How to get artworks into the galleries: 5 tips for beginners
Every novice artist wants to become successful and to see artworks in galleries, right? So here are some things that you should and should not do to making a positive impression on gallery owners and taking the steps necessary to turn your hard work and passion into a great art career.
- Cold calls do not work
It seems like an evident first step: just walk into a gallery, introduce yourself, and ask if they would represent you and your art. But we don’t recommend you to do this. If you haven’t built a relationship with the gallery, they don’t have reasons to represent your paintings. Imagine, how many calls and visitors do they have per day. Don’t be just one of the hundreds. Be unique! Art galleries are making money by selling art. If your paintings have a chance of selling and fit the market, the gallery will be interested in you on its own.
So how to get that interest?
2. Make sure you’re prepared to have your artworks in a gallery
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you have a great portfolio witch is fully represents your personal style? You should have at least 30 paintings.
- Do you have high-quality photos of your work?
- Do you have a website or Instagram account showcasing not just your work but yourself as the artist?
3. Firstly go and study pieces in the gallery
How to understand, do your artwork fits the gallery’s format? Go there as a visitor and look at the pieces. Make a research of the artists who created them. Become informed about the owners, their price points, and the goals of the gallery. Take a moment to reflect on your art and your goals to see if they align with the gallery.
4. Make a strong portfolio
Your professional portfolio should include information about your artist’s path. Galleries don’t interested in what high school you’ve graduated from or how many siblings do you have. The portfolio should include information about your achievements as an artist: exhibitions, professional contests, your painting technique, your education, your style, etc. Also, you should add to your portfolio your photo (make sure it has good quality and was made by a professional photographer) as well as photos of your artworks (again the quality of photos matters).
5. Contact the galleries
Send an email. Introduce yourself and your art. Include 3–4 images of your paintings. Tell that you are familiar with their content and your art seems like a “perfect match”. Be confident and genuine, but do not expect that galleries will immediately respond to you. It takes time. You’ll need to contact a lot of galleries and only about 10% of your list will be getting back to you. But building those relationships will help you find the gallery that believes in you and does a great job selling your art.
