Is my work ready to be for sale in a gallery in NYC?

[elliot_n]

If you want to show in a NY gallery you need to go to art school.

[Otto Phocus]

Would a gallery be interested in snapshot type photographs?  As snapshots, some of them are interesting.  I am not sure anyone would want to buy one or whether an art gallery would want to incur the expense of displaying them.

Has any gallery contacted you about your photographs or are you intending to do a cold call to a gallery?

Best of luck to you, but I think you will have a tough sell in front of you.

[pcgpcg]

So what do you think about my work?

You're forcing my hand? I defer to Thumper's dad.
That said, my personal taste is pretty narrow and I have seen plenty of art that is wildly popular and that sells for millions that I don't like either. To each his own and best of luck to your endeavors.

[DF1]

Without an MBA from some snooty art school, you'll have to make a name for yourself as an artist the old fashioned way--by being so damn good that people will want to buy your art. Here are some early signs that your work might be worth buying (all of these happened either to me or friends of mine):

• Your friends want to buy your work and hang it on their wall.
• Your co-workers want to buy your work and hang it on their wall.
• Friends of friends, people you don't know very well, want to buy your work.
• Your boss likes your work and wants to display it at the office. He buys several prints.
• You talk a bar or restaurant owner into to letting you display some of your work at their establishment and you sell a print or two.
• You set up a stall on a NYC street and sell your work. People begin to buy. Some people may even return after a while to buy more. They tell their friends about you. You begin to build a base of collectors. One day, someone famous walks by and sees your work. They like what they see and buy a print. They let you list them as a collector of your work on your website (yes, you will need a website and it has to look clean and professional and not like some bargain website banner ad). You're beginning to make a name for yourself.

This is an example of how you can get started without the benefit of an art school education. But none of the above are any guarantee that a gallery will want to represent you. But you have to start somewhere and a gallery is not the place where you start, it's where you end up.

[Rainer SLP]

Without an MBA from some snooty art school, you'll have to make a name for yourself as an artist the old fashioned way--by being so damn good that people will want to buy your art. Here are some early signs that your work might be worth buying (all of these happened either to me or friends of mine):

• Your friends want to buy your work and hang it on their wall.
• Your co-workers want to buy your work and hang it on their wall.
• Friends of friends, people you don't know very well, want to buy your work.
• Your boss likes your work and wants to display it at the office. He buys several prints.
• You talk a bar or restaurant owner into to letting you display some of your work at their establishment and you sell a print or two.
• You set up a stall on a NYC street and sell your work. People begin to buy. Some people may even return after a while to buy more. They tell their friends about you. You begin to build a base of collectors. One day, someone famous walks by and sees your work. They like what they see and buy a print. They let you list them as a collector of your work on your website (yes, you will need a website and it has to look clean and professional and not like some bargain website banner ad). You're beginning to make a name for yourself.

This is an example of how you can get started without the benefit of an art school education. But none of the above are any guarantee that a gallery will want to represent you. But you have to start somewhere and a gallery is not the place where you start, it's where you end up.

+1

• You talk a bar or restaurant owner into to letting you display some of your work at their establishment and you sell a print or two.

Good recommendation as ...

That is how I started and made then another 8 exhibitions here in Mexico where I live and sold some framed images ( ~ 500) but even so I am absolutely not famous except in this forum for my __________ (put any word over the lines) comments 

I then gave up due to changing to another type of Photography ...

[Hidden Grid]

Would a gallery be interested in snapshot type photographs?  As snapshots, some of them are interesting.  I am not sure anyone would want to buy one or whether an art gallery would want to incur the expense of displaying them.

Has any gallery contacted you about your photographs or are you intending to do a cold call to a gallery?

Best of luck to you, but I think you will have a tough sell in front of you.

I would be cold calling the gallery for starters.

[Hidden Grid]

Without an MBA from some snooty art school, you'll have to make a name for yourself as an artist the old fashioned way--by being so damn good that people will want to buy your art. Here are some early signs that your work might be worth buying (all of these happened either to me or friends of mine):

• Your friends want to buy your work and hang it on their wall.
• Your co-workers want to buy your work and hang it on their wall.
• Friends of friends, people you don't know very well, want to buy your work.
• Your boss likes your work and wants to display it at the office. He buys several prints.
• You talk a bar or restaurant owner into to letting you display some of your work at their establishment and you sell a print or two.
• You set up a stall on a NYC street and sell your work. People begin to buy. Some people may even return after a while to buy more. They tell their friends about you. You begin to build a base of collectors. One day, someone famous walks by and sees your work. They like what they see and buy a print. They let you list them as a collector of your work on your website (yes, you will need a website and it has to look clean and professional and not like some bargain website banner ad). You're beginning to make a name for yourself.

This is an example of how you can get started without the benefit of an art school education. But none of the above are any guarantee that a gallery will want to represent you. But you have to start somewhere and a gallery is not the place where you start, it's where you end up.

Thank you so much for the info.

[Chairman Bill]

There's nothing there I'd put on my wall, let alone pay money for it first. Sorry if that sounds a bit brutal, but it's the truth.

[ddolde]

YOU MUST BE JOKING

[BobDavid]

I know we all come to this forum with different interests, skills, and knowledge. Some of us are newbies, while others have been around the block countless times. I assume the original poster is not joking. Let's be nice.

[ThirstyDursty]

I'm no expert, successful or anything...so ignore my advice and cold call galleries.

1) I was not taken by any of the photos...and I think most people would have minimal emotive response to viewing them. So get a book on composition and think about telling an emotive story...or at least documenting something pretty (sunset, flower) with prefect technical execution.

2) enter your now better photos in some Art shows, and go to the judging to hear the judges' remarks....if you win, get honorable mentions or sell...your on the right track.

3) the suggestion of cafe/restaurants is solid...after you have some stock from entering shows, put the unsold works in cafe, restaurant, library...where ever.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DF1]

Thank you so much for the info.

You're very welcome. One last note. The last example I gave about setting up a street stall to sell your work is something a friend of mine did about 15 years ago. He's a graffiti and tattoo artist and decided to sell his paintings and prints on the street. People loved his work and he started selling pretty quickly. He started small and kept his prices in the beginning low. Paintings went from $100 - $300. Prints were $10 - $25. People bought them like crazy. He would post photos of him with his customers and the paintings they bought and post them on his Twitter stream. He marketed himself like crazy from day one. One day, Whoopie Goldberg happened to walk by and saw his work. She loved it and bought two paintings. Today, my friend is being represented by galleries in NYC, Paris, Milan and some town in Norway. I forget the name. He's exhibited at Art Basel in Miami, where he now has his studio, and he's shown his paintings in a group show at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas. He's doing great. He's super talented and dedicated and works his ass off ALL THE TIME. He went from NOTHING to success all on his own, and without an art degree. I love the guy and he's been an inspiration to me and many others. So it's possible to do. But you have to be INSANELY focused and push yourself to the limit 24/7. Be edgy and don't try to please ANYONE but yourself with your art. Take risks with your art. Show people things they haven't seen before, otherwise they'll think it's nothing special. Ignore the critics. Don't let praise go to your head, either. Don't drink your own Kool-Aid. Be your own toughest critic. No matter how much anyone likes your work they will never understand it as well as you do. Stay true to your vision and let the work speak for itself. And be really patient. Success won't come overnight, if it comes at all. Remember: THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES! If you're good, people will inevitably be drawn to your work. Let that be the evidence of your talent.

[drmike]

I think DF1 sums it up well

Shoot for yourself from the heart
Total, unreasonable focus
Probably starve a bit

If it happens then well done.

If it doesn't then you can rest easy you gave it your best shot.

Best way to not succeed is not to try

I couldn't do it even if hadn't had a family to support. But then see what Robert Frank put his family through. Could you do tehe same?

All that said personally I don't think you've got it yet but my advice is to ignore my advice.