The Mystery of Johannes Vermeer’s “Woman Reading a Letter”
Johannes Vermeer is best known for his paintings of serene domestic scenes, like “The Milkmaid” and “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” The paintings are excellent examples of the delicacy and…
Ask a Gallery Owner: Should Galleries Get 50% on Commissioned Art Projects?
What is a reasonable split on commissioned work? I’m all for the gallery receiving 50% on work in their regular inventory, as it takes up wall space and has likely been shown to several potential buyers and marketed by the gallery as well. However, I wonder if 50% to the gallery is justified on a commission, especially in the case where the artist has been put in direct contact with the buyer and essentially does all the leg work (apart from the initial introduction).
The Mindset Shift to Achieve Financial Success as an Artist
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a group of art students at a university about the gallery and art business. During the Q&A session, one of the students…
Video – Ask a Gallery Owner: What’s the Best Time of Year to Contact a Gallery?
In this week’s session, I answer a question from Alicia in Colorado about the best time to approach a gallery. I share my thoughts on the matter and provide some…
9 Tips to Help You Better Manage Sporadic Cash Flow in Your Art Business
Managing cash flow successfully is one of the greatest challenges for any small business. It is a particularly difficult issue for artists and galleries where sales often spike and dip. Artwork doesn’t tend to sell in regular patterns, and because of the high value of many pieces of artwork, when sales do occur they often cause a real spike in an artist’s or gallery’s income.
This irregular cash flow can cause logistical (and emotional!) problems for those of us in the art business. I would like to share a few things I’ve learned over the years about managing cash flow in the hopes that my experience might help make you a better manager of your cash flow.
Boost Your Art Sales: Proven Strategies to Grow Your Art Business
There’s no shortcut to building a successful career in the art world. Whether you’re an artist or a gallerist, you’ve likely realized that this is not a get-rich-quick kind of…
Hot Take: Why Artists Should Focus On Quantity Over Quality
Occasionally, I get into trouble by suggesting something that stirs up controversy among RedDotBlog readers. I suspect this post might put me in a little hot water, but this is…
Mastering the Art of the Greeting: How to Engage Potential Customers and Boost Art Sales
As a gallery owner, I’ve learned that greeting potential customers is one of the most crucial aspects of running a successful art business. Whether you’re in a gallery, at…
The Hidden Meaning of Velazquez’s “Las Meninas”
The Painting Diego Velazquez’s “Las Meninas” is one of the world’s most iconic and well-known paintings. Painted in the mid-17th century, the work is a masterful example of the Spanish…
Gallery Shows: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
In a recent Art Business Academy Q&A session, we discussed the ins and outs of gallery shows and receptions. I thought I would share some of the key points here,…