Thursday, April 17, 2008

The latest from the art world...

I've ended up in an interesting exchange... I was looking on Craigslist for studio space in Denver so that I wouldn't have to run up to Boulder so often to do work (I have a terrible time trying to be focused and inspired at home) when I came across the following listing:

I'm looking for an artist who needs studio space and would be willing to keep a gallery open 15 hrs/week on Fri, Sat, Sun or Th, Fr Sat. Rent is only $150, but with commissions on art sales you'd likely not only have free studio space, but make money "renting". Chance to show your own work as well, if it fits in. Please send several thumbnails of your work if you are interested.

Although the actual set-up was nothing like I expected, I interviewed with the owner and we have an agreement! The gallery is in the Santa Fe Arts District. It has been open maybe two weeks. The owner has a small business painting faux finishes in houses and also does creative landscape photography, and this is his way of promoting his business and having a place to show his art. The gallery has two rooms, and he has used a different paint technique on every wall. He hopes to get several clients a year through the gallery, and sell a lot of art in the process.

So my role is this: I will keep the gallery open Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 11-6. The studio space he mentioned is the gallery itself, so I will be drawing and painting there for people to see if they come in. I am paying $100 rent/month and can come and go as I please outside of the fixed hours (but plan to keep the gallery open whenever I am there). And I can hang/sell my work--I essentially have a gallery to represent me! 

I am managing the gallery for him and take (small) commission for any art sales. I am as excited about learning more about that side of things as I am about having to step things up and producing art that I think people will want to buy. I am sure I can help him get this off the ground just as it will help get my art sales off the ground.

My summer will be busy--In addition to the gallery, in June I start teaching 9-12 year olds art on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings for nine weeks (we have a summer art camp for kids at my school). Pretty exciting!
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1 comment:

DD said...

This sounds like a great arrangement! Since you can paint while you're there, it will probably help keep you focused (I get distracted big-time too.) At first you might get bored or lonely there, but as you feel more comfortable, you could do some extra promotions to bring more people in (and maybe if you did that successfully a couple times, you could ask for a bit of a break on the "rent")Dang, I don't even know you and I am excited for you :)

April 18, 2008 at 3:22 AM

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