There is a question I think more artists and galleries need to ask before an opening:
Do you want to sell paintings, or do you want to throw a party?
Because sometimes those are two very different events wearing the same little black beret.
I have been to art openings where there is wine, cheese, crackers, music, decorations, photographers, friends, relatives, and enough small talk to power a minor city.
Everybody is having a wonderful time.
The artist is exhausted.
The food is disappearing.
The wine is disappearing faster.
And the paintings are hanging quietly on the walls wondering if anybody remembers why they are there.
A packed gallery can look impressive, but a crowd does not necessarily equal sales.
You can have a hundred people in a room and sell nothing.
You can also have ten serious art buyers walk through and have a terrific night.
That is why I think artists need to be honest about their goal.
If your goal is to celebrate, socialize, reconnect with friends, drink wine and have a good time, wonderful. Throw a party.
But call it what it is.
If your goal is to sell art, then maybe the cheese plate and free wine should not be getting more attention than the paintings.
I sometimes wonder how much money artists and galleries spend feeding people who have absolutely no intention of buying anything.
Imagine spending $200 on food and drinks for an opening and then selling $75 worth of art.
Congratulations.
You are now a caterer with paintings on the wall.
There is also a strange attitude in the art world that talking about money somehow contaminates the purity of creativity.
I have never understood that.
Paint is not free.
Canvas is not free.
Frames are definitely not free.
Printing, transportation, gallery commissions, booth fees, advertising and credit-card processing are not free either.
Apparently, however, the artist is occasionally expected to be free.
I don't agree with that.
Artists deserve to sell their work.
Artists deserve to make money.
And artists should not feel embarrassed about wanting to turn their talent into a business.
Selling a painting does not make the artwork less meaningful. Quite the opposite. Someone has looked at something you created and decided, I want this in my home. I want to look at it every day.
That is a powerful connection.
Of course, you don't want to become aggressive about sales either.
Nobody wants to enter an art gallery and immediately hear:
"What can I do to get you into this landscape painting today?"
It is still art, not a used-car dealership.
But there is a comfortable middle ground.
Make the prices visible.
Make purchasing easy.
Accept credit cards.
Talk to people about the work.
Tell the story behind a painting when someone is interested.
Be friendly.
Then give them enough space to fall in love with the artwork.
And here is another thing I have learned: not everybody at an art opening is a customer.
Some people came because they know the artist.
Some came because there is free food.
Some came because they enjoy openings.
Some came because they happened to be walking past.
And yes, somebody probably came primarily because they heard there was wine.
That is fine.
But if you are trying to build an art business, you should also be asking yourself:
Where are the buyers?
A successful show is not necessarily the loudest show, the busiest show, or the show with the biggest tray of hors d'oeuvres.
Sometimes a successful show is quieter.
Someone walks in.
They stop.
They stare at one painting for a long time.
They walk away.
Then they come back.
They ask the price.
That is when things get interesting.
So yes, have an opening.
Invite your friends.
Put out some snacks.
Play music.
Have fun.
Celebrate the fact that you made the work and had the courage to put it on a wall where strangers can judge it.
But don't let the party swallow the art.
At the end of the evening, when the wine glasses are empty and the folding chairs are being put away, there is one question worth asking:
Did I put on an art show, or did I cater a party?
If you are trying to make a living as an artist, the answer matters.
by Dan and Bonkers
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So true! Well said Dan!