Art Agents for Early Career Artists – Good or Evil?
Years ago when I first took the plunge into the professional art world I started out creating screen prints in runs of up to 100 at a time with home-made equipment in my Garage. I figured it would make sense to be able to distribute my wonderful works as widely as possible, and what better way than producing a ton of copies and then selling them to eager buyers.
At the time I was inspired by some local artists who seemed to have their work in every framing shop and exhibition that I saw around town. I figured that these guys were making it big, as their work seemed so popular.
They were themselves creating prints, both regular four colour process and handmade screen prints. Since the cost of a run of 1000 4 colour process (poster style) prints was many thousands of dollars and ‘Giclee’ colour inkjet printing was a mere twinkle in technology’s eye at the time, I opted for the home-brew screen printing approach.
Well, after a short while one of the local artists that I’d admired so much spotted my work in a shop and gave me a call. I was excited! He wanted to represent me himself and use his connections to get my prints into the outlets that he had access to. This made me even more excited.
He only wanted the very reasonable sum of 30% of the wholesale price as commission, and since my prints at that time retailed for the absolutely enormous sum of $100 each (Framing Shops like to make a 100% markup) that meant that I would receive the princely sum of $35 for each print, and therefore $3500 for a complete sell out of a print run. I was almost salivating at the thought. It actually seemed like a lot of money to me at the time.
What happened when I stopped salivating?
Read on…
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/