But so in this vacation is really what we kind of call our, do nothing vacation because we, we we'll go and we'll read and we'll relax. We'll work on my goals. We'll have some nice dinner. Um, and that's sort of just recharge and Anguilla is there. It's not very tourist state. There are, there are no chains there, most people rent, condos or homes. And so anyway, so that's coming up and then in the spring we are right now, fingers crossed. We are headed to Paris for four days. And then from Paris to Morocco for 10 days, and then back to Paris for three days after that,
Jen Tough:39:55
the stuff you're going to, the pictures are going to take in Morocco. I can't even
Tom Owen:39:58
imagine. I'm so excited. I know, I know
Jen Tough:40:02
that's on my bucket list. I've been to. I've never been to Morocco. That's definitely on my bucket list.
Tom Owen:40:10
So we're hoping, we're hoping we also have, we also have, uh, a trip that we planned for grease in there, but the next year, but we'll see. Cause Neil retires and April of this year. Yeah. This coming year. So going
Jen Tough:40:26
to be like never at home,
Tom Owen:40:28
right. I'll be in the studio or we'll be traveling one of those two.
Jen Tough:40:32
It sounds so wonderful. I'm so happy that everything's like really working out for you and, you know, it's just so good to see, you know, Well, thank
Tom Owen:40:42
you for
Jen Tough:40:44
your work's beautiful. And like, if you guys don't know Tom's work, you can go to my website or you can go to Tom's webs. What is your website?
Tom Owen:40:51
My website is Tom Owen. Fine. art.com.
Jen Tough:40:55
Okay. Tom Owen, fine art. And then what are you on Instagram?
Tom Owen:40:59
I am Tom Owen underscore artist.
Jen Tough:41:02
Awesome. Okay. And there's no ass on L oh, and it's not really in this.
Tom Owen:41:09
Thank you.
Jen Tough:41:10
All right. So Tom, it was so good to see you. We're on zoom right now, so we can see each other and thank you for spending some time with me. Oh,
Tom Owen:41:20
you're so welcome. I've enjoyed this. It's been great to catch up with the chat. So let's stay in touch.
Jen Tough:41:25
Okay, great. Tell me, I said hi and me
Tom Owen:41:29
and
Jen Tough:41:30
daddy, Emmy. That's right. Okay. Thank you. All right. Thanks Tom.
Tom Owen:41:36
You're welcome. We'll talk soon.
Jen Tough:41:38
Thank you so much for listening and supporting this podcast. Your support means everything. If you'd like to learn more about the artists lions community. Send me a question or learn about other events or projects coming up, please visit my website@wwwdotjentough.gallery. See you next time.
What makes a “real” exhibition?
One of my favorite art professors was a guy named Richard Harned. He was a glass blower, trained by Chihuly at RISD, but by the time I had him my last year in school he primarily focused on mixed media sculpture and installations. He was charming and funny and smart. He had an outfit for each day of the week. He had his Monday outfit, Tuesday outfit, and so on. When I saw him in class once a week, it seemed like he wore the same thing everyday. It took me a couple of months and seeing him on different days to realize he had a ritualistic seven day wardrobe.
Like all graduates close to earning their BFA, I needed to take Richard's “seminar” to graduate. It was a one day a week class that was the closest thing to practical advice for artists I'd get, and included a touch of marketing, photographing your work, galleries and building your resume. I absolutely loved it, and consider it to be one of the best classes I've ever taken.
While I was in this seminar, Richard was at the Headlands Center in CA for a couple of weeks. Before he left, he told us to mail a small work to him while he as at the Headlands. He took all of our small works, and made an installation on the Headlands grounds, and told us to promptly include the “exhibition” on our resumes. At the time, I thought this was crazy… that this didn't “count” or wasn't “real”. When he returned, I shared how I felt about it, and he told me, “This is as real as it gets”.
What do you think? What makes a “real” exhibition in your mind? Have you ever run into a similar situation, unsure if you should include it on your resume?
Join Kindling, my art marketing and art business community and let me know. It’s entirely free. Sign up here.
How to get an art gallery: part five
Like newsletters (last week, part four), following and commenting on social media is one of the easiest ways to get to know what a gallery is up to, see if you want to be involved with them, and begin the first contacts with the hope of building a relationship. Well, let's not say relationship. That's most likely not going to happen just through social media alone. But will it will create name recognition, which is also extremely valuable.
First, after you've done your precursory research on them, follow 'em. And for the sake of time and sanity, let's just focus on Instagram. After you think you may have some name recognition, you can try linking on LinkedIn.
The name of the game here is to comment frequently on their posts with constructive, kind comments. Comments that are authentic. They are something you'd really say. This can be tricky, because you're going to run out of things to say, and if you're anything like me, you'll over analyze what you're going to say, and it's going to get all convoluted and confusing. Try to not think TOO much about it…. and just comment.
Think of it as a kind critique. Be authentic. Talk about the work in a smart and sensitive manner. Mention positive things about the work they are showing, by pointing out aspects of the work ("the line work in this is fantastic! It really gives the feeling of antiquity"). If it's a group show, make comments on the theme and cohesion of the show. If it's a solo show image with more than one work, pick up on a theme or common thread in the artist's work ("The use of red in these works really draws me in"). Remember, what a gallery shows is a reflection on their own vision and expressed creativity. Let them know what they are doing is admired.
Rinse and repeat. Do this each and every time they post. Be kind, enthusiastic, and authentic. After awhile (weeks? Months?) they will begin to recognize your name. They may look at your profile. They may look at your website. And if you are also simultaneously getting ready to approach them via email, this name recognition could pay off big time.
Everyone loves supporters, and fans are even better. Even the biggest galleries love it. But that doesn't mean they want to get direct messages from you on Instagram. My advice: refrain.
How to get an art gallery: part four
One of the easiest ways to get involved with a gallery is to first sign up for their newsletter. And then read it.
This is the best way to know what shows they have going on, what shows they have coming up, what projects or fairs they may be doing, and if there are any calls for entry, workshops, or other events you should know about. You can find their newsletter sign up usually on the front page of their website, or it may come as a popup.
When signing up for their newsletter, understand that you will be receiving that newsletter, and that you asked for it. Don't unsubscribe because they send too many, or they are not what you expected. Remember that one of the best ways to get into a gallery you have your eye on, is to get involved with them. And the best way to know what is going on, is their newsletter.
Worse, do not report them for spam. This is a horrible thing to do to any business, let alone a gallery you have your eye on. Not only does this severely impact their reputation with their email service provider, but they will know it was YOU who reported them. There is nothing worse than having someone sign up for your email list, and then report you for spam. So don't do that.
Once you start getting their newsletters, take note of things you could potentially attend or get involved with. Openings, workshops (online or off), special events, or an art fair you could visit them at. Also, make notes on your database (remember that guy?) of what shows they are doing, so you can compliment them later in an email or in person if you happen to personally attend an event.
You need to research the galleries you are interested in prior to first approach, and subscribing to their newsletters are the first action to take, and also will provide you with the most info. Don't forget, that the gallery knows how long you were a subscriber, how many times you opened an email or clicked on a link (etc) should they want to know this info. It's a very simple thing to do, and shows a gallery you're sincerely interested in what they have going on.
One of the first things I do when approached by an artist (if I don't know them already), is to check and see if they are on my mailing list, and if they are a long time subscriber. It's a really bad impression to be hit up by an artist who has not done their research, they ask for you to look at their portfolio, but they haven't even signed up for your newsletter. It's like the least they can do, right? If they haven't subscribed, it says they have no clue what you do, and they couldn't be bothered. Seems very one-sided right out of the gate.
So sign up. Learn what you can about what they're up to. Record that info each time you get a newsletter into your database. This is the easiest ways to get to know them, and be involved. You might find that the gallery isn't right for you, and your efforts are better spent elsewhere. You might learn something new about them, or discover artists that you love, a new project or fair you didn't know about, and more. No matter what, it's a win-win.
No go subscribe!
How to get an art gallery: part three
Now that you've got your database built, and you have added some galleries that you want to approach added to that database, you'll want to decide on how to approach. These approaches can be in person, via email, via another mutual person, or via snail mail. On your database, you're going to keep track of how you approach, when you approached, and what their response was (if any response). By tracking the responses, you will know when to approach again and how to approach again. You want to mix it up with each subsequent approach. In general, you do not want to approach too often, or you may appear to be a pest (or desperate, neither are good). I recommend 6 - 8 week approach intervals. An exception to this is if you do a casual, in-person approach (like at an opening), in which case you would want to follow up with an email or snail mail in 1-2 weeks.
If you are able to do an in-person approach, it's highly recommended that you do that whenever possible. This can be at an opening, but only approach if the time is right. This is where your “Miss Manners” training from grade school will come in play, so wait until a good time to approach (not when they are trying to make a sale for example. And please be kind and don't talk all about yourself. And in-person approach is also when your research on that gallery will come in handy: you will know about their past shows (including the one you are viewing at an opening let's say), and you can bring it up in a complimentary manner. This says a lot to the gallery owner. It says that you've done your homework by researching them (most artists don't), it says that you value what they are doing and their work (it means you understand art and how galleries work), and it also means that you are a person who can work with other people and the world does not revolve around just you. This makes you appealing because most artists begin a conversation with a gallerist (curator, advisor) by talking all about themselves and their work. No one likes that, right? Think of your last party or event when you got cornered by a person who just rambled on about themselves, never asking a thing about you. Ugh.
For an email first approach, you're going to want to do the same as an in-person approach, but in a short, concise email form. Compliment them on the last show, fair or project they did, and why you liked it. If you have something in common, you could bring that up. Do you have a mutual friend? Huge asset! Make sure to mention. Did you grow up in the same town, go to the same school, live in a certain area as them for awhile? These are a great bridge to bring up after a compliment, and you can easily find this information on their LinkedIn profile. In closing the email, you could say something like, “If you're inclined, I'm an artist and I'd love for you to check out my website." and then close. But unless you already have a mutual connection, or you have met in person, I'd save the asking for a website look for the second email, or snail mail follow up. Have links on the bottom of your email in the signature area so they can easily see your website, and then you don’t have to ask.
For subsequent follow ups, try mixing it up. You're already following them on social, and you've signed up for their newsletter (right?), so you know what's going on with the gallery for your next contacts. Try using a different method of contact from your last. If you did email first, next send them something via snail mail. A book, a pamphlet, several postcards…. or one postcard with a handwritten note how much you enjoyed their last show. Nothing more. And then rinse and repeat.
All of these things are repeatable (email, snail mail, in-person approaches) for as long as you feel it is appropriate. And you're keeping track in your database (right?), so you know when to send something new, and you know what the response (if any) was. You use this to gauge interest moving forward. Remember, people in general (not just art gatekeepers) are overwhelmed with information these days and repeat contact is absolutely needed for everyone before a person “registers”. So don't take lack of response the first 4-6 times personally. If you've sent things for over a year, and still no interest or response, you're going to put them on ice and return a year later and try again.
Consistency, patience, and kindness is the winning combination here. This is the long game!
How to get an art gallery, part two
Last post I addressed websites and creating a database. This week I want to discuss researching galleries you may be interested in (and then add those puppies to your database!).
First, add to your database the galleries you've already got your eye on. These may be local or at a distance. So what is it you should look for, and what makes a good match for you?
Do you work in a similar vein? What kind of work do they show? Would your work compliment what they already exhibit, and compliment the artists they represent? Are you incredibly similar to the other work? If so, you may not get interest because you may be competition for the artists they already have. But note, I said incredibly similar. If you work in the same vein as other artists they rep and show, if you compliment, then you may get a positive response.
Find out what kind of business model they have? Are they non-profit or commercial? Usually art centers or college/university affiliated galleries are non-profit. In which case, they most likely do not represent artists because representation involves looking long term for financial and reputational gain. Non-profits rely on donors and fundraisers (like auctions) to stay afloat and not as much on sales, where as commercial galleries cannot accept donations, and rely purely on sales. Knowing how a gallery operates is important because you will understand their motivations and priorities more.
Are they looking for new artists? If not, you can choose to take them off your list, or you can find out if you know any of their current roster, or have some other connection, allowing you to get an introduction (this is the best way inside).
How can you build a relationship? Do they have calls for entry that you could use a way in? Are there other ways to build a relationship such as workshops, artist talks you could attend, sign up for their newsletters, follow on social and comment. Mark these on your database so you remain consistent and can track responses over time.
Make a list of artists who work in the same vein as you. Find what galleries they are showing at or represented by, and add those galleries to your list. Again, make sure you're not incredibly similar, as you will reduce your chances of being represented.
Think regionally. Organize your database into geographic regions. A great goal is to have a gallery in several regions across the US. This avoids competition between galleries if they are selling the same artist's work.
Think about your audience. Who is most likely to buy your work? This is a very hard question for most artists because it truly is unknown in the beginning of a career. To get a better handle on it, you may want to do an art fair close to your hometown (or in it, preferably to save money) and chat with the people who purchase or are drawn to your work. Some artists have a clearer audience niche, for example, artists who do landscapes of a particular area. They would want to approach galleries in that area, and also target tourists who frequent that area. Some artists paint/draw only horses, so they would want to target equine communities, or galleries where horses are a visual element (think Colorado, Wyoming, Montana).
The goal is to make your list of galleries to approach after researching, researching, researching. Add those to your database, which you will be using to track and update as the years go by.
How to get an art gallery, part one
First, let me start by saying I don't believe artists should spend the majority of their marketing time and efforts on “getting a gallery”. I don't have to tell you guys that the gallery system has changed dramatically since the Internet. As difficult as it can be for solo artists, the reality is artists now have the ability to build audiences without the help of galleries, make direct sales, and market themselves to the world, all for free. They have the same platforms as galleries have now. Gone are the days when a gallery's physical address or back page ad in Art in America was the most important aspect for sales, exposure and prestige. But I am also painfully aware that with the current state of social media (namely Instagram), building an audience as a solo artist is extremely difficult and time consuming, and frankly feels impossible. And it seems to get more difficult with each and every algorithm change.
But I still believe this solo route, the one of embracing independence (as much as possible...) and building an audience in a variety of ways, is the most sustainable for artists, and likely to produce better results long term. And ironically, having a large audience will make you mighty attractive to any gallery. And if you build a big enough audience, you may find you have no desire for a gallery when they come knocking. Why give away 50% when you're selling well on your own?
Moral of this story: spend more time building your own audience than you spend trying to “get a gallery”. By doing that, you gain exposure to galleries in the process, build your own audience, and you let galleries know you know how to do the work, you can hustle, and you don't expect them to do it all for you. Win-win for the artist.
But let's talk about how to achieve gallery representation, because I also know that artists still want to achieve this for a variety of very legit reasons. Namely, the credibility and authority it can bring, another promotional channel, perhaps a solo show, and just the feeling it can bring that you are recognized for your work. All very important and worthy stuff.
Step One: Get your website up to date and create a database
Definitely the most un-sexy, yet absolutely the most important step of all.
First….Websites: I see many-a-website with out of date information, no new work posted, broken links, tricky navigation… or no contact info. Or, an email sent by the artist with work not included on the website. That's super annoying. Name of the game: make it easy on the gallery. Put yourself in their shoes and take a tour of your website by testing links and updating all information. Better yet, have a friend do it on another computer so they're seeing it without cached info. No one has time to do guessing games, or piece together new work from an email, or find a way to contact you if your links are broken. What this says to a gallery is: you're not professional. And you want them to do the work. Not a good look. Amazingly, this is the most common issue with artist websites, and it can be a quick killer to any chance of working with that gallery.
Tips: Not good at websites? Hire someone. Buy a domain without the platform provider's name in it (ie, without Wix, Squarespace, etc in the address). White backgrounds only. Make sure all the links work. Have excellent photography of your work. Unless you're a trained graphic designer, save all the creativity for your art. Have all of your contact info in text so you can be contacted without using a form. You can learn more by watching “Killer Websites 1 and 2” in the video library inside the community.
Second… create a database that will become your frickin' Bible. There are so many spreadsheet or database platforms available: Airtable (excellent but monthly fee), Google Sheets (free but clunky), Numbers (Apple), Excel (scary). Dedicate a solid day or two solely to learning it. If you're frustrated every time you open it (because you didn't dedicate the time to learning it), you won't use it. Tons of free classes on YouTube. This database will: 1. list the galleries you're interested in, 2. have the dates of your approaches, 3. list the way you approached, 4. record how they responded (if at all), 5. allow you to know when to contact again.
Keeping all of this in your head or on assorted sticky notes that float around your studio collecting pet hair is impossible. Unfortunately. The key to gaining representation is building a relationship with a gallery. One email, one post on social media, is not going to do that. You need to develop and nurture a relationship through repeated, friendly contact, and by getting involved with the gallery. The best way to know if you're doing enough (or too much) is by having a database to track these approaches and track the response.
When setting up your database, you may want to include: Gallery or venue name, contact info, date approached, how you approached, and response. You may want to include a checkbox if you signed up for their newsletter or following on social, gallery director or curator names, and points of commonality (we'll discuss this later). You can include anything and everything that will help YOU. The goal is to be able to know when to re-approach, what to approach with, and track their responses to know to back off, or try again.
Three Secrets of Gallery Representation
Check out the Tough on Art podcast episode on this topic here.
Warning: This is a lightly edited transcript of that podcast, so not grammatically correct in some spots!
As an artist, your primary goal should be getting your work out, building your audience, and really taking your career in the direction that you want to take on your own. So that means learning about marketing. It means learning about how to do art fairs. It means learning about how to display your work properly, how to network with people.
Because as I've said a million times before, the art world is based on relationships. One of the best things that you can do is spend your time just meeting people in a really natural way.
But today we're going to talk about three secrets that are going to boost your chances of gallery representation.
These might seem when I go over them that they're really obvious, but actually it’s really pretty rare that artists take the time doing these things. I think lots of times artists may think, ”I know enough and I'm going to go ahead and approach the gallery anyway”. But they really haven't done their homework. Let’s break down what that homework is!
So let's go ahead and start with number one, know all about the gallery before you approach them. Definitely do your research, find out what kind of exhibitions they do. Find out who they're representing, find out how long they've been in business. You want to be able to really know everything that you can. Who are the primary people at the gallery? What kind of work do they show? Do they do solo shows? Do they represent people? What is their business model? You know, some galleries are non-profit, some are commercial, and each of those models can really vary.
It's really important that you know how that gallery’s business model works. So how do you find this stuff out? Well, first you're obviously going to start on the website. If they're not local you're going to want to read everything that you can, study up on the shows they've done. This is the one way that galleries can really express their own creativity. The work that they show, how they show it, how they display it how long those shows are, what the themes are of those shows. These are the kinds of things that you're going to need to know that gives you insight into their business. And also lets you know what kind of people they are by the creativity that they put forth in their exhibitions. Maybe they follow a really standard model where they represent artists and then they have rotating solo shows of their represented artists mixed with group shows. And maybe they have a smaller, artist stable, and then they also bring in other artists for group shows. These are all the things that you definitely, definitely need to know before you approach, long before you approach. So that's the first thing.
The second thing is, is that you want to connect with the gallery before you approach them. And connecting is really simple in this day and age. It’s with social media, newsletters, websites, it's really easy to connect with that gallery you’re interested in. A lot of artists ask how do they connect with galleries who are out of their area. Social media websites, their newsletter, these are all great ways to do it.
The first thing you want to do is sign up for their newsletter. This is also going to give you information about what they're doing (which is also our number one!) knowing all about the gallery. So what exhibitions do they have coming up? You're going to be able to find out in their newsletter, what new artists are they representing and make sure you read the newsletter and, know what they're, you know, know what they're up to.
Signing up for the newsletter is the first and absolutely easiest way to connect with a gallery and learn what they are about. And, and on that note it's also important that you remember that you signed up for their newsletter. So don't unsubscribe at some point (because you won’t know what’s going on with them), or worse, report them for spam, which is very bad for the gallery as a small business. We're talking about smaller and mid tier galleries. So, understand that the gallery is going to be informed if you report them for spam they're going to know. That's not really a good look when you're going to approach them, right? The first thing I do when I get an email from an artist I don’t know or haven’t heard of before, is search my inbox for any past interaction. And if it shows up that you've reported me for spam, and then you're trying to get in one of my shows, I’m not going to be happy. So play nice with the newsletter, open it up, read it, know what they're doing and what they’re up to.
I should preface all of this by saying, you've got to start a database. And that doesn't mean a database like Artwork Archive, which is more for creating a database of your finished works. That's important, but that's not what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is creating a database of all the galleries that you want to approach. When you approach them, how you approach them, what their response was. This is the only way that you can keep track. One of the things that's really important is that you are hitting them up again in a different way. For example, let's say you send postcards and then two months later you send an email. You need to keep track of all those things. If you get no response from three approaches, and you're definitely going to want to take them off your list for a year, and then revisit again much later. Having the newsletter, and knowing of any staff changes is important to track as well, because new staff means new people who may be interested in your work. The only way to keep up with this is to have a database so you can use. I use Airtable, which I love, but it has a small monthly fee. You can also use that Airtable for keeping track of all your artwork, where it is, when it's sold, things like that. You can also use Excel, which scares me, or you can use Numbers, which is on Apple, or there's also Google Sheets, which is free.
After you've signed up for their newsletter, you're going to want to follow them on social media. Now, those two things seem so obvious, but you would be shocked how few artists do that. Having a database will really help with knowing how much you did with connecting prior to approach. For example, I just got an email this morning from a person who wanted me to represent them. And they're not in my artist's community. I had never seen their name before. They're not on my newsletter list. They don't follow me on social media. And I'm thinking, why would you even approach me when you obviously know nothing about the gallery? I kind of feel like, well, she must be sending this email out to every single gallery in the world. And that's not really a good look either.
On social media, for the galleries that you really, really like, follow them and comment, just comment. And they're going to start seeing your name over and over again, and it's going to stick. Do that for a long time. You're not going to have any direct results from that that you're going to see, but what's going to happen is that in all likelihood, the gallery or whoever is running their social media is going to see your name popping up again and again and again, which can build recognition. And what this is doing, is sort of warming them up. You want to do all of these things before you get to that place where you are sending an email. And this might be months, several months. I would say at least three months of commenting on that gallery social media feed before you send the first approach email.
I would just focus on Instagram for social media. You've got the newsletter. So now if they're within driving distance, go to their next opening. But you don't want to be selling yourself there. You might want to just introduce yourself. Hi, I'm so-and-so. And maybe if you've been commenting on social media you know, they might recognize your name. That’s gold!
Now if you have gotten their newsletter, if you get the chance to meet the gallery owner or one of the senior people at the gallery, you can say something like, “you know, I really loved XYZ show you did a couple months ago. That would be a great way to break the ice. Who doesn’t love a compliment? And this lets them know you are truly interested in their business. Obviously don't want to be asking the gallery to do anything for you. You're just getting to know people.
This is not a fast process, just like with creating your work. This doesn't happen overnight. You're learning and learning and learning and evolving and changing. And where you are is exactly where you should be. And that’s okay. You can't just like walk into a gallery and expect the gallery owner to be like, “Oh my God, your work is amazing.
And I'm going to show you right now. And here's a solo show.” That just that doesn't happen. Behind the scenes is this long nurturing of a relationship before they will even open the door to talk to you. And that is because it's trust. It's building a relationship. It's getting to know you and really going gaga over your work.
So those are some of the easiest ways to connect with a gallery. With the newsletter, you’ll be able to see if the gallery is doing other things besides exhibitions. They might give workshops. They might have some sort of special event that you can be involved with. And also here's where your database is going to come in. Because that's where sometimes you can feel like, “Oh my God, I tried so hard to get in that gallery and they didn't even answer my email” If you have this database, you might be able to go back and see oh… it looks like I never signed up for their newsletter. I never commented on social media or even followed them. Looks like all I did was send this one email. So having this database where you can track what you did and when you did it, and when the response was for gallery, XYZ is going to be hugely helpful. Really it's the only way to know. Did I do all those things that I should do? Or did I just send a blind email? The thing that is sucky about it, is that when you (most likely) don’t hear back from a gallery with that blind email, you may feel really upset or rejected. When it has nothing to do with the artist's work! The problem is, the gallery doesn’t know you, or recognize your name, or have any context for you, because you didn’t do the connecting prior.
So there's going to be multiple galleries you want to approach. And this is also why you need the database. You can organize your database into your top picks, and then other galleries that are less priority. This will help with the overwhelm and keep things moving along.
Number three, our final one is know all about the art gallery business model.
I was really shocked to learn that so many artists had no idea how a gallery makes money, how the business works, what the expectations are for them as an artist. I've learned it's actually exceedingly rare when you meet an artist who understands the business. And that’s amazing to me, because it’s such a huge benefit for the artist to understand the business, and also learn how it works. One of the best things that an artist can do to make them really appealing to a gallery is to understand how the business works, to really understand how a gallery makes money, how a gallery stays afloat, what the expectations are for an artist.
So for instance, one of the things that I've sort of been watching in the art world and in the gallery business, is that there's always a real interest with representing younger artists because the idea is with younger artists, so the idea goes, you can nurture their career. And then towards the end of their career, you can really be selling their work for a lot of money. Hopefully. What I think artists may not understand, is that when a gallery starts representing you and starts investing their time and their space to that artist and that artist's career, they're usually going in the red to do that. Because if the artist isn't known and they give that artist a solo or two or three person show let’s say. And their gallery space is like a store essentially. If you were a shoe store let's say, and you're going to take the risk of only blue Nike's in that shoe store and nothing else, that's kind of like what a solo show is, especially if the artist isn't extremely well-known and doesn't have a big audience already. So you're taking a huge risk by using your gallery space, your entire retail space for a show for an artist who is not known. It's a massive risk. That's a risk that galleries often take in order to sell the work down the line at a higher price. When the artist is more well known. I'm not talking about like galleries that might also sell jewelry or, or other things, or they have a different model or are non-profit. I'm talking about like the very traditional gallery model.
The other thing that galleries spend money and time on is marketing. They're using their social media platform for promoting that artist. They're making books or they're making postcards and they're talking about the work, they're learning all about the artists they are representing. When they have an opening or any other time, they can always talk about where the artists lives, where the artists went to school, they know everything about the artist. So when a buyer might ask some questions, which happens all the time, they know all that information. So there's a lot of time and energy that goes into it, that the artist isn't really seeing, and they're not really aware of. So understanding how the gallery business works is extremely important.
So let's say an artist has a solo show and the gallery says, “for six months after the solo show, all the pieces that are in this show are going to go through the gallery.” A lot of artists get really pissed off about that because they don't understand. But it’s important to understand what the gallery did for that artist, gave their entire space. They did promotion for you. They learned about you. They talk about you and you're not there. Usually artists don’t see this, because artists are usually just there at the opening. They don't understand that every day that the gallery is open when their artwork is on the wall (or in storage), that the person who owns the gallery or other people who work there are discussing that work with the people who might be coming in and selling. So it's a lot of energy and time and money that goes into promoting artists that artists aren't really seeing.
So let's say that during this a solo show, people are coming in and they're seeing artist X and they are selling works 1, 2, 3. And let's say that this person who came into this gallery saw work number two. And they really love the piece and want to buy it. They talk to the gallerist about it. They found out all about the artist from the gallerist, et cetera, et cetera. They got some information, their CV, things like that, that the gallery has had on file. And then they go home and they contact the artist directly. This happens all the time. So if there isn't a six month lock on that work, and it sells through the artist and not the gallery, even though the buyer saw it at the gallery, the gallery did all that work for nothing. And this can happen for works that have been shown repeatedly in different shows or fairs, and then the artist lists that work with another gallery, or sells it on their own, cutting out the original gallery. I've had happened before and it's infuriating. So it's why is this important? Knowing the gallery biz for artists is important because you then understand where the gallery is coming from, and you understand the rules of the road.
If you happen to know what their rent was like, say three to $5,000. You already know just for rent, the gallery has to sell six to $10,000 worth of art to just pay the rent. Doesn't pay salaries. It doesn't pay electricity. It doesn't pay for heat, water, anything. Taxes and insurance is a huge one. So there's a lot of art that has to be sold and it's extremely risky with unknown artists for galleries. And that’s why they look long term.
So sometimes what can happen is an artist may feel like, “well, this is my work. I don't care if it was in a show with XYZ gallery, I'm going to sell it anyway because my show was a month ago” or something like that. The truth is, it's really difficult for an artist to know where that buyer might've come from. And in all likelihood, they probably saw their work or was introduced to that artist's work from the gallery, maybe on social media, because usually galleries have larger social media followings than artists do. It's one of the benefits of being with a gallery, right? So that's something for artists to keep in mind, because a lot of times I hear from artists, “oh, my gallery doesn't do anything for me. They haven't sold anything for me”. And, either the artist leaves disgruntled and angry because they feel like they deserved better, or they feel like they deserved more attention (ie, more money and time spent on them). But what I think is important about understanding how the gallery business works is knowing how much time and money a gallery is really putting into an artist's career, and the artist usually has no idea. But the truth is, there's just a lot of moving parts. Work may not be selling because the artist changed direction for example. And I think that a lot of times artists feel like they're entitled to sell their work on their own, because they’re just not seeing all that goes into an artist’s promotion, and they don’t understand the financial risks the gallery takes on. Even if the work is in storage, it’s often pulled out, discussed, and the gallery owner is working on sales for the artist.
It's important to understand how the gallery business works, because when you understand how a gallery stays afloat, and that there's very few galleries who are making a lot of money (very, very few) there needs to be some kind of loyalty to what that gallery has done for that artist, even if they don’t see it. What they've done for you in the past. There needs to be some kind of mutual respect and understanding and communication. Situations like this are where you hear about artists selling work behind a gallery's back because there is not an understanding of the gallery business. Sometimes it can take years and years for an artist's career to really pick up and sales become very good. And it's important to know that the gallery is banking on this, this is why they take these risks in the beginning, and that they have a longterm view. The gallery is willing to go in the red to promote that artist now so later they can both do better financially later when sales pick up and they become more well known.
So when an artist sells work just a couple months after a solo show for instance, and the gallery doesn't know, and the person who bought that work saw it at the gallery, or saw it on gallery social media, that sale’s proceeds should be split with the gallery. I think that the more an artist knows about the gallery business, the better it's going to be for them to develop a really positive relationship with that gallery. Because galleries talk. And when an artist intentionally or unintentionally burns a bridge with a gallery, it's not going to be a good thing for that artist. It might not make any difference, but it very well could. I think 99% of the time, these kinds of things are completely unintentional. But without understanding things from a gallery’s perspective, it could ruin future gallery relationships for artists.
So know how the gallery stays in business. Are they a commercial gallery? Do they, do they have to pay taxes? Do they have to make a certain amount of money every month? You're not going to know what that exact amount of money is, but you can estimate based on where the gallery is located or what their overhead might be. Then you have to double that basically for the amount of art that the gallery has to sell, because 50% goes to the artist. Knowing how that process works is going to be really, really positive for any gallery that might want to start a relationship with an artist. It's all about relationship building, and the more you understand how a gallery operates, how they make money, and why it's important to be loyal to a gallery for a long period of time, the better your chances are of getting more galleries in time, and be represented by more than one gallery.
To review: number one was to know all about the gallery before you approach them. Don't go in blind, learn about them, be interested, find out and discover if you want to be part of that ecosystem with them.
Number two, connect with a gallery before approach through social media, email list, etc. If they have something else going on, sign up for it.
And number three, know all about the gallery business, financially. How the process works with representation. How their show system works, especially with solo shows. Are they a commercial gallery, or non-profit space?
Knowing all of these things will strongly increase your chances of representation with one or more galleries.
Thanks for reading.
The Devil You Know?
Yayoi Kusama left Japan and headed to New York with dollar bills sewn inside her kimono. She left at a time when women were expected to not have jobs, only find a husband and raise children. She left to pursue her art, in a faraway land, with no money and no connections.
She arrived in New York knowing very little English, and was met with a massive wall: a white male dominated art world, where even female dealers didn’t want to show women. She kept working, was terribly poor, but kept her dream alive.
In 1965, she created her first mirrored room, only to have it blatantly copied by Lucas Samaras who created his own—and got an exhibition for it at the prestigious Pace Gallery. Overcome with rejection and grief, she tried to kill herself by jumping out of her apartment window.
It was then that Kusama decided she was no longer going to be a slave to the gallery system, and decided she and she alone would decide when, where, and how to show her art.
She made the astonishing rise to where she is now using primarily social media by sharing her story. Today, she is the most successful woman artist alive, her shows have people lining up for blocks to see them. It is an unlikely tale of a 90 year old woman artist making it BIG.
Several things jump out at me about her life story. One is that she has a mythic and inspiring underdog story of triumph over tragedy. Like David and Goliath, the timeless inspiring appeal of these stories crosses every culture. This is an important story to tell, because it resonates. Two, is that she decided to carve her own path, write her own ticket, and do things differently outside of the art world “food chain”. And three, she persisted.
It’s tragically unfair that the “art world” is set up to ignore 99% of artists, and how the food chain is set up to benefit the very, very few. It’s a system that caters to the rich and the connected, and usually young, usually male and usually white artists are the prize. As broken as this established system is, artists continue to align themselves to this system, even though they know in all likelihood it will not be beneficial for them.
Yesterday I had a conversation with an “art insider”. This guy told me that my gallery was “not part of the art world food chain”. Of course I always kinda knew this, and I agree with the assessment for the most part, but it still stung. It stung to hear it spoken out loud. In my own way, I was also aligning to that established food chain, doing things “the right way” or established way. But now I realize (like I preach to artists all the time), I too must embrace new ways of doing business outside of the art world establishment, detached from that food chain in every way possible. Why? Because aligning with it isn’t working. But it seems it's what we know best.
Is it the devil we know that keeps us aligned like magnets to the established ways of the art world? At least we understand that devil, right? We know the rules, and we won’t make waves or stand out if we stick with that alignment. It’s scary after all to step outside of the box.
I’ve been seeing cracks in the established art food chain for awhile now. Social media opened our eyes to the potential for artists building their own audiences outside of the gallery system, selling directly to collectors, totally outside of the food chain. I am certain the future is artist run galleries, collectives and co-ops, online sales, and open studios in one form or another. These are new food chains outside of the establishment, where artists can determine their futures (and keep all the earnings).
What about you? Do you also hang on to these broken-but-established system? Does the idea of doing things on your own, outside of that food chain seem exciting… or scary?
New: Artist Alliance Stay-in-Place Residency
I started a new stay-in-place residency program in the Artist Alliance Community. It will be a 90 day self-imposed program, happening Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer. It’s for members in the community interested in the focus and dedication a residency program offers, along with the accountability and feedback given from our community. This is a self-imposed, stay-at-home residency. At close, we will have a wrap up meeting and an exhibition.
So far it’s been far more popular than I imagined. Members are very intent on making the most of their time and benefitting from the community feedback.
The Autumn Residency runs October 1 and run through December 31.
This residency will be held each quarter for 3 months:
Autumn: October - December
Winter: January - March
Spring: April - June
Summer: July - September
Members decide on an area they would like to focus on for 3 months. It could be developing a daily sketching practice, exploring painting in a different style or size, exploring a new medium, starting a new series or direction. You decide the purpose and intent of the residency. There are no “rights” or “wrongs”. Whatever they think three months of focus and dedication (plus accountability and feedback) will be most beneficial for them and their practice
Participants commit to posting at least once a week in the residency space showing the work they've created and the progress made.
At the end of each residency, we'll have a wrap up community Zoom, with each artist participating in a residency doing a short presentation of their process and sharing work created. We will also have an exhibition with one residency-created work per artist, plus their purpose of the residency, on view at our public exhibition space.
Look for our first residency exhibition in January, 2022.
I Watch Boring TV at Night. But Dream Farm Got Me Thinking.
Have you seen Dream Farm on Amazon yet? Our hero and host is Monty Don, from Gardner's World fame (another BBC nerd-show I adore). I watch boring TV at night, in bed, to quiet my brain. Nothing is better than the English countryside or Travels by Narrowboat to go full on Happy-Narcoleptic.
I just finished the short season one of Dream Farm. The premise is basically folks that give up their stressful “city life” and make a go at creating a farm. There are a LOT of burst bubbles once Monty comes to town, and he doesn't hold back on the bursting.
All of these new farmers come to the realization that farming is a business (sadly, much like what they wanted to leave behind). Unsurprisingly, a huge amount of this new farming business is marketing. Which of course got me thinking about artists, and how each artist is like a micro business, and also how there's often the same sort of bubble-bursting that happens when artists realize they need to do all this other “stuff" to get their work out into the world. Some artists resist, some embrace it, and some go along to just go along.
What about you? Do you feel like these other aspects of your art business are fun, a drag, or are you somewhat neutral? When did you realize there was so much to do outside of making art, and how did that feel?
Is Different is Better than Better?
Different is better than better.
Author and all around deep thinking marketer and branding expert Sally Hogshead coined this term. She argues that "different is better than better" because better is transient. Better can be toppled by the next person with a bigger following, shinier award or better resume. She says "In any oversaturated environment, it doesn’t matter how wonderful you are and how much you have to offer. If your message fails to fascinate, you've failed. You’ve lost the sale before you’ve even had a chance to start a connection.Being the best isn’t enough, if nobody notices or cares."
Boom.
This idea of “different” has come up a lot lately for me. I've been listening to a “free-form thought” podcast called Idea Diary (which is the definition of “different is better than better”). She says her podcast is about business. I like her casual train of thought approach, and she presents some interesting ideas, such as every business is essentially a media company, and should have their own “show”. That's different.
But what does “different is better than better” mean for artists? I think it means artists should focus on differentiating their work and marketing from the pack or the norm. It means putting on the blindfolds and truly running your own race (this is hard, I know). It means allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and maybe uncomfortable when you really do move outside of the average or “norm”.
For years I've been declaring artists need to be different. But being different seems a bit scary, doesn't it? Being “different” might means you're exposing your "weirdness". The bits you keep locked in the back room of your brain most of the time. But I'd argue that those are exactly the bits and pieces you need to show.
So how does one start doing things “different”? With every gigantic task, sometimes it's easier for me if I break it down. What if every step of your studio process you asked yourself, “how could I do this differently?" And I mean every step. You're going to paint on a canvas or panel? What could you paint on instead? Going to use oil paint? What could you paint with instead? Going to use brushes? What tools could you use instead? When you try these new things, and they give you that “zing” feeling, you know you're on to something.
Keep going.
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