Chapter 4

Getting To Know An Artist

While visiting an exhibition away from home, the

fabulous painter Mary Cassatt was having a random

conversation with strangers comparing noteworthy painters.

"But you are forgetting a foreign painter who Degas ranks

very highly." Commented one of the group. "Who is that?"

Cassatt asked.  "Mary Cassatt," came the reply.  Mary

Cassatt thought the stranger to be paying her a compliment

and humbly replied- "Oh, nonsense!" ­ This angered the

stranger who told Mary she was just jealous and then

walked away

The moral of the story: It's not always so easy to get to

know your artist.

The first place to start when getting to know your

artist is by knowing how they got into the gallery where you

saw them displayed. There are only two ways for an artist

to get into a gallery.  Most artist start by representing

themselves and independently contacting galleries with

samples of their work as a way of getting their art sold.

Once an artist gains some recognition galleries will

begin to contact them.  After developing beyond the

beginning stages of their career some artists will elect to

sign a contract with an art publisher. Art publishers will

selectively represent artists; handle all business matters

including the reproduction cost, marketing cost and

the gallery placement. The publisher also receives the

majority of profits from the sale, and the artist is paid a

commission.