Tailor made?
Tailoring work to fit a venue, a show, a gallery or your own mood takes a great deal of thought and consideration. It's a constant juggling act, and one which can make or break sales. Knowing where your work will be viewed/sold is vitally important--it's the context issue again. Researching a show or gallery beforehand is a must. Will it be a good fit for your current work? Will your work fit in with what's already being displayed? If not, will it be distinctive in a good way, one which will intrigue potential customers enough to buy it? Do your price points fit within the range of everything else? Will your subject matter appeal to the typical audience?
It's that final question I find myself grappling with most often. My work is vibrantly colored, Afrocentric in focus, and contemporary. So, participating in a show which is heavily country-decor oriented would make very little sense; people looking for cow-themed kitchen war
e are going to pass right by my booth without a second look. Conversely, including my work in a show which is heavily Afrocentric, with a multi-ethnic audience would appear to be the best venue for my work. But, sometimes, it isn't. The context is right, but if the event is tied to something else (jazz festival, business workshops, convention, etc.) sales often take a back seat to the 'something else'. Tailoring my work to the venue and audience involves making the best educated guess, plus a pinch of hope, and a dash of luck.
Taking the leap of faith on a new exhibition venture involves all of that, as well as the belief that the gallery owner will represent your work as positively as you would, and that it will sell to buyers you'll never see. My newest foray into this area is with the online gallery Gotta Have It Artworks. I love their tagline: "Providing you with art that enriches your heart and soul." Seven pieces are on the site, on the GHIA Collection page, at the bottom. They look great, if I say so myself (!), and I'll be very interested to see how they'll do. If you have a moment, take a look, and tell me what you think.
It's that final question I find myself grappling with most often. My work is vibrantly colored, Afrocentric in focus, and contemporary. So, participating in a show which is heavily country-decor oriented would make very little sense; people looking for cow-themed kitchen war
e are going to pass right by my booth without a second look. Conversely, including my work in a show which is heavily Afrocentric, with a multi-ethnic audience would appear to be the best venue for my work. But, sometimes, it isn't. The context is right, but if the event is tied to something else (jazz festival, business workshops, convention, etc.) sales often take a back seat to the 'something else'. Tailoring my work to the venue and audience involves making the best educated guess, plus a pinch of hope, and a dash of luck. Taking the leap of faith on a new exhibition venture involves all of that, as well as the belief that the gallery owner will represent your work as positively as you would, and that it will sell to buyers you'll never see. My newest foray into this area is with the online gallery Gotta Have It Artworks. I love their tagline: "Providing you with art that enriches your heart and soul." Seven pieces are on the site, on the GHIA Collection page, at the bottom. They look great, if I say so myself (!), and I'll be very interested to see how they'll do. If you have a moment, take a look, and tell me what you think.
Comments
And thank you for the nice words on my blog. Just out of curiosity, how did you find me?