Art Galleries

I belong to a local gallery that offers space for 30 artists. We all pay a monthly fee, and gallery sit once a month, we also keep the full sale of our work. I recently sold this Valentine's Day Sunstorm Sunset from the gallery to a Federal Credit Union that was built across the street from the gallery. I have been in this gallery for little over a year.


I had a solo exhibit at a local college. Had 30 framed prints from 8x10 up to 16x24. I sold 5 prints. Fight Against the Storm is one of the prints that sold...


I was also excepted into another local college photography exhibit with several other photographers. Only submitted 4 prints, none sold but this Ricketts Glen Waterfall photo was talked about alot at the artist reception.


In my experiance, I think it worth being in a gallery. I have sold many in galleries, but not a single one from my website/FAA. Go Figure.

I am very excited to announce that I donated this image to a local artists auction, well donated isn't quite correct I choose to ask for 50% commission. The local newspaper used my image in an article about the upcoming event. I am so stoked!!!

Elizabeth, I've been lucky I guess I've only received one rubber check in all my life, I have had people back out after making a big deal in front of people at an opening picking out their painting..I learned early on not to excited until the check has cleared.
Kimberleigh, many of my doctors have a painting, my shrink is a big collector, selling paintings and selling photographs are two different animals, I do have a friend who owns several of my paintings take to photography and is doing rather well in NYC right now, but she is very connected if you know what I mean.. I can see my work has influenced her photography and I was going to see if I can sue her for copyright infringement....

Stunning image,Kimberleigh

I look many places when trying to find areas to sell my art.-or fine art/ lol I have a show up right now in the thriving Metropolis of Peoria, Illinois-which is where I live.
The gallery I am at right now is fairly new and low key and the manager/office girl is, to say the least, not very motivated. The owner is eager to get more artists and work flowing through his doors. Unfortunately I haven't made any sales but I do see the benefits in getting my name out there and having the experience of putting on a show. I had a show three years ago in a coffeeshop/restuarant and did very well there. I see other artists haven't had great experiences with those types of places but so far I have had many sales. The places I have placed my work are the type of coffee shops where people stay and read or work on a laptop and have a chance to stare off into space. I also look to framing businesses, upscale consignment shops-that sell more designer-type clothing, Doctors offices-and with cancer like I have I get to alot of Docs. Tomorrow I am going to see my dentist for an emergency visit-I was biting into some bread yesterday and broke a front tooth!!! I will be giving him one of my photographs for is office space, out of appreciation for how much he has helped me in my financial situation. There are also churches, temples the list is endless. Maybe I have it all wrong or am shameless but I feel that as long as I keep getting my work out there to be seen eventually it will be properly appreciated.

My gallery "stint" was a near disaster. When they were shutting down and disappearing, I barely managed to get my work back. No phone call , no notice, zilch until a neighboring business in this little town gave me a heads-up. And I still had to track these people down, to get my paintings back.
I will be more careful, or avoid galleries all together, for now.

And I thought I had problems !! Be careful out there !!

Maybe I need to learn somethings I already learned before.... Your welcome my friend
Vivian I can never be where there is any chance of dengue again, I contracted it twice within 2 weeks apart from another and the second time with typhoid, strep and melioidosis all at once. The Doctor down there thought the only reason I was alive was because I laughed so much.It took over 3 years to get fully diagnosed treated and recovered.... I better stop with the lament..I just need a warm place in the winter to work but no dengue..No one lives through it the 3rd time

Definately Inspirational RJ!!! It also reminded me of many things I have recently overlooked!!! Thank You!!!

Agree with Xoanxo, RJ. Bali !!! It's taken at a very different perspective here in Oz..........mostly as a playtime for alcoholic twenty-somethings now....and will never ever be the same after the bombing that killed so many innocents not long ago. But, I can't believe the litany of your ailments from there, but, maybe I can. There's something in our genetics that affects us if we go out of our familiar comfort-zone....no proof of that, of course.
It intrigues me to think where I'd recommend you go.........you're such a wanderer.........hmmmmmmm. Our west coast and environs are spectacular.....and would agree with your health, and there's great medical care if needed.........totally different terrain to the American west/Rockies,etc..........but quite a trek ! I wish you well in your quest for good health, especially. I know you'll do well with your Art - no question !!

Thanks Xo, we had to rush the final project because I was very ill when filming and then spiraled downward quickly and had the do the voice over work in one night... I'm especially pleased that it inspired .. I've yet to show it publicly .. I shipped most of the paintings here but I need to re-stretch and repair. they are rather large and need a big space..

Talking of Bali RJ, I just watched earlier on today your video at your site and I must say I was very impressed, with your work and video!!! Both very inspirational!!!!

I had shown in a galley in New Zealand thanks to a Friend who was working in a gallery and introduced my work to the owner. The owner liked it and I ot 6 of my photographs exhibited in there.

In Dublin I had some of my works in a gallery of art that was just besides the building where I used to work. So the galley owner was used to see me around. One day my boss introduced my works to the gallery owner, and I get my photographs in there.

That's all.

One of the hardest things about keeping up with juried shows. although good for resume, is the administration work and the fickleness of their agenda . proper photos ,cd,bio, catalogs, video all take time and money...A NYC Gallery won't even talk to you if you don't have a book and they are also down sizing right and left and charging just to show. At one time I owned a semi vanity gallery, but I showed a lot of other artists and made good money from it, it hurt me later in that my dealer shied away from me because my buyers were loyal to me and he couldn't tap into them.. I used to do well down under by you when I lived in Bali Vivian..There you're either solidly rich or dirt poor and being from NY and working in Bali intrigued several good sales, dengue fever, typhoid and melioidosis
damn near killed me and I was forced to leave the country... I'm now looking for the next place to live and paint..Will be checking out down south next week

PS....after the last Restaurant show....never again......gravy everywhere!

That's how it is here in Sydney,too...on the most part,RJ.
But we do have a thriving art community , with Lots of long-established galleries that encourage new artists, always with an eye on the till, of course.
We also have 10-20 major prizes events, sponsored by benefactors ... These are now long-term events historically, and the cream rises to the top, eventually. Entry is sometimes a year before the show.
One shouldn't be discouraged. 'Trendy' does happen. Society collectors are the backbone of the system....they're very cluey here.
Our galleries take 50% commission....it's all so inflated. There is a limit for most of us 'unknowns' to what the work can command, including the commission, so, very hard to break into the market.
Also, some so-called Judges make one wonder!!
I decided after the last show ( not curated) that I can't stand the pressure, and just keep plodding on.....but, that's a financial choice available to me.
Competition isn't my game.
Recognition would be nice though, lol.
Getting published is easy by comparison to gallery issues.

I've done galleries. Unfortunately, at least in my experienced and in my area, things have changed over the last couple years or so.

The bad economy is the culprit.

Where I live, galleries have been closing left and right. On the NC coast is the Outer Banks. One of the most popular tourist landings on the entire east coast. It's all about tourism there.

But even there galleries are closing. And those that have not closed have changed their business models to also be gift shops.

And if there is one thing that I have found does not work, it's a combination gift shop and art gallery. The people who come in want $10 earrings, not $300 pieces of art.

Robert is correct about coffee houses and restaurants. A guaranteed looser. When people come into a coffee shop, they do not come in to buy art. They come in to get, uhhhh, coffee!

I've shown in numerous spaces,: Museums, auctions, artists associations, fine art galleries in the city and haughty towns..not tourist towns.. My main guy has been dealing with me since 1998, on and off because I have been MIA many times. Museum connections require applications sometimes over a year ahead of time and the procedure is specific, the same for grants which often end with a show, Auctions can give the easiest and highest return if you can get into something run by a big auction house that is running the show for money people with a vested interest like land conservancies... I've done the best there, buyers who know each other love to show off to each other. Artist associations often involve cliques that can be a turn off but if you bide your time pay your dues sometimes you can get a show in a nice space with a built in audience, don't expect to sell high end though, many buyers lurk around these associations looking for cheap deals... I did a few public spaces when I first was starting out and swore NEVER AGAIN will I do a coffee house, restaurant, office... Sometimes if it's in an expensive area and done right a real estate office can pay off especially if the broker owns your work and is behind you, other wise most places are looking for free art to hang on their walls. Anyone that tries to make like they are doing you a favor with exposure is full of it and themselves