1. Dont walk in to a busy art gallery and demand attention for your work.
Demanding a on-the-spot interview without any prior notice is as unprofessional as showing up to an job interview without setting up an appointment. Taking the time to set up arrangements with either the gallery director or the gallery owner is crucial in achieveing the ultimate goal of having your art work hung in a gallery or studio. Arranging such a meeting shows the person in charge of finding new attractive artists that you are responsible, reasonable and a careful individual, and the person is more likely to cooperate with your wants. Gallery directors are too busy to stop what they're doing to cater to your needs, and may even be insulted by your lack of respect for their time.
2. Don't be arrogant, be humble
Sure, your art work is great. Maybe even genius. But don't blow your shot at selling to a gallery because your ego is as big as a mountain. Often times it is the most caring, humble individuals that take the cake. These are the artists that accept recognition without jumping at the opportunity boast and brag about what they've accomplished. Okay, everyone deserves a pat on the back sometimes, but allowing it to effect your chances for success in this extremely competitive environment could result in detriment.
3. Don't just take, give.
While there are some galleries that don't need another pair of helping hands around the floor, others welcome and appreciate all the help they can get. This may be as simple as offering to hang your own art work, or simply pouring wine art another artist's reception. These offerings & gestures are not forgotten and often pave the way for future opportunities.
4. Dont be sloppy, be prepared.
Being prepared isn't just about getting the presentation. It shows character. An example of a 'sloppy' artist is one that lacks the right materials such as portfolios, ample works, and especially attitude. A sufficient portfolio should communicate how qualified you are as an artist and may have a huge impact on acceptance. It is as important to the gallery director as a interviewee's resume is to its potential employer. For more information on portfolio preparation, see this article. Not enough completed art work is an obvious red flag for the director.
5. Don't demand unreasonable amounts of reward, galleries have to stay in business for you to succeed.
What methods do you follow to price you own art? Is it a value that you compare to similar works of art. Or is it a number you picked out of a hat? Your success could depend on the cost you set for your art work. Assume for a moment that a gallery needs to split all sales 50/50 in order to stay in business. Ask yourself if you were to sell one of your works these questions:
- Is this a fair price to ask for my customers & fans?
- Is it worth it to me to ask this price?
- Will the gallery make an ample profit?
- What is the likelihood that this work of art will sell at suggested retail?
6. Be picky about who sells your art
Don't have your friends & family sell your art to galleries they pop into, unless you absolutely trust them to represent you. Friends and family can be the best supporters for artists at any point in their career. But as much as they want to help, they can also hurt your chances. Imagine a friend or relative walking into a art gallery saying, "Hey, my friend is a way better artist than anybody else you have in here, you should really see her work. Her/his name is ....." First, the person instantly degraded every artist in the place. Second, then demanded that have to see the work. You might hope that you family or friends might not mean to be that demeaning, but it happens. That is precisely why many eligble artist require representatives to do just that.
7. Learn as much as you can,
Rejection from a gallery, as disappointing as it may seem, can teach you about the some of the hurdles that you never knew existed and might need to overcome. Having a understanding about them, and devising ways to get past them will get you closer to where you want to be. They could be as simple as joining an art association or as hard as could requiring a degree. Don't become frustrated and discouraged, celebrate your rejection by learning as much as you can from it.
