as an aspiring artist how can i get my work into a commercial gallery?

Answer 1

Call and find out who's in charge of new work selection and find out criteria for submission for consideration. Some may want you to make an appointment and bring in samples, others may just ask you to send in slides. Once you're in, find out if there's a no-compete clause or if you're free to also sell/exhibit in other places.

Answer 2

It depends on how good your art work actually is. See if there are any local art teachers and ask for them to look at your work and give you their advise.
And be prepared for them to possibly say something that will hurt your feelings. I've appraised the work of a number of artists and had to tell them things that they did not want to hear. Some work is good and some OK and some just not sellable. Someone can be a fabulous graphic artist and terrible in the fine art area.

Be sure to ask (up front) is they will charge to do this for you. You don't want to find out later they expect a fee. Some will do it just to help you.....some will not.

Assuming you get some good reviews, try finding out what local organizations are doing commercially promoted art show and go set up your work. Go to a few shows first so you can see how artists actually set up and how they do it and what they have built that works for display.

At some point, call and make appointments with gallery owners and take picture of your work and a few originals.

DON'T WALK INTO A GALLERY AND EXPECT THE OWNER TO REVIEW YOUR WORK. WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT. Keep in mind a gallery will mark up your work at least 100% so they can make their cost of doing business. If you want $100 for a piece, they will mark it $200 or above. That is normal and galleries have expensive you are not even aware of so don't begrudge them their money.

AND REMEMBER they are lots and lots of really great artist out there to compete again. Some really good ones and they never get their work seen

Also, get some good digital pictures and set up a web site. This is something you can do yourself and you internet service provider probably has fee web space available to you with your service. Check it out.

good luck

Answer 3

Working in a commercial art gallery the advice I usually give is do your homework. Visualise your work in the gallery you are approaching - do they market your kind of work well? If not, then they either won't accept your work or if they do, they won't make money so YOU won't make money. Enquire what the submission procedure is in advance & stick to it - many galleries do not welcome the viewing of 30 6'x4' canvasses when they are in the middle of an opening for instance. Sounds really corny but appear organised - titles, estimated prices (yours or theirs), media, dimensions, a CV or artist biography, a sense of where you've been and where you hope to go. Finally, don't flood an area with your work - few galleries want work that is also being sold two doors down - this is all part of identifying who might be right for you.

Answer 4

Honestly, you need to get your work noticed by the right people. That's the key. To start, keep painting and show your work to friends within the art circles. Build a little buzz to support your work's need to be displayed in a gallery. Then, with the help of an agent, perhaps open your own show and invite major gallery owners to begin attracting them to your work. With a little luck, the right people, patience, and ambition, your dream could well be realized.

Answer 5

I believe that the best way to do this is to have an open studio. Put an ad out in the local paper. Get a good photographer to take pictures of your work (dont do this yourself if you don't know what you are doing-trust me it is worth the expense) and make some postcards with one of your best works on it. Hand them out to people you know and put some up in coffeeshops, art supply stores, libraries, book stores, cafes, anywhere with bulletin boards. ON the day of your open studio, clean up the studio really well, get strong spotlights for your work, and buy wine, red and white, cheese,crackers, and fruit, maybe dips like hummus and Baba Ganoush, and set up your work as professionally as possible. Make tags with titles, mediums, and price, for each work. If you have questions about pricing start low and as you build a reputation go higher. Also visit lots of galleries around your area to know which ones to target Galleries that have work similar-but not too similar to yours will probably be sympathetic. For instance-if you are an abstract painter you should not apply to galleries showing mostly conceptual art. On the flip side- a gallery that already shows a lot of abstract paintings may not be interested in another abstract paintings. Try to find a balance. Good Luck

Answer 6

follow this steps:
Work a lot. > Go to art school. > Get artist friends at the art school. > Go to shows, openings, meet people. > Always know what you like and what you don't like. > Start showing your work, in anyway you can. > organise shows with your artist friends, (in the school, on the street, at your home, and other spaces) > continue showing. (there will be feedback) > after some years you will know lots of artists, gallerists, art critiques, curators, etc. and you will become part of the art world naturally.

note: it is almost useless to contact the gallery directely. The best gallerists only accept artists that are recommended by the few people they trust.

Answer 7

If you visit different galleries sites on their FAQ pages they usually have info on how aspiring exhibitors may present their work to them, often it is slides, then there are prints, others allow you to arrange an appointment to bring actual work in, most dont like you cold calling.

Answer 8

You need to go and see the gallery and take your work with you.

Answer 9

Studio warming party!
invite guests and gallery owners to your studio, feed them appetizers and wine... show them your work
OR the traditional way of taking your portfolio to the galleries directly...

I make multi-media art... I threw a couple of these a year with other artists, called it a "studio crawl" and got lots of attention for myself and others!
good luck!

Answer 10

Sleep with the owner