4 Critical Steps to Sell More Art
“What do you do?” you’ve been asked many times. “I am an artist” is most likely the response that instantly comes to your lips. You have probably been giving this…
How to Work with Difficult Customers
There are times when sales come easily. The stars align and you have the right piece for the right person at the right time and everything clicks together. You and…
How We Turned $73K in Social Media Ads into $275K in Art Sales – And the Tools That Made It Possible
Like many of you, we’ve spent considerable time building a social media following, posting artwork on various platforms, hoping to generate interest and ultimately, sales. But if you’re like us,…
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…