Reality bite, you are the best spokesperson for your work.
May 01, 2012
Three Bracelets by Harriete E Berman
Post-consumer recycled tin cans 2007
My guess is that the real sentiment was "How can I get my work in a gallery so that the gallery will sell my work, and I can just focus on making and not selling?"
Many makers hold on to the fantasy that a gallery will sell all their work so they can dedicate their time to making work. The reality is that those days are gone forever (except for a few rare individuals). There are various reasons, including the Internet and this tough economy. But it is incredibly important to realize early in your career that you are the best seller of your work.
Just as movie studios came to realize that actors should participate in the marketing of their movies, and publishers understand that authors should appear on television and radio to sell their books, artists need to participate in the marketing of their work. The visible and articulate artist/craftsperson is the most effective tool there is for marketing.
Harriete E Berman & Alyson Stanfield
at the Loveland Museum exhibition 2010
People (i.e. buyers, collectors, and viewers ) want to see, hear and meet the artists. Whether it is meeting at an opening, participating in social networks, offering to do interviews, writing about your own work on blogs, or standing in your booth at a show, the creative spirit is what people want to see and hear. They want to learn your story.
Showing your work, telling a story, or explaining the meaning behind your work are steps you need to take to achieve success. No gallery can perform this job better than you can.
A gallery that sells your work is a partnership. They may be providing a retail location with a customer base, but the better you are at your job, the better they can sell your work.
Harriete
This post was updated on March 12, 2022.