One of the great things about working in a creative field is meeting creative people. I don’t feel like I’ve got nearly a tenth of the creative ability of some of those around me, but i feel like some of their creativity happens to rub off onto me every once in a while.
I was discussing art and the sale of art with my wonderfully talented girlfriend, Aimee Shultz. Her artwork is stunning. I’ll try to do it justice here, but you’ve got to see it to take it in. She takes digital photographs, but she takes them such that they’re very interesting pictures with textures and crazy shapes and images. She then takes them into photo shop, does some editing, turns them into duo tone, and prints them on huge canvases.
By chance, this week, a coworker and I were discussing setting up a screen printing workshop in his garage. I mentioned to him how Aimee does her thing, and I’d like to start doing something in the same vein but with some of the vector art I’ve been doing. possibly screen printing on pine wood, or canvas, or even some crazy textured paper.
So we got to discussing how hard it is for smaller artists to sell their work. I guess there’s the coffee shop or art bar type place that will let you display your artwork, but really, what are the chances of someone walking in for a $2 cup of coffee and seeing your piece and suddenly decide to drop an extra $1000? Probably not too high.
Which begs the question: “where do smaller artists sell their work?”
I’ve had this idea of grandeur for a while, but our conversation this week only reinforced the desire. Here it is, are you ready?! I want to try to find a few other artists who are in the same boat. What if we found a small store front in a great area with lots of foot traffic, pooled our resources and set up our own independent gallery. Maybe a donation based non profit?
Maybe we could have a little bar or sell coffee? I’d hang out and study there.
Obviously there are a lot of kinks to work out, and sure, it would cost a little bit, but if we each sold one piece a month we’d have enough to at least pay the rent. What good is living without taking a couple of risks?
I’ll be keeping an eye out for some reasonably priced store fronts. If you know of anyone interested in something similar, have them holler at me. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned.
And, if you fee like stealing this idea, by all means, please do! I’d love to hang out at your fancy new hip art gallery.
I’m in – lemme save up and we’ll get this rollin!
My cousin and her friends are photographers. They would travel the US and attend art festivals. They\’d have to spend like $2000 to get a booth in the HOPES to sell a few pieces and hopefully make enough money to make up the booth fee, gas, hotel, food, etc needed to make it to the next art show. It\’s rough out there.
i want to be in your gallery!