One of the many grumbles we hear from artists everywhere pertains to the relationship they have with galleries.

As many galleries have begun to increase the rate of commission they charge for selling and representing works in their spaces, it has also been noted, time and again, that many galleries are cutting back in their promotional efforts on the artist's behalf.  Unless one is a "top seller," one feels neglected or short shrifted in how marketing dollars are allocated.

Galleries say that rising overhead costs and the weak economy have forced them to scale back.  The argument certainly is plausible but it has done nothing to alleviate growing artist frustration.

Galleries say they will bolster their promotional spending when recovery occurs.

What to do about it in the extended interim?

Artists have a limited number of options at their disposal:  They can complain, and many have, without satisfaction.  They can shop around for new gallery representation.  They can pull out of galleries altogether and hope to sustain a presence via word of mouth.  They can do nothing.  

Or they can do what painter Robert Caldwell of Midlothian, Virginia has opted to do, which is supplement the options above with creative self promotion. Every day, more artists like Caldwell are using digital tools to try and fill whatever void exists on the gallery front.  And, in some cases, it has forced galleries to become more attentive to their needs.

Galleries are stuck in a bind.  Ignoring or refusing to become a more forceful part of the promotion equation means that more artists will take matters into their own hands and cultivate more direct lines of communication with the people who buy their work.

Not only does Caldwell produce a regular e-newsletter and write press releases, he posts videos onto YouTube.  Check his latest out below.  It is deployed to help generate excitement for his oil painting, At Rest, that will appear at the Society of Animal Artists 50th anniversary celebration this September in San Diego, California. At Rest was juried into SAA's annual Art and the Animal exhibition. Some 434 submissions were received from 256 artists.



Caldwell's strategy isn't the only one.  There are myriad ways to be innovative.

Unless one is independently wealthy or has a devoted base of patrons keeping them busy with commissions, most artists must manage their professional art career as a sustainable business enterprise.  Few fine artists enjoy talking about this aspect of their career, but it's a reality.

The way that the art world functions is changing;  the ways that art is bought and sold, how artists interact with the public, and reach out to possible fans and collectors is moving in a direction that will not allow it to be what it once was.

The artist, galleries, and the media are left to curse technology or adapt to it.  Like the golden age of magazines, like the old favorite corner book and music stores that are becoming far fewer in number,  galleries, too, are struggling against sweeping cultural shifts that could mean their obsolescence.  

It isn't enough to merely put out a shingle or have a Website.  You need to be where the traffic goes.

Wildlife Art Journal will continue to be a gathering point and staging area where stories of how artists are succeeding on the business side can be shared. And we're pleased to be a digital venue frequented by collectors, too.