Having spent 35 years in the entertainment industry, first as a session drummer, musician and songwriter, and later as an author and screenplay writer, I completely understand how it feels to be a struggling artist: hard work, long hours, rejections and seemingly little understanding from those who peddled or marketed my work… that was until 2012.
Following the success of my first book and screenplay in 2004, I was able to move back to the UK from Berlin. My wife and I settled in the sleepy coastal village that had been my secret holiday escape for the previous three decades.
For the first year, I wrote and wrote. But nothing compared to the beginner’s luck I’d had with my first screenplay, so I ended up commuting to Berlin the following year to return to sound design for films.
After a three-year stint at putting the local village social club back on its feet, I went on to found and run a social enterprise. Despite it winning six national awards, a global nomination and an unconditional offer as a fellow of the RSA (Royal Society of Arts), I couldn’t bring the business to sustainability, so was back with no job, little money and no idea where to turn next.
In the vacuum, I sent out an email to friends and family explaining my predicament and asking if they had any ideas or suggestions of what I could do next, to let me know.
Lo and behold, two days later I had a knock on my door from my friend, Tony. “I got your email,” he said, “and wonder if you’d like my gallery?”
He and his partner were moving ‘up country’ and so the small village gallery he’d started three years before was up for grabs. I was gobsmacked – what did I know about visual arts or retail? And what would I do with a Cornish Gallery?
Without a reason to say no, I found myself uttering “sure…” and my journey into selling fine art, rather than being an artist, had begun.
I picked up the keys a couple of months later and was delighted that nearly all the artists then showing at The Harbour Gallery agreed to trust me and continued to exhibit their wonderful works.
For the first few months I kept my nose down and just absorbed the workings of the modest business I’d bought. Luckily it was just at the beginning of the ‘season’ so I had the whole summer to get up to full speed on the whole process of the business.
Slowly, I started to realise that all the skills I’d picked up in my life were perfect for the job… which was just as well as I needed to make it work!
I used my website skills to build an attractive, user-friendly website, my business skills – from my social enterprise – to work with both suppliers and buyers, and my enjoyment of social media which I’d used to promote my previous businesses.
I also had one extra secret weapon… I knew how artists tick, what they needed, and how best to support them in attaining success. But most of all, I knew how to help them help me. Why? Because I’d been one my whole life.
My confidence grew and, before long, I had grown the gallery into a thriving business. In 2017, five years after taking over the keys, The Harbour Gallery’s turnover had increased by 500%. I had 300% more gallery space and had won the ‘Best Cornish Gallery’ award in a readers’ poll. Additionally I now had thousands of followers on social media and an over 50% readership of my newsletters; well over double the industry standard.
I was more surprised than anyone at the gallery’s success, but when The Artist magazine asked me if I would write about my success of attaining 35% of my turnover in online sales and especially my knowhow of social media, websites and gallery/artist relationships, I jumped at the chance.
Sure, I wanted to share my experiences and the knowledge I’d picked up on my journey into making a success of selling art, especially in the digital arena, because I felt it was sorely lacking in many areas of the art world. But more than anything, I wanted to support the industry I had grown to love as it had given me so much.
This book, then, is a collection of all those articles and some new insights into selling work yourself… digitally!
I will address how I believe an artist and their gallery/ies should work together, but also address the myth that a traditional gallery is the right and only partner for you and your work… especially if they themselves don’t use the tools in this book.
I hope it’s of help in raising your profile and will help increase your sales. Use your creativity and have fun. But most of all… have fun!