Earl Brunner on tue 15 feb 00
Sure, Janet, much of what you say does apply to *good*
galleries. The
gallery in question that generated this thread, hasn't
qualified yet. There are
what I would truly call galleries out there, and there are
some that are really
only shops. The fact does remain that when dealing with
consignment (artist
is paid when work sales) as opposed to wholesale (shop buys
the work and
owns it) from the artist's point of view, the shop has less
invested in the
individual
work of art than the artist does. Little galleries come and
go in this country,
frequently taking the artist's work with them. They give the
good ones a bad
name. As you say, it's tough to make a go as a gallery
operator. Heck, even
some of the best galleries in this town, really high end
ones have had a tough
time staying solvent. Lets not get to maudlin about their
plights though, they
chose to be gallery ops. The University I went to, and
received my BFA from,
stuck their snooty little noses up at the idea that they
should teach us how to
market our work. What a distasteful idea! Sell art?
This discussion has value because many of the ins and outs
of doing business
with galleries and shops are somewhat hazy at best, Many of
us here have
little to no experience with galleries. Some shops in their
zeal to protect
their
own interest do not protect the artist very well. The
artist does need to know
what to expect, what is reasonable and what is fair. Like
you said, it needs to
be a cooperative venture, with capital letters on
cooperative.
Any potter that is selling at wholesale, or gallery
commission instead of
retail,
is usually cutting their profit margin pretty slim. It only
takes one or two
bad
experiences with galleries to become pretty jaded. I have
heard many stories
of the galleries stiffing the artist. Perhaps you could
enlighten us on some
instances of how the artist stiffed the gallery?
Janet Kaiser wrote:
> ----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
> With all due respect, I must protest at claims being made
on this issue, all
> be they (thankfully) from the minority.
>
> I am sure most professional artists/makers who sell
through good galleries
> know exactly how valuable this co-operation and
collaboration is. Indeed,
> that is why most galleries prefer to work with top-notch
professionals,
> because they know from personal experience just what an
important role the
> gallery and/or their agents fulfil. They certainly do not
regard a gallery
> as just a yard of counter!!
>
> I know how many fight tooth and nail to be accepted by
certain galleries
> and/or agents/agencies and organisations, because they
know through simply
> having their work accepted, is promotion in itself and
absolutely
> invaluable. Indeed, selling work through a top-notch
gallery can be a
> turning point in a career. Many an "unknown" has only
become a household
> name through exposure in the right place at the right
time.
>
> How can a maker be so naive as to say things like "They've
done nothing,
> really--haven't spent any money, done any bookwork."?
Running a gallery is
> more than a full-time occupation and involves not only
hard work, but a
> great deal of investment in both time and money. Have you
ever thought what
> it costs to set up, never mind what the running costs are
for a medium sized
> gallery? I can assure you it would make most studio
potters blanche to see
> the costs involved, nevermind the total commitment needed
to get each and
> every exhibition together. No "bookwork"? HA! What about
all the research,
> accounting and correspondence involved?
>
> I get totally teed-off with the assumption that the greedy
gallery is living
> off the fat of the land with no effort or risk involved,
whilst the poor
> maker/artist has to live off mere crumbs, whilst toiling
against all odds.
> Some big fat spider weaving its web to catch the poor
little fly and gobble
> it all up.
>
> Get real!
>
> This is supposed to be a partnership. Everyone
concentrates on their own
> skills and when it all works well, the artist/maker is
working at what they
> do best in peace and quiet, whilst the gallery is the
buffer between them
> and the big bad world. Quietly encouraging, promoting and
selling work for
> the artist/maker, building their confidence and
reputation, making the world
> take notice of confident and well made work, creating an
opportunity to
> expand and improve through the different stages of their
creative
> development. Going through the good times and bad
together. Supporting and
> encouraging artists and makers when they are at low
creative ebbs... Just
> like a good friend, but knowing the "technicalities" that
friends and family
> are sometimes ignorant of, overlook or ignore. A shoulder
to cry on, but
> also there to share a triumph... A true friend.
>
> And added to all that (administration, physical work,
cost, worry, personal
> and emotional involvement) having to deal with the great
public; educating,
> advising, selling, promoting the work that we put so much
faith in.
>
> We are not selling sacks of potatoes or shelves full of
the-price-is-right
> wares here. We are using our professional skills to create
not only the
> right environment but also to put together a whole
package. Each exhibition
> becomes a thrilling experience to everyone who takes part
or visits. It
> takes a lot of guts, hard work and skill to create the
perfect mix.
> There is as much commitment and passion involved in doing
that, as there is
> in creating individual pieces. Each and every artwork is
carefully
> considered and evaluated. They are the bricks used to
create the whole.
>
> At the end of the day, I sometimes feel like we are
selling little bits of
> our souls. Often it is too much and I cannot part with a
special piece...
> Eckhard and I have been known to put red spots on work
which we really
> cannot afford. But when something really sings to me and I
cannot bare
> someone to take it away... (whether bought by a client or
taken back by the
> maker) I just have to weaken.
>
> As for the "take-it-or-leave-it" and
"you-need-me-more-than-I-need-you"
> attitude towards a gallery which has offered the
opportunity to exhibit
> and/or haggling about when commission should or should not
be paid... Well,
> any gallery which is really worth exhibiting in, will
rightly say "on your
> bike". They have a hard enough time handling the many
artistic temperaments
> (of both artists and clients), without inviting agro from
self-confessed
> egotists. And, like bricks, there are plenty more around
to chose from if
> one does not fit.
>
> Like all good partnerships, there has to be a 100%
commitment, trust, faith
> and honesty on both sides, otherwise it will soon fall
apart no matter how
> passionate the first encounters are. Cover your back with
a Consignment
> Agreement, because we do live in the big bad world and
there are bad eggs
> around. If a set-up feels wrong, then do not act against
your
> instincts. If you feel something is not right, just back
off. That is what
> instincts are for... Trust them! Listen to what others
have experienced and
> be avoid those galleries which have a bad reputation. Be
aware that even
> galleries with a good reputation may let you down.
>
> But there are also so-called friends who may stab you in
the back one day.
> However, if you enter a friendship thinking that from the
start... Well,
> maybe life has been a real bitch all along and you have
learned to be that
> way. On the other hand, always to have a negative attitude
is not going to
> inspire a warm response in others or help form a close,
lasting relationship
> with anyone.
>
> Janet "Come into my parlour said the spider to the fly"
Kaiser
> The Chapel of Art: Home of The International Potters' Path
> Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales, UK
> WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
> EMAIL: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
> We have server problems. If you cannot access
> The CoA web site, please try again later. Thanks!
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
CNW on wed 16 feb 00
Earl- Well as for artists stiffing the galleries I heard this one recently.
A guild has a NON-PROFIT gallery and takes some commision to stay open and
pay the rent, etc. The artists there have developed the habit of removing
their work and selling it to people without paying the commission. I have
heard that they do it in other situations also. It has come to be so common
that one of the members has told me that he has had people ask him to do
that and they get mad at him because he refuses. They have asked him to take
work out of commercial galleries and sell it to them at a discount saying,
"Everyone else does it."
Sure seems to be a case of cutting ones nose off to spite their face.
I am not amazed any longer at the dishonesty of people. I still prefer to
proceed as if most people are honest. It's better for the psyche.
Celia
Janet Kaiser on wed 16 feb 00
Hi Earl,
I replied to your mail off-list, but thought maybe it would be illuminating
for others who have given thought and input on this subject...
>>I am going to hunt for the specimen Consignment Agreement published by an
artist's association here in the UK. I think that may be of help to some
folk starting out on their solo careers.
>>As for an example of a gallery being let down... Well, we were really in
the shit when a group of artists withdrew from a planned exhibition a week
before it was due to start. The reason given was "stress" and we did not
even receive an apology. I later found out that one had no work for
exhibition claiming a creative block, another had fallen out with the group
and a third (a first time exhibitor) got cold feet. The others were not
willing or able to fill the space, so they just cancelled.
>>We were left with all the publicity costs (invitations, brochures,
catalogues, ads in national magazines, local papers, etc.) and had no
exhibition. We had to write to over 400 invited guests to explain the
situation. Not only was this a big financial loss, the gallery lost face and
credibility which has taken a good few years to recoup. Needless to say, we
no longer deal with groups of artists. It was also the main reason for us
adding to the Consignment Agreement in favour of our rights. It had been
heavily weighed towards artist/makers rights, whilst depending on their good
will and integrity.
>>We all have to live and learn.
I would also add to the above, that we also "curate" our own exhibitions so
that a cohesive and meaningful exhibition is created around a "theme". First
this year will be called "Animal magic" and will be everything from raku
animals to painted porcelain pots. This will be from April to May. Which is
also why we cannot as a gallery buy in work. What on earth would we do with
the left-over beasties, when the following exhibition is "Mountains to
climb"? There the pots will be mostly non-functional to reflect our rugged
mountainous land and seascapes...
I do not have a problem with expecting artists and makers to exhibit work on
consignment, because it is for a very short time and is limited to a given
number of pieces (depending on the size/s). If I have done my home-work well
and create an exciting exhibition, not much work will be left to ship back.
They will have work to exhibit/sell elsewhere and everyone is happy. Indeed
many artists absolutely _depend_ on getting work back, otherwise they do not
have enough for the next exhibition of their year. (Frank Hamer was the last
maker shocked into overtime because we "sold out" his work and he has been
trying to catch up since the new year).
I think an increasing number of exhibitors' submissions which come from
friends of friends reflects just how word has gone around the art
community... Once artists and makers find a good, caring gallery, they are
really pleased to pass on the information, knowing that their interests are
of primary importance and concern and that gallery will not let them or
their recommendees down.
The same applies to galleries. Once they are let down badly by someone, word
soon spreads. Equally those artists/makers who are 100% reliable are deeply
appreciated and almost wooed!
As for not getting "maudlin" about a gallery choosing to be one and not be
too sorry or even go so far as to blame them for being so foolish if they
don't make it... Well, come to think of it, that is just like not worrying
if an artist makes it or not... Leave 'em starving in their studios... We
don't care. It works both ways folks! Why should I (speaking as a gallery)
worry about the artists I work with, if they do not give a toss whether I
survive or not? Like I have already said... It is a team effort and everyone
has an important role to fill. If you care, I care. If you don't care...
well the feeling is mutual!
Janet - a cog in the wheel - Kaiser
The Chapel of Art: Home of The International Potters' Path
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales, UK
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
EMAIL: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
We have server problems. If you cannot access
The CoA web page, please try again later. Thanks!
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Sure, Janet, much of what you say does apply to *good*galleries. The
gallery in question that generated this thread, hasn't qualified yet. There
are what I would truly call galleries out there, and there are some that are
really only shops. The fact does remain that when dealing with consignment
(artist is paid when work sales) as opposed to wholesale (shop buys the work
and owns it) from the artist's point of view, the shop has less invested in
the individual work of art than the artist does. Little galleries come and
go in this country, frequently taking the artist's work with them. They give
the good ones a bad name. As you say, it's tough to make a go as a gallery
operator. Heck, even some of the best galleries in this town, really high
end ones have had a tough time staying solvent. Lets not get to maudlin
about their plights though, they chose to be gallery ops. The University I
went to, and received my BFA from, stuck their snooty little noses up at the
idea that they should teach us how to market our work. What a distasteful
idea! Sell art?
>This discussion has value because many of the ins and outs of doing
business with galleries and shops are somewhat hazy at best, Many of us
here have little to no experience with galleries. Some shops in their zeal
to protect their own interest do not protect the artist very well. The
artist does need to know what to expect, what is reasonable and what is
fair. Like you said, it needs to
be a cooperative venture, with capital letters on cooperative.
>Any potter that is selling at wholesale, or gallery commission instead of
retail, is usually cutting their profit margin pretty slim. It only takes
one or two bad experiences with galleries to become pretty jaded. I have
heard many stories of the galleries stiffing the artist. Perhaps you could
enlighten us on some instances of how the artist stiffed the gallery?
Earl Brunner on thu 17 feb 00
Must say that I hadn't really thought of that one. However the guild should
have a contract and should enforce it. The same with the galleries. don't do
business as a gallery with dishonest artists and don't do business with
dishonest galleries if you are an artist. It will only stop if the price is too
much. People who try to stiff the guild should lose their priveleges. If you
tolerate it, you shouldn't be surprised if it continues.
CNW wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Earl- Well as for artists stiffing the galleries I heard this one recently.
>
> A guild has a NON-PROFIT gallery and takes some commision to stay open and
> pay the rent, etc. The artists there have developed the habit of removing
> their work and selling it to people without paying the commission. I have
> heard that they do it in other situations also. It has come to be so common
> that one of the members has told me that he has had people ask him to do
> that and they get mad at him because he refuses. They have asked him to take
> work out of commercial galleries and sell it to them at a discount saying,
> "Everyone else does it."
>
> Sure seems to be a case of cutting ones nose off to spite their face.
>
> I am not amazed any longer at the dishonesty of people. I still prefer to
> proceed as if most people are honest. It's better for the psyche.
>
> Celia
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
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