It’s Summer and you may be taking it easy. But if you’re looking for inspiration, consider the Workbook for Julia Cameron’s classic book, The Artist’s Way. 

The workbook is organized into 12 chapters full of wonderful ideas and exercises designed to help you recover the basic building blocks of a creative life. Cameron assumes that creativity is our birthright, whether or not we define ourselves as artists. Her workbook shows you how to bring your creative self back to life.

Here are three of my favorite exercises:

1. “Describe five traits you liked in yourself as a child. Next, write a little bit about why each one appeals to you.”

2. “List five childhood accomplishments (got straight A’s in seventh grade, trained the dog, punched out the class bully, short-sheeted the priest’s bed). Reflect below on your memories of those experiences of success. And a treat:  List five favorite childhood foods. Buy yourself one of them this week. Yes, Jell-O with bananas is okay.”

3. “Make a list of friends who nurture you—that’s nurture (give you a sense of your own competency and possibility), not enable (give you the message that you will never get it straight without their help). There is a big difference between being helped and being treated as though we are helpless. Describe which of these friends’ traits particularly serve you well.”

(From “Week Three: Recovering a Sense of Power” The Artist’s Way Workbook, by Julia Cameron)

I recommend these exercises because many artists are hard on themselves when they are not making progress. You tend to judge yourself harshly, when what you need is loving care. The first two exercises help you go back to your childhood in a positive frame of mind. You identify some of your core strengths, qualities in yourself that you can recover if you remember them. 

In the third exercise you think about the people in your life. When you identify the friends who nurture you, you will gradually make more space for them. And then you’ll have less tolerance (and time) for people who do not support your growth.

Enjoy your Summer!
​
Mary

Mary Edwards, Ph.D
Career & Life Coach for Artists
www.coachingforartists.com
coaching@coachingforartists.com
Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards

​You just received an email from a New York gallery, saying that they saw your work online and loved it, and would like to offer you a solo show in a “real New York Gallery.” WOW, you think, you’ve been discovered at last! You respond right away, spend quite a bit of time sending high resolution images and other information they request. You start telling your friends about your New York gallery.

After several enthusiastic emails, they casually mention that “your share” of the cost of the show will be $3000. This number should stop you in your tracks, because you really do know better. But you’ve been seduced by their flattery, already invested time and effort to meet their requirements, and told all your friends about this great opportunity. You seriously consider sending that check because they make it seem like it’s just the next step in a normal process.

That’s how pay-to-play galleries operate. They get your attention, flatter your ego, make you invest your time, and then ask for the money. 

Artists need to learn how to evaluate these scams. When you first receive such a letter or email, slow down. Do not respond at all until you learn more. First check to see if the gallery has been listed as a “pay-to-play” gallery. Artbusiness.com has a reliable list, organized by location. You can also type the name of the gallery and the words “experience with” into any search engine. People who have had bad experiences don’t keep it a secret.

So, what’s wrong with a pay-to-play gallery? Everything! They don’t add strength to your resume, you are unlikely to sell any work, and you may be associated with artists of doubtful quality. Your money would be better invested in a new website or marketing campaign.

Since a legitimate gallery needs to sell your work in order to earn their commission, they cultivate a base of established collectors.. Your work might also be shown at art fairs or other high-profile events. A pay-to-play gallery does none of this, because they don’t have to. They already have your money, so they don’t invest the time and effort required to market and sell your work. You will have an actual show in a real New York gallery, because that’s what you paid for, but it is unlikely that the exhibition will generate sales or good visibility for you.

If you have already been taken in by such opportunities, don’t feel bad. Many artists struggling to find gallery representation are vulnerable to these offers because they seem to present a shortcut to doing the time-consuming work it takes to create an art career. Don’t waste your time and money! Develop your own plan and follow it.

Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D
www.coachingforartists.com 

I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists nationally and internationally. If you have a question, please write to me at coaching@coachingforartists.com. You may visit my website to sign up for future blog posts or schedule a time to talk with me about your own career.

Here are the qualities to look for in a gallery contract:

1. A good contract is specific.
   A contract spells out your business relationship. It states how long the contract will last (usually 6 months to a year). It explains whether you will have an exclusive relationship within a specific geographic region, or non-exclusive. It says whether the gallery will represent all of your work or just parts of it. A good contract is full of details!  
2. A good contract is clear about financial matters.
   The most important number in the contract is the sales price (also called the retail price) for each work of art. You’ll reach agreement on sales prices through discussion with the gallery. The gallery takes its commission (usually 50%) from the sales price.  
   Sometimes a gallery will want to pay you the “wholesale price” for your works without specifying their sales prices. This is a practice that you want to avoid. By paying the artist “wholesale” prices, a gallery gets to sell your work for any price they choose, while your payment remains fixed at a low point. 
3. A good contract lists the specific works that you are giving the gallery permission to sell.
   This list, called a consignment list, is usually the last page of the contract. Each work of art is described by title, materials, and dimensions. You can use the list  to remember where your works are, and to track your sales.
4. A good contract describes what the gallery will do to promote your work and what is expected of you in return.
   Galleries often talk in general terms about “devoting their best efforts” to selling your work, but it is useful to have things spelled out. When will your work be up on their website? When will you be given your first solo or group exhibition? When will your work be taken to an art fair? You might not get specific dates, but language like “within the first year” or “during the first six months” of the contract helps to clarify what you can expect.
   Also be sure to look for language that explains how gallery representation will affect your ability to sell or promote your work in other venues.
5. A good contract provides an escape clause.
   No contract can spell out every single detail, or anticipate how well a new relationship will work out. If nothing sells after a certain period of time, or conditions change, or if either party is unsatisfied, it is helpful to have an escape clause. The escape clause states that either party has the right to terminate the agreement by giving 30 days written notice to the other party.

Remember to take your time when reviewing a gallery contract.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Get legal help if you need it.   A good gallery contract protects the interests of both parties. 

Mary Edwards, Ph.D
Career & Life Coach for Artists

Approaching a gallery is like an old-fashioned courtship, where you get to know each other gradually before you commit.  In this series I’ve described how to identify the galleries that are right for you, find ways to become visible to them, and then start a conversation.  When all goes well you are ready to sign a contract.

Here’s how to prepare for that moment:

Know what matters most to you.

The best way to negotiate a contract is to know what’s important to you.  As an emerging artist you won’t get everything you want, so think about your priorities.  You might care most about your selling prices, or how the gallery promotes your work, or even how soon you’ll get paid.  You’ll feel more confident when you are prepared to talk about what you want and why.

Take your time to read & understand the contract.

Sometimes artists feel pressured to sign a contract they haven’t read or understood.   When an artist friend of mine was faxed a gallery’s “standard contract” she thought she had to sign and fax it back immediately, even though the contract was full of phrases that made no sense.  Take your time, ask questions, look up words you don’t understand.  Ask for help from legal sources like Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. 

Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to say no.

In the gradual “getting to know you” process I’ve been describing, you already have a sense of how the gallery operates.  How they treat you now is how they’ll treat you later.  Do you feel respected?  Are your questions answered promptly?  Does the gallery staff seem professional?  Since there are no credentials required to open a gallery or any regulatory agencies, a gallery stands on its own reputation.  Ask other artists showing there if they are satisfied with their experience.  If you begin to feel that the gallery is dishonest or unreliable, or their terms are unfavorable to you, don’t sign the contract.

You can create your own letter of agreement.

Sometimes a gallery says it doesn’t use contracts.  Listen to their point of view but keep talking so that you reach verbal agreement about all the areas that are most important to you.  Take notes.  Then follow-up with a friendly email that summarizes what you’ve discussed.  Ask if they have anything to add.   You will have created a written letter of agreement. 

In my next blog post I’ll describe the qualities of a good gallery contract.  In the meantime, let me know if you have questions. 

Mary Edwards, Ph.D.
​
I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists. Visit www.coachingforartists.com to find out more or email me directly at coaching@coachingforartists.com to send a comment or ask a question.

*Please note: I recently published a longer version of this article in the May 2019 Newsletter for  www.callforentries.com. This is a well-curated site which lists open calls for artists and photographers. Take a look, you can join for free! 

​In my last blog post I listed five questions for discussion with a gallery. The purpose of this conversation is for you and the gallery to decide whether you want to move forward to the next stage: signing a contract.

As you ask and answer these questions, pay attention to your instincts. If the gallery owner seems evasive, or has policies that don’t fit your needs, take note. You are developing a relationship that needs to be based on trust and mutual respect.

Here are the questions:

1. What does the gallery expect from you?
   
   Start or end with this question. It’s a good one because you show that you’re planning to be an active partner in the relationship. Often they will want you to promote the gallery on your website and in your social media presence. They may have other requirements. You don’t have to agree right away, but you do need to know what they expect.
   
   
2. Will the relationship be exclusive or non-exclusive, and for how long?
   
   Galleries sometimes want you to show your work exclusively with them, usually within a geographic region. Artists who have a large body of work can sometimes show a particular series, or work in a particular medium, with several different galleries. Normally first contracts are for three months to a year, which gives both of you time to find out how well the partnership is working.
   
   You’ll also need to reach agreement on how the gallery relationship affects your ability to sell through your own website or other online sites. Often the gallery asks you to take all prices off your website, or to sell only lower priced work there. Start this conversation early, so you know what to expect. 
   
   
3. How often do gallery artists get an exhibition?
   
   Since you’re still in the courtship phase, ask about how “gallery artists” are treated, rather than what the gallery will do for you. Find out how often their artists get a 2-person,  3-person, or solo exhibition. This is especially important if the gallery represents a large group of artists. 
   
   
4. How do they promote gallery artists?
   
   Start by finding out how soon your work would appear on their website. Then ask about what they do to bring collectors into the gallery. Do they advertise? Go to art fairs?  Participate in local events like art walks and art talks? Showcase your work on other online sites? You will know about some of these activities from your research, but it is always useful to hear a gallery owner talk about what they do for artists.
   
   
5. What are the next steps?
   
   Don’t let your first conversation end with confusion. It is OK to ask about their timeline and process. Find out what else they need from you. Be sure to send a follow-up note, expressing your interest and thanking them for their time.

Everything you learn at this stage will prepare you to negotiate a good contract with a gallery. I’ll cover that topic in my next blog post.

Mary Edwards, Ph.D.

I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists throughout the United States. If you would like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, visit my website (www.coachingforartists.com) or write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com.

​In Part I of this series I described how to find the galleries that might be right for you, and how to make yourself visible to them. So what comes next?

Think of your relationship with a gallery as a gradual courtship. You both learn more at each stage and then decide whether you’ll make a commitment. Your first connection might be in person, or on the telephone, or in an email exchange. Since you can’t predict when or how this will happen, get ready now. 

Remember, you’re preparing to have a conversation, not give a speech. You’ll want to be brief, positive, and honest as you describe your background.  

Here are five areas to think about:

1. Your body of work
2. Your intentions and process
3. Your exhibition history
4. Your pricing and sales history
5. Your audience (includes social media presence)

Your body of work 
Galleries are looking for what they call “a coherent body of work.”  This usually means 12-20 pieces of completed work, ready to show, or enough to fill one of their gallery spaces.  You’ll need fewer pieces if they start out by including you in a small group show.  “Coherent” doesn’t mean that your work is all the same, only that it is unified by theme, materials, technique, or point of view.  In a gallery setting, your art should look like it belongs together.

Your intentions and process
If you’ve spent the time to create a strong artist statement, you’ve got this covered. When talking with a gallery, you might describe what inspires you, or how your work connects with issues you care about, or how you use materials. Just tell them what your art is all about. 

Your exhibition history
Most galleries expect you to have some experience showing your work. If you’re an emerging artist, you might have shown in juried group exhibitions, or in local cafes or bookstores, or at Open Studios. Don’t apologize for anything you haven’t done yet. After all, you’re looking for a gallery because you want to reach a wider audience. 

Pricing and sales history
This is a tricky area, especially if you haven’t sold much work. A gallery will help you set fair prices for your work, so if you think your prices are too low, say so.  They do want to know about previous sales, but it’s OK if you’ve mostly sold to friends and family. 

Your audience (includes social media presence)
Galleries are interested in the audience you attract. Think about the kinds of people who respond to your art. If you have enough information, cite demographics such as age, income, geography, etc., to provide a profile of your potential audience. If you are active on social media, talk about not just the number of followers but how they respond to your work. 

Remember, you’re preparing for a conversation and will get to ask questions of your own. Here are five good ones:

1. What does the gallery expect from you?
2. Will the relationship be exclusive, or non-exclusive?
3. How often do gallery artists get an exhibition?
4. How does the gallery promote their artists?
5. What are the next steps?

Everything you learn in early conversations will help you be effective when it is time to negotiate a contract with a gallery. In the next part of this series I’ll explain how to do that, and show you what a good gallery contract looks like.

Mary Edwards, Ph.D.
​
I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists. Visit www.coachingforartists.com to find out more or email me directly at coaching@coachingforartists.com to send a comment or ask a question.

*Please note: I recently published a longer version of this article in the April Newsletter for www.callforentries.com. This is a well-curated site which lists open calls for artists and photographers. Take a look, you can join for free!