Artist Dos & Don'ts

Framing for a Lifetime

Since becoming a gallery owner, I've learned what works for me as a sales rep for artists. Please read the list below before requesting an appointment with me for a showing. Assuming my policies and philosophies are acceptable, I'd be happy to hear from you.

• First and foremost, I'm a frame shop. Financially, my best month so far was July 2009 (during a supposedly bad economy), and in that month, only three pieces of consignment art sold, totaling less than $250. Because so much of my income is generated through my frame shop (not the gallery), custom framing remains my top priority.

• Shop around. Before making the leap to consignment sales, visit several galleries to see which ones best fit your subject matter, your medium, and your price range. I've sold several $3000 - $4000 pieces, but never a $10,000 one. Most of what I sell retails under $100, but often pieces priced in the $300-600 range sell, too.

• Make an appointment in advance of your visit. DO NOT walk into a gallery without an appointment and say, "I have some stuff in my car I wanna show you." DO NOT walk into a gallery without an appointment and ask, "Could you look at my drawings/paintings/pots and tell me if I'm any good?" DO NOT call five minutes out and say, "I'm almost there--can I bring in my artwork right now?" NEVER walk into a gallery without an appointment and say, "I need gas money--will you buy this from me for $50?" (I'm sad to say I'm not making any of this up.)

Refer to bullet item # 1, and please remember that the $500 frame job I have in the back is my priority. New artists/artwork and even entire art shows (if you have a complete body of work) are encouraged at Black Iris, but with an appointment that works for both of us.

• To discuss an art show of your work, please call 715-635-4548 and ask for Kathleen, my volunteer art assistant. Kathleen handles all art screenings as well as the show schedule at Black Iris Gallery.

• No, I can't buy your work outright. To sell your work outright, you'll need to rent a booth at a trade show.

• If you get one, be prepared for your appointment. Download the contract, read it, and bring it with you to your appointment. You should also bring your inventory list, completed in advance, with your works' titles and prices. All of your work should be clearly marked with retail prices before you arrive.

• Be professional. Do not display prints in Saran Wrap and masking tape. Mount and mat them inside clear sleeves (which I can do for you at nicely reduced prices), or have me frame them. I offer all artists a 15% discount on all framing of their own work. If you're transporting pottery, jewelry, sculpture or other three-dimensional items, please pack them well--items with dings, dents, or scratches can't be accepted.

• If possible, provide POP (point-of-purchase) materials. This can be as simple as a small stack of your business cards or as extensive as brochures or a poster.

• Write an Artist Statement. Customers want to know about you, your background, your training, and the inspiration for your work. If you can help us sell you, your artwork will sell better, I promise!

• Guarantee your work. If a necklace breaks, please fix it. If your artwork slips down inside the frame, please repair it or pay me to do so (unless of course I built the frame, in which case I'll happily take care of it). If a pot cracks or a sculpture crumbles, please replace it.

• Rotate your work. Professional (working) artists produce enough new work throughout the year to provide their galleries new inventory on a regular basis. Especially when showing in several galleries at the same time, you should be able to rotate and freshen your work every 3-4 months in each location. Remember that after just a few weeks, artwork becomes stale to the eye of repeat customers and is therefore much less likely to sell.

If you're not producing enough work each year to freshen each gallery's inventory at least twice, you should ask yourself whether you are a professional artist or a hobbyist right now. Both are great, but galleries prefer to work with professionals.

• Do a show with your gallery. A show can be on a single theme, it can be a retrospective of your life's work, it can be a joint show with other artists, or it can be an eclectic collection of your journey and growth as a creator. If you'd like to do a show, be prepared to share expenses, and on opening night, dress professionally, don't eat all the appetizers, and thank the gallery owner for taking a chance on you.

• Be polite. Saying "please" and "thank you" goes a long way toward building a positive artist/gallery relationship. I once had an artist tell me, "You wouldn't be in business if it weren't for us artists." Another said, "I'm doing you a favor." Neither statement is true in my shop--as I've said, I sell mainly custom picture frames.

I offer to sell artwork and host art shows because I love art and want to promote the arts in Washburn County. If you would like to work together with me in this endeavor, please let me know!

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

JoAnn Martin, Owner

Framing for a Lifetime