Art Agents for Early Career Artists – Good or Evil?
If you can find yourself an agent who actually does have the skill and capacity to sell your stuff then this is good. It does have the advantage of allowing you more time to actually create your artwork, but, remember, your agent is going to have to sell a whole lot in order keep you in the manner to which you would like to become accustomed, and you can’t get go out there and sell your artwork directly by yourself when things get a bit slow, because that would be undermining what your agent is supposed to be doing for you.
If your agent is handling your original work as well as your prints, and representing you into proper art galleries, then remember, after gallery commission and agents commission, you might only be left with 35% of the retail value, so your art had better command a very respectable price, in order that you might make a decent profit.
I also learned that you can read all the ‘how things are done in the artworld properly’ books you like, but, at the end of the day if you can’t trust the person you are dealing with (ie they are evil) then a contract is not going to count for much anyway. Are you really going to sue a person if they don’t do what they said they would? Probably not, at least not early on in your career when the money is small. Life is too short. Move on.
Upon reflection I think I went with an art agent too early, before any kind of demand had been established for my work. If I’d done more direct selling for myself at the time I would have known fairly quickly whether there was enough interest to keep both myself and and agent well fed and watered. If the prints were actually flying out the door as fast as I could make them, and there was no time for me to process the sales then an agent would have been a wise move. As it was, my prints sold quietly and steadily over a number years as most print runs do (which was good).
So, if you are just starting out, maybe you should relax and be your own agent for a while. You’ll directly enjoy the thrill of people putting money in your hands for the things you make and you’ll experience the artworld first hand at the coal face. When you get so busy successfully selling your work that you don’t have enough time to make it, then, and only then it might be worth taking on an agent to do all that messy sales stuff for you.
Now you need to put down your brushes and read some stuff on how to close a sale. 
Great post, your story and experience is very inspiring! Hope you post more stories in the near future.
You are your best agent.
I loved this story. I think many of us get swept up in the whole ideal of having an agent and often the reality is very different from what we imagined. I too was snapped up by an art agent early on my art career and it was initially a very heady experience . However it very quickly becomes apparent that the agent and galleries often take the lions share of the profit and although I had orders pouring in for my work I became too involved in working to order and my inspiration soon dwindled. The exposure I received was brilliant but it came at a high price.
Thank you so much for this article — have been toying with the idea of getting an agent for a long time and I hear both good and bad things about it. Am forwarding this article to artist friends ^_^
It was a real good story and a real great help for a starter like myself. Thanks a tone.
The Concept of an Agent is much better than the practicality of it. In reality if an agent has too many clients then your artwork is competing amongst the other artists which can be good or bad depending upon public demand by contrast. If the agent has multiple clients they care not weather your work sells over another artists, that said, agents with multiple contacts may command a smaller premium. If an agent has too few clients aside from them being inexperienced they will require a higher margin to sustain themselves, which mean you get less for your hard work. Factor in income taxes if your using commercial money instead of Gold and Silver and you’ll be lucky to make out with enough cash to buy bread after paying the rent.
What i suggest is you find an out of work relative who wouldn’t mind living with you, who is well connected and cleans up nice and is presentable who can show your work “samples, prints, and originals” to prospective buyers, bring your works to parties and invite people to speculate about the artists meaning behind this or that while enjoying a complementary glass of wine. * buy bulk to save money.
make sure to have a guest list at each party where people can sign up to receive email or written notification of another “social” where more of your art will be on show.
Great post here! Thanks for halting me in my tracks a bit!
this was a good article to give something to think about my husband is a great artist we have been dealing with out any agent for our 12 years but need to go to the next level so this is really food for thought thanks Betsy
I found this article because, as a semi-connected, driven but not-as-talented-as-my-artist-friends kind of guy I want to BE an agent. Not for “regular” artists that are capable of doing it themselves but for the socially awkward/inept artist who would rather keep their works at home until they are sold or at least about to be sold.
My theory wasn’t to take any certain percentage that would come out of the artists’ pockets but instead ask them “how much do you want me to get you for this?” then adjust the selling price as to what I think the buyer would pay. That way the buyer pays me & the artist gets 100% of their asking price.
Why more people don’t do it that way I don’t know.
Thats a very nice idea. There are a lot of artists that are terrible sales people and most artist have full time day jobs. It is so hard to find time to make art and then go out and sell it. I would love to cut out the selling part. but alas, its part of the job.
I really understand what you are saying Kelly,
I have been producing art for years and I write also… put many poems in my paintings. Thought if I got my website put up with quite a bit of my work I would be set… I know my work is good but something happened to getting into the site and now I cannot manage it! … I work full time as a realtor in the Vegas Valley and it’s tough. I do not know where to turn. I think your way is good… some of us have no idea how to market ourselves! My website is BonnieMarie.org and I need help with who to go to!
Kelly, will you be my agent?
all good thoughts and useful info. the idea of getting an agent had crossed my mind, as I just completed an art painting I was commissioned to do by a client in my town. the project was successful and now I’m considering doing more artwork on my own, but exploring ways I could best market the product.
My art is unique in my stile and content. I could arrange to send you memory from my camera. 818 207 5105 not good with my wifes computer could you call me please!
hello my name is sergiu . I am artist ……… is possible a collaboration?
I want to sell something of my painting…
Here you can see some pictures….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40950494@N08/