Chapter 5: How to Build Long-Term Professional Relationships

Jackie Battenfield writes in the fifth chapter about networking and the responsibilities that come with these networks. She discusses commercial venues: art galleries, private dealers, art advisors, art fairs, and art consultants. Art galleries have a business to run, and their business is to advertise and sell your product. The relationship with your art gallery is very important. As a gallery it is their job to set up shows and reach out to the right people and as an artist, it is your job to have a good relationship with them. This relationship may last over many years so understanding and communication is very important with them. The gallerist helps artists build their careers and the dealer helps sell the artist’s work. To make sure you have a good relationship with the gallery you must know where you can continue previous relationships with art professionals. Commercial galleries are difficult to get into because most work with a handful of artists of many years, but occasionally they bring in new blood. She warns to stay away from ‘vanity galleries’; they charge the artist to show their work and have no need to help the artist after they already have their money. Private Dealers are different from galleries because they do not keep a space for the art work to be shown. They may bring the buyer directly to your studio or conduct work in an office. They are helpful in getting appraisals and insurance. They can be useful because many private dealers are just starting off but in the future they might have a gallery and wish to use you again. Continuing these relationships will help you as an artist in the present and the future.

The Artist Guide, Jackie Battenfield: Pg. 61-69

Jackie Battenfield writes on page 61 through 69 about the artist’s resume, biography, and the pay off of these tools. The resume is a listing of the education and experience as an artist. The different types of groups that would see the resume will understand where the artist stands in the art community and what the artist has in plan for their future. Jackie Battenfield explains that the resume is not the most important written statement about the artist or the artwork. It is merely a confirmation of “whether the first impression” is wrong or right about the artist and artwork. She also explains that the artist should not stress over the quantity or how close together the shows are because quality is better than quantity. She adds that there should be different resumes for different situations. For example, one should be used for teaching applications and another for exhibition applications. The biography of the artist is a list of facts of schools attended and what grants and awards have been granted to the artist. Art dealers, curators, critics, search committees, grant panel, and exhibition visitors will overview the schooling and grants. They are looking for what type of art the artist does and for what reasons, such as schooling. They are also seeing that other professionals accept and validate the artist’s work. Jackie Battenfield explains that clear formatting is important to the artist because the viewer will understand them easily. She also states that the artist will benefit from these resumes and biographies by looking back at them and questioning where the artist wants to go from here. These tools also help you as a professional in the art community