Purchase
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Partnering with Long-Distant Galleries"Hello Bj. We wonder if you have any tip for us on how to deal with the ______ gallery? _____ keeps changing the rules and just wants more money from us and wants us to pay the shipper additionally. We just want the paintings back we sent over a year ago. We are both skeptical about whether we can trust _____ after all. We would appreciate any helpful comments." I am very sorry to Hear that someone else is having issues with _____. I left the gallery with a lot of disappointment and less money in my wallet. I would never speak about the details, but I will tell you that I took the hit and called it a loss. I also learned a valuable lesson. Pay the ransom and get your paintings back. This is my advice to you. Unfortunately, in the business of art, this happens all the time. It seems to the the major risk you take, if you wish to partner with a gallery that is not near you. My husband and I actually flew to _______ for an un-announced, surprise visit (evaluation) of the gallery. From the time I left and the time I got my work back, they had damaged 8 out of the twelve pieces. Half of the damaged pieces could be fixed with re-framing. Four of the prints (thank God they were prints and not the originals) were damaged beyond repair. From the time that we were first contacted by the gallery...we prided ourselves in watching all our 'p's & q's'. However, sometimes you can be as careful as possible and still get bitten by un-scrupulous people. We credit ourselves lucky that the damage was so controlled-because of our careful efforts. In the end, all of the sales from the gallery combined were dwarfed in comparison to the expenses of doing business with them. I know many artists that simply will not partner with a Brick-n-Mortar gallery, unless it is within driving range. This is so that they can keep constant checks on their partner with surprise visits and if anything goes sour...they pick up their valuable artwork without worrying about ransom money for shipping or damage. Now having said that, the nature of all artists is to take risks. Aww...back to that word. Yes. If you want to be an Internationally collected artist, you will need to venture into the idea (risk) of an out-of-country gallery at some point in your career. Many artists, such as myself, only entertain the markets in which they often travel too. I.e., your family country or favorite vacation spots. The bonus here is that you can write off any of your business-related expenses to your company. The most important thing to consider is careful research. Here are some tips: 1- Visit the gallery and write down the names of the artists already represented there. Contact the artists and ask them about their own experience partnering with the gallery. Look around with a judging eye and make sure that it is the image, environment, professional level, secure and clean gallery that you want to trust your 'babies' too. Perhaps you want to get your feet wet with galleries that deal in prints first. In these relationships, loss is usually more acceptable to the artist since it isn't the expensive, precious and irreplaceable originals. 2- Take notice of the style of work that they represent there. Perhaps, the gallery is looking to expand to...let's say, realism-but, everything else in the gallery is modern abstract work. This has the potential to be a good opportunity, however, if it doesn't work for them...then it doesn't work for you. Generally, you are going to have better success working with a gallery that specializes in i.e, realism. Also, ask about the price-points of the work already on exhibit. If your work is way over the price asked for the rest of the work in the gallery (As mine often is), then the person representing your work probably isn't going to have the experience necessary to explain why to the customer and sell it. 3- After you arrange a meeting with the owner, take off your 'artist' hat and put on your 'business-owner' hat. For the most part, your work will speak for itself. They will like it or they won't. If you have gotten to the phase of contracts, GET ONE IN WRITING! Now, when dealing with a local gallery-perhaps, you can work on the honor system. However, when partnering International...protect yourself! Put in writing all responsibilities for insurance, shipping, damage, return of sales, return of artwork, commissions (all fees), any escrow trusts (monies held until new owner receives and/or approves of item, before you get your money), advertising, marketing, artist present at shows, exclusivity (meaning you can not market that image anywhere else-different than a license) and any deadlines. Contracts are available from many sources across the Internet for artists. 4- Before you ship the work, complete a 'Consignment Report' listing all the pieces going out and make sure it is signed and returned to you after the work arrives at the gallery. I keep this record for every piece that leaves my studio that is not a sale. Even my photographers have to sign one. This is a document that proves they have your work. Even if they convince you to sign a clause of 'no liability', make sure they sign this. Damage and loss is not the only way that you can loose your precious hard work. Yes. It is true. You have to be a bit cynical to protect yourself. Not everyone you deal with is going to be 'Mother Theresa'. Even I have met the ugly side of the business. The terrible ones that take advantage of us passionate, hard-working artists. Thank God for our supporters, eh? 5- Make sure you keep in constant contact with the gallery. They do appreciate this, even though, you may feel at times that you are bugging them. I contact all my reps every month, during the busy season. Ask them, if there is anything they need from you. Gallery owners are people too with their favorite pieces and their favorite artists. The artist that is a great pleasure to work with may often find their work in front, instead of, the back propped up against the wall on the floor. ;-) 6- Finally, when your relationship ends-for what ever reason, make sure that it is all about being professional and put your emotions in your pocket. Getting irate is not going to benefit you in anything you do in life and especially, in dealing with the fine art of getting your paintings returned in one piece. Not to mention, burning any bridge-as they say, just isn't good business. Almost anything can be worked out with cool heads. If it doesn't all go in your favor...take the hit and move on. Assuming you followed the careful research and pre-risk strategies that I talked about in this and the article below, your loss should be do-able and worth the experience. I invite you to read another article I wrote here, "Showing your work on Online Galleries", which covers many related topics that can be applied to Brick-n-Mortar galleries, as well.
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