I love my career. I have had the privilege to experience so many facets of the art world and work behind the scenes of many amazing places, as well as met so many artists and art aficionados over the years. When I was working in the Charleston gallery, I met artists almost every day. Most were coming in to admire and find inspiration. Many also bought. (Which is such a great compliment, by the way - artists buying other artists' work!) Quite often these conversation would turn into Q&A sessions.: How do you select your artists? What's the trick to getting into a gallery? How do you know an artist is good enough? Are you accepting submissions? Will you look at my work? All are great questions that I am happy to answer. However, that last question, when asked, can be the hardest one because of what proceeds... Usually, the person is already pulling out their phone, scrolling through thousands of images of family, foodie pics, vacations and selfies to try and find examples of their work. Meantime, I'm standing their trying to be pleasant, patient and accommodating. It is for this reason I no longer will look at artwork on phones. As nice and quickly as possible, I decline and invite them to email me. So, if you're an artist just starting out, here's a free tip: Don't put a gallerist on the spot to look at your work on your smartphone. Find out the submission process and follow their guidelines. Remember, gallerists are there to sell the work of the artists in their gallery.
And besides... a little screen is not going to justice to show your art. Despite the occasional awkward moment, I've always enjoyed having conversations about the gallery business and the process. Maybe it's my loquaciousness. More so, though, I just really like what I do, and by nature I like helping people. And, if I may be frank, I think it's important to give people the know-how of what NOT to do so they don't waste their own time or make a bad impression on the galleries they really want to work with. I want to help artists cultivate their career and get a little insight from the Gallerist's Perspective. So... that's exactly what I'm going to do.
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In 2008 in Brooklyn, New York, I met the man who would later become my husband. Two years later, we both confessed we wanted to go somewhere else. He had shown me his hometown in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. So, that was the goal.
The timing never seemed right. We both had very special niche careers which, outside of major metropolitans, are few and far between. So, we cast the net a little wider and landed in Charleston, SC, in 2013. Eight years passed, then COVID became a world-changing and life-changing experience. We found ourselves stuck at home and daydreaming of getting a little cabin in the mountains to escape to (and maybe one day move to.) Then, somehow, that dream became a reality when we found a cabin tucked away in Saluda, NC. It was only a matter of time before we made the decision to take the leap and move their perminently. With this move, I am taking another leap. Throughout the nine years managing Hagan Fine Art in Charleston, I have met hundreds of artists and have given many of them advice on everything from how to approach a gallery for representation to how to structure their websites to how to photograph their art, among so much more. I've thought for many years of turning this advice into consulting. So, now that I am where I want to be, I am turning my sights to what I want to do. I am turning my knowledge and experience into a successful business for myself. Wish me luck! |
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December 2023
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