A Brick and Mortar World

By John Keaton

In an increasingly digital world, having your art on the internet is key to success, but don't forget the well established world of art galleries.

We have all heard the expression, no man is an island. While the creative process is often a solitary one, art, once created, takes on a life of its own when they are presented to the World at large. It seems that everyone has an opinion. This is the objective nature of art, and in fact one of its most fascinating attributes. Art creates ripples of thought and reaction, a virtual kaleidoscope of emotional and intellectual perceptions.

With the advent of the World Wide Web, an artist has the mind-boggling capacity to share their unique visions and visual interpretations of the world around them, with the entire spectrum of international humanity. In short anyone with an internet connection and the awareness of your web presence can view your entire body of work, which may have taken years to create, in a matter of seconds. This unprecedented phenomenon allows you the artist, to communicate on a level, which transcends borders and boundaries.

It would be a fallacy to assume that by having your work made available on this level that your marketing efforts are complete. The real world of brick and mortar also requires contact and communication. It is my strong advice to every artist to actively pursue and establish a working relationship with a very real physical gallery. In short, while the presence of your artwork on the internet is a phenomenal advantage; it does not replace the human connection that art requires.

Nothing is quite like the original. Consider an online portfolio an extension of your abilities and a tool, which broadens your horizons as a point of contact. It is a means to an end, and a magnificent one at that, it however, not an end to itself.

Should you wish to gather information about galleries in your specific area, go to your favorite search engine and type in “ Art Galleries” and your city of interest. You are most certain to find numerous listings and points of reference which supply you with the necessary information to make contact with a brick and mortar gallery. You may at this point, send an email and introduce yourself, call the gallery and ask to speak to a manager or gallery director.

In spite of your apprehensions, galleries are nearly always looking for new art. It is in their best interest to do so. You may also consider printing out one or more of your best pieces on a postcard format, along with your contact info and utilize a direct mail marketing approach.

With the advent of printing technology today, it is not that difficult to print high quality images at a nominal cost. The point is to explore all possibilities for the advancement of your artwork. After all, knowledge is power, ignorance is bliss.

Which side of this coin do you prefer?

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John Keaton also writes other articles for Eye of the Art, his latest is a masterpiece on Andy Warhol, check it out.