Nationally Recognized Gallery Owner Advises Asheville Area Artists on How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Approaching Galleries for Representation

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by Ashley Sinclair
on Thursday, October 14, 2010

Many people may not know that in an average week a gallery owner is approached by as many as twenty to thirty-five artists looking for gallery representation. Most of these artists are turned away, their lack of success due to making one of six easily avoidable mistakes. Jason Horejs, owner of Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ, has experienced the trials and tribulations of aspirant artists for the past eight years, and today he uses his extensive knowledge of the art world to help thousands of artistic hopefuls turn their passion for art into a profitable career.

Published in 2009, Horejs' first book, "Starving" to Successful: The Fine Artist's Guide to Getting into Galleries and Selling More Art, was written as a valuable tool to help artists achieve success through their work. The efficacious entrepreneur also conducts a series of workshops across the U.S. each year that provide emerging painters, sculptors, and the like with an understanding of the art business from a gallery owner's perspective, while also addressing a wide range of obstacles that artists inevitably face on their path to success. Jason began striving to help aspiring artists after noticing that although there were thousands of workshops, courses, and books that provided an opportunity to learn new artistic skills and techniques, there was very limited information available explaining the practical side of the art business.

Horejs has found that many artists unwittingly sabotage their success on a daily basis. A general lack of knowledge about the art market and how galleries operate often keeps a talented artist's work out of the public eye and money out of their pocket. His workshop, "Starving" to Successful, teaches the artisan how to avoid self-sabotage when presenting his or her work to a gallery, and also aids them in defining and achieving individualized career goals. The following provides an example of three common mistakes that artists regularly make when pursuing a professional career as a gallery artist:

Mistake #1: Presenting an Inconsistent Body of Work

Artists, in general, crave freedom and challenge when it comes to their work. In a quest for variety, they may experiment with a number of different styles and mediums. This creativity is a positive, except when it comes to presenting a body of work to a gallery! When presenting to a gallery, one should keep in mind to have their work unified by a similar medium and/or theme. The use of similar frames for paintings and photographs, like bases for sculpture and coordinated settings for artistic jewelry will further aid in unifying one's work and creating a feeling of consistency that is invaluable in a gallery setting. Instead of confusing a gallery by having multiple styles in a portfolio, one should consider creating several portfolios - one for each style - so that his or her work feels like a "series". It is better to present twenty to twenty-five similarly themed pieces than fifty non-complementary pieces.

Mistake #2: Lacking Confidence and Consistency in Pricing

One of the greatest challenges an artist will face is learning how to correctly value his or her work. Many artists mistakenly under-price their work on the basis that they are not established, or on the assumption that their local art market will not sustain higher prices. An art gallery cannot sell an inconsistently priced series of work, and an artist often unintentionally presents him or herself as under confidant and unprepared when they make this common mistake. The "Starving" to Successful workshop teaches an artist how to establish a consistent and systematic formula for pricing their art.

Mistake #3: Submitting Art Through the Wrong Channels

Conventional wisdom and many highly-respected art marketing guidebooks often lead an artist down the wrong path when it comes to approaching a gallery they aspire to be represented by. Mailing one's portfolio with a cover letter, making phone calls in an attempt to make an appointment with the owner, or searching for submission guidelines on a gallery's website are all methods which, in Jason Horejs' experience, do not guarantee an artist's success- actually, quite the contrary! In his workshop Jason shares a more direct and simplified approach that tremendously improves an artist's chances of success when looking for representation in the gallery circuit.

In addition to learning how to further avoid making the mistakes listed above (as well as the three other mistakes most commonly made by emerging artists) Jason Horejs' intense four-hour workshop, "Starving" to Successful, shows artisans how to efficiently organize their work, build a brand as an artist, communicate effectively with galleries, increase productivity in the studio, and much more.

"I just came back from doing a one-day invitational art show in Baja, Mexico," wrote Dan McGeorge of San Diego, California, a few weeks after attending a workshop. "It was a great success with four large pieces sold," he went on. "The best part is that two of the pieces were purchased by a gallery owner from Lake Tahoe for a gallery there...and she wants to see more of my work! I never would have made these moves or understood them without your seminar."

The "Starving" to Successful workshop provides an artist with the tools needed to present their work confidently and professionally while forming lasting successful relationships with the galleries they aspire to be a part of. Artists interested in attending Jason Horejs' next workshop, which will be held in Asheville, NC, on October 23rd can learn more by visiting www.xanadugallery.com/register. Jason looks forward to helping hundreds more artists this year to reach their full potential and gain the professional recognition that they desire.

Xanadu Gallery LLC
7039 E. Main St. #101
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

(t) 480.368.9929
(f) 480.368.9932

(m) 480.283.5029

info@xanadugallery.com
www.xanadugallery.com

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About the Author - Ashley Sinclair

Contact Ashley Sinclair:
Xanadu Gallery
480-368-9929
ashley@xanadugallery.com
starvingtosuccessfulartist.blogspot.com/

Learn more about Ashley.