Show & Sell
RE: Galleries that complain that they don’t like you selling your art from your website.
I used to get lots of whining from galleries because I sold my art via my website. Originals, prints, art objects. I had a PayPal type shop on my art website.
The galleries would always complain that I was taking business away from them. Or when I would go to find new galleries, they would check out my website and say either:
a) Oooooh…a “self-representing” artist. No thanks.
b) We don’t work with artists that sell their own art via the internet.My first reply to that was “So if selling via the internet is so good, why don’t you have a shop on your gallery website?”
Actually the first reply was usually: “Why don’t you have a website? “
Anyway, to get around the “living in the pre-internet world” whining from any galleries I had an idea.
Have two web sites: One under my name to show my art. Another website under a different .com domain and name/organization to sell my art. No more sales conflicts with galleries.
I use one web site as my showcase of my art and the second one as my store.
The first website is under my name “The Art of Me”. (Not the real title.)
The second website has its own domain name and title, such as: “Zambootz – The Amazingly Great Fine Art Store”. (No, that is not my art shop name.)
On my art website I list the galleries where my art is sold and the exclusive on-line website (“Zambootz – The Amazingly Great Fine Art Store”) where my art is sold. I even link my etsy store off of it.
There is no more selling from my art website and no more complaints from galleries.
April 21, 2009 at 11:22 am
Ha, ha, very good idea. I also have that mental conflict, mine is just mental because I work with only one gallery, I had no more luck. In fact I decided to sell my account and stop waiting for proposals from galleries. When you start to follow me on Twitter, I started to find your art and not find you anywhere. Send me a secret e-mail with a link to your web art, he, he, to see what you do, I promise not to tell any gallery, ha, ha, ha. Thank you
April 21, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Hello! Quick question – on the online store site do you have your own name listed? Cheers
April 22, 2009 at 3:41 pm
The online store has a totally different name. The only part that has my name on it is my art that is for sale at that online store. (And having a new store under a different name you could even sell art from other artists that have a different style from you.)
April 22, 2009 at 10:26 pm
I think things are beginning to change in regards to this issue. Several galleries I am part (TX,GA,PA,MA) all found my website and approached me asking ot carry my work. I sell from my website, prices are there but you must sign in with your e-mail address to acccess the price, so the prices are not visible to the casual browser. Any paintings that are in a gallery have no price but rather a link to the gallery that has them.
I’ve thought of having two website, but my name is essentially my brand and a google search on my name would bring up both sites anyway. Good idea though if you have a “store” or “studio” name you could use.
April 23, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Do you think the signing in process you describe hinders people from getting more involved with the art on your website? Does that stop them because they have to “pay” with their e-mail address to gain access? (I would be afraid someone is collecting e-mail addresses to sell them or I would just write in a made-up e-mail address.)
April 23, 2009 at 12:07 am
Thanks for this article. I found it interesting as I am having a related problem. I’m a new artist and I want to sell work online but I want to be ‘repectable’ and it seems that you can’t have your prices on your site if you are a ‘serious’ artist. I’m trialling having the prices listed and if they want to purchase they contact me through e-mail. I only just changed so can’t tell what kind of effect it is having yet.
April 23, 2009 at 12:40 pm
If you don’t have art in any galleries, then one could put the prices on their art.
I would suggest having a separate art shop on your website for art you have for sale. (I am referring to a website, not a blog-type format like this one.) One’s own website offers more possibilities for sections and categories to direct people to than a blog does.
However, I did have a problem in approaching new galleries and having a shop on my art website – they would always looked down on it with a mildly sarcastic remark such as “oh, another self-representing, self-selling artist”.
I no longer have that problem with the two websites: one for showing and promoting me and my art; one for selling my art.
April 23, 2009 at 11:31 am
Great idea. Didn’t realize that there would be a conflict but that makes total sense. Thanks for the eye opener. (as I live in my bubble of a studio). i myself am having a new website designed.
Quick question:
How do you get the message across to those who visit your studio that you actually have an online shop?
April 23, 2009 at 12:34 pm
RE: “How do you get the message across to those who visit your studio that you actually have an online shop?”
I just put statements & links to the effect that say my art is sold online at “XYZ art shop”.
I announce a new print or other art work on my website and say people can buy it at the “XYZ art shop”.
April 29, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I guess I understand a bit what the gallery is saying but it just seems like Galleries need to jump on the cyber wagon more. Really with the competition out there Artists need to be more pro active. I dont really bother with Gallery representation. I do shows but I dont seek Gallery representation. I guess because I am so interested in the art of self promotion now that ends up taking my time, that and creating.
Interesting topic these days.
May 4, 2009 at 11:30 am
[...] Also see my other post on showing prices here: “Show and Sell” [...]
May 8, 2009 at 5:22 am
Several times I have received an e mail saying someone wants to buy a painting of mine that they saw on the website.
I notified FASO, but I didn’t get an answer. How does that work? Should I contact FASO and what happens then?
Verna
May 8, 2009 at 10:15 am
Reply to Verna D’Alto: I am unfamiliar with the term “FASO”. What does FASO mean or stand for?