Hang the Show- The Gallerist

The gallerist, or art agent if you prefer, is a salesperson. Their job is to sell art. This requires the cooperation of the artist who, leading up to the show, can be rather difficult. Nonetheless, the publicity must be posted, the guests must be invited. Faith must be maintained that the work will be produced, that it will be excellent, that buyers will buy it.

Of course, buyers will not buy it, if the gallerist does not push it. In this current global economy that is not as easy as it once was.

Nothing sells itself...even if once it seemed as if it did. I used to work in sales and learned a great deal from my difficult boss who was a wonderful friend. A common duality in sales managers. When the economy collapsed in the autumn of 2008, when we all thought that nothing could be sold as companies and families slashed their budgets, she proclaimed that there was still money. The trick was simply to convince them to spend what money they were spending with you, rather than the other person. Whereas before, money could be sent in both directions, now everyone would have to choose between you and your competitor. She was right and we all worked harder to maintain, develop and enhance new and old relationships.

Likewise, it seems with me that the art market is still in action. Art is still selling. But a certain amount of effort is required. The promotional materials can be developed, albeit creatively if the work is still in progress. Clients can be cultivated even if the artist is still trapped in the studio, too neurotic to be allowed to speak to potential buyers. Hype can be established through the absence of the artist as easily as with their presence. It is all a matter of angle.

As with anything, a good agent continues to sell work. My boss put so much effort during that horrendous fall and winter that she has built a base of too much work and had to request additional hires. She was exhausted by the work but is now proud of the capacity to keep going that she did not know she had. Perhaps more caffeine was consumed...

Needless to say, I encourage my artist friends to plan as best they can with their representation for that trying time before a show. Work can be sold. Or rather, good work can be sold with a good try.

A Penny or Two

When I was modeling in Santa Fe, I had the great joy of working with Lyndall Bass. I was recently in contact with her and discovered that she won the design contest for the new penny! That is right. Look in your wallets and pockets and her design is there. The prize is a two-sided joy. On one hand, she worried, she might forever be known as the penny lady. On the other hand, it provided her with the ease to work on her own pictures.

Lyndall is mostly known for her flowers and still-life pieces, but when I was working with her she was working on a series of mythic women. We used to call me the moon-faced girl because any photographs she took to use when I was not sitting made me look so flat, like some chubby lady squashed in the moon. She would take them nonetheless. Sometimes there was something she could work from. Sometimes, I returned later that week or the following week to find out she hadn't been able to do anything and we could not converse because she had to keep working on my chin.

I really enjoyed working with Lyndall because though we were sometimes silent, we also talked about our families, mythology, the steps to figuring out life. One of the joys in working with someone over several sittings is the relationship that develops. I am glad that Lyndall won the penny contest, but mostly because now she can do her own work without worrying about scrounging for pennies.