Exhibition stories

Does nobody have any stories? I haven't exhibited in a commercial gallery. Well, unless you count Not the Royal Academy at Llewellyn Alexander in London. Which had so many pieces that I doubt mine ever made it onto the wall. I have had pieces in exhibitions. The Newbury-based Open Studios has a central exhibition at the New Greenham Arts centre every year. Thiis year was my first year, and I was impressed by the orrganisation and hanging (and by the fact that I sold a painting from the exhibition). All I had to do was put mirror plates on my paintings, deliver and collect. And steward for half a day. What would I expect from a commercial gallery? Well, I might not expect to put mirror plates on, nor to be asked to steward! In fact, I would expect advice on framing and prices. I think some galleries even take care of the framing in a house style. I would expect to be able to leave my paintings with the gallery for around three months, say, and I would hope not to have to collect them (all) because they'd been sold! I would expect all the financial stuff to be taken care of and I would expect some marketing / promotional activity to happen, with good reproductions in handsome catalogues (probably). I would not expect to have to write my own descriptions (even artists who are writers are probably not the best people to describe their own work), and I would expect the descriptios to be accurate. I would also expect my work to be hung the right way round.

Nicely said Syd, exactly my thoughts on whether to or not. Never used a gallery, normally my own garage sale or via the art club.

Although I agree with everything that's been said I will continue to sell via galleries (assuming they continue to want my work). Okay so despite the retail value my own returns may be dismal but I would rather sell a painting for minimal return than have them pile up in the corner of the studio only to be put in the skip when I join the great en plein cloud art group in the sky following my demise.