Friends,

Today's installment is not about a single artist. It is, rather, about a gallery of artists. I met Noah Antieau at an Art event in Norcross, Georgia. He is the front man for six artists in www.redtruckgallery.com. Noah and I are kindred souls so to speak. Read this passage from his site:

“It seems most every time I walk into an art gallery I end up disappointed in one of two ways: either the art is bad, or the cost is outrageous.
More often than not galleries just do not show good art, which is amazing when you think about it, but nonetheless true. On those rare occasions when a gallery gets it right, they charge so much that the average person might as well be walking though a museum as a gallery; prices are just too high.
The result is that a huge segment of the population has been forced out of the conventional art market, left to languish in second rate craft fairs and strange, starving artist, shopping mall galleries.” (Noah Antieau) http://redtruckgallery.findartbuyart.com/

I am of the same opinion. When people go to galleries or exhibits, they find the art pricing prohibitive. Primarily this is because gallery operators may charge upwards of 50% commission on the artwork. I find this appalling. They are profiting from the sweat and inspiration of others for the privilege of giving an artist a piece of wall to display their work.

Art lovers are forced to attempt to find those diamonds in the rough artists who have not been recognized for their talent, yet. Artist’s main drive in their life is to display their unique vision in an art medium that expresses their innermost thoughts. Artist’s main sense of gratification is to have someone appreciate his or her work.

I am not denigrating all gallery owners. Some try to do right by their artists and patrons by charging reasonable commissions. Other parasites gouge their artists because artists are generally not attuned to the business side of art.

Do not let these vermin win. Go to independent galleries. View the work of some great artists who have not been discovered yet. Tell the artist how their work makes you feel. If you are so compelled, buy something.

Larry
larry@findartbuyart.com
www.findartbuyart.com