What do you think of my paintings?

Question

I am not having much success, and I don't know why. http://www.giusepperussottoart.com

Answer 1

Why are you putting your works here??? You have shown your work in galleries and won awards, yet you make yourself sound like a novice seeking approval. You are misleading the folks here. You claim on your website credentials that would be beneficial to selling in galleries, yet your work appears to be inconsistent. The still lifes are brilliant with incredible depth, yet the figurative works are less developed. For instance, the horse head drawings - the head on the left looks like it has the snout of a camel, it's very rounded. And the still life with the white statue of the couple shows far less depth and definition than the rest of the painting - it is washed out. The painting with the tiger looks as though the tiger was cut out of another painting and pasted on - there is very little modeling of the tiger and the proportion appears inaccurate. Then the still lifes that are exquisite. I can't help but wonder the source for these works, and which are completely yours and which may be derived from other works. If they are indeed your work, then I would stick with what I do best and not putz around with work that is of inferior quality compared to the still lifes. The lesson about artists selling their work is that a body of consistent good work will sell - and it must be priced appropriately. One must be consistent with both at all times otherwise a mixed message is given and doubt fills the mind of the potential buyer.

Answer 2

Clearly you have all the technical skills neccesary. You are a fine realist artist. Better than much of the work I see on a daily basis as an art dealer. If I had to criticize, I guess I would mention a couple of things.

1. The work is quite conservative. As I'm sure you already know, most of the good, established galleries in NYC are contemporary art galleries and even the ones that show realism show works that do not depict the kind of conservative subject matter that you're painting. There are a few galleries in the Madison avenue area that DO show more classical, conservative types of work, and perhaps these would be places you could try.

2. There is not a lot of cohesion in your choices. You seem to be all over the place in terms of subject and approach. A gallery that likes your work will want to see and show paintings that are unified in terms of subject and style. This means you might have to actually decide what it is exactly that you want to paint. Preferably NOT something that has already been painted a million times before.

With the kind of skill you obviously possess, the problem seems to be not one of execution, but of concept.

Answer 3

Believe it or not, neo-realism doesn't seem to bring as high a price as abstract art does among most wealthy collectors. However, there are many collectors out there who do buy figurative, realistic art. You just just need to make the right contacts, get your work into the right galleries.

As to your prices, there's nothing wrong with them. You're good enough an artist to ask and receive what you want for them.

However, from my own experiences selling art, I will make one suggestion here:

When working in a neo-realism style subject matter will either draw a buyer to your work or turn them off to it. Think about it. No matter how great a painting is of dead fish few people would want to pay this much money to hang and look at a painting of dead fish every day in their house. I might say the same thing about the Arab-looking portrait. It's a great painting but, being realistic here, how many people would want to look at that portrait every day hanging in their own home?

I paint two types of paintings: those that I feel will have a broad appeal and those that I paint just for myself. All I'm suggesting is that you consider the subject matter when you're wondering why some of your art isn't finding buyers.

You're a damn good artist.

Answer 4

I sense your frustration and admire your openness.
Your paintings are beautiful and you obviously have refined oil technique. There's nothing wrong with your paintings.
May I make a few suggestions?
Study the work and promotional strategies and techniques of these two artists Tom Lynch (watercolors) and Thomas Kincade (oils). Both are very accomplished and successful in two vital areas: their medium of choice and self promotion.
Now, it's well and good if someone comes and finds you and falls in love with your art and decides to support you and sponsor you, and from there you go on to become famous and rich. Right? But this is rare, though it does happen. Most artists in the real world have to find ways to promote their arts or find someone to do it for them.
And, a lot of it depends on where you are and where you display your art, how well known you become, how much publicity you receive, and on and on. Enough of the right people have to see your art enough times, to get you on your way.
Beyond that, I would suggest that you work in a series, maybe small, so that you can crank out a lot of small paintings quickly, with the specific goal of finding your theme or themes, your voice, your "message," usually an intuitive one.
Also, a lot of artists support themselves (as they're becoming known) by teaching, workshops or in colleges and art schools.
Best wishes. Don't give up.

Answer 5

Your painting are very nice, but to be a really successful artist, I am afraid that you have to go thru the starving part. I really like the light on the oil can. Oh, maybe you should show your work that isn't sold. Get an agent, and show your work, you have to get it shown. People have to see it in order to appreciate it. Maybe where you live could be a hinderence too. God bless you and your talent. Keep going, have faith, and then take action.

Answer 6

You're very talented. I liked the Arab's head, but I didn't like the tiger painting. That's the only one that didn't look realistic.

I see you've sold several paintings. While out of my league, I don't think you're overpriced.

Answer 7

Your artworks are really awesome though there are some details that i don't like, furthermore i think they are overpriced by a little than the average but i think it's ok by your acknowledgement. You should try to work more on anatomies rather than realism...

Answer 8

your joking about the not having much success...you gotta be joking about that part. the layout of your site is very good and your work is awsome! if a gallery isn't showing you regularly then you just don't know how to smooze. i suppose it is more about WHO you know and who's back side you can kiss the most, than it is about tallent and quality of work.
perhaps location. where is your site situated? and how do you represent yourself to galleries? and how do you present your work personaly? one of our local artists really knows how to present her work personaly to people, and she sells quite a bit of it, there is a trick to that part of it i wish I knew.

Answer 9

Just too realistic they lack the magic touch of true art

Answer 10

Their beutiful.... but the price may be an issue. I loved the one with the tiger! They all look so realistic, so its not your skill thats bad.