A sign of better days coming?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

New Photography Gallery Finds Opportunity in the Midst of Troubled Economy

Read more here.

[RSL]

Good for him, and thanks, Slobodan. It's a good feeling to know that a new gallery is opening in the midst of the kind of economy that's closed all my local galleries. Sooner or later this summer I'm going to have to go down there and see what and how Tom Suhler's doing with the new gallery. Santa Fe always has been one of the few places in the country where photography sells.

I just got a couple prints invited into a show at the Open Shutter gallery in Durango, Colorado. Normally I won't touch a juried show with a ten foot pole because I'm convinced most photo show judges are insane, but this one's going to be judged by Steve McCurry, who's one of my all-time favorite photographers and whom I know is very, very sane.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Congrats on the opportunity to have your work seen by Steve! Keep us posted.

[Rob C]

Good for him, and thanks, Slobodan. It's a good feeling to know that a new gallery is opening in the midst of the kind of economy that's closed all my local galleries. Sooner or later this summer I'm going to have to go down there and see what and how Tom Suhler's doing with the new gallery. Santa Fe always has been one of the few places in the country where photography sells.

I just got a couple prints invited into a show at the Open Shutter gallery in Durango, Colorado. Normally I won't touch a juried show with a ten foot pole because I'm convinced most photo show judges are insane, but this one's going to be judged by Steve McCurry, who's one of my all-time favorite photographers and whom I know is very, very sane.

And he's willing to do that?

Rob C

[RSL]

Rob, Notice that I said "most." They can't all be insane because I've judged a couple shows myself, though, when I addressed the group of exhibitors before the show I pointed out that they might consider me insane after the judging.

I should add that Steve's having a show in the same gallery right after the one my stuff will be in. He also had a show at the gallery in 2009. Elliott Erwitt had a show in the gallery in that same year. You can read all about it at http://www.openshuttergallery.com/. I'm embarrassed to say that until I saw their ad in B&W I'd never heard of the gallery, even though it's just across a mountain range from where I live. I'm going to drive across that range next week and deliver my prints in person.

[Justan]

New Photography Gallery Finds Opportunity in the Midst of Troubled Economy

Read more here.

I've been toying with much the same idea. I've seen similar opportunities (gallery’s for rent/sale) in 2 cities recently.

Plus last weekend we were in a gallery of a photographer who has 3 retail stores. The one I was in was at a prime location in a high volume tourist town. I’d guess the store at about 2,000’ of retail space. His prices are very reasonable, all works are single matted in simple metal frames, and he doesn't do signed or limited editions. His works range from card sized to some triptychs, that are about 20” tall by about 60” wide in 3 parts. His prices are competitive – the most expensive works are about $175 and the least expensive, cards, are $3. About 80% of the works are original works, and about 20% were framed reproductions of well known artists. We were in the store only about 15 minutes and in that time there was about a dozen other people that came and went. Of course, in that time, no one bought anything.

What was unusual about the gallery above is that there was no artist on the premises. The place was organized and run as a retail store and not a typical art gallery.

Anywho, around here, now is a GREAT opportunity to get a premium location. In Seattle I know of 5 good gallery spaces in the Pioneer Square area (a prime gallery location) that are available. In the other town I visited there were about a dozen good retail locations in for rent or sale. One would probably need at least a couple of years of cash reserves before a store would support itself….imo of course.

[Rob C]

Here, in Pollensa, Mallorca, the two main  galleries situated in Plaza Major are closing/closed; one, a least, is becoming a restaurant with the other probably doing the same. Both sold paintings, and even that's diving to Hades. Others here, smaller, have opened and closed and become something else. I suspect that's because this is a tourist town; might be very different in Palma or Barcelona or Madrid. I guess you need yuppies and other people with a social something to prove.

Hope it works for you guys, though.

Rob C