Contemporary art is mysterious, intriguing, ironic or humourous. It is art that provokes a reaction in the viewer; it triggers conversation.
What is the art about? Does it explore a cultural, social or environmental subject? I am interested in the ideas. Technique is secondary.
How is photography or any art created from photography art? The image is flat. There is no depth. The art has no soul. True art has a soul.
Photo-painting is not art. Photo-painting is a painting created from a photograph. A flat image without a soul which is then covered with layers of paint.
A great artist can draw from imagination, observation or memory. Excellent drawing skills are required to be a great artist.
Leave your ego & expectations at home. You are not the only artist of the gallery. Or are you running your own vanity gallery?
Get involved in your own art career. A gallery or an art dealer is only an extension of the artist, not a replacement.
Learn to talk about your art in an intelligent manner. What is your art about? Can you give an interview, a lecture or a seminar?
Become more interested in others. Conversations will flow more easily.
Amazing to see original art work “being born” in front of my eyes! Printmaking is a labour intensive labour of love! Collagraph, etching, monotype… Beautiful!
If you like to discover & explore, visit a museum or contemporary art gallery.
What do I look for in a great work of art? I want to see a door or window that will lead me to discovery. I want to be intrigued. I want to be surprised.
An authentic artist pours his/her soul into their art. It is sometimes hard for an artist to talk about their most inner feelings & memories.
More than just a business partnership, I try to build a friendship with each artist I work with. I learn from each artist I work with.
As an art dealer & gallery owner, I am an extension and a voice for the artists I work with. It is important to be familiar with their personal stories.
As an art dealer & gallery owner, I invest a lot of time & energy in getting to know the artists I work with. It is imperative to know the person behind the artist.
A “blessing in disguise” is just another message from the universe. Learn to recognize them in all their sizes, shapes or forms.
It is a wonderful feeling to discover a “blessing in disguise”…. Be grateful for them… Learn to become more receptive to them…
What do you do when your logic has a debate with your intuition? Who do you trust & follow the most?
Our intuition is seldom wrong. If you practice meditation, you may become more in tune with your thoughts & feelings. Trust your inner voice.
Unilingual people forego opportunities which are offered in another language than the only one language they know.
Unilingual people can only think, understand, communicate and relate to others in one language. Compared to people that speak more than one language, unilingual people are more isolated & more narrow minded.
Open your eyes, open your ears… Opportunities circle & dance around us all the time… Give people a second chance, give objects a second glance…
Get to know the person behind the client. Connect with each client on a personal level. Remember little details about each client.
Sincerely interested people will travel across town to come see you. But if not interested, even your next door neighbour will not show up.
Wonderful and refreshing to spend time and discuss art with generous, open minded and non-egotistical artists! Thank you AM and DW!
Knowledge is power. Do not assume or jump to conclusions. When in doubt, ask questions! If possible, ask a neutral party for a second opinion.
Generally speaking, I look for imagery (work of art) that triggers conversation and provokes a reaction from the observer(s). The subject matter does not have to be controversial. But, the work of art needs to have a “life of its own” or at least “carry a message within”.
Although imagery (talent) is important, I am usually more concerned about the ideas that inspired or are explored in a body of work.
Through my own experience as an Art Dealer & Gallery Owner, I have learned that “talent alone is not enough”. Ethics & professionalism are as important.
Great art dialogues with artists of all levels: established, mid-career & emerging. Wonderful exchange ideas where “ego” was not invited. Thank you CH & SF!
What is your art about? What topic are you exploring? Does it discuss a social, cultural, environmental or other global issue?
People only buy what they understand. What is your art about? Learn to talk about your art in an intelligent manner.
Nobody owes you or your art one nanosecond of attention. It is your duty, and yours alone, to convince people that what you communicate through your art is valid, worthwhile, and engaging enough for them to make it a part of their lives. It’s that simple. (Alan Bamberger)
Be humble and grateful about what you have and who you have in your life. Respect is earned. Entitlement is a childlike behaviour.
What distinguishes a Contemporary Artist from a Sunday painter? Excellent drawing skills and the study of an issue in today’s society.
“Drawing is the true test of art”. Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (XVIII – XIX centuries). This still holds true today (XXI century).
“You can never do too much drawing.” Tintoretto (XVI century). This still holds true today (XXI century).
Each gallery operates differently according to their vision, mandate, ethics and goals. Each artist has the choice of staying or leaving.
Laugh more, worry less. Listen more, speak less. Give more, expect less.
Dream. Work hard. Make wise decisions. Trust your instincts. Dream = Reality.
Learn to trust your own instincts. Focus your time and energy solely on business partners that share your vision, ethics and goals.
Clear the clutter in your business life – it is as important as cleaning your home.
By streamlining your relationships (professional and personal), you will feel more relaxed, your mind will be sharper and your heart lighter.
Contemporary art is like a book with great reviews from the New York Times. It has an eye catching title, great cover and excellent content.
Decorative art is like a book that only has a cover. Where is the content? What is the story about? The pages are blank.
Most amateur artists create decorative art. Zero structure, zero thinking. Let’s just translate a photo into a drawing or painting.
Red flag – when an artist cannot talk about their own work in an intelligent manner.
Contemporary art discusses current issues in society. Nudity and death are two subjects which will always be discussed in contemporary art.
Selling art is a business. Learn to talk about your art. Forge alliances with other artists. Respect galleries – they are not your enemy!
Many artists need to step down from their self made pedestal.
It is sad, disappointing and frustrating to see some artists “copy” other artists work. Lack of creativity? Inspiration? Vision? Pure laziness?
Why do many artists submit their portfolio to galleries without doing research? Is it laziness, ignorance or egocentric behaviour?
Why do many artists assume they are the next Picasso, Monet or Riopelle yet to be discovered? Did they forget to leave their ego at home?
A company does not hire just anybody to work in their organization. Why would a gallery decide to work with just any artist?
Verify your sources of information and question their intentions. Find out the facts by yourself. Expect to be surprised by your own findings.
What can you offer to a gallery-artist business relationship? Why would a gallery or art dealer want to have you as a business partner?
Why do artists have such high expectations and sense of entitlement? Is it lack of information, misinformation or just egocentric behaviour?
If you are given an opportunity, grab it and be thankful. Leave your ego at home. Not interested? No problem. Suivant – Next?
What is the difference between someone liking a work of art and actually buying it? Selling. Let the Gallery or Art Dealer take care of it.
Why does it take a long time for a new gallery artist to sell work? Most likely, because the artist’s mailing list is worthless.
A Gallery spends an unlimited amount of time and money to find collectors for each of its artists. Nothing happens overnight.
What have you done to contribute to the growth of your art career? A Gallery is simply an extension of you, it does not replace you.
What is a shark-art gallery? A gallery that treats art like any other commodity. They just want to sell. No matter to whom. No matter how.
Shark-art galleries are usually located in high traffic commercial areas or in high end tourist destinations. Every city has them.
Shark-art galleries only care about how much money you are willing to spend. They pressure you to make a purchase right away.
Shark-art galleries do not care about educating or establishing relationships. If you do not look or behave a certain way, they will ignore you.
A Gallery-Artist relationship is a business partnership. For it to be successful, both parties need to share a common vision and common goals.
An artist must have both talent and a high code of ethics. Without either, what does the artist bring to a Gallery-Artist business relationship?
Creativity/production are the responsibility of the Artist. Promotion/sales are responsibility of the Gallery. Stick to your role.
Why does an artist question how a Gallery operates? Does the Gallery question how the Artist draws or paints?
Dare to dream BIG. One day you will pinch yourself and realize the dream has become reality. Thank the Universe for showing you the path.
The age of the artist or how long the artist has been practicing their art does not translate into the artist’s level of expertise.
An artist that acts like a prima donna can expect little cooperation from a Gallery or Art Dealer. In fact, expect to be ignored.
First decide what you want. Second, leave your ego at home. Only then, contact the Gallery or Art Dealer to discuss about your Art Career.
A sure way to insult a gallery owner or a gallery director is to never visit the gallery and yet ask for representation.
