How to contact art galleries and get representation

from Creative Commons, .

Want to show your art in a gallery but have few or no ideas where to start? Getting into a gallery is much more than just having enough inventory, and without a knowledgeable guide, it can be difficult to navigate the process.

Christa Cloutier, art business expert and consultant, is the guide you need. This talented individual with multiple titles including painter, gallerist and fine art appraiser has sold artists' work to art galleries around the world.

Now she spends her time helping fellow artists succeed and build thriving businesses. We asked Krista to share her experience on how to make an art gallery representative.

Before starting the process...

The first step is to remember that art galleries are not all it takes to sell your art. There are many other possibilities, so don't get hung up on showing in the gallery.

Getting into the gallery you want can be a long term goal. So be patient and build your career and your audience with the end result in mind.

Christa's Guide to Art Gallery Representation:

1. Find a gallery that matches your work and goals

The very first thing an artist must do is explore. Just because a gallery sells art doesn't mean they should sell your art. Relationships in the gallery are like marriage - it's a partnership - and it should work for both parties.

Gallery owners, as a rule, are creative people themselves, and they have their own aesthetics, interests and focus. Doing your research means finding out which galleries are best for your artistic and career goals.

2. Cultivate a relationship with this gallery

It is important to build a relationship with the gallery where you want to exhibit. This means signing up for their mailing list, attending their events, and finding out what they need, what you could give.

I recommend showing up at gallery events more than once, carrying business cards, and making it a point to have at least three conversations while you're there. And like any relationship, understand that it just takes time. Stay open to whatever fate brings you.

It's also very important to treat everyone there as if they were potentially your best customers. You never know who might be a gallery owner's best friend or actually be a gallery owner. By judging or rejecting people, you lose sight of relationships and building an audience.

Decision makers get hammered all the time, so being part of the gallery tribe is where you get to know people in the decision making realm. When I considered a new artist as a gallery owner, it was almost always because another artist I was working with or one of my clients was telling me about his work.

3. Learn to talk about your art

It is important to be able to talk about your work. The best way to do this is to make sure your work is about something. If your work is about self-expression or personal feelings, dig deeper. Writing your artist statement will help you form your ideas and put them into words. It is important to articulate your ideas both in the artist's statement and in conversations.

One day I introduced the artist to a collector and she asked him what his work was like. He muttered, "I used to work in acrylics, but now I work in oils." In fact, she was offended because that's all he said. There was nowhere to have this conversation.

Many artists say "I don't like to talk about my work" or "My work explains itself" but that's not true. Your work does not speak for itself. You have to give people the opportunity to get into it. The best way to sell art is to create a story for it. The story can be technical, emotional, inspirational, historical, anecdotal, or even political.

And while not many galleries visit the studios, you should be prepared to talk about your art if they do. Be sure to prepare a 20-minute presentation along with your meal. You need to know exactly what to say, what to show, the order of entry, your prices, and the stories that go with each piece.

4. Expect your audience to be with you

Make sure you have your own audience to bring to the gallery. This is something you can create yourself, especially with online tools or at events. Build mailing lists and subscribers and follow people who show interest in your work. An artist must always create his own audience and be able to control that audience.

You also need to fill the gallery with people. You have to work as hard as the gallery to promote your events and tell people where they can find your work. It's a partnership, and the best partnership is when both people work equally hard to win people over.

IMAGE ARCHIVE NOTE: You can read more about this in Christa Cloutier's free e-book. 10 Divine Secrets of Working Artists. Download .

5. Follow the instructions for submitting your letter

Once you've established a relationship, find out what the gallery's submission guidelines are. This is where you don't want to break the rules. I know we artists always break the rules, but we don't break the submission rules. As for your submission materials, make sure you have good, reliable ones.

Have high quality cropped images with the title and dimensions of the work. It's a good idea to have an online portfolio as well as a paper copy so you're ready for anything. It depends on the submission policy, but it's also good to have a bio, resume, and artist statement ready when you start polishing galleries. You also need to have your own website. This is expected and is a sign of your professionalism.

6. Understanding the commission structure

Artists often complain to me that they have to pay the gallery 40 to 60%. I think this is really the wrong way to look at it. They don't take anything from you, they bring you clients, so be happy to pay commissions. However, you want to make sure that if they charge a high percentage, they earn it and give much more in return.

State what the gallery is going to do for you in relation to public relations and marketing in contract negotiations. If they get half, you want to make sure they deserve it. You want to know what they are doing to make sure your art is presented to the right people. But at the same time, you have to do your part.

7. Remember that failure is never permanent.

Remember that if you don't get into the gallery, it means that this time you didn't succeed. Vik Muniz is an artist who has achieved incredible success in the art world, and he once said to me: "When I succeed, there will come a time when I will fail." You have to fail a hundred times before you succeed, so just focus on failing better. Don't take it personally and don't quit. Find out what went wrong, what you could do better, and repeat.

Want to learn more from Christa?

Christa has a lot more art business advice on her brilliant blog and her newsletter. Her article is a fantastic place to start and don't forget to subscribe to her newsletter.

Do you consider yourself entrepreneurial? Sign up for a master class by working artist Krista. Classes begin November 16, 2015, but registration closes November 20, 2015. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to gain valuable skills and knowledge to help accelerate your artistic career! Artwork Archive members using the special coupon code ARCHIVE will receive a $37 discount on the registration fee for this session. To learn more .

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