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Make the Most of Your Art Shows

Q: I made a career change from engineer to artist several years ago. I have two one person shows coming up, one at a gallery and one at a local college. How can I get the maximum career benefits and exposure from these shows? My wife has volunteered to contact influential art critics. Will that help? What else I can do before, during and afterwards?

A: Make the most of these opportunities, but at the same time, keep them in their proper perspective. This is not a critical point which, if properly manipulated, will catapult you into instant stardom. These shows are both big pluses, but fame and fortune are much more related to longevity and consistency than they are to capitalizing on any given moment. All that considered, you can certainly make the best of these shows.

One great way to maximize the outcome of any exhibition is to publish a catalogue. Find out whether either the gallery or the college (or both together) have any such plans and if not, what you might do in order persuade them otherwise. Coming away with at least a brochure is probably the best long term public relations tool you can accrue.

Regarding the critics, your wife is welcome to contact those who review your type of art, but a better idea would be to have the college and gallery public relations people do it instead. In a trial, for example, the testimony of a defendant's spouse is often excessively biased in favor of the defendant. In other words, having unbiased third parties, preferably fine arts professionals, testify to the critics on your behalf is far more credible than having your wife do it. What she can do, however, is mail or fax out standard press releases on the exhibitors' letterheads and make follow-up calls (without mentioning her name) to see whether they've been received.

When your shows end, assuming they go well and you have no long term contractual relationship with the exhibiting gallery, put together a press kit. Include reviews, several photographs of your work, your bio, resume, and any other relevant printed information you might have. If sales went well, also include data on what percentage of the art sold and for how much. Commercial galleries always like to hear about artists whose work sells well.

Once your kit is together, get busy locating, contacting, and mailing it out to possible locations for future shows. Confine your efforts to places on a par with or slightly above those of this gallery and college. Also, stay within your geographical area unless you've received publicity elsewhere. Save the major galleries and institutions for later. They're only inclined to exhibit your work after you've acquired an established reputation of showing and selling at comparable venues.